Boston & Cambridge, MA

[amleta]

Hey all -

Very helpful thread -thanks for everyone's contributions!

I will likely be attending BC in the fall, and will be moving to Boston from the U.K. with my fiance, he'll probably end up working in the financial district or the Back Bay so we're looking for a place to live that is between downtown and Chestnut Hill. I've identified three areas I lke the look of: Coolidge Corner/ Brookline generally, Fenway/Kenmore and.... that little bit of Allston that is below Comm Ave towards Brookline (around Kelton Street/ Brainerd). The last is by far the cheapest - is it really that undergrad-saturated and unbearable?

Any thoughts on all three areas generally, but particularly the last?

Also, I really like the look of Jamaica Plain, but it seems like it would be a bit of a pain to travel to BC from there - is that true?

I live in Brookline, about a 10 minute walk south of Coolidge Corner, and my partner is at BC (I work at BU). We love the area, and it's pretty accessible to everything. That said, it's a pain to get to BC, although that's true from just about anywhere. My partner usually ends up walking all the way to BC (about a 40 minute walk at a quick pace) rather than wait for the C-line to take him to Cleveland Circle, wait for the BC shuttle, and take it around the reservoir (about 45 minutes on a good day). When I go to BC, I prefer to take the D line and walk the 15 minutes to campus from there, but I have an inordinate love for the D line, so take that as you will.

You may have a better commute from just south of Comm Ave, since you can take the B line straight to campus. On the other hand, the B line is pretty worthless for going anywhere else. From my limited experience, south of Comm is reasonably nice and not entirely undergrad-saturated, as long as you're a few blocks south and not on one of the major cross streets. Someone who's actually lived there may have a better idea, though.

Regarding Jamaica Plain - it's a pain to commute to BC unless you're going to commute by bike, in which case I understand it's perfectly doable.

[wreckofthehope]

I live in Brookline, about a 10 minute walk south of Coolidge Corner, and my partner is at BC (I work at BU). We love the area, and it's pretty accessible to everything. That said, it's a pain to get to BC, although that's true from just about anywhere. My partner usually ends up walking all the way to BC (about a 40 minute walk at a quick pace) rather than wait for the C-line to take him to Cleveland Circle, wait for the BC shuttle, and take it around the reservoir (about 45 minutes on a good day). When I go to BC, I prefer to take the D line and walk the 15 minutes to campus from there, but I have an inordinate love for the D line, so take that as you will.

You may have a better commute from just south of Comm Ave, since you can take the B line straight to campus. On the other hand, the B line is pretty worthless for going anywhere else. From my limited experience, south of Comm is reasonably nice and not entirely undergrad-saturated, as long as you're a few blocks south and not on one of the major cross streets. Someone who's actually lived there may have a better idea, though.

Regarding Jamaica Plain - it's a pain to commute to BC unless you're going to commute by bike, in which case I understand it's perfectly doable.

Thanks so much for this - it's very helpful. I had no idea the walk to BC would be so short from Brookline, or that the walk from the D line to BC was only 15mins - this is great information to have, and widens the areas for consideration quite a bit. I currently have a 20min walk at the end of my train ride as part of my daily commute, which I love doing (perhaps trudging through a Boston winter will change my mind, though) - so would definitely not be averse to taking the route you suggest.

[PsychGirl1]

Hi Boston knowledgeables -- thanks in advance for your help!

What's up with Allston? Is it an undergrad ghetto, or a decent option? Like an earlier poster, I will be with my partner, who will be gainfully employed. (Yes!) When we looked on Craigslist at a price point that was higher than what the average undergrad would be able to pay, it seemed like there were some really nice places there. I also really want an easy carless commute, so the location seems convenient. But I don't want to be surrounded by bro culture or drunk people. At the very least, I would like to limit myself to tasteful drunk people. Like someone who is going to get drunk and ramble about farm subsidies or Derrida, not get drunk and pee on the street. Somewhere with plenty of youth culture and things to do, but nothing gauche. (If you're familiar with Chicago-- I'm thinking Logan Square/Wicker Park/Pilsen, not Lincoln Park or Wrigleyville).

Ah! Please take this with a healthy dose of "no offense." If you are still reading and haven't been offended ("I'm a frat boy, and I'm opinionated about farm subsidies! How dare they?!") any advice would be appreciated.

Allston pros: cheaper, yummy vegan restaurants, some good bars, overall kinda a fun quirky hipster area

Cons: students, crappy apartments, bedbugs

Doesn't really sound like the place you're looking for.

[PsychGirl1]

Thanks so much for this - it's very helpful. I had no idea the walk to BC would be so short from Brookline, or that the walk from the D line to BC was only 15mins - this is great information to have, and widens the areas for consideration quite a bit. I currently have a 20min walk at the end of my train ride as part of my daily commute, which I love doing (perhaps trudging through a Boston winter will change my mind, though) - so would definitely not be averse to taking the route you suggest.

I'd check hopstop.com when you're trying to judge commutes from various areas of Boston. It shows all the different public transportation options around different areas of the city!

[amleta]

I'd check hopstop.com when you're trying to judge commutes from various areas of Boston. It shows all the different public transportation options around different areas of the city!

I've actually had horrible luck with hopstop in Boston. My friends swear by it in NYC, but it's not terribly accurate for Boston - e.g., turning my 25 minute, 1 train commute into a 45 minute, bus + train + bus commute. Google Maps public transit, however, rarely fails me.

I currently have a 20min walk at the end of my train ride as part of my daily commute, which I love doing (perhaps trudging through a Boston winter will change my mind, though) - so would definitely not be averse to taking the route you suggest.

Personally, I'd take a dry Boston winter over a damp UK winter any day. When I was living in the UK, I froze every time I stepped out the door between November and March. New England winters are a breeze in comparison, so long as you've got good snow boots ^__^ The walk to campus from the D line is a nice walk, as well - residential area, not a lot of traffic, interesting architecture.

[PsychGirl1]

I've actually had horrible luck with hopstop in Boston. My friends swear by it in NYC, but it's not terribly accurate for Boston - e.g., turning my 25 minute, 1 train commute into a 45 minute, bus + train + bus commute. Google Maps public transit, however, rarely fails me.

Personally, I'd take a dry Boston winter over a damp UK winter any day. When I was living in the UK, I froze every time I stepped out the door between November and March. New England winters are a breeze in comparison, so long as you've got good snow boots ^__^ The walk to campus from the D line is a nice walk, as well - residential area, not a lot of traffic, interesting architecture.

I use hopstop for everything! Oftentimes they give you a lot of different choices for transportation though, so I guess it does help to know the area. But google maps has been pretty good, too!

[michpc]

Hi Boston knowledgeables -- thanks in advance for your help!

What's up with Allston? Is it an undergrad ghetto, or a decent option? Like an earlier poster, I will be with my partner, who will be gainfully employed. (Yes!) When we looked on Craigslist at a price point that was higher than what the average undergrad would be able to pay, it seemed like there were some really nice places there. I also really want an easy carless commute, so the location seems convenient. But I don't want to be surrounded by bro culture or drunk people. At the very least, I would like to limit myself to tasteful drunk people. Like someone who is going to get drunk and ramble about farm subsidies or Derrida, not get drunk and pee on the street. Somewhere with plenty of youth culture and things to do, but nothing gauche. (If you're familiar with Chicago-- I'm thinking Logan Square/Wicker Park/Pilsen, not Lincoln Park or Wrigleyville).

Ah! Please take this with a healthy dose of "no offense." If you are still reading and haven't been offended ("I'm a frat boy, and I'm opinionated about farm subsidies! How dare they?!") any advice would be appreciated.

So I'm assuming that HGSE is Harvard Graduate School of Education? I may be biased, but I highly recommend spending the extra bucks and living in the Harvard Square area (a mile+ is an easy walk). If you search hard, there are deals to be found. My boyfriend and I pay $1600 for a small 2 bedroom with basement storage, free laundry, free heat, and an off street parking spot. It won't be as cheap as Allston, but in my opinion, it's worth the extra money. The red line kicks the green line's ass, and the Harvard Square area is much quieter, yet there are still great places to grab a drink (Shay's Pub and Wine Bar is a favorite of mine). Anyway, as you can see, I'm partial to this side of the river! If you want to save money, though, and don't mind taking the subway to work, Davis Square is a bit cheaper. I've also lived near there, and never really had a problem with noise, same for where I live now, which is between Harvard and Porter Squares. There are several large apartment buildings surrounding our smaller building, yet it's always quiet and so much more attractive than Allston, ha! "Lower Allston" north of the MassPike may also be a viable option, as I think less students live there, but I'd still much rather stay north of the Charles. Hope this helps :-).

[hurrah]

So I'm assuming that HGSE is Harvard Graduate School of Education? I may be biased, but I highly recommend spending the extra bucks and living in the Harvard Square area (a mile+ is an easy walk). If you search hard, there are deals to be found. My boyfriend and I pay $1600 for a small 2 bedroom with basement storage, free laundry, free heat, and an off street parking spot. It won't be as cheap as Allston, but in my opinion, it's worth the extra money. The red line kicks the green line's ass, and the Harvard Square area is much quieter, yet there are still great places to grab a drink (Shay's Pub and Wine Bar is a favorite of mine). Anyway, as you can see, I'm partial to this side of the river! If you want to save money, though, and don't mind taking the subway to work, Davis Square is a bit cheaper. I've also lived near there, and never really had a problem with noise, same for where I live now, which is between Harvard and Porter Squares. There are several large apartment buildings surrounding our smaller building, yet it's always quiet and so much more attractive than Allston, ha! "Lower Allston" north of the MassPike may also be a viable option, as I think less students live there, but I'd still much rather stay north of the Charles. Hope this helps :-).

Thanks! Yeah, we're now looking at a place in Lower Allston, which seems to be a lot more low-key. I was initially really into Somerville, and that's still an option, but my partner needs to be near the expressway to commute west so I think we're going to go for it.

[michpc]

Thanks! Yeah, we're now looking at a place in Lower Allston, which seems to be a lot more low-key. I was initially really into Somerville, and that's still an option, but my partner needs to be near the expressway to commute west so I think we're going to go for it.

Yes, Lower Allston is much less undergrad oriented, and the 66 bus runs quite often to Harvard Square and Brighton/Brookline. There's not a lot to walk to there (except for gas stations and such), which I guess is the only major downside. This is my 5th year living in the area and I've apartment hunted three times, so if you have any other questions, feel free to ask .

[ouibeque]

I second michpc on Lower Allston... I lived there for some time, and it's quiet and pretty family-friendly. You get to stay near all the cheap eats and nightlife of Allston, but without actually living in the student ghetto.

The Oak Square/Brighton Center area is pretty nice too. Very safe and quiet, good neighborhood feel, good access to Mass Pike and buses to Cambridge. Bikeable to Harvard, also; my old roommate used to make that commute every day unless it was actively snowing.

And to second michpc again (a second time-ha!), I am also quite familiar with the area, so questions are welcome!

Good luck!

[osodulce]

I've actually had horrible luck with hopstop in Boston. My friends swear by it in NYC, but it's not terribly accurate for Boston - e.g., turning my 25 minute, 1 train commute into a 45 minute, bus + train + bus commute. Google Maps public transit, however, rarely fails me.

Use the "Trip Planner" feature at www.mbta.com

[michpc]

Use the "Trip Planner" feature at www.mbta.com

and if you have an Android phone, download Boston Bus Map. The MBTA has GPS installed in their buses and some of the subway trains (not green line yet), so you can tell if your bus that's supposed to come at 5pm is actually running 20min late, etc. It rocks.

[LiviaAurelia]

Hi, everyone!

I'm most likely going to Boston College this fall. Is it worth it to live in Brighton, or is it just as easy from Brookline? I did my bachelors in Iowa City, and while it is a great college town, I do NOT want to live in undergrad-ville during my grad experience, lol!

Any advice? Thanks very much!

[michpc]

Hi, everyone!

I'm most likely going to Boston College this fall. Is it worth it to live in Brighton, or is it just as easy from Brookline? I did my bachelors in Iowa City, and while it is a great college town, I do NOT want to live in undergrad-ville during my grad experience, lol!

Any advice? Thanks very much!

Brookline is definitely more young professionals, but it's also more expensive. The other downside is that if you have a car, you cannot park overnight on streets (there are a lot of rich people in Brookline). You need to either have an apartment that comes with a space, or rent one somewhere else. That has always kept me from wanting to live there. Between BU and BC, it's hard to avoid undergrads completely, but Brookline will be a better bet than the less expensive and somewhat more dense Brighton and Allston. I wouldn't discount them completely though if you will be able to see apartments in person. I have a friend who has an inexpensive 1 bedroom in Brighton on Washington St. near Comm Ave and it seems clean and quiet.

[LiviaAurelia]

Brookline is definitely more young professionals, but it's also more expensive. The other downside is that if you have a car, you cannot park overnight on streets (there are a lot of rich people in Brookline). You need to either have an apartment that comes with a space, or rent one somewhere else. That has always kept me from wanting to live there. Between BU and BC, it's hard to avoid undergrads completely, but Brookline will be a better bet than the less expensive and somewhat more dense Brighton and Allston. I wouldn't discount them completely though if you will be able to see apartments in person. I have a friend who has an inexpensive 1 bedroom in Brighton on Washington St. near Comm Ave and it seems clean and quiet.

Hello, and THANK YOU!!!

I do not have a car, so at least parking wouldn't be an issue. I do plan on looking in Brighton as well. Thanks again for your help!

[new mexico]

Well, it looks like i'll be moving from New Mexico to Boston sometime later this summer. I'm not looking forward to the housing situation

[DCA-John]

Off to Boston (HKS) in the fall! The wife, 1-year-old and I are moving from DC.

Does anybody happen to know both DC and Boston neighborhoods? we're looking for something like Cleveland Park / Woodley Park (which from a cursory first visit seems to describe most of Cambridge...)

Any recommendations on areas that would be close (bikeable / bus-able) to HKS but family friendly? Is the Harvard Real Estate Service any good, or should we brave Craigslist? What's a reasonable rate for a two-bedroom apartment?

[michpc]

Off to Boston (HKS) in the fall! The wife, 1-year-old and I are moving from DC.

Does anybody happen to know both DC and Boston neighborhoods? we're looking for something like Cleveland Park / Woodley Park (which from a cursory first visit seems to describe most of Cambridge...)

Any recommendations on areas that would be close (bikeable / bus-able) to HKS but family friendly? Is the Harvard Real Estate Service any good, or should we brave Craigslist? What's a reasonable rate for a two-bedroom apartment?

I can take a stab at this...I love it here, so I'm happy to sell the city I'll soon be leaving, unfortunately! From a cursory look, it does seem like Cleveland Park/Woodley Park have similarities to Cambridge.

I'm not sure how long you're planning to be here, but with a 1 year old, I'm guessing schools aren't a major factor since you're renting. I'm not sure that Cambridge and Somerville have terribly good public schools, which is why I mention that. From experience, because Somerville is a bit cheaper than most parts of Cambridge, the spots near subway stops at least tend be mostly young professionals. I've found there seem to be more kids in Cambridge. The immediate Harvard Square area is beautiful and pretty quiet (despite having several large apartment buildings near the 4 unit I live in, we've never had any noise issues). It doesn't come cheap though; my tiny (630 sq ft) 2 bedroom goes for $1600, so it's generally more than that if you want a decent amount of space, which i'm sure you do with a 1 year old. The area called Agassiz, between Harvard and Porter Squares is also very nice...mostly single and multi-family homes mixed in with some Harvard and Lesley University properties. Other options to consider, which are probably a little less expensive, are Huron Village, which is a little bit farther off form Harvard Square and not quite walking distance; East Arlington/Arlington, anywhere off Mass Ave, where you can catch the 77 bus to the square; there is also the east Belmont, Watertown, and outskirts of Cambridge area, near Fresh Pond and Alewife subway station. Fresh Pond is the water source for Cambridge and also parkland, and it's also near the Minuteman Bike Path, so plenty of family-friendly recreation to be had, plus shopping like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Cambridge is pretty bike friendly, in my experience, with a fair number of bike lanes, TONS of other bikers, and great bike shops (I'm partial to Ace Wheelworks in Somerville). I'd totally recommend biking to school if you're not walking distance when it's nice out (or when it's not if you're hardcore, unlike myself!)

Sorry, I don't have experience with Harvard Real Estate Service, since I'm not a student. Boston.com real estate section also has some rental listings, which are apt to last a little longer than Craigslist since it's not as popular. In my experience, well priced and good quality units go fast. Good luck and feel free to ask me other questions!

[DCA-John]

Much appreciated! I'm sure I'll have a ton of followup questions as soon as I have a chance to start looking at the neighborhoods you mentioned

[mlerette]

What specific neighborhoods/areas would you suggest for living within walking distance to Tufts? I'm not sure where to start looking, as I am not familiar with the area at all and there seem to be soo many neighborhoods!

Looking at attending Fletcher in Fall. I have a fiance and 2 labs all of which need a backyard to romp. I have an all wheel drive vehicle and would like to keep my communte down to 15-20 minutes one way. I will have a $2200 monthly income to spend on all things associated with survival. Specifically, I am looking for a 2 and 2 with a backyard and close enough to get back and forth when the weather turns chilly. Any suggestions on neighborhoods or areas?

What is the economy like in Medford? My Fiance will be looking for work. She has an undergrad and worked as a police officer and military intelligence officer in the military briefly. Any suggestions on where to get decent employment or where to begin looking?

Anything would be helpful. I'll be running the Boston Marathon in April and will have a couple days to check the place out. Looking forward to meeting Ben Affleck and Marky Mark. I hear those guys are always there!

MCL

[history_PhD]

For those that live in Boston, what are some estimated utility costs? Most apartments mention that heat and hot water are covered, but the ads says nothing about electricity.

[michpc]

For those that live in Boston, what are some estimated utility costs? Most apartments mention that heat and hot water are covered, but the ads says nothing about electricity.

In my 630 sq ft apartment with lights split about 60/40 standard/cfl bulbs, our normal monthly bill is in the $30-35 range. It goes up to about $60ish in 2 window ac units (one in bedroom, one in living room) running in the hottest part of the summer (usually mid-July through mid-August). This is the first time I've had AC though, so if you're down with suffering it out at night and studying in air conditioned places, you can fairly easily skip the cost as it generally cools fairly nicely at night for most of the summer, especially if you have enough windows for cross-ventilation. And of course during most of the academic year here, no AC needed .

[DCA-John]

Another question for michpc (whose assistance is much appreciated!)

Based on research, I think we're starting to narrow it down to Cambridgeport, Inman Square, Davis Square, Huron Village and Strawberry Hill. Should we add Watertown to this list, or would it be too far? I know these areas all have different vibes, but I wanted to get a few different kinds of neighborhoods in the mix, since we don't know Cambridge

The criteria (in general descending order)

- Safe

- Walkable to good stores and restaurants (ideally independents not chains)

- Quieter, other families around (don't want to deal with student parties above us at 2 in the morning on thursday)

- Space - our current place is a big (~1300-1400 sq ft) two bedroom

- Within 2-3 miles of the Kennedy School, near a bus line or T (will mostly bike in, but nice to have the option)

- No stairs (stroller!!)

How much should we budget for a 2BR? Is under $2000 a realistic figure, particularly if we need to find something that's been deleaded?

Thanks!

[michpc]

Another question for michpc (whose assistance is much appreciated!)

Based on research, I think we're starting to narrow it down to Cambridgeport, Inman Square, Davis Square, Huron Village and Strawberry Hill. Should we add Watertown to this list, or would it be too far? I know these areas all have different vibes, but I wanted to get a few different kinds of neighborhoods in the mix, since we don't know Cambridge

The criteria (in general descending order)

- Safe

- Walkable to good stores and restaurants (ideally independents not chains)

- Quieter, other families around (don't want to deal with student parties above us at 2 in the morning on thursday)

- Space - our current place is a big (~1300-1400 sq ft) two bedroom

- Within 2-3 miles of the Kennedy School, near a bus line or T (will mostly bike in, but nice to have the option)

- No stairs (stroller!!)

How much should we budget for a 2BR? Is under $2000 a realistic figure, particularly if we need to find something that's been deleaded?

Thanks!

$2000 should be reasonable budget, though you may be looking a little smaller than your current place. First floor apartments tend to rent a bit cheaper since, obviously, quieter top floors are more desirable for most. No stairs at all might be tough, but I'd note that in all the areas I've lived in, I see that most people leave strollers on their front porches (which quite a lot of buildings have).

Davis definitely has families, but its proximity to Tufts can make it a touch loud sometimes. The closer to the actual square you are, the less of that you'll find though. If you're looking at Davis, I'd consider Porter Square too, as the proximity to a couple supermarkets is really convenient. You can also look at "North Cambridge", which is the area between Davis/Teele Squares and Mass Ave. Inman is a bit more urban than the rest of the areas mentioned, and I've found a lot of dumpy apartments in that area, but the location is great, so probably still worth looking, and I would include Kirkland an Union Squares in that area as well. East Watertown is definitely worth looking at, as it's also close to Fresh Pond, and there is a bus that runs down Mt. Auburn Street straight into Harvard Square.

Shopping: for grocery stores, it's hard to avoid chains, but you will find lots of smaller independently owned shops, and chain restaurants are definitely few and far between. Of the areas you mentioned, Inman and Davis have the most restaurants.

Unfortunately I can't really speak much to finding a deleaded unit as I don't have kids, so it hasn't been a factor for me. I think it will take a little more legwork, as just generally speaking, rentals in this area are dominated by young professionals, most of whom don't need to worry about lead, and therefore a lot of landlords of older buildings don't bother with deleading.

I hope this is helpful!

[starmaker]

Yeah, no stairs will be hard in any of the areas that you mentioned.

$2000 will get you a 2-bedroom, but it's unlikely to be 1300-1400 square feet. That's huge for a 2-bed around here. I live in a very nice 2-bed that's maybe 1000 square feet. In general, the big apartments with lots of common space are also the ones with more bedrooms.

I lived in Davis for a couple of years, near Tufts, and we didn't have problems with noise. You can always ask who's in the other apartment (most houses have two apartments in them, some have three). Cambridgeport definitely has families. East Watertown definitely has families, and probably fewer young professionals than most of the areas you mentioned - Watertown is heavily Armenian and Greek and is to some extent like other "ethnic" enclaves, with restaurants, multi-generational families, etc. Most of these areas have a mix of families, young professionals, and students. Most of the students are not 24/7 party animals - they go to nerdy colleges.

Everywhere that you mentioned has pretty good walkability, as do Porter Square, Union Square, East Watertown, and North Cambridge. I'd say that Strawberry Hill and Huron Village have a little less walkability than the others, but still pretty good.

I don't know what it costs to rent in Huron Village, but that's some seriously expensive real estate in that area, which might translate to higher rents. That's Tory Row country (well, not literally, but it's right there).

Union and Inman are probably a little less safe than the others. Really, though, I don't find anywhere in Cambridge particularly bad compared to what is considered bad in many cities. I'm a young female, and I walked alone through what is generally considered the worst section of Cambridge (Area 4), in the dark, dozens of times, without a problem. Not that I necessarily recommend this, but my point is that, for example, a little kid walking to school ought to be fine in any place that you or michpc brought up. I will add the caveat that there's some sketchiness near Teele Square - when I read Tufts campus police reports when I lived in Davis, it seemed like most of the incidents happened within a small area.

All of these places meet your distance and public transit criteria.