What is the Cheapest Neighborhood/town within a 30 minute walk to the financial district? (Boston: apartments, rent)

[Pear Martini]

I hate commuting on the T during rush hour and I'll be a recent grad most likely working down there. I have a small dog and a car. I prefer to have street parking but I would rent a spot if I needed to. Thanks!

[massnative71]

East Boston is only a few stops from there on the Blue Line (which I imagine is less crowded than the others, it can't be that bad), it will be far cheaper than anyplace else that close. Anything within a 30 minute walk will be prohibitively expensive (or a hood and still expensive).

[eevee]

Originally Posted by massnative71

East Boston is only a few stops from there on the Blue Line (which I imagine is less crowded than the others, it can't be that bad), it will be far cheaper than anyplace else that close. Anything within a 30 minute walk will be prohibitively expensive (or a hood and still expensive).

Hmmm, is it possible to walk to downtown Boston from East Boston?

OP, what exactly is your budget? You're asking for a lot here: a cheap, dog friendly apartment within 2 miles or less of Boston's main business center. I would imagine that the options would be crazy few and incredibly far in between. Oh, and you'll be a recent grad who will likely not be starting off with a high salary but may possibly have debt.

With that list, East Boston would be the best option, but Eastie isn't all that cheap when you take into account how much of it has gentrified. Oh, and don't forget the tolls. You will have to pay every time you want to drive into the city. Not a lot, but it adds up over time.

[495neighbor]

Probably Mission Hill or the Fenway, but even then you might need a roommate to make it affordable and 30 min might be pushing it or impossible if you end up working at the Seaport end of town, with all the other people walking to work, traffic lights and cars. I did see a few tiny studio apartments advertisement for around $1,300 in the part of BackBay closer to Kenmore awhile back.

[sobo16]

If you don't need an urban environment, you could live in Hull. The commuter boat takes you to Long Wharf near the financial district in 20 minutes. It's much more enjoyable than the T. And rents are much more reasonable.

[Cliff Clavin]

I walk from my place in Southie to Downtown Crossing daily and it takes me exactly 30min, door to cube. I imagine Charlestown would be in the same $ range.

As others mentioned, East Boston would be a cheaper alternative, but you won't be walking. Although the Blue Line is far more dependable than the Green.

[professeurpablo]

I would move to East Boston and deal with the blue line. I lived in Winthrop for a year and had no issues with T access, and of course it's even easier from Eastie. You'll have plenty of opportunities for beach walking with Revere and Winthrop at your doorstep. The neighborhoods around Wood Island and Orient Heights have not really gentrified the way Jeffries Point has and could offer a safe, affordable alternative to more expensive places in Boston.

South Boston, as Cliff suggested, is another good choice. I lived there for many years. The only problems I find are that it is very expensive now and that parking is kind of a nightmare. It also, in my opinion, has lost a lot of its sense of neighborhood. The area is very transient now - one batch of financial district professionals after another, and hardly anyone says hi when you're out and about. It used to be much more friendly (though there were other issues then of course - this is just an observation.)

[Cliff Clavin]

Originally Posted by professeurpablo

It also, in my opinion, has lost a lot of its sense of neighborhood. The area is very transient now - one batch of financial district professionals after another, and hardly anyone says hi when you're out and about. It used to be much more friendly (though there were other issues then of course - this is just an observation.)

Agree fully with this. It's become Allston for the post grad/yuppie crowd. Pros and cons as mentioned.

[JacksonPanther]

Why can't you guys just answer the OPs question, instead of telling him to take the T when he said he doesn't want to?

I got on google maps and mentally drew a 2-mile circle around the financial district. Cheapest areas will be Charlestown and South Boston, although you might luck into an affordable dump in the South End or Bay Village. In theory you could even walk from a few areas of Cambridge, but those areas won't be cheap. Eastie would be good but it's not walkable, so take it off the list.

Any affordable dumps in the North End?

[professeurpablo]

Jackson, I will speak for myself here, but I suggested Eastie because the OP used the word "cheapest". I don't think you can really talk about anything being cheap within that radius without mentioning East Boston. Also, as others have mentioned, the blue line is not as horrid during rush hour as the other lines on the T (or buses for that matter - the #7 going to Southie at rush hour, for example, is horrendous, and there will be days when the OP won't want to make the trek on foot (think ice, snow, torrential downpours, etc.))

For what it's worth, I did suggest Southie as well. It's probably a distant second as far as affordability goes. Nothing else that is walkable to downtown is remotely affordable, leave alone the cost of renting a parking place or dealing with street parking in any of the potential areas. Shudder.