Young, Married Couple Looking to Move to New England (Boston: neighborhoods, living in)

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by kctx25

We both have cars and are accustomed to having commutes. Would I be able to get away with not having a car in Boston?

I would think keeping one car might be something to consider. Parking in central Boston can be tough but it is still nothing like Manhattan -- not nearly as difficult or expensive. Given the great advantages of having a car, and the fact that so many leisure opportunities in the region are only accessible by auto, I think you would adversely impact your Mass. living experience by going totally car-less.

[Cantabridgienne]

Zipcar is a great option for people who don't need a car on a daily basis.

[lrfox]

I would like to chime in my support for Newton or Brookline as well. Good options that will give you both the city life and the access to the quaintness of New England. Both communities are on Boston's rapid transit lines so you have access to work/play in the city and it's a bit easier to own a car there. Both towns have walkable neighborhood centers too. Boston is only 40 square miles in terms of land area as opposed to Houston's 580 square miles. So while Newton and Brookline are technically "suburbs" as they are separate towns (Cambridge, Somerville, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, etc can fit under this umbrella too), they are still VERY much a part of Boston's urban fabric. They are closer and more entwined with Boston's urban core than many actual city neighborhoods are in Houston.

The East Side of Providence (almost any neighborhood there, but specifically, College Hill, Fox Point or Wayland Square) would also fit the bill. A nice, historic area (check out Benefit Street for some of the best historic housing in New England) with tons of colleges and universities. It has good rail access (Boston's MBTA commuter rail and Amtrak trains... including Acela Express) and pretty decent local public transit (RIPTA). You could easily walk from this area to all of downtown and the amenities there.

If you want a bit quieter, cheaper, and more affordable, check out Portland, Maine. This city has a small town feel, without skimping on all the urban amenities. It has good restaurants, and entertainment options in a nice natural setting on Casco Bay. It has a quaint, walkable downtown area too. Getting a job isn't easy, but if you can, it's a good place to start a family as it's small, schools are good, and it's very safe. This would be where I would go if my emphasis were tilted more towards "small town" than "city" as it is that small, but it's very nice.

[kctx25]

We actually traveled through Portland, Maine a couple of years ago. We absolutely loved it, but I am afraid there are no employment opportunities for us. Maybe if we can eventually start our own business?!

I will definitely check out Providence. I am all about using public transportation instead of spending the majority of my day sitting in my car in traffic. I find myself longing for the old days when my commute consisted of squeezing on the 4/5/6 train en route to downtown Manhattan.

Where do you tend to find other married couples (without children) in their mid-20s and early 30s in the Boston area?

[lrfox]

^Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, some of Boston's neighborhoods like here in Mission Hill there are plenty of young couples without children, Roslindale, parts of Jamaica Plain, South End, etc as well. I also like some of the development in the Fort Point area (much more urban and close to Downtown). I consider Brookline and Newton to be a bit more family oriented, but Places like Newton Center, Coolidge Corner, Brookline Village and Washington Square have no shortage of young professional couples without children. Most of these areas are on public transit as well.

With Providence, begin your search on the East Side. This is a huge chunk of the city (really about 1/3 of the land area) and has the best neighborhoods. Most (but not all, see: Federal Hill) of the neighborhoods South of downtown won't offer much. Bristol and Warren (Barrington too) are cool, walkable towns just a little ways outside of Providence. They're on the RIPTA lines too. Bristol is home to Roger Williams University and is wonderful little harbor village. It's one of my favorite towns in New England. It's got a vibrant, walkable town center and many shops and restaurants. Their 4th of July celebration is the oldest in the nation and still quite impressive. I'd give it a look if you're in the area... I'm guessing you'd like it as it offers the best of small town New England (quaint, historic streets and homes, a nice harbor, wonderful recreation options with their lenghty waterfront bike path and state parks, etc) with good proximity to the city.

Portland's a tough place to start a business. about 5-10 years ago, you would have caught it in the middle of an upswing, but the market seems to be reaching capacity. I left Portland in May to move back to Boston as it just didn't offer me enough. I've lived in Providence too (George St. on the East Side near Brown Univ... loved it). I feel that in order for Portland to work you have to luck into some good employment. For a young couple enjoying the city life, I don't know if Portland has enough to keep you entertained. It's great for a family, but it gets old after a while. It's always there to visit anyway.

[ColorsOfMe]

I was "on board" with the OP until she mentioned that she previously lived in NYC, just kidding

In all seriousness, if you like the small town feel, try out Somerville (as others pointed out) or maybe even an area like Quincy. I think that Quincy is really pretty. If you wanted to go a little further out, thus extending your drive a little, try a town like Manchester-By-The-Sea? Or maybe even Salem?

Personally, I moving AWAY from the eastern half of Massachusetts. I just don't like the "city life" and the hustle bustle and whatnot. And you're going to run into the Paranoid-Dunkin-Donut-Coffee-In-One-Hand-Purse-Hanging-Off-The-Other-Arm types everywhere in the Metropolitan Boston area, just beware

[brightdoglover]

Good heavens. Somerville, "small town feel?" Even for a New Yorker...

[lrfox]

Not entirely related, but I believe Michael Bloomberg said that Medford had too much of a "small town feel" for him. I guess it's understandable. New York is one of the largest cities in the world. I've actually been to a few of the cities that are larger and many of them don't feel quite as big as New York (particularly some of the ones in Asia like Delhi and Hong Kong) which really aren't as large (they have larger populations within the city limits, but become rural immediately whereas New York's urban area extends a good ways further).

That being said, Somerville is one of the most densely populated cities in the country (look it up) and while it only covers a small area, it's still an integral part of Boston's urban fabric. I would hardly single out Somerville as having a "small town feel"... I'd peg it as a place to live with a good urban feel in the Boston area.

[lz1982]

I like lrfox's suggestions of Bristol and Warren. Those are both really cute towns. I wouldn't recommend them if you want a semblance of an urban lifestyle, though. They do have walkable centers but are more like small towns than either Newton or Brookline.

[charolastra00]

If your husband is planning on working in Waltham, why not look here? I go to one of the two universities in town and intern with the city government so I guess I'm a pretty big fan! While public education leaves a bit to be desired, it's not something you have to worry about yet. There's a funky vibe to Moody Street (where there are a wide variety of restaurants and Asian grocery stores), the best Mexican restaurant I have been to outside of Mexico, a great indie movie theatre, and a fair range of public transportation options. It tends to have a more working class feel to it, but the rents are much lower than places like Newton.

Also, look at Watertown which is in between Waltham and Cambridge.