Back Bay is one of Boston's most architecturally striking neighborhoods, built on land reclaimed from the tidal flats of the Charles River in the mid-1800s. That ambitious landfill project gave the neighborhood its name and left behind a grid of wide, tree-lined streets that feel rare in a city otherwise defined by its winding, colonial-era roads. Commonwealth Avenue, the neighborhood's central boulevard, stretches from the Public Garden westward with a landscaped mall running down its center, flanked by rows of preserved Victorian brownstones.

The neighborhood draws residents who want proximity to Boston's core without sacrificing a sense of residential calm. Newbury Street and Boylston Street anchor the commercial life here, while Copley Square and the Prudential Center mark two of Back Bay's most recognized civic and retail landmarks. Northeastern University sits just at the neighborhood's southern edge.

The rental landscape reflects the neighborhood's prestige and density.