<ARTICLE>                                            9
<CIK>                       0000760079 
<NAME>                       The Boston Bancorp 
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1000
<CURRENCY>                                     U.S. DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              OCT-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 NOV-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                   APR-30-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                1
<CASH>                                            21,976
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                                 0
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                   9,825
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                       0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                    1,052,682
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                                 0
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                                   0
<LOANS>                                          162,148
<ALLOWANCE>                                        1,989
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,565,619
<DEPOSITS>                                     1,351,051
<SHORT-TERM>                                       6,243
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                                8,687
<LONG-TERM>                                        1,386
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  0
<PREFERRED>                                            0
<COMMON>                                           5,284
<OTHER-SE>                                       192,968
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 1,565,619
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                   15,114
<INTEREST-INVEST>                                 44,294
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                       0
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                  59,408
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                                29,807
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                33,561
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                             25,847
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                          0
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                23,265
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                   12,778
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                   39,554
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                        39,554
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                        0
<CHANGES>                                              0
<NET-INCOME>                                      24,054
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       4.51
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       4.51
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                      7.40
<LOANS-NON>                                        1,807
<LOANS-PAST>                                           0
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                      59
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                    1,390
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                   2,121
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                        159
<RECOVERIES>                                          27
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                                  1,989
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                               1,989
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                    0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                                0