Neighborhood in Boston · Suffolk County
South End
The South End’s nineteenth-century red-brick rowhouses give this central Boston neighborhood a distinct architectural pattern.
Photo 1 of 1
Basketball in Boston’s South End, photographed in March 2021.
Basketball in Boston’s South End, photographed in March 2021.
Creator: Matthew Moloney
License: Unsplash License
Changes: Resized and converted to WebP; may be cropped to fit the display
Victorian rowhouses and neighborhood squares in central Boston
Around the area
Around this neighborhood
About South End
The South End’s nineteenth-century red-brick rowhouses give this central Boston neighborhood a distinct architectural pattern. Institutional and commercial buildings sit within the same historic fabric, while Blackstone and Franklin squares provide public outdoor spaces. The South End is a separate neighborhood from South Boston.
A rowhouse district with other building types
Boston’s district standards describe a cohesive nineteenth-century setting of Victorian red-brick rowhouses. Institutional and commercial structures are also part of its architectural character.
The designation concerns the district’s physical features and appearance. It is a record of the built landscape rather than a statement about the layout of an individual apartment.
Blackstone and Franklin squares
Blackstone Square and Franklin Square are public outdoor destinations in the South End. They give the neighborhood named gathering spaces within its central-city street network.
Boston’s parks directory identifies these spaces separately from Franklin Park, the much larger Emerald Necklace landscape. Similar names therefore refer to different park destinations.
A central neighborhood with its own identity
Boston places the South End close to Downtown and Back Bay. Its own neighborhood page connects residents with city neighborhood services and local information.
The rowhouse district, public squares and institutional buildings provide a more specific local picture than treating the South End as an extension of a downtown destination.
Sports and play on Shawmut Avenue
Peters Park at 230 Shawmut Avenue contains basketball and tennis facilities, an athletic field, a dog park and a playground. This public recreation space complements the South End’s smaller ornamental squares.
Check these on a visit
Try these in person before you commit to an address in South End.
- Walk a short rowhouse stretch around the candidate address from public sidewalks.
- Visit Blackstone or Franklin Square as a named South End destination.
- Use the property’s district designation and building documents for questions about proposed changes or shared spaces.
Neighborhoods and districts near South End
The closest neighborhoods and districts in Boston, measured center to center.
Under 1 miBack BayBack Bay combines a protected historic district with commercial streets and the civic setting of Copley Square.
3.0 miDorchesterDorchester covers a broad part of Boston, with local centers and a Neponset River edge that offer different settings for daily life.
Sources & data notesReferences, reporting periods, and how to use this information
Information on this page is compiled from multiple sources and provided for general information. It may be incomplete or out of date, and we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. Independently verify important details with the original source, relevant authority, or a qualified professional before making decisions.
Statistics keep their reporting periods. Survey estimates are not current asking prices or quotes for an individual property. Displayed values are rounded.
- Victorian rowhouses and designated district characterCity of Boston — South End district standardsSource checked
- Neighborhood geography and parksCity of Boston — South EndSource checked
- Public squares · Sports and play on Shawmut AvenueBoston Parks — park directorySource checked
- Sports and play on Shawmut AvenueExplore Peters Park on StrollPlaceSource checked
Photo credits
- Basketball in Boston’s South End, photographed in March 2021.Image credits and license
Basketball in Boston’s South End, photographed in March 2021.
Creator: Matthew Moloney
License: Unsplash License
Changes: Resized and converted to WebP; may be cropped to fit the display