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.
I have accepted a job offer with a company located in northeast Bedford near Burlington. However, I am not very familiar with the area and was wondering where I should be looking to rent an apartment.
I'm 21 years old and single, with a 78k salary and some student debt. I want to live somewhere where my commute would not be that long (< 35min) but where I can still meet people my age. I would also appreciate a place with some racial diversity since I am Asian American. During my internship with a separate company, I stayed in Cambridge near MIT and liked the environment but my commute was a bit long with traffic.
Regardless, my main concerns are my commute to work and whether or not the place is in my price range.
I have accepted a job offer with a company located in northeast Bedford near Burlington. However, I am not very familiar with the area and was wondering where I should be looking to rent an apartment.
I'm 21 years old and single, with a 78k salary and some student debt. I want to live somewhere where my commute would not be that long (< 35min) but where I can still meet people my age. I would also appreciate a place with some racial diversity since I am Asian American. During my internship with a separate company, I stayed in Cambridge near MIT and liked the environment but my commute was a bit long with traffic.
Regardless, my main concerns are my commute to work and whether or not the place is in my price range.
Thanks in advance.
It sounds like you want ethnic diversity, modest nightlife and a short commute. On your salary I would recommend Woburn or Burlington. You should do okay with the rentals in that area, these locations will provide a reverse commute to Bedford and will provide things to do. Although the nightlife in the Woburn area is not as active as Cambridge or Boston, there are buses and the train (via Anderson RTC) that would get you into the city within 30 minutes.
For diversity and activities Lowell is another good option although it is a little grittier than Burlington and Woburn. The other negative is you would be in the dreadful route 3 traffic to get to and from work. Traveling between Lowell and Burlington/Bedford is 30-45 minutes during peak rush hour. The other towns north of Bedford and surrounding Lowell tend to lack ethnic diversity. You will mostly find other people of Asian ethnicity in places like Lexington, Reading and Andover.
Rush hour traffic on route 3 between lowell and burlington is only 30-45 minutes on a good day. A very good day.
Oh wow! Route 3 traffic has gotten much worse since I was in Lowell then. It was consistently 30 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes going home in the afternoon. Good days were closer to 20 minutes each way which is the non-rush hour time.
Exactly how bad is it now...an hour each way? Even longer?
My wife and I relocated last year, and her job is in the same part of Bedford as I think you are referring to. We rented at first right in Burlington, which is actually quite convenient, and was a good move while we were settling in (sizable Asian population there, too). But, though we are not as young as you, we really hated being in the suburbs, and spent about a year trying to move closer in to town without blowing our commutes. Arlington Heights is about the shortest commute you could give yourself and still feel like you are in a place with some young people around. Further towards Arlington center is more active and better for connections to Cambridge/Somerville. We ended up in West Medford, which we love...but we were looking to buy, and got priced out of Arlington. Young and single, though, you should be able to find a place to rent in Arlington in a fairly walkable spot.
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.
