Boston is the capital of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England. It is home to over 580 completed high-rises, 73 of which stand taller than 300 feet (91 m) as of 2026. Boston's skyline is by far the largest in New England, and the city has the second most skyscrapers taller than 492 ft (150 m) in the Northeastern United States, after New York City. The tallest building in Boston is the 62-story 200 Clarendon, better known as the John Hancock Tower; the office skyscraper rises 790 ft (241 m) in the Back Bay district, southwest of Downtown Boston.
The history of skyscrapers in Boston began early with the completion of the 13-story Ames Building in 1893. The Greek Revival style Custom House Tower, which was Boston's tallest building from 1915 to 1964, was among the first skyscrapers outside of New York City. Boston went through a major building boom from the 1960s to the early 1990s, resulting in the construction of over 30 buildings taller than 300 ft (91 m), including the John Hancock Tower and the city's second-tallest building, the Prudential Tower. At the time of the Prudential Tower's completion in 1964, it stood as the tallest building in North America outside of New York City.
After a hiatus in the 1990s, high-rise development resumed in the 2000s, with a higher share residential or mixed-use buildings. Since 2016, several major projects have significantly altered the city's skyline, including four skyscrapers taller than 600 ft (183 m): Millennium Tower in 2016, One Dalton in 2020, and both Winthrop Center and One Congress in 2023. A fifth, South Station Tower, is under construction atop Boston's historic South Station, and was completed in 2025. Around the same period, the West End neighborhood has seen an influx in high-rises, such as The Hub on Causeway. The regeneration of the Seaport District since the 2000s has added many new high-rises to the former industrial area, although none of them surpass 300 ft in height.
Although Boston's skyscrapers are concentrated in the Financial District in downtown, its three tallest buildings—John Hancock Tower, Prudential Tower, and One Dalton—are located in Back Bay. Boston's skyline is shaped by the roughly 2.5 mile unofficial High Spine urban corridor, bypassing surrounding low-rise residential areas like Beacon Hill and the North End. In addition to the Seaport District southeast of downtown, the skyline has stretched westwards towards Fenway–Kenmore beginning in the 2010s. In the wider metropolitan area, there is an ongoing high-rise boom in neighboring Cambridge, as well as in Somerville to a lesser extent. Regulations on building shadows and the proximity of Logan International Airport to downtown have limited the height of skyscrapers in downtown Boston to below 800 ft (244 m). Boston's tallest public viewing deck is View Boston, located on the upper floors of the Prudential Tower, and provides 360 degree views of the city.
History
Cityscape
Map of tallest buildings The map below shows the location of buildings taller than 300 feet (91.4 m) in Boston. Each marker is colored by the decade of the building's completion.
Tallest buildings
This list ranks completed buildings in Boston that stand at least 300 feet (91 m) tall as of 2026, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and other architectural details, but not including antenna masts. The "Year" column indicates the year when a building was completed. Buildings tied in height are sorted by year of completion, and then alphabetically.
RankName ImageLocationHeightft (m)FloorsYearPurpose Notes1 John Hancock Tower 01.0621976OfficeTallest building in Boston, Massachusetts, and New England since 1976. Commonly known as John Hancock Tower, its original name (for John Hancock Financial), but now legally 200 Clarendon Street or Hancock Place. Tallest building in Boston completed in the 1970s.2 Prudential Tower 521964OfficeView Boston, the highest observation deck in New England, is located on the building's 50th, 51st, and 52nd floors. Tallest building in Boston completed in the 1960s. Was the tallest building in Boston before being surpassed by the John Hancock Tower in 1976. Alt URL3 One Dalton 612020Mixed-useTallest residential building in Boston and New England. Tallest building in Boston completed in the 2020s. Mixed-use residential and hotel building.4 Winthrop Center 532023Mixed-useTallest building in Boston outside of Back Bay. Second tallest building in Boston completed in the 2020s. Mixed-use residential and office building.5 Millennium Tower 542016ResidentialTallest building in the Downtown Crossing neighborhood. Tallest building in Boston completed in the 2010s.6 South Station Tower 512025Mixed-useMixed-use residential and office building. Located above South Station. Topped out in November 2023.7 Federal Reserve Bank Building 321978OfficeHeadquarters of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Formerly the tallest building in Boston's Financial District until 2016 with the completion of the Millennium Tower.8One Congress432023OfficeTopped off on July 15, 2021.9 One Boston Place 411970OfficeTallest building in the Government Center neighborhood of Boston10 One International Place 46 1987OfficeTallest building in Boston constructed in the 1980s.11 100 Federal Street 371971OfficeAlso known as First National Bank Building. Popularly known as “The Pregnant Building.”12 One Financial Center 461984Office13 111 Huntington Avenue 36 2002OfficeSecond-tallest building in the Prudential Center complex. Tallest building in Boston completed in the 2000s.14 Two International Place 10.035 1993OfficeTallest building in Boston completed in the 1990s15 One Post Office Square 11.0401981Office16 One Federal Street 381976OfficeOriginally known as the Shawmut Bank Building. 17 The Sudbury 45 2020Residential Also known as the Bulfinch Crossing Residential Tower. 18 Exchange Place 39 1984Office 19 60 State Street 38 1977Office 20Hub on Causeway Office Tower302021OfficeTallest building in the West End 21 One Beacon Street 36 1972Office 22 One Lincoln Street 36 2003Office 23 28 State Street 40 1970Office 24 Custom House Tower 321915HotelTallest all-hotel building in Boston. Tallest building in Boston completed in the 1910s. Was the tallest building in Boston before being surpassed by the Prudential Tower. 25= Berkeley Building 26 1949OfficeAlso known as the Old John Hancock Building. Tallest building in Boston completed in the 1940s. 25=Hub on Causeway Residential Tower452019Mixed-useSecond-tallest building in the West End. Mixed-use residential and hotel building. 27 33 Arch Street 33 2004Office28The Alcott442021ResidentialThird-tallest building in the West End. Also known as 35 Lomasney Way or the Garden Garage Redevelopment Project. 29 State Street Bank Building 331966OfficeAlso known as 225 Franklin Street. 30 Millennium Place Tower 1 38 2001Mixed-useMixed-use residential and hotel building. Also known as Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower II.31Russia Wharf312011Mixed-useAlso known as Atlantic Wharf. Mixed-use office and residential building. 32 125 High Street 30 1990Office Also known as High Street Tower. 33 100 Summer Street 32 1974Office 34 Millennium Place Tower 2 36 2001Mixed-use Mixed-use residential and hotel building. Also known as Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower II.35Avalon North Station382016ResidentialAlso known as Nashua Street Residences. Fourth-tallest building in the West End neighborhood 36 Keystone Building 32 1971Office 37 Harbor Towers I 40 1971 Residential38=Harbor Towers II401971Residential38=One Devonshire Place421983Mixed-useMixed-use residential and office building.40Westin Hotel at Copley Place361983Hotel41100 High Street281988Hotel42Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences 332022Mixed-useAlso known by its address, 40 Trinity Place. Mixed-use hotel and residential building.4375 State Street311988Office44John F. Kennedy Federal Building261967Government45Boston Marriott Copley Place391984Hotel46101 Federal Street311988Hotel47Pierce Boston302018Residential48=177 Huntington281973OfficeAlso known as the Christian Science Administration Building.48=45 Province Street–312009Residential50500 Boylston Street231985Office5150 Post Office Square201947OfficeAlso known as the Verizon Building, New England Telephone & Telegraph Building, and Telephone Building.52Center for Life Science–182008Laboratory53John W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse221931Government54AVA Theatre District Tower–292015Residential55101 Huntington Avenue251973Office56The Clarendon–322009Residential57Liberty Mutual Tower232013Office58Student Village Residence Halls II262009ResidentialStudent residences. Part of the John Hancock Student Village.59Suffolk County Couthouse191939Government60888 Boylston Street–182017Office611001 Boylston Street–202024OfficeAlso known as Parcel 12 Office Building.62260 Franklin Street–231985Office63McCormack Building221975Office64Avalon Exeter–282014Residential65100 Cambridge Street–261965Mixed-useCurrently a mixed-use office and residential building. Formerly known as the Leverett Saltonstall Building.66Sheraton Boston Hotel South Tower–291965Hotel67The Kensington–272013Residential68222 Berkeley Street–221991Office69Ellison Building–241992HealthPart of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Tallest hospital building in Boston.70W Boston Hotel and Residences272009Mixed-use71Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences182022EducationPart of Boston University. Tallest educational building in Boston.72Radian Apartments–262014Residential73Oliver Street Tower–211991Office
Tallest building by neighborhood NeighborhoodBuildingHeight ft (m)FloorsYearNotesBack Bay200 Clarendon601976Downtown CrossingMillennium Tower602016Financial DistrictFederal Reserve Bank Building321976ChinatownOne Lincoln Street362003Government Center28 State Street401970Theatre DistrictThe Ritz-Carlton Boston Common382001West EndThe Hub on Causeway452021WaterfrontHarbor Towers I401971Fenway–KenmorePierce Boston302018Beacon HillMcCormack Building29.0221975
Greater Boston
There are two buildings in Greater Boston taller than 300 ft (91 m) that are located outside of Boston itself. RankName ImageLocationHeightft (m)FloorsYearPurpose Notes1Encore Boston HarborEverett262019HotelTallest building in Everett. Tallest building in Greater Boston outside of Boston. Hotel and casino building.2Graduate Tower at Site 4Cambridge292021Mixed-useTallest building in Cambridge. Also known as Site 4 at Kendall Square, 290 Main Street, or MIT Site 4. Mixed-use residential, educational, and office building.
Tallest under construction
There are two buildings under construction in Boston that are expected to be at least 300 ft (91 m) tall as of 2026, based on standard height measurement. NameHeight ft (m) Floors Year Notes The Lyra 34 2026 Located on 252-268 Huntington Avenue.CSP - 4B Tower122027
Timeline of tallest buildings For most of Boston's earlier years, the tallest buildings in the city were churches with their steeples. The first skyscraper in the city is generally considered the Ames Building, completed in 1893. However, since the 13-story building did not surpass the steeple of the Church of the Covenant, it never became a city record holder. The first skyscraper to have the distinction of being Boston's tallest building was the Custom House Tower, completed in 1915. Name Image Street address Years as tallest Height Floors Notes Old State House 206 Washington Street 1713–1745 08.0 3 Old North Church 193 Salem Street 1745–1810 08.0 1 Park Street Church 1 Park Street 1810–1867 07.0 1 Church of the Covenant 67 Newbury Street 1867–1915 06.0 1 Custom House Tower 3 McKinley Square 1915–1964 05.0 32 Prudential Tower 800 Boylston Street 1964–1976 04.0 52 John Hancock Tower 200 Clarendon Street 1976–present 03.0 60 See also Architecture of Boston List of tallest buildings in Massachusetts outside of Boston