Affordable Family Suburb? - commute to Cambridge (Boston, Quincy: apartment, rentals)

[KClear21]

Hi All!

I was wondering if anyone can give me some guidance/info on a BIG move that my family will be doing in the next few months (Ireland to Boston!).

My husband has taken a job in Cambridge and with 3 little ones we have decided that I will put my job on hold for 2/3 years to be at home and make the move a bit easier for everyone.

Because of that we need to look at moving further out of Boston to try and get more value for our money for our home. We have decided to rent for the first 2/3 years to make sure we are in the right area but as our son will be due to start school Sept 2016 I want to make sure we pick a good spot.

Any reccomendations for a place that is

1) affordable rent...3/4 bedroom homes for around $3,000 per month
2) decent schools....they don't have to be amazing but somewhat good!
3) easy to commute (up to 1 hr) by bus/rail to Cambridge (company will pay for hubbie's commuting costs but not if he drives).
4) family friendly!

Please help....so much info online that I am a bit boggled by everything at the moment!

So far the only place that appears to be suitable is Quincy but i can't find much info on it as a family friendly spot. Any info would be much appreciated.

[Dm84]

Commuting to Cambridge is difficult and keeping it under 1 hour door to door is going to be a challenge, but this depends on where in Cambridge he will be working.

Boston is not known for its affordability. How firm is your rental budget? I don't think there's anything wrong with Quincy if you find a place that's affordable.

[495neighbor]

The outer suburbs have fewer rentals above 2 bedrooms than the inner suburbs.

You have a good enough budget so it will actually be easier for you to find something closer in.

I did a search for you and it looks like there are nice rentals available in Arlington, Belmont, Newton and if willing to go carfree and into an apartment Brookline.

Arlington would be best for the commute into Cambridge as you have the red line with buses that connect into it right there. It is very family friendly with nice walkable areas and playgrounds and many new families moving there.

[KClear21]

Thanks for the information and help!


My husband will be working close to alewife station and in order to keep our costs low we will only have 1 car (family car) which I plan to have in order to get kids to/from school/classes/activities etc if needed.

Interesting that there are more rental options closer to the city than out of the city....it's the other way around in Ireland! I suppose the thinking with the suburbs is that with a very highly energetic 5 year old we definitely need a garden!

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by KClear21

Thanks for the information and help!


My husband will be working close to alewife station and in order to keep our costs low we will only have 1 car (family car) which I plan to have in order to get kids to/from school/classes/activities etc if needed.

Interesting that there are more rental options closer to the city than out of the city....it's the other way around in Ireland! I suppose the thinking with the suburbs is that with a very highly energetic 5 year old we definitely need a garden!

Alewife is probably better for bus rather than commuter rail. I'd suggest looking at Arlington and Lexigton. Better chance of an affordable rental in Arlington. Belmont could possibly work, too.

[KClear21]

So looks like Arlington is a better spot. What would Arlington be like compared to Quincy? Have to say, there is an attraction to being by the beach!

[MidwestRedux]

This is purely subjective, but I love Arlington and strongly dislike Quincy. Again, this is a matter of taste, I'm sure other feel the opposite.

If you can find a place that meets your needs and fits your budget, I agree with others that Arlington or Belmont would be the logical choices.

There should be some rental units in your price range in Cambridge or Somerville. Both are very dense and urban, but many of the multifamily homes do have some yard space. The catch here is that you would most likely end up with an older/not updated interior space. Also, the schools in both places vary quite a bit. Some are pretty good some aren't. If you are near the Red Line, the commute to Alewife is a breeze.

Another thing you can take a look at is towns along the Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line:

MBTA Commuter Rail > Fitchburg / South Acton Lines Schedules and Maps

The commuter rail goes to Porter Square, which is two quick Red Line Stops from Alewife. The Red Line runs frequently throughout the day, so this extra step won't add too much time to the commute.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by KClear21

So looks like Arlington is a better spot. What would Arlington be like compared to Quincy? Have to say, there is an attraction to being by the beach!

Quincy isn't terrible, but I'm sure the schools are better in Belmont or even Arlington.

[Ninotchka P]

Arlington. Nuff said.

[pennyone]

Quincy's schools are rapidly improving, with lots of hardware updates and additions at the middle and high school levels coming online in the next few years. But, as someone who lives in Quincy, I would opt for Arlington for the ease of commute to Cambridge. While the Red Line will take you into the PRC directly, it's still a relatively long 30-40 minutes one way. Of course you can do a lot of work on the T with your gadgets, but the commute would be shorter I imagine, from Arlington.