How Big Is Boston?

United States · North America

Area

232 km²

90 mi²

Population

0.7M

Metro: 4.9M

Density

2,931/km²

Founded

1630

Those figures stop at the official city limits. Measured by continuous built-up land, Boston's urban area covers 508 km² and has 1.67 million people (2025), the 301st largest in the world. Source: GHSL Urban Centre Database R2024A, European Commission JRC (CC BY 4.0).

Boston Size Overview

Boston covers an area of 232 km² (90 mi²) in United States, North America. Capital and largest city in Massachusetts, United States. The city is often called "Beantown". To put this in perspective, Boston is roughly the same size as Amsterdam. In more relatable units, that's about 32,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 68 times the area of Central Park.

Boston is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It serves as a cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. Boston has an area of 48.4 sq mi (125 km2) and a population of 675,647 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in the Northeastern United States after New York City and Philadelphia.

With a population of 0.7 million (4.9 million in the metropolitan area), Boston has a population density of 2,931 people per km². The greater Boston metropolitan area extends to 11,700 km².

Boston has a history stretching back to 1630. The city is renowned for Fenway Park, Freedom Trail, Harvard University, and Boston Common.

Boston has a humid continental climate, with summer temperatures averaging 22°C and winters around -1°C. The city's main public transit system is the MBTA (The T).

Did You Know?

  • Boston covers just 125 km2 yet serves as the cultural and financial heart of all New England
  • With 675,647 residents at the 2020 census, Boston is the third-most populous city in the Northeastern United States

Compare Boston with Other Cities

Boston vs Chicago

606 km² · United States

Compare Boston with any city using our interactive map tool.

Cities Similar in Size to Boston

Boston covers 232 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Osaka (225 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Amsterdam (219 km²), Helsinki (214 km²), or Edinburgh (259 km²).

About OsakaAbout Kuala LumpurAbout AmsterdamAbout HelsinkiAbout Edinburgh

Frequently Asked Questions about Boston

How big is Boston in square miles?
Boston covers 232 km², which is approximately 90 square miles. The metropolitan area extends to 11,700 km² (4,517 mi²).
What is the population of Boston?
Boston has a population of approximately 0.7 million people. The greater metropolitan area is home to 4.9 million.
What is the population density of Boston?
Boston has a population density of 2,931 people per km² (7,591 per mi²).
How does Boston compare to Chicago?
Boston covers 232 km² while Chicago covers 606 km². Chicago is 2.6x larger. Use our interactive map tool to compare them side by side.
Can I compare Boston with other cities on a map?
Yes! City Map Compare lets you compare Boston with any of 96 other cities side by side on synchronized maps. Both maps maintain the same zoom level so you can see the real difference in size.