Boston, Massachusetts Zoning Districts Explained

Zoneomics operates the most comprehensive zoning database for Boston Massachusetts and other zoning maps across the U.S. Zoneomics includes over 50 million real estate properties, each property features zoning code/district, permitted land uses, development standards, rezoning and variance data. Zoneomics attracts a large community of Massachusetts real estate professionals. Members from Massachusetts include brokers, investors and service providers, many of whom specialize in Massachusetts Real Estate.

What is Zoning?

Zoning codes are a century old, and the lifeblood of all major U.S. cities, determining what can be built where and what activities can take place in a neighborhood. Zoning is how cities control the development and use of land. Zoning defines the legally permitted and prohibited uses of a piece of land, determining if plot of land can be used for commercial, industrial, residential or agricultural purposes. Essentially, it determines what can and cannot be built on a property.

Zoning and Real Estate Values

Zoning is the first stage of the home life cycle and a key influence on all other stages. Zillow has identified that zoning regulations are so important that they impact home values. Zillow Research found that home values grew most in markets with the strictest land use regulations. Home values in the most restrictive metropolitan areas grew an average of 23.4%, more than double the home value appreciation in the least restrictive metros. Zoning regulations are determined locally and some cities can have more restrictive regulation systems than others. However, within a city’s zoning system individual zones can be more restrictive and less restrictive, including different single family zones.

Zoneomics has the largest breadth of zoning data coverage with over— 20 zoning related insights for you to integrate and expand your database. Including permitted land uses, rezonings, variances, density controls, built form controls, envelopes, housing supply data, employment generation, underutilized parcels, short term rental permissibility, proponents and developers