Boston (US: /ˈbɔːstən/ ^ⓘ[9]) is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It has an area of 48.4 sq mi (125 km²)^[10] and a population of 675,647 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-largest city in the Northeast after New York City and Philadelphia.^[4] The larger Greater Boston metropolitan statistical area, which includes and surrounds the city, has a population of 4,919,179 as of 2023, making it the largest in New England and eleventh-largest in the country.^[11][12][13]

Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers. The city was named after Boston, Lincolnshire, England.^[14][15] During the American Revolution, Boston was home to several events that proved central to the revolution and subsequent Revolutionary War, including the Boston Massacre (1770), the Boston Tea Party (1773), Paul Revere's Midnight Ride (1775), the Battle of Bunker Hill (1775), and the Siege of Boston (1775–1776). Following American independence from Great Britain, the city continued to play an important role as a port, manufacturing hub, and center for education and culture.^[16][17] The city also expanded significantly beyond the original peninsula by filling in land and annexing neighboring towns. Boston's many firsts include the United States' first public park (Boston Common, 1634),^[18] the first public school (Boston Latin School, 1635),^[19] and the first subway system (Tremont Street subway, 1897).^[20]

Boston has emerged as a national leader in higher education and research^[21] and the largest biotechnology hub in the world.^[22] The city is also a national leader in scientific research, law, medicine, engineering, and business. With nearly 5,000 startup companies, the city is considered a global pioneer in innovation and entrepreneurship,^[23][24][25] and more recently in artificial intelligence.^[26] Boston's economy also includes finance,^[27] professional and business services, information technology, and government activities.^[28] Boston households provide the highest average rate of philanthropy in the nation,^[29] and the cify's businesses and institutions rank among the top in the nation for environmental sustainability and new investment.^[30]