How Many Google Reviews Do Boston Businesses Have?
The typical business in Boston, MA has 118 Google reviews and a 4.51-star average rating, based on 454 local Google Business Profiles across 19 categories. Compared with the same kinds of businesses across the US, Boston businesses have 15% fewer reviews.
Source: Feedback Guru analysis of public Google Business Profile data, collected December 2024 to January 2025. Methodology in the Google review statistics study.
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Median reviews
118
Average rating
4.51
Rated 4.5+
65%
Reviews vs. US
−15%
same categories
How Many Reviews It Takes to Stand Out in Boston
The median is the middle business in each category. Getting into the top 25% or top 10% of Boston businesses like yours is what makes a profile stand out in local results. For example, gyms in Boston need 118 reviews to reach the top 25% and 349 for the top 10%.
| Category | Businesses | Median reviews | Top 25% | Top 10% | Avg. rating | vs. US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyms | 34 | 51 | 118+ | 349+ | 4.8 | −35% |
| Restaurants | 25 | 1,089 | 1,753+ | 2,856+ | 4.5 | +28% |
| Cafes | 22 | 497 | 1,444+ | 2,191+ | 4.5 | +49% |
| Bars | 21 | 1,003 | 1,667+ | 3,316+ | 4.5 | +52% |
| Lawyers | 20 | 123 | 245+ | 735+ | 4.9 | +38% |
| Dentists | 19 | 352 | 522+ | — | 4.9 | +13% |
| Veterinarians | 19 | 188 | 352+ | — | 4.6 | −25% |
| Accountants | 18 | 12 | 20+ | — | 4.8 | ≈ same |
| Auto Repair Shops | 17 | 96 | 175+ | — | 4.5 | −32% |
| Gas Stations | 17 | 78 | 97+ | — | 3.3 | −15% |
| Hotels and Lodging | 16 | 1,758 | 2,214+ | — | 4.2 | +119% |
| Laundromats and Dry Cleaners | 15 | 81 | 99+ | — | 4.5 | −26% |
| Spas | 15 | 62 | 162+ | — | 4.6 | −35% |
| Drugstores | 13 | 51 | 107+ | — | 3.3 | −45% |
| Financial Services | 13 | 107 | 158+ | — | 3.9 | +60% |
| Beauty Salons | 12 | 143 | 232+ | — | 4.8 | +26% |
| Retail Stores | 12 | 87 | 139+ | — | 4.8 | −35% |
| Bookstores | 11 | 144 | 465+ | — | 4.7 | −20% |
| Electricians | 11 | 16 | 44+ | — | 4.8 | −50% |
Categories with at least 10 reviewed businesses in Boston; top 10% shown when a category has 20 or more. "vs. US median" compares the Boston median with the median for the same category across all 48,320 businesses in the study.
How Boston Compares
Measured category by category against the US, Boston ranks #42 of 71 cities in our study. Local businesses have fewer reviews than their peers nationally, so a steady stream of new reviews stands out faster here than in most cities.
Ahead of the US
- Hotels and Lodging2.2× as many
- Financial Services60% more
- Bars52% more
Behind the US: room to stand out
- Electricians50% fewer
- Drugstores45% fewer
- Gyms35% fewer
How Reviews Are Spread Across Boston Businesses
5.3% of Boston businesses have fewer than 10 Google reviews, and 14.3% have 1,000 or more. The most reviewed categories are hotels and lodging (1,758), restaurants (1,089) and bars (1,003); the least reviewed are accountants (12), electricians (16) and drugstores (51) (median reviews).
Share of reviewed businesses by review count. Blue: Boston. Gray: all businesses in the study.
Using These Numbers
- Find your category above and note the top 25% number. That's a realistic goal for standing out in Boston.
- Ask every customer, the same way. A link in your follow-up email or text and a QR code at the counter or on receipts. See how to get more Google reviews.
- Keep it steady and reply. Recent reviews and owner replies both matter, so a few new reviews every week beats a one-time push.
Google Reviews in Boston: FAQ
The typical (median) business in Boston, MA has 118 Google reviews and the average rating is 4.51 stars. 65.2% of Boston businesses are rated 4.5 stars or higher. Based on 454 Google Business Profiles collected December 2024 to January 2025.
Gyms are the most common category in our Boston data (34 businesses). The median has 51 reviews; 118 reviews puts one in the top 25% locally, and 349 in the top 10%.
Compared with the same kinds of businesses across the US, Boston businesses have 15% fewer Google reviews. That ranks Boston #42 of the 71 cities in our study.
By median review count: Hotels and Lodging (1,758), Restaurants (1,089), Bars (1,003). The fewest: Accountants (12), Electricians (16), Drugstores (51).
Ask every customer, the same way, every time: a link in your follow-up email or text, a QR code at the counter or on receipts. Make it a few taps, reply to the reviews you get, and keep it steady, because recent reviews count. Feedback Guru gives you a free review link and QR code for this.
See Where Your Boston Business Stands
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