Cheaper cities outside of Boston? (Worcester, Lowell: apartments, rental, neighborhoods)

[Her]

Okay, so hopefully someone can offer some advice. I'm on a budget and will have about $5K saved for my move. I wish it was more, but that's all I've been able to come up with while working outside of going to college.

My degree is in MIS and I know it will be brutal to get a job. It will probably be even more difficult given that there are so many graduates from good schools in the area. I've always wanted to live east though, and this is the only life I've got so I'm going to see if I can make something happen.

I'm beginning to apply for jobs and internships but because I'm from out of state I doubt I will have much luck. I'm thinking if nothing shows up, I may just move and apply non stop until I find something. With 5K is it doable to move there and get set up? I was wondering if anyone could suggest some neighboring cities or surrounding areas that are close enough to the city, but not smack dab in the most expensive parts. Anything with public transport is good too as I'd rather not take my car with me.

I'm not a big spender. I just need a roof and Ramen and some advice.

I will also be in my last semester at my college but the remaining courses are online so I don't need to physically stay here. If anyone can offer cany advice about finding an internship, I wouldn't complain.

[readymade]

Malden ain't fancy, but it's fairly inexpensive to live and, has great public transportation, and it's only about 10 minutes into the city.

[Her]

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd update the old one given I didn't get too many replies the first go round.

I've really narrowed my choices down to TX or somehwere in MA. I haven't had much luck with the job search being from out of state with relatively limited experience. I absolutely do not need to live in the city. Currently where I am, I have a 40min commute into town. It's not ideal but doable and I do not mind having a 40 minute commute into Boston on public transport if at all possible.

I would really appreciate some advice. Are there any cities outside of Boston where a new graduate can start out? Is it just completely unrealistic without quite a bit of savings? I'm always amazed that people manage to start out and afford to live the the northeast but it's obviously possible and I hope someone can give me advice.

I'm wondering wether it's better to try to land a job in TX and save for a couple of years and then move....or if there are some cities outside of Boston with access to public transport where I can find a studio for roughly 750-800/mo. without living in a bad area.

Any help is appreciated!

[Lowerdeck]

Possibly Worcester, Lowell, or Providence (RI) - but each are roughly an hour away by commuter rail. Driving would make it a little quicker, especially away from rush hour.

Fitchburg is a bit far and a bit sketchy, so don't look there.

[Vermolas]

Fitchburg is NOT sketchy its a fine place but it aint no utopia of course! Id Say some place like Malden is ok and the Orange line is right there for Her to take, and its very cheap. If not Malden some place in somerville. If not there she can try Lawrence or Lowwel, but i wouldnt REALLY recomend going there because thats where the ghetto is at. Worcester isnt nice at all but i lived there some of my life and i enjoyd it for what it was, that city used to be one of the centers of the manufacturing buisness along whit Lawrence and Lowell. But Boston is among the most expensive cities in the US and according to this site the median Household cost is $600,000 and thats a big sum! Well, I wish you good luck.

[NorthShoreMA]

There is one in Marblehead (studio) for 450. Wakefield $750 (studio)...What you really should do is find a rental agent.

[redpanda]

Her--most recent grads around here share with roommates. It may not be your "ideal" situation but it can definitely help you make friends and get you into a better place. I shared apartments in Brookline and J.P. and never paid more than $700. I think you'd be far better off getting your start closer to the city where you'd have an easier time meeting people, commuting to work, hitting restaurants and bars, etc.

[ogre]

Regarding Lowell and Lawrence and "that's where the ghetto is," word is that Lowell is on the upswing. Still, it's my understanding that the quality of Lowell varies by neighborhood, and I don't know Lowell well, so I can't give advice on neighborhoods. In any case, the issue about whether Lowell, Lawrence, and Fitchburg are safe is probably moot, since all are well beyond the OP's preferred commuting time to Boston.

Her, I'll reiterate Redpanda's suggestion that many young people getting started in Boston have roommates. Given the budget you've specified, this would increase your options quite a bit, though you might find some studios that would fit your budget.

A few other places I would suggest looking would be:

Arlington: in the urban/suburban transitional zone; walking distance to restaurants and local shopping in many neighborhoods, but not so much bar or club nightlife (close to such nightspots in Cambridge, though); public transit would be by bus, though on Arlington's east side you would be close to the Alewife red line (subway) station in Cambridge.

Waltham: suburban in some areas, somewhat urban blue-collar in others, with pockets that hint at being ghetto, but downtown has had an influx of young professionals in the last few years; restaurants downtown, though, like Arlington, no club scene; commuter rail from downtown Waltham to North Station.

Quincy: like Arlington and Waltham, another urban/suburban mix; I don't know Quincy really well, but at a glance it seems to be more basic than my first two suggestions, with less in the way of restaurants and such--though it is large enough to basically be a small city, so it will have the basic stores and eateries in town; red line to downtown Boston.

The above three suggestions are inner suburbs. There are also a few outlying sections of the the city of Boston itself that might work well for you:

Allston/Brighton: two areas right next door to each other on the west side of Boston; large undergrad student population in some neighborhoods, which could mean it's kind of noisy for more of a young professional, but in Brighton west of about Market St.. and in a tiny area far north in Allston you can get away from the students and their noise; some club scene in Allston; green line trolley, or from the west side of Brighton there is public transit by bus.

Jamaica Plain: word is that safety varies by neighborhood, sometimes even from one street to the next, and I don't know JP well, so I can't give details on the right areas, but make sure you get the word from someone really in the know before renting there; young professional crowd in many neighborhoods; green line trolley access to downtown.

Dorchester: another section which varies in quality and safety depending on the neighborhood, so again, make sure to get good inside info before renting there; red line subway to downtown.

South Boston: old blue-collar, Irish ancestry enclave, now a mix of those members of the traditional group who remain and some young professionals; restaurants, pubs, plus not so far from downtown; red line to downtown.

Charlestown: blue-collar, a little rough around the edges, but a little bit of gentrification here and there, and basically a solid area, safe for being in a city; more of a local neighborhood kind of dining scene, but quick subway access to downtown.

[lz1982]

If you're looking to spend $750-800 a month, it's likely that you'll either be with roommates or in a small studio--even in less expensive areas like Waltham or Quincy. The exception would be if you were living a little further out (say, between Boston and Providence), but then you'd probably want a car.

I've seen studios in Malden for that price range, although I didn't check any out in person.

[rranger]

Originally Posted by Her

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd update the old one given I didn't get too many replies the first go round.

I've really narrowed my choices down to TX or somehwere in MA. ...

Any help is appreciated!

If the choices are between Texas and Massachusetts, then you really have a lot more thinking to do than simply what town to live in.