Boston, MA 02111
Chinatown Real Estate
The Beach Street gate, 1800s rowhouses and new towers beside the Greenway
Updated
- ZIP codes
- 02111
- Getting around
- Orange Line at Chinatown and Tufts Medical Center; Silver Line on Washington Street; Green Line at Boylston; South Station nearby for Red Line and commuter rail
- Typical homes
- Brick rowhouses from the 1800s, mid-rise apartment buildings and modern high-rise condo and rental towers
Part of Boston's Chinatown sits on land filled in from tidal flats in the 1830s, when the South Cove was reclaimed and lined with brick rowhouses. Railroads, the garment industry, the Central Artery and the Massachusetts Turnpike each reshaped the area in turn, which is why the neighborhood today mixes narrow nineteenth-century blocks with large institutional buildings and towers. Its compact grid sits between Downtown Crossing, the Leather District, Bay Village and the South End.
Beach Street, Tyler Street, Harrison Avenue and Kneeland Street hold most of the shops, bakeries, groceries and restaurants. The paifang gate at Beach Street and Surface Road, donated by Taiwan in 1982, marks the entrance from the Rose Kennedy Greenway, where Chinatown Park offers planted space and seating. Tufts Medical Center occupies a large campus on the southern side, and the Orange Line stops at both Chinatown and Tufts Medical Center stations.
South Station is close enough to walk, which puts commuter rail, Amtrak and the Red Line within easy reach, and the Leather District's converted brick warehouses sit just to the east. Interstate 93 and the Turnpike are also close by for anyone driving out of the city.
Where Chinatown is
Living in Chinatown
What makes Chinatown special
Chinatown Gate
The traditional paifang gate at Beach Street and Surface Road, flanked by stone foo lions, has marked the neighborhood's Beach Street entrance since the 1980s.
Chinatown Park
A landscaped section of the Rose Kennedy Greenway near the gate, with walkways, plantings and open seating space.
Busy shopping streets
Beach Street, Tyler Street and Harrison Avenue are packed with bakeries, grocers, tea shops and small businesses at street level.
Historic rowhouses
Surviving 1800s brick rowhouses on Tyler, Hudson and Oak Streets and nearby lanes are some of the oldest homes in the area.
Two Orange Line stops
Chinatown and Tufts Medical Center stations, plus Silver Line buses on Washington Street and Boylston on the Green Line, are steps away.
The Market
Chinatown homes & real estate
Housing in Chinatown spans a wide range of building types in a small footprint. The oldest are four-story brick rowhouses from the 1800s, a limited number of which survive on Oak, Hudson, Tyler and Pine Streets and Johnny Court, often with storefronts on the ground floor. Mid-rise apartment and mixed-use buildings fill much of the grid, and since the early 2000s a series of high-rise condominium and rental towers has gone up along Washington Street, Kneeland Street and the edge of the Greenway.
For condos in the newer towers, buyers usually focus on association fees, amenities, garage parking and the view a unit holds. In the rowhouse blocks, inspection matters, since the buildings are old and some were altered over time for mixed commercial use. Being close to the Turnpike and the Central Artery tunnels also means traffic sound varies by block. When you are ready to see how recent Chinatown sales compare, send us a note and we will gather them.
Helpful guides: Renting in BostonFirst-time buyer guideHow offers work in MassachusettsMortgage options by property typeSelling a house in Massachusetts
Getting around: Orange Line guide
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What ZIP codes cover Chinatown?
Chinatown is in ZIP code 02111, which it shares with the Leather District and parts of Downtown Crossing.
How do you get to downtown Boston from Chinatown?
Downtown Crossing is a few minutes' walk up Washington Street. The Orange Line stops at Chinatown and Tufts Medical Center, the Green Line is at Boylston, and South Station is a short walk east.
What types of homes are for sale in Chinatown?
Most homes for sale are condominiums in high-rise towers and mid-rise buildings. Units in historic brick rowhouses come up occasionally, though relatively few of those buildings remain.
What is Chinatown known for?
It is known for the paifang gate on Beach Street, a dense concentration of restaurants, bakeries and markets, Chinatown Park on the Greenway and the Tufts Medical Center campus.
Stay in the loop
Be the first to know about Chinatown
Get updates, guides and the first look when homes come to market, straight to your inbox.
- Homes coming to market in Chinatown
- Chinatown market updates and new guides
- Occasional emails, unsubscribe anytime
Keep exploring
Home value
Chinatown home values
What could your Chinatown home sell for? A free, personalized estimate.
Read moreNearby
Downtown Boston
Glass towers and loft conversions near Boston Common, Downtown Crossing and the harbor
Read moreNearby
Bay Village
Federal and Greek Revival rowhouses on a few gaslit blocks by the Theater District
Read moreNearby
South End
Victorian brownstones, a celebrated dining scene, and the SoWa arts district
Read moreNearby
Seaport
Harborwalk towers, Fort Point's brick lofts and the ICA, a short walk from South Station
Read moreGuide
Living near the Orange Line in Boston
The Orange Line runs 20 stations from Forest Hills in Jamaica Plain through Roxbury, the South End, Back Bay, downtown and Charlestown to Somerville, Medford and Oak Grove in Malden. Housing along it ranges from triple-deckers and Victorians to brownstone condos and new towers.
Read more