why Massachusetts (Boston) is one of the worst places to live (Cambridge: apartment, rent)

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by massnative71

UE rates tell very little of the story. Outside 495, most of MA is on life support.

Worse than most non-metropolitan areas anywhere else in the country?

It's a legitimate question. I haven't looked at any data so I really don't know. Major metropolitan areas are always going to be the leaders when it comes to job opportunities. In a geographically small state like Massachusetts, it's not at all surprising that metro Boston (anything inside of 495 and some places just beyond) is going to significantly outperform the rural (and urban) parts of the state that are not parts of the metro area. This is exaggerated even more in Boston v the rest of the state because Boston outperforms the majority of metro areas in the country in terms of job growth and opportunities.

Again, without seeing the data, I would definitely agree that urban areas in MA (and New England) outside of Boston are struggling. You're familiar enough with places like Fall River, New Bedford, Springfield, etc. to vouch for that. However, I'm not seeing anything to say that the majority of Massachusetts outside of metro Boston is struggling any worse than any other non-metropolitan area. You could even argue that the high volume educational facilities and large service (particularly tourism) based economies in much of non-metropolitan Massachusetts gives the state a leg up over many other non-metropolitan areas in the country.

I could be way off base because I haven't really spent a lot of time looking into it, but based on observations and my limited knowledge, I don't think it's too bad out there comparatively speaking.

[495neighbor]

Franklin County and the Western part of Worcester County are very depressed areas.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by tikaram

Why do you need a car if you live in Boston? You buy a charlie card for under 100 bucks a month and live happily ever after.

Yes I love Boston. No, I wasn't born here. No, I wasn't raised here. I didn't even study here. I moved here just like you, and I love it. To each his / her own.

You're either upper middle class or a yuppie. You likely think 'Boston' means anywhere on the Green Line. Please enlighton me, if I live on a street right of River Street in Hyde Park actually in Boston. I dont need a car?? Are you serious? You ought to have a car in Roslindale, Westie, Hyde Park, Mattapan, and most of Dorchester/Roxbury. You don't know Boston. Try navigating Enneking and VFW areas without a car. You can't. U forget the huge area between the red and orange lines and the southern 4 neighborhoods of the city which house about 1/5 of the city....

Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, and Downtown Boston is actually such a small part of the regions anf their inhabitants progress for anyone who isn't delusional.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Worse than most non-metropolitan areas anywhere else in the country?

It's a legitimate question. I haven't looked at any data so I really don't know. Major metropolitan areas are always going to be the leaders when it comes to job opportunities. In a geographically small state like Massachusetts, it's not at all surprising that metro Boston (anything inside of 495 and some places just beyond) is going to significantly outperform the rural (and urban) parts of the state that are not parts of the metro area. This is exaggerated even more in Boston v the rest of the state because Boston outperforms the majority of metro areas in the country in terms of job growth and opportunities.

Again, without seeing the data, I would definitely agree that urban areas in MA (and New England) outside of Boston are struggling. You're familiar enough with places like Fall River, New Bedford, Springfield, etc. to vouch for that. However, I'm not seeing anything to say that the majority of Massachusetts outside of metro Boston is struggling any worse than any other non-metropolitan area. You could even argue that the high volume educational facilities and large service (particularly tourism) based economies in much of non-metropolitan Massachusetts gives the state a leg up over many other non-metropolitan areas in the country.

I could be way off base because I haven't really spent a lot of time looking into it, but based on observations and my limited knowledge, I don't think it's too bad out there comparatively speaking.

Much of non-metro America has struggled in the new economy. However, some states have several healthy cities that can stand on their own (even if they're real small). Places like Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

You're either upper middle class or a yuppie. You likely think 'Boston' means anywhere on the Green Line. Please enlighton me, if I live on a street right of River Street in Hyde Park actually in Boston. I dont need a car?? Are you serious? You ought to have a car in Roslindale, Westie, Hyde Park, Mattapan, and most of Dorchester/Roxbury. You don't know Boston. Try navigating Enneking and VFW areas without a car. You can't. U forget the huge area between the red and orange lines and the southern 4 neighborhoods of the city which house about 1/5 of the city....

Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, and Downtown Boston is actually such a small part of the regions anf their inhabitants progress for anyone who isn't delusional.

MBTA ridership is 1.3 million people daily. That's a lot of people using transit if, as you said, only a small portion of the city can rely on it. Parts of Boston are less transit connected than others, but rapid transit (red, blue and orange) and light rail (green) are not the only methods of getting around without a car. I lived in JP for a while and almost exclusively rode the bus or walked. Thousands of Bostonians live without cars and make use of their feet and a bike for longer distances. If you think you can't get from Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Rosi, etc. To other places in the city without a car, you need to A) learn your bus routes, and/or B) learn how to walk or use a bike. You absolutely don't need a car in most of the city, and just about anyone living in town would reiterate that point.

[UKWildcat1981]

Its all those educated Harvard and MIT grads fault for taking all the good jobs lol

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by mdovell

"
Most people live in cities and frankly there is no reason to really have a car in Boston. Unless somehow you live in Boston and work outside of it. Sounds odd but can happen. I live on the south shore and worked with a women that came from Cambridge. Why was she here? Well couldn't find work apparently. Another also came from Quincy same thing. He was fired for showing up late a half hour a day. What I am getting at is frankly if you live in a city and do not find work chances are you might not have enough to buy a car and thus are limited to where public transit takes you. If you already own a car chances are you live in suburbs and already have that budgeted.

Many many many many MANY people live in Boston but work outside of it..you ever notcied all the minorities who work at service and retail places in Newton, Brookline, Dedham, Quincy, Braintree etc...a LARGE plurality of Bostonians don't have the skills required for the high end Boston jobs and instead work in the suburbs, many of the people who do have the high end skills live in the suburbs and commute in. Source: Myself, my mother, my father, two cousins, a brother, at least 4 friends, my former mentor....the list goes on..

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by lrfox

MBTA ridership is 1.3 million people daily. That's a lot of people using transit if, as you said, only a small portion of the city can rely on it. Parts of Boston are less transit connected than others, but rapid transit (red, blue and orange) and light rail (green) are not the only methods of getting around without a car. I lived in JP for a while and almost exclusively rode the bus or walked. Thousands of Bostonians live without cars and make use of their feet and a bike for longer distances. If you think you can't get from Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Rosi, etc. To other places in the city without a car, you need to A) learn your bus routes, and/or B) learn how to walk or use a bike. You absolutely don't need a car in most of the city, and just about anyone living in town would reiterate that point.

I did that. From age 11 to age 20 when I bought a car. Most of my friends who did not were largely regulated to their neighborhood and rarely ever went downtown because most native Bostonians dont have the skills that facilitate them working downtown unless its Dunkin Donuts. Our transit is flawed in that everything revolves around u going all the way downtown. Or taking an untimely and often times dangerous plodding bus through our crowded streets. Washington DC is a prime example of a transit system with connections and transfers not only downtown but spread throughout the Metro. Literally all of Bostons connections save JFK are within a 2 square mile radius. Which is kind of crazy when you think about it. People in poor neighborhoods should have access to the train like they do in NY or DC, that would also further spur gentrification though...Im just saying having lived off River Street during my child hood, the bus to get to the trolly came once every 25-35 minutes after I walked 10 minutes to the bus stop. That took me to the Mattapan trolley which came every 15 minutes. The trolley then took me to the train finally. C'mon now. Is that how a city resident should have to travel in BOSTON to get to a peripheral train stop? Literally would take an hour on average to get from The border of Hyde Park/Mattapan to the border of Mattapan/Dorchester that is Ashmont. Tack on another half hour to get Downtown. World class? yea right. I love the city but lets not pretend here. Boston is a great regional city but is borderline Tier 1 tier 2 in the US prolly Tier 3 Worldwide. And Massachusetts is not the worst but in fact probably a slightly above average state to live in.

[Boston_Burbs]

I have been spending more and more time around Worcester for work and have become quite impressed with how the city is run. It is not a very aesthetically pleasing City but there are plenty of jobs and places to work.

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by lrfox

MBTA ridership is 1.3 million people daily. That's a lot of people using transit if, as you said, only a small portion of the city can rely on it. Parts of Boston are less transit connected than others, but rapid transit (red, blue and orange) and light rail (green) are not the only methods of getting around without a car. I lived in JP for a while and almost exclusively rode the bus or walked. Thousands of Bostonians live without cars and make use of their feet and a bike for longer distances. If you think you can't get from Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Rosi, etc. To other places in the city without a car, you need to A) learn your bus routes, and/or B) learn how to walk or use a bike. You absolutely don't need a car in most of the city, and just about anyone living in town would reiterate that point.

Sure you can live in most of Boston without a car, but that means you are reliant on the T for anything you can't walk to. The T's bus system covers a lot of ground but service frequency is a major issue outside of rush hour. Depending on where your origin and destination are, you could be looking at a 45-60 minute bus ride that could otherwise be driven in 15 minutes.

I lived in Allston for 4 years and had a car for 2 of them (off street parking was included in the rent). Life was so much easier when I had the car. Why? Because I knew I could go shop in the suburbs and I didn't have to plan every errand that wasn't walkable to the T's schedule. Ever try going to Ikea on the T? lol

Again, in most of the city you probably don't NEED a car, and in certain neighborhoods the car can be a huge liability if you don't have a private parking spot. However, large swaths of Boston proper are only accessible by infrequent bus service, so if you can afford to have a car, it can be a great help. Boston is not Manhattan.