nice towns in Middlesex county (Boston, Newton: apartments, to rent, low crime)

[annitta]

Hi everyone! Me and my family will be moving to Boston, most likely in September-October, but we are still deciding on the best place for us.We are-me (26), my husband (28) and our son (now 4 months). My husband will be working in Woburn and I will be looking for a job in a pharmacy (I am an international pharmacist). Most important for us are teh following (in decreasing importance)
1.Nice, pretty town that is family friendly and kids-friendly, with good daycare centers, that is not too rural! We are livin now in New York, so we are used to urban living, you go outside and you walk on a sidewalk, you don't have to drive to the supermarket. Maybe a town that is not too small and is a mix of rural and urban living.
2.Close to work (Woburn)-about 10 miles, max 15 miles, we suggest Middlesex county, Newton was also recommended to me
3.Easy transportation to Boston-this would be nice, but in the beginning we will probably go to the city only on a weekend, for a walk if we can. And actually I don't see what teh problem with snow is-we also have snow here, ut they clean the streets as soon as possible, so it is absolutely ok to drive. But I see most people want to be close to public transportation, so maybe it is really horrible to drive in wintertime

Please suggest some nice places for us, we will be coming on a trip in August and we want to look around!

[scarletfire]

I would think Arlington would be a good bet.

[shiver]

What is your housing budget? Newton is a great area, but is pretty expensive. You have quite a few options so it will help us narrow it down if you tell us what you are looking to spend. Also, are you looking to rent or buy? I almost always recommend renting before buying (if possible) to newcomers.

You mention that you're coming from New York and are used to urban life. I'm assuming that means NYC area? If so, you probably won't experience sticker shock.

[annitta]

Thank you for your asdvice!We are definitely looking to rent and our budget is around 1300 including utilities, or up to 1100 without utilities. I know this is not a lot-would we be able to find a 2BR, even if it is small?

[redpanda]

1300 might be a bit tight for what you'd like, especially including utilities. I would check Arlington, Somerville, parts of Medford, and maybe Melrose. I know both Medford and Melrose offer "family networks" with nifty get-togethers, playgroups, etc. that are good for meeting people.

Really, I think you're going to find you have to increase your 1100 budget if you want the more urban experience.

[annitta]

thank you redpanda! I realise this is a pretty small budget.How much do you think we would have to pay to live in the cities you recommend?
And also, is there a place, no matter how rural it is, as long as it is decent, where we could find a 2BR for 1100-1300?

[annitta]

From older posta I see Framingham maybe a bit suburban and I could find some apartments there in our budget.Is this a nice place at all?

[scarletfire]

Framingham is the largest town in the state. It's suburban and there isn't much to walk to. There are some very pretty areas and there's a decent inventory of apartments at a reasonable price. The commute to Woburn might be a hassle though. You'd have to take the Mass Pike to Rt 128 and that's often jammed. I used to do that drive years ago and absolutely hated it.

[annitta]

Which are the bad areas in Boston itself? I checked craigslist and I see some 2BR apartments in Boston offered for less than 1000/month !Maybe they are in bad areas?

[dorock99]

Well, assuming you've come from New York City, Boston on a scale of dangerous mid-size cities is at the bottom of the scale. Boston averages less than 20-30 murders a year and as an overall relatively low crime rate when compared to cities of the same size, like Richmond, VA etc.

Okay, now that is out of the way. There areas with relatively higher crime rates when compared to other neighborhoods within the city. The areas are as follows;

Dorchester
Roxbury
Southie (South Boston)


If I've offended anyone I am gross generalizing as there are obviously areas of each neighborhood that are safe. Dorchester is the largest and most diverse neighborhood in Boston, but has a lot of seedy areas, that are high crime areas, that should be avoided.

Roxbury also has a number of seedy high crime/ high homicide areas that should be avoided

Southie - is still dangerous but to a much less degree and is currently undergoing a yuppie transformation.

Dorchester, Boston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Roxbury, Boston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Boston,_Boston

Keep in mind the majority of people that live in Boston are college students. In the Fall they make up more than 60-70% of the active population. You're much more likely to bump into a drunk college student than you are to get shot with a gun in Boston.