Boston 3rd highest rent in the nation (Worcester, Cambridge: apartment complex, rental)

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by GeePee

Maybe they should have "hustling" as a course in one of our prominent universities?

The "how to" would be a tech class.


The economics of the shadow economy have classes on them. It's a significant portion of the economy, even more so in emerging nations.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by timberline742

It's a fairly robust demographic though, and its nice to see someone talk about it and not only the upper middle to upper class demographic considered the norm on here.

its gotta be more common in Boston proper than traditional upper middle class lifestyles. Even if that too is very real and prominent in Boston.

[Bridge781]

my DH and I both went to ISL schools and everyone from there is rolling in dough. But much of that has to do with their parents money and not money they earned themselves. DH and I do not come from money so I guess I feel not great at times since these are the people i have to compare myself to. I sometimes think we’re doing well but then I hear about someone who is being gifted a mansion in hingham or Brookline and I feel like I’ve failed in life. Bad way to feel.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by Bridge781

my DH and I both went to ISL schools and everyone from there is rolling in dough. But much of that has to do with their parents money and not money they earned themselves. DH and I do not come from money so I guess I feel not great at times since these are the people i have to compare myself to. I sometimes think we’re doing well but then I hear about someone who is being gifted a mansion in hingham or Brookline and I feel like I’ve failed in life. Bad way to feel.

Theyre rolling in dough now but you probably graduated well before me so your friends are established.

You were also entering a much less competitive global workplace .Again there only like 15 ISL schools and then about 30 gold-plated school districts.

Roxbury Latin had to really ease up on grading (they were very open about it according to the friend of my brothers who currently teaches there) to make its graduates competitive at premier institutions. Its jut different now. They had a couple kids the class before me, my class sand after who only got into 1 school, some who went to mass bay, Umass Dartmouth, one who didnt get necessary aid from Morehouse, a kid with a 2150 got reject by UMASS-Amherst in my class because his grades were unimpressive.

The ISL-and what it does most effectively change- every now and then, it doesnt guarantee amazing success they way it used to because of how many school kids apply to nowadays and international money/competition. Also local public schools are just much better than 25 years ago, so youre competing with that-thats why private school is decreasing as a share of our total in-state student population for at least the past 25 years. From what i can piece together prior to the 2010s-and really the 2000s if were being hones-ISL graduation pretty much gave you a cakewalk into corporate success. Its still la tremendous leg up but its just not like that anymore.

They're producing NFL'ers, NBA prospects and Michigan Wolverines and Nebraska Cornhuskers and Ohio State Buckeyes in the ISL now. Its one of the top 3-5 football leagues in New England-who could've foreseen that?

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Taffee72

My former landlady is now charging $1800 per month for a 350 sf apartment in Cambridge. I lived there for 11 years, but when she wanted $1600, I got out and bought a house in Worcester. I certainly would never pay $1800 for that small place. I bet she'll increase the rent to $2k next year.

And I'm sure that this is the reality for tens of thousands of people in the Boston Metro. And this is also why if you are a young person, but not headed for an extremely lucrative career, you should consider going elsewhere. In theory, you should be able to survive, and perhaps thrive, without resorting to the "gig" economy just to stay afloat. Just in this thread alone, we've seen one person forced to move to Worcester, and another one now living in Providence. In another thread, someone once noted that Cleveland, for example, has "90% of what Boston offers, but at 50% of the price". Some have already figured this out, and more will see the writing on the wall, and seek a better life somewhere else, where they're not forced to cough up exorbitant amounts of cash just to have a roof over their heads...

[walker1962]

Originally Posted by MassVt

If you're not on track to earn a six-figure salary before you're middle-aged, I wouldn't bother with Boston. It's just not worth it. The weather, however, is not an impediment. A typical winter day in Boston isn't that cold.

At typical winter day is not that cold? You can't be serious!? There's a reason New England isn't attractive young people but Austin, S.F. Bay area and Seattle are..jobs AND better weather.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by MassVt

And I'm sure that this is the reality for tens of thousands of people in the Boston Metro. And this is also why if you are a young person, but not headed for an extremely lucrative career, you should consider going elsewhere. In theory, you should be able to survive, and perhaps thrive, without resorting to the "gig" economy just to stay afloat. Just in this thread alone, we've seen one person forced to move to Worcester, and another one now living in Providence. In another thread, someone once noted that Cleveland, for example, has "90% of what Boston offers, but at 50% of the price". Some have already figured this out, and more will see the writing on the wall, and seek a better life somewhere else, where they're not forced to cough up exorbitant amounts of cash just to have a roof over their heads...

Go somewhere else, after awhile. Going to places like Boston, or SF, or NYC (Etc) is a great way to build up your salary base. It's a lot easier to negotiate and get higher salaries elsewhere when your current salary is at a higher base.


People move in an out of areas all the time. The vast majority of people I know that came to Boston for careers have stayed, or if they have moved, they moved to other high cost of living places (Seattle, NY, LA, etc). A few, but a distinct minority, moved to lower cost places like Raleigh. The ones that moved to super low cost areas in Florida, for example, moved right back to MA once their kids became school aged.

[masssachoicetts]

Just to throw i out there...


I had a job in NY paying 44,000 a year.
Boston, same job, 51,000 a year.
Looked around other cities who were in the 30-40k range.

In one year on the job I recieved a 700 bonus and a 3k raise. My peers in NY got a pay cut.

Bostons market is GREAT

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Just to throw i out there...


I had a job in NY paying 44,000 a year.
Boston, same job, 51,000 a year.
Looked around other cities who were in the 30-40k range.

In one year on the job I recieved a 700 bonus and a 3k raise. My peers in NY got a pay cut.

Bostons market is GREAT

I'll throw this out there too:

I lived for 7 years in Boston. I was at my last job for 4 years, didn't advance at all. I have a job now in Cleveland, with potential bonuses, it could pay more in absolute dollar terms than my last one in Boston. Considering lower cost of living, that's actually a lot more.

In Boston, I lived in Brighton and had 3-4 roommates for years. I had to keep doing this because I could not afford to move out and get anywhere near the same price I was paying. Now? I just moved to downtown Cleveland (Playhouse Square) and live by myself in a 1-bedroom (gym, pool, grilles, other common places etc all on the property and included in the rent, along with all utilities) for almost the same percentage of my income (it is a bit more but worth it to stop living with craigslist randos).

From my experience, there are a ton of part time jobs in Boston, a ton of low level gigs that don't really go anywhere, but people will do them because they think it won't last forever. I don't know, maybe they are right in the long run, but I was completely unwilling to give up my prime years in hopes of something I don't really see any evidence of.

I have fond memories of my time in Boston but I do not miss the low quality of life.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by MassVt

And I'm sure that this is the reality for tens of thousands of people in the Boston Metro. And this is also why if you are a young person, but not headed for an extremely lucrative career, you should consider going elsewhere. In theory, you should be able to survive, and perhaps thrive, without resorting to the "gig" economy just to stay afloat. Just in this thread alone, we've seen one person forced to move to Worcester, and another one now living in Providence. In another thread, someone once noted that Cleveland, for example, has "90% of what Boston offers, but at 50% of the price". Some have already figured this out, and more will see the writing on the wall, and seek a better life somewhere else, where they're not forced to cough up exorbitant amounts of cash just to have a roof over their heads...

Thats how i ended up in Baltimore. A friend of mine from Lynn is down here too. My brother is in Harlem for less than what he was paying in Brighton and my other brother and mom are in Rhode Island. One cousin recently moved to LA, one is in Quincy and one is in Norwood. My grandmother lives in a co-op in Roxbury, my uncle lives in 2004 infill housing in rough part of Four Corners, I have an aunt in Section 8 housing in Roxbury. My father lives in a Hyde Park home he bought in 1996 for 150k.

Either you get a good deal or you gotta get out of the city. Even my friend who works at Deloitte initially found a $1000 a month 1br/studio apartment in Malden but moved into a 2BR in Harbor point for 1900 a month and a roommate. He pays 950 a moth for rent, with better facilities and is closer to his job. Its allabout finding a good situation.

I have a former friend and coworker who did not find a good situation.
She had a mother in Mattapan and a Father in Cambirgde, she went to CRLS, eventually they got displaced form Cambridge and she attended Somerville High School. She went on to Framingham State and got a masters in Education Administration from Boston College. She has found Somerville to be too unaffordable and her apartment complex in Mattapan was recently bought by a developerr renamed and assaw 20% rent hikes. She can no longer afford to live there in Mattapan. Where is she now?living in her damn van converting it to an RV of sorst for full time living. All i can say is NOPE not for me!

But in all my time in Bmore i've never lacked for anything there was in Boston aside from better fashion/shopping and Carson beach. But that is negated because Baltimore has better food options, better location and better weather. Nothing about Bostons prices make sense or make it remotely worth it unless you got a high paying job offer.

It's really, practically, just not that remarkable a place-my wife called it "Orange [New Jersey] with a downtown." I love Boston. it will always be my home and would like living there-for a reasonable rice, otherwise I'm good where i'm at.