Coming to UMass next year for 2 months...should I live in Boston or Worcester? (Newton: apartment)

[Blitz2011]

Hey guys!

I'm new to the forums, and I'm a British medical student from Birmingham. I'm hoping to do my post-grad training in the States, and want some experience, so I decided to do 2 months of electives at UMass in Worcester.

Now I know its still several months away (April-May 2011), but just want some pre-lim info on commuting and accommodation.

I'm 25 years old...is Worcester a fun city to live in? I'm thinking of living in Boston and commuting by train to Worcester...bad idea?

What kind of rent am I looking at? $800/month get me something decent?

Thanks guys,

[Lowerdeck]

The train schedules to Worcester are not the most convienient in the world, and most of the travel between the two is by car.

Worcester isn't a bad place. It's also more affordable than Boston. (800 a month won't get you much in Boston, likely nothing desirable anyway.) A lot of people rip on Worcester for being kinda gritty and not having as much as Boston. But yet Boston is much larger and only 40 miles away, so people have to take this into consideration.

Worcester still has a pretty good scene going on, and is expanding on that. Plenty of nightlife, plenty of live music spots, a handful of decent bars. You can certainly make an enjoyable experience if you come with an open mind to it.

[wmass]

Nevertheless, I'd opt for Boston (or cambridge) brighton-allston may be more affordable. there are some nice areas of Newton too, if you can afford it.

[ColorsOfMe]

Is $800 a month going to get you anything in Worcester, let alone BOSTON???

[ogre]

Here is some info from the transit authority:

Timetables for the Worcester line:

Outbound (Boston to Worcester):

MBTA Commuter Rail > Framingham / Worcester Lines Schedules and Maps

Inbound (Worcester to Boston):

MBTA Commuter Rail > Framingham / Worcester Lines Schedules and Maps

Fares (Worcester is in zone 8):

Fare and Pass Information for Commuter Rail Service.

The ride is about 1 hr. and 45 min. A monthly pass for commuter rail between Boston and Worcester is 225 dollars. A single round trip would be $15.50. There are a couple of trains from Boston to Worcester during the usual morning commuting hours and a couple of trains from Worcester to Boston during the afternoon commuting hours, but there are many more trains serving people commuting from Worcester toward Boston in the morning and back to Worcester at night.

Based on this information, you can decide for yourself, but if I had to make this choice I'd say it looks too expensive and like too long a ride, with too few trains going to Worcester in the morning and back to Boston in the afternoon, to live in Boston and commute to Worcester. If the choice were mine, I'd live in Worcester, enjoy the local Worcester nightlife during most of my free time, and occasionally use the train for a day trip to Boston on the weekend.

Regarding rent, I don't know how the rents are in Worcester, though I know that in general housing costs are lower the farther you get from Boston. In or very near Boston, you would most likely need a roommate, or roommates, to share expenses for you to have many options at all with a rental budget of 800/mo.

[ColorsOfMe]

I'd say FORGET about renting in Boston. It's not worth it. You'll be living in a total dump, and nothing to eat. Make things easier on yourself and rent AWAY from that city.

[Mr. Joshua]

I would inquire at the school as to where other students stay. You might get a good deal and be within blocks of the school itself.

[Gabe1972]

I have a gorgeous apartment in downtown Worcester within walking distance of everything the city has to offer (including the commuter rail) for $890 so you can definitey get something good for $800 in Worcester. I would say live here, go to school here, and enjoy Worcester, knowing that when it gets boring Boston and Providence are only a short train/car ride away.

I will say this though. If you are planning on being carless Umass Med might be the wrong school for you all together. Neighborhoods on the bus line are no great shakes for walkability aside from right downtown. You can get a pretty good studio in my building though for $800.