How do Boston ZBA approval rates vary by ward?
Boston ZBA approval rates range from about 81% in the toughest ward (Ward 7) to about 95% in the most permissive (Ward 4), against a citywide average near 87.7%.
Every Boston electoral ward has a different ZBA track record. Ward 4 approves at roughly 95%, among the highest in the city, while Ward 7 sits near 81%, among the toughest. These differences reflect zoning patterns, development pressure, and neighborhood dynamics specific to each ward.
Ward-level rates are useful context but not a substitute for the parcel's own record — two properties in the same ward can sit in different zoning districts, on different lot sizes, among different abutters, and draw an entirely different set of comparable cases. Verdwise reports the ward rate and those comparables side by side.