Massachusetts has some of the oldest housing in the country: about 45 percent of homes were built before 1960, including wood-frame triple-deckers, colonials and brick rowhouses. Plaster walls and stone or brick foundations are common, and condos make up a large share of units in Boston and its suburbs.

median year homes were built: 1965; median year homes were built
built in 2000 or later: 16%; built in 2000 or later
built before 1960: 45.3%; built before 1960
single-family homes: 56.7%; single-family homes
in buildings with 5+ units: 22.8%; in buildings with 5+ units
mobile homes: 0.9%; mobile homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (tables B25035, B25034, B25024)

Common wall types

Plaster on lath

Where: Colonials, Victorians and triple-deckers built before about 1940 across Boston, Worcester, Salem and Cambridge.

Mounting: Plaster over wood lath is hard and brittle. Locate studs, pre-drill slowly, use toggle bolts where studs are not available, and avoid hammer-drill mode.

Wood-frame triple-deckers

Where: Boston, Worcester, Dorchester, Somerville and other cities where thousands of three-deckers were built between about 1880 and 1930.

Mounting: Walls are wood frame with plaster, and units are shared with neighbors above and below, so confirm ownership and building rules before drilling.

Brick and brownstone masonry

Where: Back Bay, Beacon Hill and South End rowhouses in Boston.

Mounting: Party walls are solid brick, sometimes with plaster directly on the brick. Use masonry anchors into the brick, avoid mortar joints, and expect limited in-wall wire routing.

Wood-frame stud walls

Where: Interior partitions and exterior walls in most houses built since the mid-20th century.

Mounting: Studs are typically 16 inches on center. Lag the mount into at least two studs; use a stud finder and confirm with a small pilot hole before drilling.

Concrete and metal-stud condos

Where: Mid- and high-rise buildings in Boston, Cambridge and Quincy, and newer apartment buildings.

Mounting: Concrete needs hammer drill and concrete anchors; metal-stud partitions need toggle-style anchors. Associations often require approval and a certificate of insurance.

Stone or concrete basement walls

Where: Older homes with fieldstone, brick or block foundations, and newer poured concrete foundations.

Mounting: Mount only to solid concrete or block face shells, not to uneven fieldstone, and watch for moisture before finishing a wall.

Tips before you mount

Brick and masonry walls: use 1/4" concrete screws or 3/8" sleeve or wedge anchors with a hammer drill, drilling into solid brick faces rather than mortar joints where possible. Old lime mortar and soft brick can crumble, so test a spot first.
Stud walls: studs are usually 16" on center. Lag the mount into at least two studs with 5/16" lag bolts, typically about 2.5" to 3" long. A full-motion arm puts much more leverage on the wall than a flat mount, so it needs studs or masonry and should never hang on drywall anchors alone.
Metal studs and plaster: use toggle bolts or snap toggles rated for the TV and mount weight, or have wood blocking added behind the wall. Plaster can crack if drilled carelessly, so locate framing first and pre-drill slowly.
Hiding wires: the National Electrical Code (NEC 400.12) does not allow a regular TV power cord to be concealed inside a wall. Use an in-wall rated recessed power kit, and choose low-voltage cable rated CL2 or CL3 for in-wall HDMI and speaker runs. Where walls are solid masonry, plan on a paintable surface raceway instead.
Over a fireplace: heat rising from a working fireplace can exceed a TV's operating limits, so check the manufacturer's specs, use a deep mantel or a pull-down mount, and never mount on a stone or brick surround without confirming it is solid and anchoring into it correctly. In older New England houses, chimneys and fireplace surrounds may be unreinforced brick or stone; check the surface is sound before anchoring anything heavy to it. Outdoor TVs on porches should be rated for freeze-thaw and wet conditions.
Condos and triple-deckers: ask the condo association or neighbors' rules whether drilling into walls or party walls needs approval, and get the installer's certificate of insurance (COI) naming the association before work day.
Before work starts, tell the installer the wall type (studs, plaster, brick, block or concrete), the TV size and weight, the mount type and whether wires need to be hidden. These change the anchors, labor time and price.

Sources: Census Reporter, ACS 2024 1-year: Massachusetts (B25035, B25034, B25024) · Historic Boston: A short history of Boston's triple-deckers. General guidance only — your installer will confirm the right method for your wall.