Moving to Seattle or Boston (or elsewhere?) would love your thoughts (state, better)

[Restless_In_Austin]

edwardsyzzurphands: I just mention min wage as a (hopeful) reflection that that might continue up the ladder. I studied International Affairs in college. I interned for a senator in Colorado before moving to Austin to pursue my love of film. I would love to stay in the arts, but it can be hard to make a living. Have considered looking for work in publishing as a sort of compromise. I also LOVE history (esp early american history) which is a big plus for Boston.

Gatsbygatz: thanks for your thoughts on Portland. I cannot BEGIN to have a real opinion as I have never been there, but I've always seen it as the "almost" Seattle. As a single 24 yr old, I just want to try something bigger before I have the responsibilities of a SO or kids one day. I'm tired of hearing older friends and family talk about all the things they wished they'd done but never tried. Love the idea of Seattle's beauty, but feel like I JUST did that in Colorado. I'm starting to lean more towards the east coast just because it would be so different. Plus, I fell in love with Europe and the east coast is about as close as you can get while still in the US: ) My biggest worry really is the cost of living. I'm not a high class girl by any means, but I don't know that I'm ready to sleep on the streets either! As for the winters…I know…huge change from TX. I loved the snow in CO, though I know Boston is even more intense.

[acar0242]

I currently live in Dallas (Been to Austin plenty), but I did live in Seattle for a year and a half. (Moved back last year) and I have been to Portland and grew up in Rhode Island so I have been to Boston and NYC a lot. Plus I have been to Chicago. So here is my perspective:

You sound like an "artsy" type person so you would find Seattle and Boston pleasant. (Then again, I think Austin is right up there) There are only two things I truly miss about Seattle...

Seattle

Pros:

1) Natural beauty... Texas cities are very ugly in terms of what you can find outdoors.

2) How dense/walkable the city is compared to Dallas (not so much Austin). Boston, while not as pretty, does offer a lot of the same natural beauty just outside the city and with some very quick drives around New England, you can find awesome places.

3) Very hipster... I only put this as a pro because this seems to be in line with your personality. (Not for me)

The cons:

1) Fall/Winter/Spring... too many days without sunlight or with rain (more of a mist). I hated waiting for the bus basically everyday while being rained on. I definitely got depressed while I was there... It doesn't affect everyone, but if you are used to the sun, it can be very hard to cope.

2) Cost of living, while not as bad as Boston... It will be dramatically higher than anywhere in Texas. I paid $1,225 for a STUDIO!! in Seattle. Granted it was a great location. But it was tiny and not even one of the "Luxury" ones.

3) Seattle Freeze - A very real thing... People from Seattle are not very open to new people. All the "friends" or people I met, were mostly people from all over the US that worked at Amazon/Microsoft/Boeing... Etc.

Boston - (This is where I wanted to live when I was in my teens growing up in RI)

Pros:

1) History!! (I love History) You can spend so much time walking around town and sightseeing.
2) Beautiful architecture. Again this goes hand in hand with #1.

Cons:

1) Cost of living... worse than Seattle. So that tells you all you need to know.
2) Winter... If you think hot summers in Texas are bad... Try a COLD winter. I'll take 105 in Texas any day, over having to deal with -10 temperatures and a foot of snow every other week. You basically stay indoors most of the winter (Hibernating). At least in Texas you can go to the pool or lake.
3) People? - Sometimes people can come off as very aggressive and maybe not very polite. (You can find nice people everywhere... this is just a generalization)

Chicago seems like a great city, but they have some very harsh winters which is why I would never consider it long term.

The only place that I think you might want to really consider is Portland, OR. Basically a mini Seattle, with better public transportation and a lower cost of living... But the city itself doesn't offer close as many attractions as Seattle or Boston.

If I could move anywhere in the US, I would choose somewhere in California... Like San Diego. Great weather and close to the beach. But again, that is what is important to me.

Even with all the negatives that come with every place (There is no such thing as perfect), it is worth going out there and finding out for yourself. You are young and got nothing to lose. I have a friend that moved to Portland around the same time I did and while it looked like a great fit for him, he is back in Dallas as well.

[MassVt]

Boston is not that cold--a typical day in January is in the mid-30s; the real problem with the city is the cost of housing, which is among the most expensive in the country..

The OP should investigate other possibilities..

[Restless_In_Austin]

Thanks for the thoughts, acar.

I absolutely LOVE overcast and rainy weather….but I'm nervous about getting depressed after MONTHS of it. Also, Seattle apparently doesn't get thunderstorms which I would really miss: ) However, the plus is that it's so lush which is what I hate about TX. Is New England lush? I imagine not nearly so much as PNW, but they have lots of trees, right?

You grew up in RI? What do you think of Providence? I'm definitely open to other East Cost towns like Philly or Baltimore or Providence.

The cold of Boston does make me nervous, but I truly hate the heat. A lot. Plus, all the places I love are up north so I better suck it up! I would love to someday live in a place with a really temperate climate, but might wait until I'm older and fed up with dealing with the weather.

I don't' know that I would consider myself a hipster….I hardly ever do anything ironically: ) But, I wont' deny that we do have some similarities. The laid-back vibe of PNW is attractive (I'm a casual dresser) but the excitement of NE cities is also a huge draw…dilemma.

Definitely want to try to visit some of these places before making my decision, just hard to find time with work and such. So, trying to narrow it down as much as possible before spending money on a plane ticket.

THanks!!

[Restless_In_Austin]

MassVT--yes the cost of housing is insane. I would definitely be willing to live further from the city centre than I'm used to. I just don't know what areas of greater boston are good for that. I definitely enjoyed living in Boulder and then taking the hour bus ride into Denver sometimes. Are there cities/towns like that around boston? Or, as I mentioned in my earlier post, what about other NE cities like Providence and Baltimore?

Thanks everyone for your input! This helps me so very much.

[edwardsyzzurphands]

Originally Posted by Restless_In_Austin

MassVT--yes the cost of housing is insane. I would definitely be willing to live further from the city centre than I'm used to. I just don't know what areas of greater boston are good for that. I definitely enjoyed living in Boulder and then taking the hour bus ride into Denver sometimes. Are there cities/towns like that around boston? Or, as I mentioned in my earlier post, what about other NE cities like Providence and Baltimore?

Thanks everyone for your input! This helps me so very much.

Not MassVT but thought I'd chime in. I would start by looking into Boston directly if you are open to having roommates. It is quite common for new residents to start off this way and may also be a good way to meet new people right off the bat. If not in Boston Proper itself, then also focus on Cambridge and Somerville.

As far as outside Boston, artists seem to gravitate towards Salem, Lowell and New Bedford. Salem is about 45mins by rail into Boston; Lowell also 45mins and New Bedford does not currently have its own Commuter Rail station, but it is currently in the works.

Providence as you mentioned is also a great little city. Strong arts scene, young population, excellent dining and bars. About 75mins by train into Boston. Plus Providence has incredibly low rent prices for the region.

[Restless_In_Austin]

edwardsyzzurphands: that was excellent advice! I am definitely NOT averse to having roommates. I love living with other people. I'd heard of Cambridge but not Somerville so I'll be sure to check those places as well.

I've looked into Providence, but haven't ever heard anything very good about it…so I wasn't sure!

I completely understand that this will be hard, but I have always wanted to live on the east coast and if I don't at least try, I"m going to spend a lifetime wondering "what if".

Thanks!

[orzo]

Originally Posted by bartonizer

Have you considered Denver-or Boulder? The other two cities are quite a bit more expensive, and even though Denver is catching up you can still find a studio in Capitol Hill for under $750. Public transportation isn't perfect, but it's as good as Seattle's and you can certainly get by with just a bike if you're in the middle of town. Anyway, the weather is quite a bit different than Seattle or Boston - a lot of sunshine, warm summers (sometimes hot but nothing like Austin, and it cools off at night), widely variable winters, plenty of good weather and scenery to explore on day hikes and trips. But the major advantage I'd give Denver (and Boulder, though it can be more expensive) over the other two is friendliness. It took no time whatsoever for me to make friends in Colorado. People are generally in a good mood and accepting of newcomers. Speaking of friendly, have you considered Portland? It seems to have a lot of things that you're looking for, too.

Over 18% of Seattle commuters take public transit to work. Meanwhile, less than 7% of Denver commuters do. So I would not say Denver's public transportation is better than Seattle's.

[Woof]

I've lived both places. Both are cool in their own ways. But Boston is more for high-income people than Seattle is.

That's because Boston is not only slightly more expensive in rents, but you have to pay for both winter heating and summer cooling (the summers are very unpleasantly muggy, if not as hot as Texas). We're talking hundreds of dollars for the heating. Also you have a better chance of getting a decent-paying job in Seattle, while Boston is mostly about minimum wages for those without marketable skills.

I've heard that Georgetown in Seattle is a good place for artsy types, and is a bit cheaper than core areas. I dunno, haven't lived there.

The public transportation in Seattle is not nearly as bad as most people say - I lived there without a car.

There have been several other Seattle vs Boston threads in this subforum.

[Restless_In_Austin]

Thanks for your thoughts!
Yes. Boston is so expensive. I looked at some other cities like Providence that are nearby and less expensive, but everyone usually just says that you might as well live in Boston. In that regard, someplace like Seattle seems more responsible choice of the two, bit I do have concerns about the weather. I do love clouds, but I don't know that I could make it through winter withpugh getting seriously depressed.

Thanks for your input!