Boston, MA 02119 · 02120 · 02121
Roxbury Real Estate
Nubian Square, the Fort Hill tower, Franklin Park and nearly four centuries of history
Updated
- ZIP codes
- 02119 · 02120 · 02121
- Getting around
- Orange Line at Ruggles, Roxbury Crossing and Jackson Square; Silver Line SL4 and SL5 from Nubian station; many MBTA bus routes through Nubian Square
- Typical homes
- Victorian single-families and rowhouses, Italianate and Queen Anne houses, triple-deckers and new condo buildings
Roxbury was founded in 1630, one of the first towns of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and its name comes from the rocky ground early farmers had to clear. The pinkish conglomerate underfoot, Roxbury puddingstone, turns up in foundations, walls and churches across the neighborhood. The town once took in Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury, became a city in 1846 and was annexed by Boston in 1868.
Nubian Square, renamed from Dudley Square in 2019, is the commercial and civic center, with the Bolling Building, the Roxbury branch library and a major bus and Silver Line hub. Uphill, Eliot Square and the Highland Park area hold some of Boston's oldest buildings. Franklin Park, the largest piece of Olmsted's Emerald Necklace, forms the southern edge, and the Orange Line runs along the Southwest Corridor on the western side.
Roxbury is large, and Fort Hill, Moreland Street, Grove Hall, Egleston Square and the blocks near Roxbury Crossing each have a distinct building stock. It is worth touring a few before narrowing a search, since a short walk can take you from wood-frame Victorians on a hilltop to brick rows and brand-new condo buildings.
Living in Roxbury
What makes Roxbury special
Fort Hill Tower
The 1869 Cochituate Standpipe rises over Highland Park on the site of a Revolutionary War fort, surrounded by Victorian houses.
Colonial-era landmarks
The Shirley-Eustis House, a 1740s governor's mansion, and the 1804 First Church in Roxbury in Eliot Square anchor the neighborhood's colonial history.
Franklin Park
Olmsted's 527-acre park on Roxbury's southern edge holds the Franklin Park Zoo, a public golf course, woodland trails and playing fields.
Nubian Square
Roxbury's main business district on Washington Street, with shops, restaurants, the Bolling Building and the Nubian bus and Silver Line station.
Orange Line access
Ruggles, Roxbury Crossing and Jackson Square stations sit along the Southwest Corridor Park, with direct trains to Back Bay and Downtown Crossing.
The Market
Roxbury homes & real estate
Roxbury's housing spans more than two centuries. Fort Hill and Highland Park are dense with nineteenth-century Italianate, Greek Revival and Queen Anne houses, many built of wood on steep, winding streets. The Moreland Street and Kearsarge Avenue area has brick and brownstone rowhouses and freestanding Victorians, and Mount Pleasant and Dale Street have similar stock. Triple-deckers and two-families are common toward Grove Hall and Egleston Square, and newer condo and apartment buildings have gone up around Nubian Square, Jackson Square and Melnea Cass Boulevard.
Older houses in Roxbury reward careful inspection of foundations, porches and slate or wood details, and houses in the Highland Park Architectural Conservation District need city review for many exterior changes. In new-construction buildings, look at the association budget, any deed restrictions attached to units, and parking. We'd be happy to put together current Roxbury pricing for the specific street or building you have in mind.
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 Roxbury?
Most of Roxbury is in ZIP code 02119. The area around Roxbury Crossing shares 02120 with Mission Hill, and parts of Grove Hall fall in 02121, which also covers part of Dorchester.
How do you get to downtown Boston from Roxbury?
The Orange Line from Jackson Square, Roxbury Crossing or Ruggles runs to Back Bay and Downtown Crossing. From Nubian Square, the SL4 and SL5 Silver Line buses follow Washington Street toward downtown, and Ruggles also has commuter rail service.
What types of homes are for sale in Roxbury?
Roxbury has Victorian single-family houses, brick rowhouses, triple-deckers and two-families, condominiums in converted older homes, and units in newer condo buildings.
What is Roxbury known for?
Roxbury is known for its long history as one of the first colonial towns, landmarks like the Shirley-Eustis House, the Fort Hill Tower and the First Church in Roxbury, Nubian Square, Franklin Park and Roxbury puddingstone.
Are there historic districts in Roxbury?
Yes. The Boston Landmarks Commission designated the Highland Park Architectural Conservation District in 2022, so many exterior changes to houses there need city review. The Moreland Street area and the Roxbury Highlands are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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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.
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