Boston · Month comparison
September vs October
October ranks #1 overall vs September at #2. Fall foliage peak (Oct 10-25) plus Salem Halloween Month — Boston's most photographed weeks.
September
#2 of 12 months
Best match
University move-in chaos first weekend, then the best Boston month — 23°C, dry blue skies, foliage prelude.
- ↑Best balance of weather, crowds, prices after Labor Day
- ↑Harbor cruises and whale-watching still daily
October
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Fall foliage peak (Oct 10-25) plus Salem Halloween Month — Boston's most photographed weeks.
- ↑Foliage on Comm Ave, Public Garden and the Common at world-class peak
- ↑Salem (30 min north) Haunted Happenings runs all month
| Factor | September | October |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 10 | 10 |
| Value score | 5 | 4 |
| Crowd score | 5 | 4 |
| Events score | 7 | 10 |
| Atmosphere | 10 | 10 |
| Avg high temp | 23°C | 17°C |
| Monthly rain | 90mm | 110mm |
| Daily sunshine | 9hrs | 7hrs |
September trade-offs
- ↓First weekend (Allston Christmas) — university move-in clogs Storrow and Comm Ave
- ↓Hotel rates still elevated mid-week for conference season
October trade-offs
- ↓Salem and foliage day-tripper traffic clogs every northbound road
- ↓Hotel rates spike for Head of the Charles weekend
- ↓110mm rain — wettest autumn month
Scores compare months within Boston. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →