Where to live: Boston or NYC? (New York, Ridge: neighborhood, college, living in)

[toolonginmidwest]

Hello all,

I have been living in the midwest for more than 10 years now (currently live in a suburb in the Chicago area). I am really tired of living in a burb where there is not much going on at all. I want to move to the east coast to explore new opportunities.

Initially I wanted to move to NYC, or right across the Hudson River from the NYC, like Hoboken. But unfortunately, there are not many GOOD job opportunities at this time (btw, I work for pharmaceutical industry). However, I just got a great offer from a biotech company in the Boston area. The offer is so great that it is difficult to turn it down. So I have to make a decision whether to take this offer or I should turn down this offer and wait for other opportunities (most likely less favorable) coming up in the Jersey area so that I can live just outside the NYC.

The reason why it is very difficult decision for me is because I am a single professional woman in early 30's. For me the most important thing is the social life and to find a nice guy and settle down. Intially I was only considering NYC because I feel it is a city full of single people and hopefully full of opportunities as well. I like boston, but what i am afraid of is that there would be many college students, rather than young professionals around my age.

So I would greatly appreciate any of your input/thoughts regarding which city you would recommend for a single women like me, and the reasons why you would recommend one vs. another . One more thing, I am foreign-born, so culture diversity and open-mindedness is also very important to me. Thank you in advance!

[NooYowkur81]

I'm curious why isn't Chicago an option? To clarify, when I ask about Chicago, I'm asking about the urban areas.

[Freak]

Chicago is like the most meaningless big city in America. It serves no purpose. One comedian once said, "and that's how Chicago was created. New Yorkers said, 'I'm loving the crime, and I'm loving the poverty, but it's not cold enough.'"

I'd prefer Boston. For you, though, NYC because you're looking for a real city.

[Elvira Black]

I get the impression that Boston has more racial tension than NYC. NYC has a lot of singles, and males outnumber females here as far as I know, so in some cases it can be a disadvantage for a single woman looking to settle down. Some men feel they have so much to choose from that they don't need to get married.

[toolonginmidwest]

Elvira Black, do you mean in NYC there are more single women than single men?

[Henna]

As a single woman I've lived in both, in Boston (Cambridge/Somerville) from age 21 through 32, and NYC from age 32 to 37.

First, why do you think a comparable job offer will not come through in NYC? Maybe I am starting to sound like my parents, but a really great job offer is (should be) tough to turn down, especially when it's in a very nice city like Boston.

HOWEVER, I finally moved out of Boston because I found it too provincial and too family-oriented for me. I can say that I really made the right decision (on that issue) because my life in NY is as full as I want it to be. There are events nearly every single night that I can go to alone and find people to talk to. It is MUCH easier to get to know people in NY. People are more open and more forgiving. Sometimes they are also alot busier, but if some friends are too busy to get together, it's easy to make new ones. The possibilities are really endless. In Boston I felt I was hitting a ceiling.

On the dating front, sorry to say that my years of match.com in Boston and NY did not yield results, however, my dates in NY were nearly always fun and entertaining. This was not true in Boston.

I will say that I do still spend time in Boston and it's really relaxing to be able to drive around and shop at Trader Joes and Whole Foods and actually not have to battle with people in line, and to be able to find a free parking spot. In NY, be prepared for huge crowds and lines and probably no car - subway only- and to have things like daily life and errands be much more difficult (unless you are fabulously wealthy)

In terms of cost of living, if you choose wisely in NYC (say, a nice neighborhood in Queens or Jersey) and don't mind a commute, your costs can be the the same or cheaper than in Boston, esp. if you give up your car. There are perfectly nice areas of Queeens and Brooklyn (in Qns:Astoria, Sunnyside, Jackson Heights, Forest Hills, and in Bkly: Bay Ridge) where you can still get a studio for $1200 and live near a subway that will put you into manhattan fairly easily.

When I'm staying in Boston and I'm confronted with the possibility of 'what to do today' or tonight -- I often come up blank. Everything feels familiar, like a blanket. In NY I have a list a mile long of things I haven't explored, exotic ethnic hole-in-the-walls in the outer boroughs, etc.

[Elvira Black]

Originally Posted by straightshooter

we have enough midwesterners here. move to boston.

Welcome to native New Yorker-ville! Nice, huh?

[Hustla718]

Boston.

You have a good job lined up... That would be my reason.

[Elvira Black]

Originally Posted by toolonginmidwest

The reason why it is very difficult decision for me is because I am a single professional woman in early 30's. For me the most important thing is the social life and to find a nice guy and settle down. Intially I was only considering NYC because I feel it is a city full of single people and hopefully full of opportunities as well. I like boston, but what i am afraid of is that there would be many college students, rather than young professionals around my age.

Having a job lined up in Boston is a strong factor, yes, but the OP has additional concerns that make the decision more difficult/complicated, Hustla.

[Elvira Black]

Not that your viewpoint didn't make sense, sweetie...