Minimum take home pay (Boston, Cambridge: apartment, for rent, condo)

[Dream41180]

Good Afternoon,

I am considering applying to a position in Boston just south of the Boston Public Garden. I am concerned my family of 4 cannot find a home within 30 minute commute preferably by transit in a safe area with challenging public schools and a decent walkability (walk to parks, services, restaraunts maybe groceries). What would the minimum rent for a 2/2 preferably 3/2 condo/house that meets these criterion? I need to decide if my salary would be enough.

[timberline742]

Good luck. A 30 minute commute around here is NOTHING. You'll need to be living in the city to do that, for the most part. Are you talking 30 minutes public transit to Park Street? Or do you mean driving in?

[porterhouse]

Brookline, Newton or Cambridge could all meet your criteria. You're probably looking at $3,500 minimum for rent on a place that size, perhaps a bit less for 2br and more if you need parking (note that Brookline does not allow overnight parking on the street).

[Dream41180]

30 min for transit only portion. A 10 min walk (.5-1 mile) on each end of commute would be acceptable. Commuter rail would be okay.


The position is near the intersection of Charles St S and Stuart St.

[timberline742]

Yeah, at least 3500 on orange or red lines (subway not commuter rail). Maybe Arlington right next to Alewife, or Cambridge on red line, I guess Brookline on green. If the work is providing a parking space so you can drive (or want to spend many hundreds more for that), maybe some others. $3500+ is probably right for a decent place.

[Dream41180]

Thank you. I appreciate the honest answers. 3500 rent would be 50-60% of my estimated take home pay.

[bjimmy24]

Walking a mile in 10 minutes is pretty impressive.

[Whatsnext75]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Walking a mile in 10 minutes is pretty impressive.

Lol that is some fast walking.

Maybe southie?

[raveabouttoast]

Everyone wants: safe area, affordable housing, short commute, good schools, walkable town center.

The reality is you can't have it all. Unless you're wealthy, you will have to make sacrifices. Choose which one or two of those characteristics you're willing to give up, and you'll get better advice.

[charolastra00]

While the commute would be closer to 45 minutes to an hour and involve bus to subway, my neighborhood in Medford has 3 bed/1 baths for under $2500. The school system gets knocked a bit, but I know plenty of people who are happy in this neighborhood. The best school districts are, as you can imagine, generally in the priciest neighborhoods.

Keep in mind that housing stock is old here. Most affordable 3 bedrooms (ie. not new construction) only have one bathroom. My downstairs neighbors, for instance, have 3 kids in a 3 bed/1 bath apartment and do fine. That's common in this region.