Generic question, I know...but what is Boston like? (Cambridge: crime rate, home)

[sarahf79]

I am originally from the Philly area, and have lived on the west coast for 10 years now - 6 in Seattle, 4 in San Diego (where I currently am). I have come to the realization that I want to eventually settle back east.

I was thinking about moving to Boston. This way, I'll still be close to "home" (a 6 hour drive to Philly), but I'll be far enough away to still feel independent of it. My question is: if I am originally an east coaster, and like the east coast, will I like Boston?

Admittedly, I have not spent much time at all in New England. And I know there is a distinct New England culture, too, that is separate from the "east coast" attitude of NY/PA/NJ that I grew up with. Do you think I will like it? Are people snobby in Boston, or unfriendly to outsiders? This is how it was in Seattle, and I can not deal with that again. I have a good friend out here who is originally from Boston - grew up in Roslindale - and she said she moved out west b/c she couldn't take the people...that they were snobby. I don't know what to think.

I am planning a visit to Boston in March, so I guess I'll see a little bit for myself. But you never get a true picture from a week's visit, ya know If I could get any info on in general, if a person from Philly could "hack it" in Boston, that would be great.

Thanks much,
Sarah

[TomDot]

My wife came from Michigan 15 years ago and she loves it here.
People here are not snobby.
There is a large intellectual population that I would classify as more socially awkward than snobby. I just snicker at them.
There is also a huge native population of third/fourth/fifth generation Irish, Italians, Greeks, Africans, etc. who are extremely warm and welcoming.
All in all it is the same as anywhere else.
Big sports town too. Similar to Philly........... except we win!

[niv4lac]

Boston is my favorite part of the east coast. I love Philly, and i love New York, but nothing beats Boston. It is a great city with lots going on, but it isnt ridiculously busy like manhattan. People are generally very nice here, and you can get around the city very easily without a car by rding the T, which is in my opinion the best public transportation system in America.

The city is swarming with youth and pop culture, but also has an excellent energy in the air. I am always happy when i am in Boston, i never feel rushed, but i am still getting things done just as quickly as i might get them done in New York or Philly.

Think of Boston as New York with more class and sense.

[Akhenaten]

I am from Philly and couldn't wait to move from that trash dumpster up here (that was over 7 years ago). Boston is awesome and yes the attitude of the people is somewhat "cold" but there are so many other things that make up for it. I'm kind of introverted so what other people do or say doesn't affect me much anyway.

I still have to go down to PA to visit family and every time I'm there I am reminded how grateful I am to have moved away to a better city. Go for it.

[ogre]

There seems to be some truth to the notion of a snobby attitude. I'd say that one unpleasant attitude among Bostonians that stands out to me might be described more as chauvinism than snobbery. There seems to be a prevalent haughty assumption that it's known fact that Boston speaks for New England, and that New England is just plain better in every way than other parts of the country. I can get put off by this view of things at times, and I grew up here. I can imagine that this would be especially unappealing to those who've moved to Boston from those other regions which Bostonians view as inherently inferior.

As far as friendliness (or lack thereof) is concerned, my experience has been that you'll encounter all kinds of individuals anywhere, but somehow the way they add up, the way the people as a whole seem to be, varies from place to place. In Boston, this collective persona is not overly friendly. Out in public people can be be hurried and pushy, and Boston does have a contingent of self-important yuppies. Still, every city most likely has its share of smug-faced yuppies, and I find that a laid-back, unobtrusive friendliness goes a long way toward getting friendliness in return in Boston. Also, people in Boston tend to be more easygoing in relaxed or intimate settings, a restaurant, for example, or a bar that's not too noisy and crowded. This is even more the case if you become a regular customer at the bar or restaurant, and the staff gets to know you.

Comparing Boston to Philadelphia, I believe housing costs more in Boston, something to keep in mind when considering a move to the area. Statistics show Boston's crime rate as lower, and most of Boston's more questionable neighborhoods are located away from the central city. You can go to the parts of Boston that have the urban amenities without having crime be a major concern. Boston and Philly do have a similar densely packed old-city/classic-architecture character, and there does seem to be a Northeastern kind of attitude in both places. Individuals vary in how they respond to places, but I'd say Boston would most likely fit well for a Philadelphian who wants a city that feels like home while not actually being the same old home place.

[cityx]

I recently spent three weeks in Boston and suburban Boston (Franklin/Hopkinton) and I absolutely fell in love with the entire region. The people were very friendly, helpful, and had a positive, energetic vibe. Boston not only boasts a tremendous amount of history, but is culturally diverse and very cosmopolitan - compared to where I live in Sacramento anyway. It's certainly a city I would consider moving to someday.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by Akhenaten

I am from Philly and couldn't wait to move from that trash dumpster up here (that was over 7 years ago). Boston is awesome and yes the attitude of the people is somewhat "cold" but there are so many other things that make up for it. I'm kind of introverted so what other people do or say doesn't affect me much anyway.

I still have to go down to PA to visit family and every time I'm there I am reminded how grateful I am to have moved away to a better city. Go for it.

The city of Philadlephia is much larger, much grittier,much more socio economically disadvantaged than Boston.The downtowns are about even as far as office space, professional jobs etc. Better shopping, cleaner enviornment in Boston. Philadlephia is just as vibrant, more down to earth, with much more grit. Although due note that Philadlephia has 8 Fortune 500 companies in Center City as opposed to only 2 for Downtown Boston.

The regions as a whole are very similar as far as wealth is concerned.

Metro Philadelphia Household Median Income(2007) Pop 5.8 M

Chester(PA) $83,146
Montgomery(PA)$ 74,000
Burlington(NJ) $73,566
Bucks(PA) $70,881
Gloucester(NJ) $70,655
Mercer(NJ)$70,258
Delaware(PA) $60,232
New castle(DE)$59,600
Camden(NJ) $59,288
Philadelphia $35,635


Metro Boston household median income(2007) 4.4 M people

Norfolk(MA)- $79,206
Rockingham(NH)$75,929
Middlesex(MA) 74,700
Plymouth (MA) 71,113
Essex(MA) $61,461
Strafford(NH) $60,788
Suffolk(MA)$50,181

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by Akhenaten

I am from Philly and couldn't wait to move from that trash dumpster up here (that was over 7 years ago). Boston is awesome and yes the attitude of the people is somewhat "cold" but there are so many other things that make up for it. I'm kind of introverted so what other people do or say doesn't affect me much anyway.

I still have to go down to PA to visit family and every time I'm there I am reminded how grateful I am to have moved away to a better city. Go for it.

Lets not be so dramatic.

Philadelphia is 3x the size of Boston.To put things into perspective Philly has a park system that is nearly 1/4 the total land area of Boston. Philadelphia has as much if not more to offer than the city of Boston(Cultural,restaurants,recreational,nightlife etc). What tarnishes Philly is its past heavy manufacturing base which did not translate well into modern times and led to socio economic chaos in once stable working class hoods.

Here is a decent photo thread of parts of Center City and surrounding neighborhoods if anyone is interested.Its certainly not a trash dumpster.

[DaveV]

Originally Posted by rainrock

Philadelphia is 3x the size of Boston.

Metro Philadelphia is only "somewhat" bigger than Metro Boston - The city itself has smaller population because there are more cities/towns that are not counted (Brookline, Cambridge, Arlington, Chelsea, Medford yada yada) I believe "metro area" is a more accurate measure of "size" than "city" - look at San Antonio, you can drive 30 miles in any direction from the city center, and you're still in "San Antonio" - do that from Boston and how many dif municipalities do u pass thru?

[ogre]

I don't know that this needs to become a which-city-is-better war. The OP just asked whether there was enough similarity for Boston to feel kind of like Philly, so she could get a taste of home while experiencing some place new. Besides which, the OP has not been back since starting the thread, so maybe she's not going to see what you write anyway, though maybe. Ya never know.

By the way . . . go Phillies!