Uprootmap
Boston vs Watertown
Boston and Watertown
Photo: Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Watertown are under the US rate in this release, 1.9 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Boston to Watertown
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Boston to Watertown above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $2,549 in Boston and $1,139 in Watertown. Boston has a state tax on wages. Watertown has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Watertown is 88% of the national level for the same work, against 116% in Boston.
Watertown averages 158 sunny days, with July highs around 81°F and January nights around 27°F. Boston is 200 sunny days, 82°F in July, 23°F in January. Commutes average 20 minutes in Watertown and 31 in Boston.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
+$1,519 / mo
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Boston → Watertown pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Boston and Watertown changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 327 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $2,100–$3,900
- Container or pod
- $1,400–$2,650
- Rent a truck
- $600–$1,150
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Dig into Watertown
Questions
Is Watertown cheaper than Boston after tax and rent?
Yes. Watertown leaves about $1,519 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $2,549 in Boston and $1,139 in Watertown.
Does Watertown have state income tax?
Watertown is in New York, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Boston to Watertown?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.