Roslindale is located in the center of the Southwest corner of Boston. Roslindale has a distinctly suburban flavor characterized by tree-lined streets. Its village center, located around Adams Park, offers the convenience of businesses within walking distance for most residents.

When residents describe the boundaries of Roslindale, they often speak of the four green corners -- Forest Hills Cemetery, the Arnold Arboretum, the George Wright Golf Course, and the Stony Brook Reservation. Definitive boundaries, however, are elusive. The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) includes the Woodbourne and Weld Hill neighborhoods within the parameters of Roslindale, but most residents seem to agree these communities are actually in Jamaica Plain. The Peters Hill section of the Arnold Arboretum is, by most measures, located in Roslindale, but according to some zoning codes also part of Jamaica Plain.