Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
quality of life - probably Boston as there are a lot of well-paying jobs compared to Vancouver and also somehow has lower housing costs
economy - Boston overall
nightlife - Boston, though more areas just outside of Boston, though neither are stellar in this category
scenery - Vancouver as I really like the amount of natural greenspace that's been reserved whereas the Boston area allowed for substantially more sprawl
daytime activities/events - Boston and I don't consider this a close match here at all. Boston is a far larger metro with a lot more going on
shopping/entertainment venues - Similar to the above
transportation - Boston. Vancouver does a very good job and Boston's system certainly needs improvement, but that system is currently bigger plus Boston is a fantastic walking city.
overall vibe - Boston, or parts of the area, are more interesting to me than what I've seen in Vancouver.
It's Boston by a landslide. It's actually a bit unfair. Now, I'll gladly acknowledge the absolutely stunning geography of the Lower Mainland. However, Boston's economy, diversity, opportunity, history, and most near everything else is so far ahead it's like comparing San Francisco to Portland. They're both great places, but in very different classes.
Both cities have awful weather .Boston gets too cold and Vancouver seems like its overcast most of the time
Vancouver by far has better scenery but find its not architecturally a stunning city like Boston is.
Vancouver has the beauty but lacks the charm of Boston.
More to do in Boston.Sports,entertainment,culture etc.
As noted earlier both are not known for nightlife but id give Boston the edge as they seem to have more variety of options from music scene to nightlife options.
I wish more people wouldnt like Boston, because those damn property values are too damn high D:
People need to stop flocking there, so I can move there again
I wish more people wouldnt like Boston, because those damn property values are too damn high D:
People need to stop flocking there, so I can move there again
The truth of the matter is that Boston is seeing a fair amount of locals leave due to cost. But, the exodus can't keep up with the influx of jobs and the domestic migration from places like NY. Coupled with the growing international presence, it's an interesting time to be here. Preaching to the Vancouver choir, but the salary necessary to live comfortably for those working in the city has gotten outrageous. Never thought I'd see ranches in towns like Arlington reach $800+, and condos in Medford going for $600k+.
Much like Chicago, those leaving are primarily working class. It's a great time to be in the trades in MA, though that's everywhere right now.
It's funny- You have the folks that associate Boston with high brow brahmins, thong sandal and khaki short bro types from BU, and intellects that spend their weekends in Cambridge coffee shops. Others associate Boston with old fisherman, abrasive Irishman, and blue collar crowds with thick accents. .
One interesting thing is how expensive housing is in both cities and yet they have very different factors for why that is. Sure, both are desirable, but the underlying reasons for that pricey real estate differ. For Vancouver, it’s because it’s seen as having a great quality of life due to its natural surroundings and relatively mild climate which has made it a magnet for outside real estate investment as a financial asset. For Boston, it’s because much of the area is historically preserved or has a strong streak of opposing highrise density while having a plethora of high paying jobs that drives up the competition for everyone.
Vancouver’s trying to address its housing costs issue via a combination of foreign ownership taxes, mansion taxes, and vacancy taxes which seems to have at least temporarily slowed down rising housing costs (and the costs are very high!). I’m not sure what Boston’s solutions are aside from trying to construct more supply within Boston, but since the Boston metro is quite large, it’d probably have to take a concerted effort with other neighboring municipalities to really make a difference. I think a combination of better, more integrated transit and a lot more TOD along subway and commuter rail stops could probably do it, but many surrounding municipalities don’t seem to be building all that much.
- Nightlife is also a tie for me. I'd argue that for their high level of urbanity, these two cities have the worst nightlife in North America. Both feel over-regulated. Vancouver's nightlife is way too concentrated in just a few areas, and Boston's nightlife feels very sleepy and underwhelming, especially for a city that buzzes so much during the day. For example, Boston is a significantly more urban city than Seattle (where I currently live), but Seattle definitely has better nightlife.
I felt this way about both cities too. Love the natural scenery of Vancouver, but as a city it felt kind of sterile compared to what I'm so used to out East, and it didn't seem to have much in the way of nightlife in the areas I went to. With Boston, it just felt like a city that shuts down rather early and quite for a city as impressive as it is. People like to complain Pittsburgh closes early, but I felt like the Boston metro was just as bad, if not worse in some areas.
Vancouver is a rather sterile and lifeless place. In Canada it`s known as `no fun city`.
As for real estate, Vancouver is far and away the most expensive city in NA when comparing housing prices to income. Vancouver is a decidedly low income city and the astronomical housing prices have been a result of Chinese money laundering. Real estate in Vancouver has become completely detached from the local economy in terms of prices but the Chinese always wanting to buy has propped up the economy. In BC a staggering 19% of GDP is real estate related...…………..twice the national average. BC has none of Canada`s top 30 corporation head offices, no manufacturing, no banks, and isn`t even a government town. Unlike Boston, Vancouver really is an economic and financial outpost.
Vancouver is a rather sterile and lifeless place. In Canada it`s known as `no fun city`.
As for real estate, Vancouver is far and away the most expensive city in NA when comparing housing prices to income. Vancouver is a decidedly low income city and the astronomical housing prices have been a result of Chinese money laundering. Real estate in Vancouver has become completely detached from the local economy in terms of prices but the Chinese always wanting to buy has propped up the economy. In BC a staggering 19% of GDP is real estate related...…………..twice the national average. BC has none of Canada`s top 30 corporation head offices, no manufacturing, no banks, and isn`t even a government town. Unlike Boston, Vancouver really is an economic and financial outpost.
Going to disagree that Vancouver is lifeless. It may seem that way to you, living out in the burbs, but living downtown, I find it anything but.
Sterile? You mean clean?
The no fun moniker is often quoted, but it's history is misunderstood. It started years ago when a band was being interviewed and complained that some local live venues were closing. Then the city cancelled an outdoor NYE event, and people grabbed onto the " no fun " moniker. Two minor things, really don't and shouldn't be enough to label a whole city forever.
Yes real estate is expensive, and there are many reasons for than, not just foreign buyers. However many cities are experiencing expensive real estate and housing issues. It's ubiquitous around the globe in desirable cities.
Not every city in a country can house headquarters of the top 30 companies. Plenty of companies have their headquarters here, TELUS and Lululemon are two examples. They may or not be in the top 30, but certainly up there in the top 100.
Also many companies and banks have their regional headquarters here.
As for banks. HSBC has their Canadian headquarters in Vancouver.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
