Area Recommendations (can I even afford the move?!) (Lynn, Quincy: rent, house)

[beachangel]

Hi... you can find a single family home in your range in a safe place. It will not be near the Back Bay however. Plan an hour commute at least. If you get out after 4PM it could be a lot longer. Maybe you can take the train, if you move to an area with one.
Not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but better you hear it up front.
Lots of people move to new Hampshire and commute from there.
I cannot speak to childcare costs.
Best of luck

[mwj119]

I'd plan to allocate ~$2k a month for daycare. In a safe town, with doable proximity (<30 min drive), I'd plan on a minimum $400k house.. And that's being optimistic. So, renting may be a good option. Because you're commuting to Back Bay, i'd strongly recommend looking north of the city along the orange line.

That leaves you with two strong options IMO- Malden and Melrose. The former is on the up and up, and is largely considered safe, while Melrose is a very nice and established town. If you can find decent rentals, I'd definitely consider these to be the best options.

$80k is nothing to scoff at, and I'd be very proud to be making a good living in tech. That said, and if you can swing this move, with a few years at the current company you should absolutely be able to increase that salary for a more comfortable lifestyle in Boston.

E.g. Business Analysts/Senior Business Analysts typically making between $75-$100k, and a simple lateral move will increase that number. Because of the sheer number of tech companies/subsequent positions, it's very rare to see folks that don't move up by jumping companies. So many needs, and despite the amount of talent, so much opportunity.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by 2sha23

Thanks everyone! My offer is for $80k/year gross so I don’t think I’ll be eligible for state assistance. After taxes I estimate this to be around $55k/year not including any deductions. The job is with a tech company and I would really like to take it if I can afford Boston. A condo/townhome is fine.

Condos/townhouses around here are even expensive. You are probably looking at $350K+ for one in the area and that would be one on the lower end of quality, or in a sketchier neighborhood.

I pay $1400/month for daycare services, and that's a "cheap" one compared to some of the pricing we got when we were searching. You'll also want to get on that quickly as it's tough to find one with an opening. We had to give 6 months notice to reserve a spot.

$80K is a great salary, but daycare plus rent will quickly eat that up. Of course, given that you are in tech, there's opportunity to increase your salary later on, and/or get raises/promotions that should put you around 6 figures or more. Day care won't last forever.

The suggestion of Malden is a pretty good one. Parts of Everett, Chelsea, Revere and sections of lynn are fine too. Malden is along the orange line, but you can take the blue line in and changeover. Some of the public schools aren't that great (by Mass standards) in those cities, but you have some time before that becomes critical which is why i'd rent first. You can probably find some nice, safe apartments for under $1500/month in those towns, and have MBTA options to get into back-bay.

I'd start by researching day care costs, hours, and waiting lists in certain towns

[sal1181]

If you look into licensed home daycare then yes It is doable. I was paying $150 a week when my daughter attended and home made meals were included.

[NorthofHere]

Originally Posted by 2sha23

Hi all!

I am a single mom with 1 toddler and have a job opportunity in the Back Bay area. I've estimated my post-tax income to be around $4500/month. First, considering rent, utilities, childcare, gas, groceries, and all other expenses, will I be able to comfortably afford somewhere within a 30 minute morning commute (in rush hour or on a train)? I've seen that rent and childcare are ridiculously high there, especially in comparison to my current town in Michigan.

Second, what cities/neighborhoods would one recommend given the following info:
I'm open to buying or renting a 2 or 3bd with 1000+ sqft. If I buy, the house price should preferably be less than $300,000, but I can go up to $350,000 (I've seen some options in Lynn, is this a good city?). If I rent, rent ideally would be less than $2,200.
Safety is a big concern as I am young with a young child.
I'm black (is racism really that bad?) and would prefer a more diverse community. I don't want my child to be 1 of few people of color growing up.
I hate driving so a 30 minute rush hour commute is a hard limit.
I would prefer a family-friendly area with parks/playgrounds, a community center, etc. so I and my child can meet others.

Third, what are real people paying for childcare? My daughter will be 2. Any good recommendations for daycares as well?

You might look out in Norwood/Walpole/Dedham area. There is the purple line (train) from each of these towns directly to Back Bay. If you take the 7:00 am approx from one of the Norwood stations you can be in back bay at 7:39 am. If you get the 5:25 train back you can be back in Norwood by 6pm

You should be able to find a rental in your price range. Home prices, on the other hand are pretty high but you might find a condo. As far as your race, the Norwood area is pretty diverse. Shouldn't be an issue. Child care, I am not familiar with it.

[scorpio516]

Outside your time limit but Framingham/Ashland/Hopkinton might get you something very nice (Ashland yes, Hopkinton maybe not). Framingham to Back Bay is a 45 minute train ride.

More expensive train vs. orange line. Longer trip than Orange line. Much more rural than Malden though.

[SalamanderSmile]

Malden. We lived there for a few years. You may not want to stay forever as there is little to nothing do do there, but it is close-in, diverse, safe, has a frequent orange line train, and will have multiple in-home daycare options. It is more affordable because it is more gritty, but being more affordable means there will be more in-home daycare around. It also has a YMCA which is important for potential child care options. Malden is a better choice than almost all of the other orange line options but for Melrose. However Melrose will be less affordable and you can't just walk to the orange line like you can in Malden.

[tysmith95]

Malden has skyrocketed in price in recent years. It's still cheap compared to the more tony towns or Medford/Somerville, but not by much.

[MassVt]

I don't think the OP is really being told just how costly it is to live here. An 80K salary is not going to buy a 400K home, and there will be commuting costs( if she does find some far-flung abode she can afford), and day care , to consider, too. If she wants to come, fine, but she might have some regret upon finding out just what home prices are like here.

[G-fused]

The COL is high indeed. 80k isn't high but isn't horrible. Boston opportunity abounds for learning and upward mobility. Daycare is pricey but can be found at home day cares that aren't as crazy expensive. People get to know options when they are needed to be found. Depending on the kid's age, they may only need day care for a yr or two and then all the OP would need is some to get the kid after school or enroll in after school program (less $ than daycare...a lot less).

Depending on OP's field, aptitude, networking skills, etc. she can make a good jump in income over 5ish years. If OP wants to do it, it is absolutely possible. It'll be a bit of struggle but who among us hasn't struggled? And maybe she'll meet a nice doctor or something.

OP, I'd guess your living standard would be lower here than in Michigan but so what...it may be very worth that trade off for your future, your kids future, and for whatever reason you want to move here. You're in the best position to decide that. a 30 min commute door to door may be tough to find though and you'll want a contingency plan in winter when the commuter rail is less reliable.

Best of luck with whatever you decide OP.