Possibly moving to near Boston for work...looking for a good inner suburb. (Cambridge: apartment, for rent)

[pennsteric]

I might be moving (depending on job) near Boston. I currently live in a smaller town about 15 miles from New York.

I would be looking for the following in the town:

1) Within a 30-45 minute commute via train/car to Boston
2) Walkable downtown with rests/bars/train station,etc
3) Safe town

Thanks for all your help

[Concepts]

Whats the price range you're looking for?....varies widely depending on what suburb we suggest.

[pennsteric]

Well, Im open to buy or rent. And I very flexible as to what type of residence (smaller apartment/condo) is fine. So for now lets say $ isnt a huge issue, save for the MOST expensive areas.

[redpanda]

Well, by your criteria I could recommend a vast range of areas...from Newton or Winchester where you'd pay $700k + to buy and $2500k + to rent to Quincy or Malden where that average could be more like $330k to buy and $1500k + to rent. But it really depends on more of what your budget actually is and what qualities you look for in an inner suburb. We have many, and they are very, very different from each other.

[shiver]

My suggestions about the areas I know: Newton near Newton Centre; Waltham near Moody St,; Quincy near Quincy Center and Wollaston. Newton is the more expensive and upscale of the three.

There are others too, it really depends on your budget and specifically what you're looking for.

[DreamworksSKG]

I second Waltham its a hip , happenin' area. :-) with good transit into Boston via commuter rail service.

[manuvaram]

If money is indeed not an issue - Beacon Hill, Back Bay are the best fit followed by Brookline, Cambridge and Sommerville. If these towns / areas are too expensive or hoity toity, I would agree with DreamworksSKG, Waltham is your next best option.

You could also consider Newton Corner which has a sizable young population, and a very quick commute to downtown (~15 min on MBTA express buses).

[DreamworksSKG]

Wakefield and Melrose are nice, Wakefield has a bit more to do ...- Melrose is a bit quieter.

Both have commuter rail into Boston

[clevedark]

If you're fifteen miles from NYC, you will be pleasantly suprised by how quiet and liveable Boston itself is. Fifteen miles from Boston is like 30 to 40 miles from NYC if you get my drift--it gets country very fast around here.

There is not the same divide between city and suburb in Boston as there is in NYC. What I'm saying is the city is much more approachable and easier to deal with than NYC.

Brookline is very close and bustling. Jamaica Plain is a fun urban neighborhood with lots of green space. Cambridge is an exciting place to be. I like Somerville, but it's kind of Hoboken-like to me, meaning not a lot of trees and lots of young people.

[Drechie]

For renting I would definitely say Davis Square, Somerville. I feel like it is the place to be for young and trendy professionals. South Boston is the same, for a more traditional preppy North-Face vibe. If you are looking to make an investment, Medford offers an affordable housing stock with a close proximity to Boston with an express bus going into the city. Watertown does the same, is close to the Mass Pike, has a great restaraunt stock, local malls, grade B+ school system, and abbuts Cambridge. I feel as if the homes in Watertown almost never loose their value as its geographic location offers many advantages to both City-slickers and people whom work in the suburbs. Good luck!