Ball Square

A small, neighborly square at the Somerville-Medford border — the new Green Line Tufts station, excellent food, and a community feel that bigger squares have lost.

Typical Price Range:$450K (1BR condo) – $1.3M (triple-decker)

About Ball Square

Ball Square is tiny — just an intersection, really, where Broadway meets Boston Avenue near the Tufts campus — but it punches above its weight. Kelly's Diner (a genuine 1953 diner car), Sound Bites (legendary brunch), and a handful of other spots give Ball Square a food reputation that belies its size. The Green Line Extension's Tufts station has arrived nearby, transforming a neighborhood that previously had no rail transit into one with direct Green Line access. The residential streets are quintessential Somerville: triple-deckers on tight lots, two-families with small porches, and a neighborhood scale that makes you know your neighbors whether you want to or not. Ball Square sits at the sweet spot of Somerville real estate right now — benefiting from the Green Line Extension but not yet priced like Davis Square or Union Square.

Property Character

Dense but neighborly blocks of triple-deckers and two-families. Proximity to Tufts brings some rental demand but less than Davis Square. Older housing stock with renovation potential. Small lots, tight streets, genuine neighborhood feel.

Typical Home Styles

Triple-DeckerTwo-FamilyCondo ConversionVictorian

Best For

Buyers who want Green Line access at a price point below Davis Square

Tufts University faculty and staff seeking walking-distance housing

Anyone who values a small, genuine neighborhood over a bustling commercial square

Local Highlights

•New Green Line Extension station at nearby Tufts bringing first-ever rail access
•Sound Bites — one of the best brunch spots in Greater Boston
•Kelly's Diner — a 1953 diner car that feels like a time capsule
•Small-town neighborhood feel at the Somerville-Medford border

Getting Around

Green Line Extension at Tufts station — direct service to Lechmere, Government Center, and beyond. Bus routes along Broadway. Bikeable to Davis Square (5 min) and Harvard Square (15 min). The new T station is a game-changer for this area.

Schools

Somerville Public Schools. Feeds into local elementary options. Proximity to Tufts provides some enrichment programs. The Medford border means some properties may feed into Medford schools — check addresses carefully.

Landscaped garden at a residential property in Greater Boston

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Ball Square is just one part of what makes Somerville special.

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