Young single guy with a job in Lexington - where to live? (Boston: apartments)

[wxjay]

I have a job offer for a position in Lexington, MA (near Hanscom AFB). I am looking around for places to live, but apartments are quite expensive (or at least in my perspective). So, I will likely need to do a share. But the question is - where to live?

I am young (29) and single and want to live somewhere nearby to shopping, restaurants, pubs, and also a gym. Public transit will probably not be an issue as I will likely have to drive to work anyways. I would prefer not to live in Boston itself simply because it seems too far for me to commute (even if it's reverse commute - my friend did a Cambridge -> Newton reverse commute and said it was a nightmare). I saw nearby communities (Burlington, Woburn, Waltham, Arlington), but I wasn't sure which are good and safe.

Thanks for your input and for the help. I'll be returning to New England (hurray) and so I am excited but nervous as well.

[ogre]

Sounds as if you want something close to Lexington, but which still has some urban amenities, such as being able to walk to restaurants and basic shopping, as well as having a fair number of rental possibilities. Waltham in the vicinity of downtown (the north side is more suburban) and Arlington are the closest towns to Lexington which offer this.

[jayrandom]

My wife worked near Hanscomb AFB for a while and most of her young, single coworkers lived in Cambridge. The reverse commute isn't nearly as bad as it would be to Newton because Lexington is much closer to Cambridge and has easy, direct routes. Arlington and Waltham are both good suggestions, but if you're young and single and looking for a place that's good for young, single people, Cambridge is your best bet.

[miu]

I'd suggest living in Arlington. From there, it's a short distance to Cambridge and Somerville to enjoy a livelier nightlife.

[ogre]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

My wife worked near Hanscomb AFB for a while and most of her young, single coworkers lived in Cambridge. The reverse commute isn't nearly as bad as it would be to Newton because Lexington is much closer to Cambridge and has easy, direct routes. Arlington and Waltham are both good suggestions, but if you're young and single and looking for a place that's good for young, single people, Cambridge is your best bet.

While I suggested Waltham and Arlington in my earlier post, this was because they are next door to Lexington. It's true that Cambridge would offer more in the way of city living. About twenty years ago I occasionally did a reverse commute from Cambridge which took me through Lexington via Mass. Ave. I don't know what route 2 was like, and have no idea what the Mass. Ave. commute would be like now, but at the time I used to do this it was very manageable. It may well be that it's still okay. JayRandom has it right that you have main routes directly connecting Cambridge and Lexington. This can't be compared to a reverse commute from Cambridge to Newton, because the drive to Newton would involve more travel across the city on local streets.

If you consider Cambridge, one neighborhood to check out is Porter Square. Also, just up the street is Davis Sq. in Somerville, a big young professionals area. Living near either Porter or Davis would put you on or near Mass. Ave., and also close to rt. 2, if that turned out to make a good reverse commute to your work.

[gf2020]

You don't mention where you are coming from or how much you want to spend. I have to think that by age 29 you don't really want to be sharing an apartment, however. There are plenty of decent 1 bedroom apartments available in Burlington and/or Woburn. Either of those towns would give you an easy commute to Hanscom and good accessibility to shopping, restaurants, nightlife, etc.

[wxjay]

Originally Posted by gf2020

You don't mention where you are coming from or how much you want to spend. I have to think that by age 29 you don't really want to be sharing an apartment, however. There are plenty of decent 1 bedroom apartments available in Burlington and/or Woburn. Either of those towns would give you an easy commute to Hanscom and good accessibility to shopping, restaurants, nightlife, etc.

No I don't really want to share, but I think I will have to for cost purposes. Currently I live in Atlanta, GA, and doing cost of living comparisons, it looks like it is 40-45% more to live in west metro Boston than it does here in Atlanta. I did a search for 1-bed apartments, and it looks like they range from $1000 - 1300 for rent (many with heat included, some without). That to me is quite a bit (midtown Atlanta apartments have those rates but many for 2-bedrooms, particularly for the $1300 range). So, I think the share part is going to be needs, at least for me to save up money to stay out on my own.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I have been to Burlington many times (Lahey Clinic), so I am familiar with the mall area. Plus, my good college friend lived in Somerville and Cambridge, so I know about those neighborhoods too. But other than that, I have not been to Arlington, Lexington, or Concord.

[Coolhand68]

Originally Posted by miu

I'd suggest living in Arlington. From there, it's a short distance to Cambridge and Somerville to enjoy a livelier nightlife.

+1 on Arlington. Ease of shopping and dining on Mass Ave. and a short commute to Hanscom. Also, you're in close proximity to Cambridge and Boston for nightlife.