Best Boston area towns for young married couples (Cambridge, Somerville: best towns, condo)

[leliseco]

What are the best towns / neighborhoods in the Boston area for young married couples?

[jayrandom]

It really depends what that young married couple is looking for. Are you interested in buying a house? Starting a family? Living in an exciting, vibrant community? Living somewhere quiet? Do you like urban areas, suburban areas, exurban areas, or genuinely rural areas? Are excellent public schools important to you? Do you need public transportation to Boston or somewhere else?

There are lots of options and no one place is superior for everyone and every personality, so unless you make it clear what you're looking for, the answers you get will be more a reflection of what those who answer think appropriate for a young married couple than what will be appropriate for you.

[lrfox]

^I agree. It really depends on how soon (and IF) you plan on starting a family, whether you want to live in an urban, vibrant neighborhood, an easily accessible suburb, a quiet wooded area, close to the water, etc. Do schools matter? Entertainment? Access to mass transit? Car friendly?

It also depends on your price range. What you're willing/able to pay can severely limit or expand your possibilities. I guess what I'm saying is what do you want out of an area?

[leliseco]

I should be more specific:
- Interested in buying, a townhouse or condo (not single family home)
- A place to start a family in a few years, but we would move before we needed to start thinking about excellent school systems
- A place with a sense of community and things to do. It would be nice to be able to walk to a local coffee shop or restaurant, but a short drive would also be okay.
- We work from home, so public transportation is not necessary, but it would be nice if the T/commuter rail was a short drive away.
- Price range, around 350-400k

[RemiJP]

Given your specificationsm, there are a lot of options. My recommendations from urban -> to less so: South End, Jamaica Plain, Cambridge, Brookline.

[lrfox]

^All good recommendations. I'd add the area around Davis Square in Somerville to that list.