Who lives in (or knows a lot about) the Boston area

[georgeharrison]

My son is in college a couple hours away. We are expecting that he will move out of state after graduation. It is now me, my husband, our three dogs, and a cat. We expect that two of the dogs will pass while he's in college (based on breed and age). So, once he's out of state, we anticipate having one dog and one cat. We currently live in a 4 bed/2 bath house on 1/2 acre. It's a lovely home, but where we live...I'm just done with it. We relocated to a 20k population town in Arkansas after growing up in the Seattle metro area. We have been here 7+ years. I think we gave it a good go, and I don't regret the move, but I'm a city girl. Additional information is that I work a remote job in a volatile industry that does not seem to be hiring remote workers any longer. If I get laid off from this job, I anticipate it to be very difficult to find work in my field.

My industry as well as my husband's has a lot of opportunity in the Boston area. He has been there several times for work, but hasn't looked at it with where might we want to live eyes. 

What areas of the city would you recommend? We would probably want to rent an apartment, probably 2 bedrooms. We are looking for a semi-walkable area, not a suburb if we can help it. We are late 40s, so not walkable to like a social scene, but walkable to restaurants, coffee, light shopping. 

I know there are a zillion variables, but I thought I'd just throw this post out there and see what kind of thoughts I can get.

[devonpow]

I’ll always recommend where I live - Brookline. It’s not technically Boston, but it’s own town (surrounded by Boston lol). Fully accessed by the subway and bus system, can walk into Boston easily, but a little more space and ability to have a potential yard etc plus a touch quieter than downtown Boston. If money was no object I would live in Back Bay. The seaport is the new happening area but the T doesn’t go there (bus system does though)

[bex1973]

happywife I think does?

[happywife]

Oct 15, 2024 15:47:43 GMT -5 bex1973 said:

happywife I think does?

I'm in southern CA and of no help here, sorry!

[bex1973]

Oct 15, 2024 15:53:18 GMT -5 happywife said:

Oct 15, 2024 15:47:43 GMT -5 bex1973 said:

happywife I think does?

I'm in southern CA and of no help here, sorry!

LOL I wasn't even close!!! I have no idea why I thought you lived there haha!

[shopgirl07]

I’ll echo devonpow, as a former Brookliner it’s hard to beat. Otherwise, you’d want the Back Bay, South End, Kenmore Sq/Fenway, South Boston, or maybe Charlestown. The Seaport is growing like mad and has a lot of apartments but I’m not sure I’d want to live there.

[tiki]

Budget is often a deciding factor for where to live in the Boston area. Do you have a sense for how much you want to pay for a 2 bed apartment? Example: our old apartment is a Somerville 2 bed, 1 ba with no A/C, no private laundry, no outdoor space but 1 parking space and great access to transit. It's currently about 3k/mo, so I would consider that the lowest likely rent in the semi-urban Boston area. 

[TR]

I think maybe lilafowler is in that general area?

[sdlaura]

I don't live/haven't lived in Boston, but we lived in New Hampshire when DH was in grad school, so most of our friends from there now live in Boston. My company is also based in Boston so I have many coworkers who live there as well. My Boston friends/coworkers are mostly in the elementary-high school kid stage of life, so live in a variety of suburbs (Wellesley, Hingham, Ipswich, etc.). But pre-kids, a lot of them lived in the city, and I'd visit them there. A lot of them really liked the South End. The family of the best man in our wedding lived on the most adorable street in the South End that was like an urban cul-de-sac with a little garden in the middle. Their area was more row houses vs. apartments.

We considered living in the Boston area, but felt like everyone we knew there had grown up there for the most part, and had their whole extended families nearby, so we felt like it might be weird to like, be alone on Thanksgiving while everyone was with their extended families. Growing up in the DC area and now living in SoCal, most people we know are "expats" and we spend holidays with friends and that's not weird. But if you managed in rural Arkansas, I'm sure that aspect of the Boston area wouldn't be an issue

[shopgirl07]

Oh, I forgot Beacon Hill. Obviously it will all be very expensive but I’m assuming that you realize this.

[bugmeetsworld]

You’ve already received some good suggestions and things to consider. I would also look into Cambridge and Somerville. The closest I’ve lived to downtown is Waltham, because it was more affordable. The Moody Street area has good restaurants and is on the commuter rail which makes getting into the city easy.

[ssmjlm]

Sobs that someone called Hingham a Boston suburb. Talk about sprawl. Next they’ll say Hull is a suburb too.


I loved living in Brighton, but echo the Brookline rec. I just couldn’t find housing on a grad student budget there and a parking spot at the time. We had a beach house in Hull, so I wanted to be able to head there and this was before the T had expanded.

[meanie]

Oct 15, 2024 16:20:39 GMT -5 bugmeetsworld said:

You’ve already received some good suggestions and things to consider. I would also look into Cambridge and Somerville. The closest I’ve lived to downtown is Waltham, because it was more affordable. The Moody Street area has good restaurants and is on the commuter rail which makes getting into the city easy.

Ahh good old Moody Street....lots of drunken nights spent there in/after college. 

[sdlaura]

ssmjlm I live 35 miles outside of San Diego, but still consider my town to be a San Diego suburb....as it's a non-urban area and San Diego is the nearest city. Even though my town is its own town. I think I'm just thinking of a different definition of suburb than you are.

One thing I love about the Boston area is all the nice choices for towns nearby! I've never heard of Hull, but my Hingham friends get to downtown Boston for work in a short ferry ride - to me that fits the definition.

[cinnamoncox0]

I’d recommend looking at Charlestown first. It checks off your boxes and more. I loved living there. We had to move out when our oldest was entering grade 1 as the BPS weren’t special Ed / autism friendly (at least back then).
When we are empty nesters we plan to go back.
(We moved about 6-8 miles north of Boston for schools).

But obviously the school system won’t be an issue for you all.

[scm1011]

Oct 15, 2024 16:42:57 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Sobs that someone called Hingham a Boston suburb. Talk about sprawl. Next they’ll say Hull is a suburb too.

Because they are? I grew up there and everyone commuted to Boston for work. It’s less than 20 miles away. You also have to remember Boston is a relatively small city, space wise. Like Boston and Hingham and everything in between would fit in Houston with room to spare.

[underwaterrhymes]

We haven’t lived there in about ten years, but if we were to move back, we’d look at Arlington. It’s super convenient and is a nice walk along a bike path to the train into Cambridge. Plus it has a lovely downtown area with lots of restaurants and shops. It is still a pricey area, but less expensive than in the city itself and it’s super accessible to so much.

[scm1011]

I've lived in Somerville, 5 miles from downtown, for 15+ years and love it. Its urban (we're actually more densely populated than Boston), with great restaurants and an arty vibe. Its also, as others pointed out, not cheap. Likewise, Cambridge, Brookline, and the other Boston proper neighborhoods mentioned here are great places to live with everything you're looking for.

[starburst604]

I’m born and raised here but have lived outside the city for quite some time. I’m going to guess that you already know that rent is $$$$ in Boston so I’ll just talk about some of the different Boston proper neighborhoods.

Back Bay - the heart of the city IMO. Apartments mostly brownstones. Tons of restaurants and even more shopping. (Newbury St, the Prudential center etc). Lots of hustle and bustle. The marathon finishes there on Boylston St, that kind of vibe.

South End - a more artsy vibe, also lots of brownstones, nice restaurants, small shops. Large gay community that’s had a huge overhaul in the last 20 years.

South Boston - lots of renovated 3 family buildings. More spread out than the previous neighborhoods. Has a small beach and plenty of oceanfront walking. Population tends to be younger adults or more old school natives.

Seaport - newest part of the city, on the water. Apartments are high rises. Lots to do and see, but not well connected to the rest of the city.

Another area I haven’t seen mentioned yet is Jamaica Plain. Lots of beautiful green space, diverse, unique restaurants. Multi-family homes are most common.

My only comment on Cambridge is that driving around there gives me hives so I’d never live there if I owned a car!

[onetruething]

I’m in Dorchester and I love it. Lots of different kind of housing, but pretty much whatever you might look for. Walkable to shops, restaurants, parks, coffee, subway…

Anywhere in the city is going to be expensive, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

My only caveat is that sometimes neighborhoods in any major city one block can be great and then the next block over not so great. I feel like this is true of every neighborhood that has been mentioned except for the Seaport and maybe Brookline which I’m just not super familiar with, tbh. Feel free to DM me when you’ve got some places narrowed down.

[fryjack2]

You don't want a suburb, want walkable to shops and restaurants, and good for a dog. I'm a city person through and through and since moving here have lived in many of Boston proper's neighborhoods including Allston ( student central) , Fenway/Kenmore (built up a ton over the last decade, lots of students and young people), Jamaica Plain (was known for having a large lesbian population and arts vibe. Getting expensive and pricing out a lot of families) Back Bay ( expensive, preppy, but so convenient), Beacon Hill ( expensive, even more preppy, tiny apartments), South End ( large gay men populations, great restaurants, fun vibe, lots of families as well), Southie (lots of young professionals mixed with some families that have been there generations. Large Irish population. Same can be said about Dorchester that borders it), Seaport ( hip, but not very easy to get to). They each have a different feel.

If H and I stay here and don't move to NYC post kids, we will be back in the Back Bay, Harvard Square in Cambridge, or in Brookline along Beacon Street between Kenmore and Coolidge Corner.

The Back Bay is lovely. A brownstone apartment on Comm Ave or Marlborough will be just a short 5 minute walk to Newbury and Boylston Streets for shopping, groceries, coffee, etc. and 5 minute walk to the Charles River, which is gorgeous in the morning for walks as is the Comm Ave mall (grassy walkway that spans many blocks). And a few minute walk to the Boston Public Garden and Beacon Hill, not far from Kenmore for baseball games if that's your thing, the highway to the airport, and the bridge into Cambridge.

Check out Coolidge Corner, or Washington Square in Brookline ( the bordering town that is on the regular subway line and not a commuter rail). Those areas are walkable to a ton of restaurants and shopping.

The one neighborhood I would avoid is the North End ( very congested, small apartments, parking sucks, but the food is so so so good. Italian neighborhood) and the financial district. ITs tends to be dead there after work hours.

Southie and the Seaport is gentrified now. Its also getting to be very expensive and not easily accessible because the train doesn't really run there. I loved our loft there, but it was steps from the one train stop and huge Whole Foods.

Come back and ask questions if you narrow it down more Lots of areas are full of students ( Allston, Brighton, The Fens/Kenmore, some parts of Brookline, parts of Cambridge and Somerville) which you may or may not care about.

As much as I hate the winters, Boston is a great place to be. Europe in 6 hours, west coast in 6 hours, mountains and ocean short drives away, NYC driving distance, lots of lakes and ski mountains and islands and stuff to do.

[fryjack2]

Also, if you don't truly need 2 bedrooms and can manage in a one bedroom with small office type second space, that could help with finding housing that isn't insanely expensive. Still expensive, but slightly cheaper. Or a one bedroom with a living space big enough for a pull out couch/ blow up mattress for when your child visits.

[fryjack2]

Adding medical care here is phenomenal. And we are a state with a kind heart when it comes to helping others and resources and maternity leaves, etc.

Boston is diverse depending on which neighborhood you are in. Lots of interesting people from all over. We are always a stop on musician tours, have lots of sports teams, and thankfully, Tom Brady doesn't live here anymore

[starburst604]

Oct 15, 2024 20:38:11 GMT -5 fryjack2 said:

Adding medical care here is phenomenal. And we are a state with a kind heart when it comes to helping others and resources and maternity leaves, etc.

Boston is diverse depending on which neighborhood you are in. Lots of interesting people from all over. We are always a stop on musician tours, have lots of sports teams, and thankfully, Tom Brady doesn't live here anymore

I’m always so grateful for the medical care we have access to. Also, I don’t know if this is your experience, but I also notice that MA overall seems to have better (not perfect) health insurance options than what I read about here. I’ve never heard of anyone here having to pay 10K out of pocket all at once for something, or having to pre-pay for a medical procedure even if it’s elective (not counting cosmetic procedures) Is that true for you too?

[fryjack2]

Oct 15, 2024 20:42:48 GMT -5 starburst604 said:

Oct 15, 2024 20:38:11 GMT -5 fryjack2 said:

Adding medical care here is phenomenal. And we are a state with a kind heart when it comes to helping others and resources and maternity leaves, etc.

Boston is diverse depending on which neighborhood you are in. Lots of interesting people from all over. We are always a stop on musician tours, have lots of sports teams, and thankfully, Tom Brady doesn't live here anymore

I’m always so grateful for the medical care we have access to. Also, I don’t know if this is your experience, but I also notice that MA overall seems to have better (not perfect) health insurance options than what I read about here. I’ve never heard of anyone here having to pay 10K out of pocket all at once for something, or having to pre-pay for a medical procedure even if it’s elective (not counting cosmetic procedures) Is that true for you too?

Not sure how to answer because the plan H and I have covers pretty much everything and we just pay a $15 copy for certain visits. We switched to this plan a couple years ago. Before that, we were on the one option his employer offered. Which had no copays for anything ever.
I’m in healthcare and insurance is for sure a mess. Patients do get asked by insurance to pay up front for care but we usually figure a way to not have them do that.

[livinitup]

We have good friends who live in and near Boston. How does someone do both? Well, the wife works in Boston, so they have a house in New Hampshire to beat the cost of living and a condo near work (or near a transit line near work) for overnights when she works or when they want to enjoy the city.

It’s not conventional, but I threw it out to help with a real-life work around on how people make it work.

I’ve stayed in both and love both residents. The condo is very convenient for city life but the compromise was a narrow 3-floor walk up, so that would be difficult every day & all the time. But it’s hardly noticeable when you are grateful for a cute place to stay with no commute.

[lilafowler]

Oct 15, 2024 16:06:09 GMT -5 TR said:

I think maybe lilafowler is in that general area?

I’m so solidly middle class that I am no good on fancy areas of Boston/Brookline/Back Bay, etc. ❤️😂

But if you have questions about the Andrew Square area of Dorchester or the South Shore (I’m in Quincy on the Braintree/Weymouth border) I’m your girl!

I lived in Southie so long ago that it’s completely different (and $$$) but I’ll always love it.

[lilafowler]

Also look at rent prices. I live in a suburb and we pay way less than market value for a 2 bedroom in a 2 family house (which is why we’ve stayed here so long)-be prepared to pay $$$ if you stay in Boston proper. Shit- rents in Quincy for studios/1 bedrooms in some of the newer developments are $2500-$3000 a month.

You don’t need two cars. We have too many cars here already and the streets are small.

[starburst604]

Oct 16, 2024 7:00:35 GMT -5 lilafowler said:

Also look at rent prices. I live in a suburb and we pay way less than market value for a 2 bedroom in a 2 family house (which is why we’ve stayed here so long)-be prepared to pay $$$ if you stay in Boston proper. Shit- rents in Quincy for studios/1 bedrooms in some of the newer developments are $2500-$3000 a month.

You don’t need two cars. We have too many cars here already and the streets are small.

Rent prices are just SHOCKING. My STBX pays $3300 for a 2BR in our burb 40 mins from Boston. But when I was looking at rentals when we were separating, even the places without nice amenities like his weren’t much less.

[brooke77]

As others have mentioned, your budget is going to matter a lot. Rent is insane in a lot of these areas and anywhere cute/walkable. Somerville sounds pretty perfect for you, but it is pricey.

I’ll also throw out Malden as somewhere to look into. A suburb, but commutable with the T and the downtown area has coffee/restaurants/groceries.