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I am a 25 year old single male and I recently accepted a job in Westford, MA. The job pays decent (~75k) but I am having trouble figuring out where to live. I am interested in an area where they are other single young professionals, a decent nightlife, things to do outside of work, and affordable for 1 BR apartments with that salary. I would ideally like to live in a city. I listed a few options I am considering. Any help on weighing the pros and cons would be very helpful.
Lowell - I have heard Lowell is a bit dumpy and there is a lot of crime. Most people tell me stay away from Lowell but it is the closest city and rent isn't bad at all
Nashua - I can't imaging the nightlife being great in Nashau and the commute would be around 30 minutes. I like the 'live free or die' policy and no state income tax but would I have to pay the Mass tax anyways if working in Mass?
Boston Suburbs - Medford, Arlington, Waltham...These are all about a 30 minute commute without traffic. Will there be a lot of traffic if I am heading away from Boston in the mornings and coming back evenings? Also, is Boston still fun, accesible living in the suburbs? If so, which of these 3 is best? I do have friends in Brookline (that is too far for me to live for work but obviously an option for weekends). Also rent is much higher so would it be worth paying high rent to live outside the city?
Marlboro - I have no idea about Marlboro but its not a bad drive and rent will probably be much less
Marlboro would be cheaper but is pretty suburban. I don't think that is what you are looking for.
The best bet for the "fun" would go with the west side of Medford or Somerville/Davis Square. The issue will be the rent will run you ~$1600-$2000/mth in those area, even for a 1 bed. And that may or may not include utilities. The other issue will be parking - you will likely get street parking. Off-street parking is tough but not impossible (and will cost you). The benefit - you will have all the amenities you want (restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc.). Plus, the Red Line will bring you into Cambridge and Boston within 10-20 minutes.
You could try Arlington and take the bus over to Davis. Slightly cheaper rent and a better shot of getting parking. But otherwise Arlington isn't that exciting IMO.
Waltham is a good choice too and a lot of young professionals are moving there. But, renting a decent place will still run $1500 a month. Moody St is "OK" IMO for getting out (some others on here like it a lot).
East Arlington (on the Cambridge/Somerville border) is an ideal spot. A very short hop to David Square/Harvard Square/Red Line, a straight shot to Westford out Route 2 against traffic to Westford. I did that commute, Arlington to Lowell for a year and it was quite good. It takes about one minute to get from Mass Ave to Route 2 in East Arlington, plus, Spy Pond is a lovely recreational area with a walking/running path that is full of people in good weather.
I don't think Lowell has the nightlife you might look for. It's trying to but it's not there yet. The young professionals just aren't flocking to Lowell as one might wish. It's too bad because there are great loft apartment blocks and all, but it's not a viable alternative to Davis Square/Cambridge/Boston. There is very little crime in Arlington, if any, and you must park off-street at night, so car insurance is remarkably lower than in the next towns. The Capitol movie theater is one of the best and there are young and not-so-young professionals all over the neighborhood.
Not the cheapest around, but by far the best, in my opinion. Best wishes!
While I anticipate that many posters will suggest Boston (as they deem every other city to be a cultural wasteland), I strongly suggest Lowell or Nashua.
Commuting in, out, and around Boston during peak hours can be a drag. I would be hesitant to sign yourself up for that commute unless you strongly desire weeknight access into Metro Boston. Access into Boston/Cambridge from Lowell during the weekend is relatively painless ... either by commuter rail, rt. 2/Alewife, or simply driving in.
As far as the cities go, Nashua and Lowell are fairly comparable. Both offer reasonably diverse restaurant/bar scenes (albeit small), affordable housing, good access to greater New England (NH beaches, White Mountains, Boston, etc.), and generally pleasant/tolerable locals. I lived in Lowell for 6 years (2007-2013) and enjoyed it as a twenty-something professional. The city and people of Lowell really do strive to make it a compelling hub town, with seemingly constant activity between the local galleries, open mics, Tsongas events (concerts, UMass d1 hockey), Summer Music Series, Folk Fest, etc. I never found myself bored. I should also note that downtown Lowell offers far more housing options than downtown Nashua ... many of Nashua's cheaper apartments aren't walkable to the down town area.
As for Marlborough ... don't bother. Despite the growing restaurant/bar scene in town and in neighboring Hudson, the area remains a bit of a bore if young and single.
Give Lowell a good look. I'm fairly well versed in Lowell's down town offerings and suggest you stick to Loft 27, Perkins, or Boot Mills (budget allowing). Perkin's is certainly the nicest in terms of location and remodeling; however, Loft 27 likely remains the best value and has an excellent management team.
Lowell. Save your money and time. Go to Cambridge or wherever on the weekends.
Truth. With the money saved, the OP can afford the gas to catch rays in Rye/Portsmouth during the AM hours and catch a show in Cambridge/Boston during the PM. I was living like a 5 percenter on Lowell rents (unlike the my peasant peers in Boston).
Just for reference, I live on the extreme western side of Somerville (bordering East Arlington/Medford). My job is based out of Ayer which is just west of where you are located. My day shifts start at 0630 and it takes me under 35 minutes on Rt. 2 all the way. It gets slightly more congested towards 7-9 but if you are close to Rt. 2 it shouldn't be a problem. Coming home Alewife starts to back up a little bit but you can take some shortcuts through Lake St. and be home reliably within 45 minutes.
Shouldn't be too hard to find roommates and keep your rent below $800 with utilities. If you want to rent a 1br yourself you should consider Lowell, but it doesn't have quite as much going on. My first year paid almost exactly the same salary and I was able to save quite a bit of money by renting with roommates and still enjoying the city life.
Do remember, OP, that the rush for rentals is certainly mid-August. A lot of rentals are still on a "school schedule," even if the renters aren't students. If an area is full of student renters, mid-August is way too late. If you've never seen the triple-parked U-Hauls by September 1… If you find some thing you want, it is worth it to pay for August even if you're not moving in exactly then. I cannot say this strongly enough. Best wishes in the real estate wars.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
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Lowell has a fairly active nightlife for its size. I actually couldn't find street parking on a Friday night last time I was there.
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