Hyde Park

In the late 19th century, Bostonians fled the city in search of peace and quiet, and Hyde Park is where they found it. As the neighborhood’s population grew, so did its liveliness. Today, residents can explore a plethora of locally owned businesses and active community hubs along its three major thoroughfares: Hyde Park Avenue, River Street, and Fairmount Avenue. The neighborhood has even coined the motto “A Small Town in the City,” and that reputation precedes itself. “It’s the perfect combination of suburban and urban amenities,” says Mike DeStefano, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty. “There’s a ton to do here, but it's still less crowded than Boston.”

Dotted along Hyde Park’s rolling hills are homes from an assortment of decades. The northern part of the area has 1920s Cape Cod cottages and front-gabled National-style homes. One of these two-to-four-bedroom dwellings typically costs between $600,000 and $800,000, a range similar to a Boston home’s average $700,000 selling price. As you move towards the southern end of town, houses get bigger and a bit pricier. Find ornate Queen Annes, extravagant Second Empire estates and stately Colonial Revivals. These houses can have five-to-six bedrooms and cost between $900,000 and $2 million. No matter the style, homes in Hyde Park have one thing in common: rare front lawns. “The houses here are pretty close together, so you wouldn’t think they could have any sort of yard,” says DeStefano. “But most do have an outdoor space, even if they’re small. That’s hard to get when you’re so close to Boston.”

While children in Hyde Park can attend a variety of Boston Public Schools, James J. Chittick Elementary is within walking distance. The school has an overall C-plus grade on Niche. Once they finish sixth grade, students may go to Tech Boston Academy until they graduate high school. It has a technology-based curriculum with classes focused on digital art, computer science and engineering. The school also offers a variety of dual credit classes and AP courses, resulting in a B-minus college prep grade from Niche.

Despite its metropolitan atmosphere, Hyde Park maintains the natural appeal that its earliest residents were attracted to. “The parks are gorgeous, and they definitely lend to the neighborhood’s strong sense of pride and community,” says DeStefano. For instance, the George Wright Golf Course has been in the area since 1938. A towering stone wall encloses the 18-hole public course and its Normal-style clubhouse. Stop by Martini Memorial Shell Park, where you can enjoy a concert at the outdoor amphitheater, cool off at the splash park or launch a kayak into the glittering Neponset River. Visit the 616-acre Stony Brook Reservation. As Boston’s largest forested area, you can hike, bike or cross-country ski amid babbling brooks and mature pine trees.

Green spaces aren’t the only community hubs in Hyde Park. Browse the books at the Hyde Park Library, housed in its original Classical Revival-style building. Join one of its several social groups, like the teen gaming club or the arts and crafts class for toddlers. Watch a local production at Riverside Theatre Works. Past performances include “Rent” and “Legally Blonde: The Musical.” When the weather gets colder, you can work out in the fitness center at the Thomas M. Menino YMCA. It also has an indoor lap pool, a gymnasium and pickleball courts.

Hyde Park is a certified food mecca with locally owned eateries representing all walks of life. Devour upscale American eats and get a taste of history at Park 54. The restaurant is named for the 54th Regiment, a group of Hyde Park-local Black soldiers who volunteered for the Union Army during the Civil War. Go to Latino-owned Roundhead to sip culturally influenced brews like the Peruvian red ale featuring notes of caramel and purple corn. Take a trip to Northern Italy when you eat at Antonio’s Bacardi. It’s revered for handmade pasta dishes like the bigoli covered in tomato sauce and smoked mozzarella.

From Shaw’s to America’s Food Basket, the area has several grocery store options if you would rather make a meal at home. Find even more retailers about 3 miles away at the Dedham Mall. Shop at stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lowes and T.J. Maxx. Hyde Park is also conveniently located near Boston’s core. An 11-mile drive north on Interstate 93 will take you there, or you can head to one of the area’s Commuter Rail Stations. The Hyde Park Station is a part of the Franklin/Foxboro Line, which has 19 stops between South Station and Forge Park.

With preserved homes, reserved green spaces and cosmopolitan convenience, Hyde Park has something for everyone.

Written By

Meghan Baker

Photography Contributed By

Jaime Grant

Video By

Chris Norton