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bubbastars OP t1_je9ihgd wrote

I made this using Kontur's global population density dataset and overlaid it on some files from MassGIS. Each hexagon is roughly 1/4 sq. mile, and the most populated hex (outlined in teal if you zoom WAY in) is where Tremont meets Mass Ave in the South End.

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munkmunk49 t1_je9n8dh wrote

I'm surprised the highest density isnt somewhere in Somerville considering it's in the top 10 most dense cities in the US

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WinsingtonIII t1_je9pwww wrote

I would guess it's because though Boston has some (relatively) lower density areas than Somerville which drag its overall average down, places like Back Bay are denser than anywhere in Somerville due to the higher density of higher-rise housing. Somerville doesn't really have any neighborhood that is entirely 4-5 story brownstones plus high rise condo buildings. There are a lot more three-deckers in Somerville, which don't house quite as many people.

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3720-To-One t1_jea17uy wrote

Boston also has lots of commercial space and other stuff like museums, hospitals, and other non-residential facilities.

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-CalicoKitty- t1_je9qoau wrote

Somerville is the most dense overall, but Boston has a lot of low density neighborhoods like Brighton and West Roxbury that bring it's average down. Parts of Back Bay and South End are more dense than anything in Somerville.

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bubbastars OP t1_je9r30a wrote

Plus the huge parks/cemeteries.

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3720-To-One t1_jea1ahc wrote

Also commercial spaces.

Nobody lives in the financial district.

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GyantSpyder t1_je9vqpf wrote

You don't have to build vertically to get density. But if you want the densest single 1/4 square mile in an entire state it's probably going to involve building up.

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RandomThrowaway410 t1_jebrkcl wrote

> Somerville considering it's in the top 10 most dense cities in the US

I would believe that Somerville is the most dense from a "number of residential properties per unit area" standpoint. But when each of those properties contain only 3 to 5 people living in them each, the actual population density isn't going to be crazy high. Compare Somerville to places that have a lot of multistory condominiums (with hundreds of people living in them each) from a "number of people per unit area" measurement... and the Condo's will blow Somerville out of the water from a population density standpoint

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Theonekid44 t1_jeazv72 wrote

If you could make one for New England as a whole that would be pretty cool

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Giving_Cat t1_je9mnvg wrote

It would even cooler if you had included the density area note in the chart.

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