Help! Single woman needing to find a safe place to live in Boston. (Cambridge: neighborhood, cabinets)

[brightdoglover]

East Arlington is the national center for single women over 25 (and up well into late in life). A lot of one-person apartments in quiet neighborhoods in Arlington Center and East Arlington, a beautiful pond (Spy Pond) that is a very well-kept secret. Safe, safe, safe, a short bus ride down Mass. Ave. to Cambridge, Harvard Square and on into Boston, Newbury Street, and so on.
I'd live there if I couldn't find something I liked in Cambridge/Davis Square. Arlington is a lot safer and quieter, although the former areas aren't really unsafe (unless you own an Accord), they're just busier and fewer trees.
Best wishes.

[dogwood617]

Thanks guys! Is there any street or landmark point I should stay away from in the Harvard Square/Porter Square/ Davis Square area? Brightdoglover, you mentioned Porter...so I take it that is Porter Square?

I am basically going to Boston for a few days next week to look at apartments and I won't have a lot of time. I definitely prefer a more artsy area with lots of cool culture and mix of people who are intellectual....so I really appreciate the feedback. Realtors and landlords aren't always honest when they show you a place about an area. So, I didn't want to be stuck in an area I hated or didn't feel the safest walking from my car to the door.

[dogwood617]

Does anyone know about Winter Hill or Spring Hill in Somerville? I keep seeing apartments in those areas, but not sure if that is not a good part of Somerville. Thanks.

[brightdoglover]

There's no one landmark or area, and yes, Porter means Porter Square. The Red line subway line used to end at Harvard Sq. and was then extended to Porter Sq. and Davis Sq. (and then ending in Alewife).
Let's see, I'd rather be further from the Somerville line than nearer. Less car crime. No area is unsafe for walking from your car, period. I always worked off-shifts and often walked from the Harvard Red line or the square up Mass. Ave. and never worried any more than I would, say, in any public area at night.
It's never a bad idea to skip a first-floor apartment and go higher. No basement apartments- too much trouble with the windows being vulnerable. It's a general woman thing, not specific to those areas.
Absolute favorite for me is a side street on the not-Somerville side of Mass. Ave. Old buildings from the 1920s and a town-scale feeling and trees. (Not-Somerville means, as you go from Harvard Sq. towards Porter (north) I prefer the left-hand side of Mass. Ave.
I just like trees in an urban environment.
Buildings right on Mass. Ave. might be noisy, if the apartment fronts on Mass. Ave. Same with apartments right on Davis Sq., although I'm less familiar.
None of it's unsafe, not by "real city" standards. I lived around there for years.
Best wishes.

[Cold Up North]

Hi it's me again...I just read your other post and you mentioned horses. When I first moved to Boston I had my own horse. Unfortuanately over the years many stables have been closed and neighborhoods have been built. You need to go pretty far (well maybe not in distance, but the traffic can be a killer)to go and ride. You will also need to find a place with an indoor arena, if its not cold & icy, its rainy and muddy. I am unfamiliar with the south shore but there are many places to take lessons and/or lease horses in Hamilton which is about 45 minutes north of Boston. There is also a place called Windkist, in North Andover (also 45 minutes north by the time you get to this stable) and a place in Tewksbury which is 25 miles north up route 93 and is right off the highway I think its called Ironstone. I found up here there weren't as many places to lease horses or take lessons as in NJ where I moved from. Most stables just had boarders and you couldn't use their horses or take lessons. I lived in the South End and kept my horse in Randolph. But now that place was sold and a neighborhood is there. Good luck with your search!

[brightdoglover]

P.S. North Cambridge, across Mass. Ave. from Davis Sq., has a rough area (by Cambridge standards) where Rindge Ave. meets Mass., and on down Rindge. There are three huge "project" buildings at the end of Rindge and if anything happens around there, it's there. The convenience store on Mass. Ave. gets robbed a lot. There are stone-quiet streets in North Cambridge, but I'd want to stay away from that project area. (Again, rough by Cambridge standards. I mean, it's headline news if there's a single murder in Cambridge in a year).

[lz1982]

Absolute favorite for me is a side street on the not-Somerville side of Mass. Ave. Old buildings from the 1920s and a town-scale feeling and trees. (Not-Somerville means, as you go from Harvard Sq. towards Porter (north) I prefer the left-hand side of Mass. Ave.

I agree--I've never lived around there, but the neighborhood is gorgeous. I think the official name is Avon Hill, if you come across that.

[Melissa927]

You can do better than Winter Hill or Spring Hill, for what you want. They aren't exactly unsafe (brightdoglover is right that nothing in this area is really unsafe), but they aren't the kind of neighborhood I think you want.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Absolute favorite for me is a side street on the not-Somerville side of Mass. Ave. Old buildings from the 1920s and a town-scale feeling and trees. (Not-Somerville means, as you go from Harvard Sq. towards Porter (north) I prefer the left-hand side of Mass. Ave.

Between Harvard and Porter, I'd generally agree that west of Mass Av is beautiful, though there are some very nice blocks just east of Mass Av also.

Above Porter, however, I'd prefer to be east of Mass Av. The area west, around Rindge Av, is not terrible but it has some sketchier pockets. The area east, near Davis, can be crowded but feels safer.

[happydaysox]

Hello!

I am single and 39 years old, no kids and live in Melrose....I noticed a few other people suggested Melrose as well. I moved here 6 years ago and I still LOVE it! It has a nice downtown area, is safe, has easy access to the city - 2 commuter rail stops & Oak Grove T-stop is nearby, easy access to Route 93, Route 1, and Route 128/95. If you are active and enjoy outdoor activities, there is a great running club (Melrose Running Cliub) and has great access to parks - the Middlesex Fells reservation is walkable from town and Breakheart reservation is ~5 minutes away.

One drawback is that it is very quiet and has no night life....with an exception of a few restaurants are shutdown by 9pm. I like this, but it is not for everyone. When I want to go out, I can be in Cambridge or downtown Boston in 20-30 minutes by driving (with no traffic) or 45 minutes if I take the T.

Salem is nice as well....lots to do, cheaper apartments, etc. But, it is hard to get in and out of if you want to drive anywhere. It is a great area as well, the entire North Shore is, but does not have easy access to the city, unless you take the city unless you take the Commuter Rail in.

Somerville and Arlington are other areas to consider BUT it is more expensive there.

If you have ANY questions about the area, feel free to email me.

Good luck in your decision!

H