Advertising on Billboards In Boston, MA
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About Boston Home of the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Celtics, the largest city in Massachusetts holds a unique position in American culture. It plays an outsized role in American history, settled by Puritans and site of several of the inciting incidents for the Revolutionary War, including the Boston Massacre. It remains culturally relevant today, with events like the Boston Marathon drawing national attention. Some of the nation’s highest-profile sports teams, including the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox, are also based in Boston.
Billboard and other out of home inventory are in high demand in the town. Based on discussions with our media buyers, we put together a guide to purchasing OOH advertising in Boston that you can use to guide your decision-making.
Home of the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Celtics, the largest city in Massachusetts holds a unique position in American culture. It plays an outsized role in American history, settled by Puritans and site of several of the inciting incidents for the Revolutionary War, including the Boston Massacre. It remains culturally relevant today, with events like the Boston Marathon drawing national attention. Some of the nation’s highest-profile sports teams, including the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox, are also based in Boston.
Billboard and other out of home inventory are in high demand in the town. Based on discussions with our media buyers, we put together a guide to purchasing OOH advertising in Boston that you can use to guide your decision-making.
Data for Billboard Advertisers in Boston The nation’s seventh-largest DMA, Boston has 654,776 residents, per the latest Census data. It is the biggest city in New England by a long shot, with three times the residents of the No. 2 town, Worcester, MA. It’s growing, too, up by almost 40,000 since 2010. Housing prices are high, with the median value of owner-occupied housing units at more than $600,000. Workers have a long haul to work—just over 30 minutes, which is great for advertisers who want to reach people in their commutes.
Boston has about 300 billboards, which puts it among the top cities in the country for billboards while lagging behind Los Angeles and New York City. It has many more than neighboring Providence, Rhode Island (120), or any other NE city, for that matter.
Here’s a complete demographic rundown on the Boston DMA.
The nation’s seventh-largest DMA, Boston has 654,776 residents, per the latest Census data. It is the biggest city in New England by a long shot, with three times the residents of the No. 2 town, Worcester, MA. It’s growing, too, up by almost 40,000 since 2010. Housing prices are high, with the median value of owner-occupied housing units at more than $600,000. Workers have a long haul to work—just over 30 minutes, which is great for advertisers who want to reach people in their commutes.
Boston has about 300 billboards, which puts it among the top cities in the country for billboards while lagging behind Los Angeles and New York City. It has many more than neighboring Providence, Rhode Island (120), or any other NE city, for that matter.
Here’s a complete demographic rundown on the Boston DMA.
Boston, MAPopulation: 654,776
52%
48%
Veterans
13,713Foreign-born residents:
28.1%Persons per household:
2.3Percent who speak a non-English language at home:
36.6%High school graduates
88.2%Hold at least a bachelor’s degree:
52.1%Median household income:
$81,744Billboards:
300Boston has several main types of billboard ads. Bulletins
Many of the billboards in the Boston area are located outside the official city limits, on highways entering and around the city. Called bulletins, they represent the standard-sized billboard, and they often feature calls to action to get off the highway and eat at McDonald’s/Burger King/Wendy’s/etc
Dimensions: Bulletins stand 48 feet wide x 14 feet tall.
Posters
Posters are smaller, about half the width of bulletins, and tend to be in more urban spaces. It’s easier to fit a compact poster into a crowded street than a large bulletin. Even with less room for creative, posters still draw top-notch advertisers—who enjoy the lower price tag for this inventory, too.
Dimensions + Most posters measure 24 feet, 6 inches wide x 12 feet, 3 inches tall.
Digital Billboards
Digital billboards use LEDs to light up screens with creative that’s easy to replace with the flip of a switch. Each one can rotate multiple ads per minute. The boards are in high demand but not without controversy—as recently as spring 2023, a local zoning board outside Boston rejected conversion to a digital sign amid locals’ protests.
Dimensions + Digital bulletins measure 48 feet wide x 14 feet tall.
Wallscapes
A wallscape goes on the side of a building, often a high-rise, and gives the advertiser a huge canvas for creative that draws attention and even prompts posts on social media, extending the reach of the campaign. It’s the largest form of billboard space available, though there’s no standard size—it depends on how big the building is.
Mobile Billboard Advertising
Mobile billboards appear on the back of a truck driven around the city to maximize exposure to the greatest number of people. The trucks hit areas where the target audience of Bostonians will see the mobile billboards, such as Beacon and Commonwealth Streets.
Dimensions + The size of mobile billboards depends on the size of the truck towing them.
Bulletins
Many of the billboards in the Boston area are located outside the official city limits, on highways entering and around the city. Called bulletins, they represent the standard-sized billboard, and they often feature calls to action to get off the highway and eat at McDonald’s/Burger King/Wendy’s/etc
Bulletins stand 48 feet wide x 14 feet tall.
Posters
Posters are smaller, about half the width of bulletins, and tend to be in more urban spaces. It’s easier to fit a compact poster into a crowded street than a large bulletin. Even with less room for creative, posters still draw top-notch advertisers—who enjoy the lower price tag for this inventory, too.
Most posters measure 24 feet, 6 inches wide x 12 feet, 3 inches tall.
Digital Billboards
Digital billboards use LEDs to light up screens with creative that’s easy to replace with the flip of a switch. Each one can rotate multiple ads per minute. The boards are in high demand but not without controversy—as recently as spring 2023, a local zoning board outside Boston rejected conversion to a digital sign amid locals’ protests.
Digital bulletins measure 48 feet wide x 14 feet tall.
Wallscapes
A wallscape goes on the side of a building, often a high-rise, and gives the advertiser a huge canvas for creative that draws attention and even prompts posts on social media, extending the reach of the campaign. It’s the largest form of billboard space available, though there’s no standard size—it depends on how big the building is.
Mobile Billboard Advertising
Mobile billboards appear on the back of a truck driven around the city to maximize exposure to the greatest number of people. The trucks hit areas where the target audience of Bostonians will see the mobile billboards, such as Beacon and Commonwealth Streets.
The size of mobile billboards depends on the size of the truck towing them.
Best Places in Boston to Advertise on a Billboard These are the top locations for outdoor advertisers in Boston, according to conversations with our buyers:
Southeast Expressway:
I-93 goes through Quincy and Milton, reaching lots of commuters as well as travelers into the city. Top categories include Boston’s beloved sports teams, finance and fashion.
I-95:
One of the nation’s most storied highways passes around Boston, making it an ideal place for inventory. Residents and travelers will see the OOH ads, which may include sports (one of the top entertainment investments in the city), fashion and finance.
Fenway Park:
No matter their record, the Boston Red Sox always draw a crowd, and getting your ad in front of those fans provides fantastic value. You can target people walking from the T station or pedestrians who live within walking distance along the roads leading to Fenway or buy something even closer. Top categories include sports, of course, as well as education—Boston has loads of colleges within and right outside the city. (TD Garden is also a great place to advertise during Celtics and Bruins seasons.)
Downtown and West End:
From Cambridge Street to Beacon Hill to State Street, Boston has many places where tourists flock, and you can reach them even in the crowded urban environment. Top categories range from education to finance to sports plus sports apparel like Nike and Puma.
These are the top locations for outdoor advertisers in Boston, according to conversations with our buyers:
Southeast Expressway:
I-93 goes through Quincy and Milton, reaching lots of commuters as well as travelers into the city. Top categories include Boston’s beloved sports teams, finance and fashion.
I-95:
One of the nation’s most storied highways passes around Boston, making it an ideal place for inventory. Residents and travelers will see the OOH ads, which may include sports (one of the top entertainment investments in the city), fashion and finance.
Fenway Park:
No matter their record, the Boston Red Sox always draw a crowd, and getting your ad in front of those fans provides fantastic value. You can target people walking from the T station or pedestrians who live within walking distance along the roads leading to Fenway or buy something even closer. Top categories include sports, of course, as well as education—Boston has loads of colleges within and right outside the city. (TD Garden is also a great place to advertise during Celtics and Bruins seasons.)
Downtown and West End:
From Cambridge Street to Beacon Hill to State Street, Boston has many places where tourists flock, and you can reach them even in the crowded urban environment. Top categories range from education to finance to sports plus sports apparel like Nike and Puma.
Cost of a Billboard in Boston Boston billboard costs are about average for the size of the market. Pricing is much less than in major DMAs like Los Angeles or New York City but more than in second-tier markets such as Tampa. Our numbers reflect recent numbers from our buyers for four-week stints.
The Cheapest Billboards in Boston
Posters: $2,000 to $3,000
The Most Expensive Billboards in Boston
Bulletins: $8,000 to $10,000
Digital bulletins: $8,000 to $11,000
Boston billboard costs are about average for the size of the market. Pricing is much less than in major DMAs like Los Angeles or New York City but more than in second-tier markets such as Tampa. Our numbers reflect recent numbers from our buyers for four-week stints.
The Cheapest Billboards in Boston
Posters: $2,000 to $3,000
The Most Expensive Billboards in Boston
Bulletins: $8,000 to $10,000
Digital bulletins: $8,000 to $11,000
Boston Creative Examples 
Thinking About Advertising in Boston? Boston offers advertisers a smart way to reach the city’s loads of tourists and locals who frequent the many historic sites and sporting events. Reach out to us today to discuss the right strategy for your buy and to find the best billboard inventory and pricing.
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Boston offers advertisers a smart way to reach the city’s loads of tourists and locals who frequent the many historic sites and sporting events. Reach out to us today to discuss the right strategy for your buy and to find the best billboard inventory and pricing.