How is Mt Vernon in Lawrence? (Boston, Cambridge: apartment, rental, car insurance)

[takenwakki]

Hi, I'm planning on moving to Boston soon, but I don't live anywhere near MA so I don't know anything about neighborhoods there. I'm trying to find a place close to Cambridge since my fiancee will be studying nearby, but I'm struggling to find anything at a reasonable place. I did find an apartment in Mount Vernon that looks pretty nice, but I saw that it is a neighborhood in Lawrence, MA. Research from a few years ago says to avoid Lawrence like the plague, but that Mount Vernon is okay. Is this still the case? Would my fiancee and I be okay staying there or is it still not reasonable even in Mount Vernon?

[tysmith95]

Bordering Andover the Mount Vernon neighborhood is the nicest part of Lawrence. However I would still avoid Lawrence if you have the ability to do so. The commute from Lawrence to Cambridge would be awful during rush hour (trust me I drove from Andover to Charleston for a few months during rush hour). I would estimate that during rush hour it would take about an hour and a half to drive from Lawrence to Cambridge. Public transit using the commuter rail would also be even longer because you would have to go into downtown and then backtrack. If it's not during rush hour the automobile commute may be reasonable. As far as Mount Vernon neighborhood you should be fine as long as you live near the Andover border and away from Broadway. As long as you don't have any kids than I would consider living there. However there are definitively better options. Do you guys have a rental or home budget?

Not knowing where your from Lawrence as a whole isn't as bad as places like Detroit or Compton. However it is the poorest community in Massachusetts and would be a place that i'd avoid unless you're within striking distance of the Andover border (which the Mt. Vernon neighborhood is).

[takenwakki]

Ah I see. We are on a pretty tight budget, probably about $1200 max right now. She is actually planning on attending Northeastern so it would be an even farther drive since it's across the river from Cambridge. There's a few other places we've seen but not much on such a small budget.

[sal1181]

Mt. Vernon is a nice area with mostly single family homes. If I where to move to Lawrence it would be there. Your car insurance will be pretty high as well if you move to Lawrence. What about Revere, Malden? for $1200 you should be able to get a 1 bedroom. Don't expect anything fancy but it's doable. Check on Craigslist

[rethcir]

That commute will be absolute hell. Look closer to the city. Waltham, Framingham, Quincy might have something.

[johngolf]

Originally Posted by takenwakki

Ah I see. We are on a pretty tight budget, probably about $1200 max right now. She is actually planning on attending Northeastern so it would be an even farther drive since it's across the river from Cambridge. There's a few other places we've seen but not much on such a small budget.

Stay away from Lawrence. Assume her classes are during the day so public transportation could be a good alternative for her to use. Also, she should be able to handle a part time job as Northeastern is not exactly that academically demanding. You may have to go to $1,500 per month. Look at Malden, Revere, Woburn, Watertown, Waltham, Quincy, Dedham, Norwood.

[Shizim]

Originally Posted by johngolf

Also, she should be able to handle a part time job as Northeastern is not exactly that academically demanding.

Wow....

[takenwakki]

She will be working part time anyways, but I've never heard someone say NEU is not demanding.

[tysmith95]

If you live closer in somewhere like Malden you could probably live with only one car. That should save you enough every month to be able to afford something more than 1200 a month.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by takenwakki

She will be working part time anyways, but I've never heard someone say NEU is not demanding.

It can be, but most people I know that went to school there also worked. That's true for lots of schools, of course.