Medford, Melrose, Malden ?? (Boston, Cambridge, Somerville: section 8, apartment complexes, rentals)

[Fenway2013]

We are moving to the Boston area from out of state in the next month. We will be renting a place and hoping to find something close to public transportation in a decent area. Our budget is on the low end so options are fairly limited, and to make things worse we aren't going to be able to make a trip up before deciding on a rental for various reasons (not ideal but we have no option right now).

We are currently in between an apartment in Melrose, and a private duplex in Malden but have read that some of the areas in Malden aren't the greatest. We did call the police department and they didn't show any significant crime in the area where the rental is.

I was hoping for some input on these areas. The private rentals offer a lot more room but it seems like a bit more of a risk considering we've read mixed reviews about Medford and Malden.

Any input you might be able to provide is greatly appreciated!

[goyguy]

I'm not sure where Medford is fitting in here, since neither living arrangement being pondered is there. But it's a stable, predominantly working-class, city close in to Boston though without direct rapid-transit access aside from the Orange Line on its far east side.
Neighboring Malden is much the same, though the Orange Line goes through a more central area. Over the years the people I've gotten to know there (well enough to visit at home) have mainly dwelled west of the Malden Center station, not far from there toward the Everett line, or on the north end of town closer to Oak Grove. From what I've observed firsthand there is no "bad" part of that city, but the farther west or north you go the better.
Melrose is decidedly more "suburban" in feel than either of the "M" cities south of there: next to no night life whatsoever, almost entirely residential, therefore much quieter. Any apartment in Melrose stands at least a 95% chance of being on either Main St or Wyoming Ave. The buildings as a rule are older brick structures of 4-6 stories at most, and are run-of-the-mill but well maintained. Of the three communities being discussed here, Melrose would by far be the one to put down roots in: Apartment, starter home or larger apartment (if "we" is a married or committed couple planning on becoming parents), larger house, then backwards in the opposite direction as time moves along. Other than the relative tranquility of suburbia, the well-regarded public schools would be the selling point. Those of Medford and Malden are only so-so - lacking other indicators, you can always figure out the real story if "diversity" is pushed as their strongest suit.
Am also not so sure what all this emphasis on "private" means - "private duplex," "private rentals." Do you qualify for Section 8?

[Fenway2013]

Thanks for all of the info. Where I am from we have apartment complexes and people also rent out their homes, but it's typically single family homes. The home in Malden (similary to some we have seen in Medford) is a large home divided into two and I guess still called & considered an apartment, but it's much different than the apartments I think of. More like a duplex, I guess and wouldn't be Section 8.

We are a married couple in our 40s and don't have plans on having children. The home is about a mile south east of Malden Center on Judson St.

As far as commuting the apartment in Melrose would probably be ideal, but the space is very limited in the apartment whereas the square footage in the home in Malden makes the downsizing a little less drastic. Above and beyond anything else we are just looking for a relatively safe and nice area to live in (understanding crime can happen anywhere). We liked the charm of Melrose, and haven't found a lot of videos or anything on Malden to compare.

I appreciate all of the information you provided, thanks so much!

[Shizim]

Like mentioned above, Melrose is far more suburban etc. That's why it's more appealing to you. malden is OK, but more urban. The area you mentioned is fine (West of Ferry), I lived a few streets over for several years and never heard of anything sinister. In terms of commuting, you should be able to walk to malden center (15 min or so) or catch a bus on Ferry or main St to malden center. They are pretty frequentk. If you are just using it as a place to sleep and plan of driving to go out to eat etc. It's fine. If you want a downtown with restaurants and a nice town center then it's Melrose for sure.

[SalamanderSmile]

I don't know where you are commuting to, that is relevant. I am in my 40s and would choose Melrose over either Medford or Malden. We still refer to the years we lived in Malden as a mistake (nothing to do, close to nothing good, etc.). Medford has all the grittiness (other than the nice part of West Medford) of Malden but no subway or commuter rail although by car Medford is closer to "stuff" in Cambridge and Somerville.

Just to throw it out: We loved living in Waltham which also has many rentals, stuff to do with good commutability and tons of greenspace with great easy driveable access to the beauty of the Metro-West areas of Boston for weekends.

[Parsec]

When I first moved to the Boston area from a state where large apartment complexes with A/C and in-unit washer/dryer were common, I was shocked that over 75% of the rentals here didn't have those 2 amenities. Also, keep in mind many private rentals include heat and hot water which is something that could factor into your decision. Sorry I dont have any comment on the M towns since I've always found the suburbs west of Boston to be the most convenient place to live.

[Fenway2013]

Thanks so much, all of the input has been great and truly appreciated!

I had also originally considered Waltham but read some negative things, which I know can only be taken with a grain of salt because everyone has different opinions. I think the business to get in to is making travel videos because there doesn't seem to be that many available and it would be so helpful for anyone looking to relocate or vacation.

It sounds like Melrose is the type of area we would like to live in, but the Malden home offers more space. Always something

The good part is that we don't have any particular area we have to travel to besides Boston at times for medical/health care reasons. We plan to open a business (which will more than likely be in Melrose) but would like to live in an area that would likely have job opportunities for our 20 year old son until he establishes residency and can transfer to finish college in Mass. or to public transportation so we can commute fairly easy since we will be downsizing to 1 car.

All of the input has been extremely helpful, and again, thanks so much!


As far as the A/C, this home in Malden does not have one currently, and I guess we would have to buy a window unit or something. Some say that it doesn't get hot enough to need one, but I'm not so sure and HATE sleeping when it's hot, so I'm thinking A/C is probably necessary (for me anyway).

[Beantown_mama]

Melrose is much nicer than Malden in general but the area in Malden you are referring to is not unsafe. I think the most unsafe areas of Malden are near Maplewood Square. I agree, the further north and west you go in Malden (closest to Melrose) the better. Malden doesn't have a lo of charm but there are some great restaurants.

I would definitely choose Melrose of the 3 towns but if you really like the space you could try Malden. Since it is a rental, it doesn't need to be a long term commitment to the town.

[Shizim]

If you aren't married to any one location, why not W.Medford? I will disagree with anyone who says that Medford = Malden. West Medford has become pretty trendy, is a quick commuter rail trip into north station, has easy access to Arlington Center (alot of nice restaurants and a walkable little downtown), Davis Sq (if interested... probably more geared toward younger hipsters), and Winchester Center (nice little shops and a few restaurants that are worth going to). Its further from Melrose Center but is still a pretty quick car ride if you cut through Winchester.

I would think (but not based upon actual research) that you can get a happy medium in terms of price/sq ft in West Medford vs Melrose and Malden.

[missionhill]

Of any of the places discussed Waltham probably has more rentals of the type one sees elsewhere in the country -- modern buildings, A/C, onsite management, etc. Around here most rentals are in 2 and 3 family houses and apartment buildings built right along the street, often without parking (because no one needed parking in 1890 or 1915!) So, as you say, it's nothing like what you're used to. Boston can get very hot in the summer time. People can make do with fans but window units are very common.

For your purposes Malden, Medford and Melrose are all good choices with better bus-train-subway access than Waltham. Agree with Shizim that West Medford is very nice and being tucked in between the Middlesex Fells reservation and the Mystic Lakes it has great recreation access. Another area to consider is within Boston itself, the Roslindale-West Roxbury area, at the opposite end of the orange line, which has a similar housing stock to that in Malden-Melrose-Medford and lots of bus-subway and commuter rail transportation service. For the 20-year old, U-Mass in Boston could be a good choice once residency is established, and is easier to get to from Roslindale or West Roxbury than from Malden.