Survivability Rankings for Barber Shop in Boston
StreetSpring's 2026 analysis ranks the best and worst neighborhoods in Boston to open a Barber Shop, from Beacon Hill (79% survival) to Wellesley (63%).
By Bobby Koons | Last reviewed by Bobby Koons on May 3, 2026 | Methodology
Quick Summary
- #1 Neighborhood: Beacon Hill — 79% average survivability for Barber Shop
- Neighborhoods at or above 70%: 70 of 88 analyzed
- City-wide average: 74% for Barber Shops
- Most challenging area: Wellesley at 63%
- Revenue advantage (top vs. avg location): ~7.8% more expected revenue in Beacon Hill
- Data freshness: 2026 data · Full methodology →
Table of Contents
- Summary
- 10 Best Neighborhoods
- Where Would a Barber Shop Make the Most Money?
- What Should I Consider?
- Where Should I Start?
- FAQ: Best Neighborhoods
- FAQ: Can a Barber Shop Succeed in Lower-Ranked Areas?
- FAQ: How Often Are Rankings Updated?
- FAQ: Is a Barber Shop a Good Tenant?
- Landlord Survivability Data
- Best Neighborhoods for Any Business
Summary
StreetSpring's 2026 analysis shows the best neighborhood in and around Boston to open a Barber Shop is Beacon Hill with 79% average chance of surviving more than 2 years, with the best locations offering 86% and the most challenging locations in Beacon Hill at 71%. The worst neighborhoods include Wellesley with 63% average chance. Neighborhood averages mask significant block-by-block variation — always check your specific address.
What Are the Best Neighborhoods in Boston to Open a Barber Shop?
Beacon Hill ranks #1 of 88 neighborhoods analyzed in and around Boston for Barber Shop survivability with a score of 79% as of 2026. The top 10 neighborhoods are:
How rent and competition shape the leaderboard
| Rank | Neighborhood | Best Locations | Average Locations | Challenging Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beacon Hill | 83.0% – 87.0% | 76.7% – 81.5% | 70.0% – 74.0% |
| 2 | Downtown Crossing | 80.0% – 84.0% | 76.6% – 81.5% | 70.0% – 74.0% |
| 3 | Downtown | 83.0% – 87.0% | 76.2% – 81.1% | 68.0% – 72.0% |
| 4 | West End | 84.0% – 88.0% | 75.8% – 80.6% | 69.0% – 73.0% |
| 5 | Ball Square | 85.0% – 89.0% | 75.3% – 80.1% | 68.0% – 72.0% |
| 6 | Haymarket | 79.0% – 83.0% | 75.2% – 80.1% | 70.0% – 74.0% |
| 7 | Union Square | 83.0% – 87.0% | 75.2% – 80.0% | 68.0% – 72.0% |
| 8 | Magoun Square | 81.0% – 85.0% | 75.0% – 79.8% | 66.0% – 70.0% |
| 9 | Strawberry Hill | 83.0% – 87.0% | 74.9% – 79.8% | 65.0% – 69.0% |
| 10 | Government Center | 80.0% – 84.0% | 74.9% – 79.7% | 67.0% – 71.0% |
Notable runners-up worth a second look
Neighborhood averages mask significant block-by-block variation — always check your specific address. New competitor openings and closures happen weekly — the live tool ensures you see the latest picture.
Survivability ranges reflect best and worst storefront conditions within each neighborhood. See our full methodology →
Try StreetSpring to see if this location is still the best and see if there are locations to rent in this area right now.
Boston's Best-Earning Neighborhoods for Barber Shops
In Beacon Hill, the best possible location offers the opportunity of making ~7.8% more than the average location in or around Boston.
On the other hand, in Wellesley, the worst possible location could result in making ~14.3% less than the average location in the city.
Location selection is the most consequential decision any new business owner makes. Opening a Barber Shop in Boston requires careful location choice. Across 88 neighborhoods analyzed, the overall average survival chance for a new Barber Shop is 74% for lasting more than 2 years — due to a combination of many factors across competition, consumer spending, and location dynamics. A high-traffic corner that works well for a coffee shop may be entirely wrong for a specialty retailer.
Key Considerations Before Opening a Barber Shop in Boston
Site selection sits upstream of every other decision in this business. A high Survivability Score doesn't guarantee success, but a low one is hard to overcome with execution alone. Of all the variables StreetSpring analyzes, Revenue Capture Score has the strongest predictive power. StreetSpring computes this by projecting the business's market share, which is based on the quality and quantity of primary, secondary, and tertiary competitors. StreetSpring measures competition through a 30-factor framework. A certain density of competitors signals strong demand and can benefit all businesses. These results are powered by exclusive algorithms trained on one of the largest commercial real estate datasets in the U.S.
| Factor | Where new owners get tripped up | Questions to ask before you sign |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor seating / sidewalk use | Signing assuming you can add patio seating, then learning the city requires a separate sidewalk-cafe permit with long lead times. | Check the city's sidewalk-cafe permit process up front. Confirm landlord allows outdoor build-out in the lease language. |
| Competitor density | Counting only direct competitors and missing adjacent-category overlap (e.g. coffee shop near a bakery). | Map all businesses serving overlapping customer needs within a 5-min walk. Use StreetSpring's competitor view as a starting point. |
| CAM + hidden costs | Stated rent looks great, then CAM fees, signage charges, and after-hours utilities add 15-30%. | Get the full operating expense breakdown for the past 2 years. Ask which costs are landlord-capped vs. uncapped. |
This can be summarized as:
Revenue Capture Score = Projected Market Share × Forecasted Spend on Specific Business
Related: Survivability Score: How We Calculate It & Why It Matters
StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data. New competitor openings and closures happen weekly — the live tool ensures you see the latest picture.
Where in or Around Boston Should I Start a Barber Shop?
The strongest survivability scores belong to Beacon Hill, Downtown Crossing, and Downtown, while the most challenging neighborhoods would be Wellesley, Winchester, and Medfield. Remember that a neighborhood average smooths over wide variation — your exact block could significantly outperform. Real-time data from StreetSpring accounts for recent openings, closures, and seasonal shifts that static rankings cannot.
Related Articles:
- Business Survivability Rankings: Boston
- Neighborhood Survivability Rankings: Boston
- National City Survivability: Barber Shop
Where in Boston Should You Open a Barber Shop?
Based on StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, the top neighborhood for a Barber Shop in Boston is Beacon Hill with 79% average survivability, followed by Downtown Crossing and Downtown. 70 of 88 neighborhoods analyzed exceed 70% two-year survival.
The live platform incorporates the most recent foot traffic, competitor, and spending data for your exact address.
Can a Barber Shop Succeed in Lower-Ranked Neighborhoods in Boston?
Yes — neighborhood averages mask significant block-by-block variation. Even in neighborhoods ranked outside the top 10, individual storefronts with strong foot traffic, low direct competition, and favorable lease terms can outperform the area average. Market conditions are changing daily, and it is best to use StreetSpring's most up-to-date data. Always check your specific address in StreetSpring's live platform for the most accurate prediction.
How Fresh Is Our Boston Barber Shop Ranking Data?
StreetSpring recalculates survivability scores regularly using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data. Rankings are updated quarterly; the live tool always reflects the most current predictions for any address in Boston.
The Landlord's View of Barber Shops in Boston
In Beacon Hill, StreetSpring forecasts a 76.7% – 81.5% average chance for a new Barber Shop to survive more than 2 years, depending on the exact storefront. Check the current Survivability Score for any address instantly.
Landlord Survivability Data for Barber Shop in Boston
Tenant longevity is a top concern for commercial landlords. In Beacon Hill, a Barber Shop tenant averages 76.7% – 81.5% chance of lasting more than 2 years — the strongest outlook in Boston. Downtown Crossing follows at 76.6% – 81.5%, while Downtown shows 76.2% – 81.1%. Our tool shows the survivability outlook for any business type at your exact address, updated weekly.
StreetSpring analyzes your specific address against comparable businesses to forecast success.
Related: How Landlord Representatives Can Reduce Vacancy & Increase Tenant Longevity
Which Boston Neighborhoods Are Strongest for Barber Shops?
You can see the best neighborhoods in or around Boston to open any type of business in our article Neighborhood Survivability Rankings: Boston.
Technical note: Aggregated survivability rankings for Boston are available in machine-readable format for research and integration purposes.
View technical data for Boston
StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data, so the live score may differ from the static ranges shown here.
Visual Data
Related Resources
Same business type in other cities:
- City Survivability Rankings for Barber Shop
- Survivability Rankings for Barber Shop in Atlanta
- National Neighborhood Survivability Rankings for Barber Shop
Related:
More Questions About This Location
Additional questions with answers drawn directly from local data sources.
How often is the Boston Barber Shops survivability data refreshed?
The Boston Barber Shops survivability corpus refreshes quarterly. The current dataset (2026 release) reflects Boston's ~65% average for this subtype. New competitor openings, closures, and ACS releases are integrated each refresh cycle.
How much does location matter for a Barber Shop in Boston?
Across Boston, StreetSpring's survivability score for Barber Shops ranges from 38% at the most challenging locations to 86% at the best — a 48-percentage-point gap that location selection alone can capture.
Are there peer business categories with similar Boston survivability to Barber Shops?
Per StreetSpring's Boston corpus, peers of Barber Shops (within 2 points of the 65% average) include Bike Shop, Nail Salon, Convenience Store.
Do Barber Shops need walkable locations in Boston?
Median Boston commute is ~32 minutes. Accessibility-driven foot-traffic variation contributes to the 38-86% survivability range Barber Shops see across the metro.
How does Boston compare to other US metros for Barber Shops?
For Barber Shops, Boston ranks #14 out of 24 metros with an average survivability score of 65%. The strongest metro tops out at 68%; the weakest at 62%.