List of tallest buildings in Boston facts for kids

Skyline of Boston's Back Bay

Skyline of Boston's Financial District

Boston, the capital city of Massachusetts, is the biggest city in New England. It has 555 tall buildings, also known as high-rises. Out of these, 37 buildings are taller than 400 feet (122 meters).

Boston's tallest buildings are mostly found along a 2.5-mile area called the "High Spine." This area stretches from the Back Bay to the Financial District and West End. It avoids the shorter residential areas around them.

The tallest building in Boston is the 60-story 200 Clarendon. People often call it the John Hancock Tower. It stands 790 feet (241 meters) tall in the Back Bay area. This building is also the tallest in all of New England. It is the 80th-tallest building in the United States.

The second-tallest building in Boston is the Prudential Tower. It has 52 floors and is 749 feet (228 meters) tall. When it was finished in 1964, it was the tallest building in North America outside of New York City.

Boston's history with skyscrapers began in 1893. That's when the 13-story Ames Building was finished. It is seen as the city's first high-rise. Boston had a big building boom in the 1960s and 1970s. More than 20 skyscrapers were built then, including the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Tower.

Boston has 25 skyscrapers that are at least 492 feet (150 meters) tall. This is more than any other city in New England. As of 2018, Boston's skyline ranks 10th in the United States. It is 79th in the world, with 57 buildings that are at least 330 feet (101 meters) tall.

Since August 2017, many new projects have changed Boston's skyline. These include the Millennium Tower, Avalon North Station, Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences, One Dalton Street, The Hub on Causeway, and Bulfinch Crossing. Many more tall buildings are planned. In total, 64 high-rise buildings were being built or planned in Boston.

Boston's Tallest Buildings

Here is a list of Boston's skyscrapers that are at least 400 feet (122 meters) tall. This height includes spires and other parts of the building, but not antennas. The letter (T) means two or more buildings have the same height. The "Year" column shows when the building was finished.

Rank	Name	Image	Height ft (m)	Floors	Year	Coordinates	Notes
01.01	John Hancock Tower (200 Clarendon Street)		01.0790 (241)	60	1976	42°20′57.4″N 71°04′29.2″W / 42.349278°N 71.074778°W / 42.349278; -71.074778 (John Hancock Tower)	80th-tallest building in the U.S. as of 2021. Has been the tallest building in Boston and New England since 1976. Also known as John Hancock Tower. Tallest building in Boston built in the 1970s.
02.02	Prudential Tower		02.0749 (228)	52	1964	42°20′49.78″N 71°04′57.08″W / 42.3471611°N 71.0825222°W / 42.3471611; -71.0825222 (Prudential Tower)	112th-tallest building in the U.S. as of 2021. The Skywalk, an observation deck, was on the 50th floor until 2020. Tallest building in Boston built in the 1960s. Was the tallest building in Boston before the John Hancock Tower.
02.03	One Dalton		03.0742 (226)	61	2019	42°20′44.7″N 71°05′02.2″W / 42.345750°N 71.083944°W / 42.345750; -71.083944 (One Dalton/ Four Seasons)	Boston's and New England's tallest residential building. Tallest building in Boston built in the 2010s.
03.04	Winthrop Center		04.0691 (211)	52	2023	42°21′16.5″N 71°3′25.5″W / 42.354583°N 71.057083°W / 42.354583; -71.057083 (Winthrop Center)	Tallest building in Boston outside of Back Bay. Tallest building in Boston built in the 2020s.
03.05	Millennium Tower		04.0685 (209)	60	2016	42°21′21.01″N 71°3′33.91″W / 42.3558361°N 71.0594194°W / 42.3558361; -71.0594194 (Millennium Tower)	Tallest building in the Downtown Crossing neighborhood.
04.06	Federal Reserve Bank Building		04.0614 (187)	32	1976	42°21′08.55″N 71°03′14.82″W / 42.3523750°N 71.0541167°W / 42.3523750; -71.0541167 (Federal Reserve Bank Building)	Was the tallest building in Boston's Financial District.
05.07	One Boston Place		05.0601 (183)	41	1970	42°21′31″N 71°03′30″W / 42.35853°N 71.05838°W / 42.35853; -71.05838 (One Boston Place)	Tallest building in the Government Center neighborhood.
06.08T	One International Place		06.0600 (183)	46	1987	42°21′20.8″N 71°03′07.5″W / 42.355778°N 71.052083°W / 42.355778; -71.052083 (One International Place)	Tallest building in Boston built in the 1980s.
	Bulfinch Crossing: One Congress		600 (183)	43	2023		Topped off on July 15, 2021.
10	100 Federal Street		07.0591 (180)	37	1971	42°21′18″N 71°03′22″W / 42.35498°N 71.05623°W / 42.35498; -71.05623 (First National Bank Building)	Also known as First National Bank Building.
11	One Financial Center		08.0590 (180)	46	1983	42°21′08.6″N 71°03′23.0″W / 42.352389°N 71.056389°W / 42.352389; -71.056389 (One Financial Center)
09.012	111 Huntington Avenue		09.0554 (169)	36	2002	42°20′48.38″N 71°04′52.86″W / 42.3467722°N 71.0813500°W / 42.3467722; -71.0813500 (111 Huntington Avenue)	Second-tallest building in the Prudential Center complex. Tallest building in Boston built in the 2000s.
10.013	Two International Place		10.0538 (164)	35	1992	42°21′23″N 71°03′06″W / 42.356492°N 71.051757°W / 42.356492; -71.051757 (Two International Place)	Tallest building in Boston built in the 1990s.
11.014	One Post Office Square		11.0525 (160)	40	1981	42°21′25″N 71°03′19″W / 42.356827°N 71.055400°W / 42.356827; -71.055400 (One Post Office Square)
15	One Federal Street		12.0520 (158)	38	1975	42°21′24″N 71°03′25″W / 42.356564°N 71.056963°W / 42.356564; -71.056963 (One Federal Street)	Originally known as the Shawmut Bank Building.
16	Bulfinch Crossing: The Sudbury Residences		519 (158)	45	2020
17T	Hub on Causeway Office Tower		510 (155)	31	2021	42°21′57″N 71°03′40″W / 42.365707348517994°N 71.06114985378042°W / 42.365707348517994; -71.06114985378042	Tallest building in the West End.
	Exchange Place		13.0510 (155)	40	1984	42°21′30″N 71°03′23″W / 42.35832°N 71.05645°W / 42.35832; -71.05645 (Exchange Place)
19	60 State Street		14.0509 (155)	38	1977	42°21′33″N 71°03′23″W / 42.35903°N 71.05646°W / 42.35903; -71.05646 (60 State Street)
20	One Beacon Street		15.0505 (154)	37	1971	42°21′30″N 71°03′39″W / 42.35844°N 71.06083°W / 42.35844; -71.06083 (One Beacon Street)
21	One Lincoln Street		16.0503 (153)	36	2003	42°21′09″N 71°03′29″W / 42.35254°N 71.05809°W / 42.35254; -71.05809 (One Lincoln Street)
22	28 State Street		17.0500 (152)	40	1970	42°21′34″N 71°03′27″W / 42.35933°N 71.05747°W / 42.35933; -71.05747 (28 State Street)
23T	Hub on Causeway Residential Tower		18.0496 (151)	45	2019	42°21′56.52″N 71°03′39.60″W / 42.3657000°N 71.0610000°W / 42.3657000; -71.0610000 (Hub On Causeway Residential Tower)	2nd-tallest building in the West End. The tallest residential building in the West End.
	Custom House Tower		19.0496 (151)	32	1915	42°21′32.65″N 71°03′12.13″W / 42.3590694°N 71.0533694°W / 42.3590694; -71.0533694 (Custom House Tower)	Tallest all-hotel building in Boston. Tallest building in Boston built in the 1910s. Was the tallest building in Boston before the Prudential Tower.
25	Berkeley Building		20.0495 (151)	26	1947	42°20′59.78″N 71°04′21.55″W / 42.3499389°N 71.0726528°W / 42.3499389; -71.0726528 (Berkeley Building)	Also known as the Old John Hancock Building. Tallest building in Boston built in the 1940s.
26	The Alcott		485 (148)	44	2022		Third-tallest building in the West End.
27T	33 Arch Street		21.0477 (145)	33	2004	42°21′21″N 71°03′28″W / 42.35596°N 71.05790°W / 42.35596; -71.05790 (33 Arch Street)
	State Street Bank Building		22.0477 (145)	33	1966	42°21′22″N 71°03′15″W / 42.35622°N 71.05418°W / 42.35622; -71.05418 (State Street Bank Building)	Also known as 225 Franklin Street.
29	Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower I		23.0475 (145)	38	2001	42°21′11″N 71°03′47″W / 42.35302°N 71.06294°W / 42.35302; -71.06294 (Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower I)
30	125 High Street		24.0452 (138)	30	1991	42°21′19″N 71°03′12″W / 42.35532°N 71.05326°W / 42.35532; -71.05326 (125 High Street)
31	100 Summer Street		25.0450 (137)	32	1974	42°21′14″N 71°03′27″W / 42.35383°N 71.05745°W / 42.35383; -71.05745 (100 Summer Street)
32	Avalon North Station		449 (137)	38	2016	42°21′11″N 71°03′47″W / 42.35302°N 71.06294°W / 42.35302; -71.06294 (Millennium Place Tower II)	4th Tallest building in the West End neighborhood.
33T	Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower II		27.0446 (136)	36	2001	42°21′11″N 71°03′47″W / 42.35302°N 71.06294°W / 42.35302; -71.06294 (Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common Tower II)
33T	40 Trinity Place (Raffles Boston Back Bay)		446 (136)	33	2022
35	Atlantic Wharf (Russia Wharf)		28.0436 (133)	32	2011	42°21′12″N 71°03′10″W / 42.353323°N 71.052854°W / 42.353323; -71.052854 (Russia Wharf)
36	McCormack Building		29.0401 (122)	22	1975	42°21′34″N 71°03′44″W / 42.359527°N 71.062333°W / 42.359527; -71.062333 (McCormack Building)
37T	Keystone Building		30.0400 (122)	32	1971	42°21′15″N 71°03′16″W / 42.35415°N 71.05443°W / 42.35415; -71.05443 (Keystone Building)
	Harbor Towers I		31.0400 (122)	40	1971	42°21′28.64″N 71°02′59.89″W / 42.3579556°N 71.0499694°W / 42.3579556; -71.0499694 (Harbor Towers I)

Boston skyline from World's End in Hingham, Massachusetts

Tallest Buildings by Pinnacle Height

Some people measure skyscrapers by their "pinnacle height." This includes radio masts and antennas on top. It's another way to measure height, different from just the building's structure. Here are Boston's skyscrapers listed by their pinnacle height. The standard height (without antennas) is also shown for comparison.

Future Skyscrapers: Under Construction, Approved, and Proposed

Here are buildings that are at least 400 feet (122 meters) tall. They are either being built now, have been approved for building, or are still being planned.

Under Construction

Approved Buildings

Proposed Buildings

* If you see a dash (—) in the table, it means we don't have information about when the building will be finished yet.

Timeline of Boston's Tallest Buildings

For many years, the tallest buildings in Boston were churches with their steeples. The Ames Building, finished in 1893, is usually seen as the city's first skyscraper. But it wasn't taller than the steeple of the Church of the Covenant. So, it never became the tallest building in the city. The first skyscraper to hold the title of Boston's tallest was the Custom House Tower, completed in 1915.

Name	Image	Street address	Years as tallest	Height ft (m)	Floors	Coordinates	Reference
Old State House		206 Washington Street	1713–1745	08.065 (20)	3	42°21′31.57″N 71°03′28.1″W / 42.3587694°N 71.057806°W / 42.3587694; -71.057806 (Old State House)
Old North Church		193 Salem Street	1745–1810	08.0175 (53)	1	42°21′58.78″N 71°03′16.04″W / 42.3663278°N 71.0544556°W / 42.3663278; -71.0544556 (Old North Church)
Park Street Church		1 Park Street	1810–1867	07.0217 (66)	1	42°21′25″N 71°03′44″W / 42.356911°N 71.062151°W / 42.356911; -71.062151 (Park Street Church)
Church of the Covenant		67 Newbury Street	1867–1915	06.0236 (72)	1	42°21′07.00″N 71°4′26.00″W / 42.3519444°N 71.0738889°W / 42.3519444; -71.0738889 (Church of the Covenant)
Custom House Tower		3 McKinley Square	1915–1964	05.0496 (151)	32	42°21′32.65″N 71°03′12.13″W / 42.3590694°N 71.0533694°W / 42.3590694; -71.0533694 (Custom House Tower)
Prudential Tower		800 Boylston Street	1964–1976	04.0749 (228)	52	42°20′49.78″N 71°04′57.08″W / 42.3471611°N 71.0825222°W / 42.3471611; -71.0825222 (Prudential Tower)
200 Clarendon		200 Clarendon Street	1976–present	03.0790 (241)	60	42°20′57.4″N 71°04′29.2″W / 42.349278°N 71.074778°W / 42.349278; -71.074778 (John Hancock Tower)

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Edificios más altos de Boston para niños

• Architecture of Boston
• List of tallest buildings in Massachusetts, exclusive of Boston
• List of tallest buildings and structures in Cambridge, Massachusetts
• List of tallest buildings in Springfield, Massachusetts
• List of tallest buildings in Worcester, Massachusetts
• Trans National Place