Despite its chilly winters and occasionally frosty residents, I love Boston. Having moved here for school over a decade ago, I've picked up a few tips and tricks along the way. Here is one Bostonian's insider scoop on living and renting in the Hub.
Neighborhoods
Back Bay, South End, Beacon Hill, North End: Established Chic
You'll pay more to live here, but it's where the most amenities are. It's (probably) close to work, not to mention the city's major shopping, entertainment, and dining destinations, with easy access to nearly all modes of public transit. You'll save on late night cabs because most everything is within walking distance, but the tradeoff is the higher concentration of tourists.
Types of rentals: Traditional rowhouses, luxury buildings, lofts (South End & North End), smaller walk-ups (especially North End & Beacon Hill).
Known for: Shopping, parks, convenience (Back Bay); Dining, style, art (South End); History, tradition, politics (Beacon Hill); History, Italian Americans, food (North End).
Don't miss: Though Newbury Street boasts designer labels and major retailers, local boutiques like Crush and Ball and Buck prove Bostonians have style (Back Bay). Summertime Sundays call for browsing SoWa Open Market, showcasing local artisans, craftspeople, farmers, and food trucks (South End). Taste the gourmet confections at Beacon Hill Chocolates, and then hike the pretty cobblestone streets (Beacon Hill). Shop European-style — visit the 24-hour bakery, dry goods shop, produce stand, perhaps the gelateria, then picnic in the park (North End).
Transit: Red, Orange, Green, Silver lines & bus routes; commuter rail; biking; walking. Parking: difficult and/or expensive.
Kendall, Central, Harvard, Inman: Cambridge Squared
Cantabrigians are scholars. Even the neighborhoods are arranged around squares. Some of the nations' best institutes of higher learning are on this side of the river, plus a majority of Greater Boston's booming tech sector. But Cambridge isn't all work and no play. Craft brews, great coffee, and local love make it a cool place to call home.
Types of rentals: Small- to mid-size apartment buildings, luxury buildings, triple-deckers, duplexes.
Known for: Tech, MIT, new restaurants (Kendall); diversity, local music, vintage (Central); red brick, books & stationery, street performers (Harvard); locals, bikes, coffee (Inman).
Don't miss: Area Four, a bakery, coffee shop, restaurant, and bar that manages to be everything to everyone (Kendall). Alternating Nerd Nites and new wave DJs, Middlesex Lounge isn't judgy, just cool (Central). Get some culture served straight, or with a twist by the American Repertory Theatre, running such classics as The Glass Menagerie and disco party sensation The Donkey Show (Harvard). Whether you visit the spice shop or the ice cream parlor next door, popping into Christina's is always rewarding (Inman).
Transit: Red line; bus routes (1, 66, 69); biking; walking. Parking: lots and meters near main streets; mostly strict resident parking elsewhere.
Jamaica Plain & Somerville: Boston's Brooklyns
Though these 'hoods may be on opposite sides of the river, both have Brooklyn-esque tendencies. They're full of creative types, cyclists, and CSA members, and residents of each like to stay local and support neighborhood businesses. Though they do have their differences: parks, small-batch food and young families make JP and neighboring Roslindale more like Park Slope, whereas Somerville is home to cool innovators, artisanal letterpress, and craft beer that give it Williamsburg style.
Types of rentals: Triple-deckers, small- to mid-size apartment buildings.
Known for: Community, artists, Painted Ladies (Jamaica Plain); Trendy, coffee, makers (Somerville).
Don't miss: On a September weekend, all the neighborhood artists set up shop for JP Open Studios (Jamaica Plain). From bike maintenance to business development, Artisan's Asylum offers classes for crafters of all types (Somerville).
Transit: Orange line, green line, bus routes (Jamaica Plain). Red line, bus routes (Somerville). Parking: generally easy and unregulated, certain streets resident only (Jamaica Plain); varies by area, mostly similar to Cambridge (Somerville).
South Boston & East Boston: Locals on the Waterfront
Southie and Eastie are traditionally no-frills, working-class neighborhoods. Though the outsiders are moving in and the streets are safer, there's bit of old Boston grit and gristle left. Southie has seen neighboring Fort Point become Boston Proper's Innovation District, with luxury condos springing up all along the west side, resulting in rents not as cheap as they used to be. It seems deals can still be had in East Boston. If you love the water, these are the places to be.
Types of rentals: Triple-deckers, rowhouses, small- to mid-size apartment buildings, luxury buildings (South Boston)
Known for: Irish Americans, politics, the beach (South Boston); locals, working class, growth (East Boston).
Don't miss: Call it cliché or deep-rooted tradition, you haven't seen Boston until you've been to the St. Patrick's Day Parade (South Boston). A contender for Beantown's best slice, Santarpio's dishes out pizza with a side of sass (East Boston). Also, check out the area's only Australian fare at KO Catering & Pies (South & East Boston)
Transit: Red line, silver line, bus routes (South Boston); Blue line, bus routes, ferries (East Boston).
Brookline & Brighton: Green Space on the Green Line
Brookline and Brighton are bustling with fantastic local businesses in their squares, but quieter streets in between are where families, grad students, medical professionals, and more call home. Hills, trees, parks, the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, and the Charles River make this a great area to be outdoorsy.
Types of rentals: Triple-deckers, rowhouses, small- to mid-size apartment buildings, luxury buildings, houses.
Known for: Parks, public schools, Jewish culture (Brookline); students, down-to-earth, pubs (Brighton).
Don't miss: The Coolidge Corner Theatre shows popcorn flicks, art films, and hosts author events for neighbor Brookline Booksmith (Brookline); Learn to stroke like the rowers in the Head of the Charles at Community Rowing (Brighton).
Transit: Green lines B, C, and D, bus routes; Parking: Overnight street parking ban (Brookline); some areas have resident only street parking (Brighton).
Resources
Apartment hunting: Craigslist is still king, though searching the weekly neighborhood newspapers for old-school landlord listings can't hurt. Many real estate agents are neighborhood-specific, so try to connect with one near your preferred place.
Getting around: The MBTA gets you most everywhere you need to go (between the hours of 5 am and 12:30 am), though getting between outlying neighborhoods (like Brighton to Jamaica Plain) requires going inbound to go outbound, or taking buses Boston has been installing bike lanes along major roadways for the past few years, though sharing the road can still be tough with potholes and aggressive drivers. Hubway is a bike sharing membership with stations all over the city. Zipcars are also easily accessible and available throughout. Cabs aren't cheap compared to other cities, but Hailo and Uber are at least making them more accessible, and most taxis take credit cards now.
Stuff to do: Boston's weekly mag, The Phoenix, lists the majority of shows, exhibits, and events going on around town. For something a bit more curated, Shoestring Magazine puts out a weekly Save Your Weekends roundup of budget-friendly fun stuff (full disclosure: I'm an editor at Shoestring).
Bostonians, share your tips in the comments!
MORE BOSTON RESOURCES ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• What Does It Really Cost to Live in Boston?
• A Design Lover's Guide to Boston
• The Best of Boston: City Guide
(Images: 1. Shutterstock, 2. Shutterstock, 3. Shutterstock, 4. Tara Bellucci, 5. Boston Harborwalk, 6. Wikimedia Commons)
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Not surprisingly, you neglected Dorchester, Boston's most diverse and populous neighborhood. It's home to UMass-Boston and the JFK Library. It has great restaurants like Tavolo, D Bar, Ashmont Grill, The Ledge, and 224 Boston, cool coffee shops like Flat Black, marvelous independently owned shops, and open artists' studios. Parking isn't an ordeal, Malibu Beach is a off-leash great dog run, and Red Line hits most of the main spots, transportation-wise. Oh, and it's actually still relatively affordable, especially when compared to the Back Bay and South End.
Also notably missing are Roxbury and South Boston...
Oops, just Roxbury.
And missing Roslindale, one of the best kept secrets for hip families.
What's a hip family? Their babies drink Pabst?
Make way for ducklings.
another one speaking up for roxbury! i've lived in Fort Hill, Roxbury for 5 years and me and my family love it. we originally came because we were students, it was close to Northeastern University and the rent was literally half as much as where most students were living. roxbury gets a bad rap, but it's not 1970 anymore. it's almost entirely residential here on fort hill, all triple deckers, brownstones, and the historical mansions of former governors (in various states of renovation). i love the diversity and the close-knit protective pride we have. its very close to the orange line and a million bus routes, with lots of dog owners and life-long roxbury residents taking advantage of all the green space.
dorchester is similar! i have lots of friends that live there and love it, despite the sour reputation.
This is not a helpful list and obviously not written by someone who knows the area really well. It doesnt differentiate areas that are actually within the city of Boston versus areas that are metro Boston. Glosses over the great parts in Eastie that have been revitalized by Central American immigrants. And totally ignores great neighborhoods in Dorchester, Roxbury, Roslindale and Hyde Park where many nice and affordable housing can be found. Or how about Mission Hill and Chinatown from where you can walk to the places listed as "Established Chic"? And if we are going to metro Boston: how about Arlington and Newton?
Honestly comparing any of the neighborhoods in Boston to Brooklyn and Manhattan isnt helpful unless this is a guide for displaced NYers and shows how the person writing this is a transplant to Boston. Pretty weak writing here.
Supprsing how much Central Sq. has managed to clean up, I remember that it wasn't that long ago that it wasn't considered safe to be there at night and rent was cheap.
The city has a useful page with the history of each Boston neighborhood that may be a good starting point http://www.cityofboston.gov/neighborhoods/default.asp
We are actually missing several Boston neighborhoods on this list. Boston Proper has 21 neighborhoods in total. Though some are smaller than others, each has it's own unique character.
Then you add on "Greater Boston", which includes Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, etc.
Here is the full list of Boston Proper:
1.Allston/Brighton
2.Back Bay
3.Bay Village
4.Beacon Hill
5.Charlestown
6.Chinatown/Leather District
7.Dorchester
8.Downtown/Financial District
9.East Boston
10.Fenway/Kenmore
11.Hyde Park
12.Jamaica Plain
13.Mattapan
14.Mission Hill
15.North End
16.Roslindale
17.Roxbury
18.South Boston
19.South End
20.West End
21.West Roxbury
We agree and recognize that this is not a complete listing of every neighborhood - that wasn't the intent. It's the perspective of one renter, Tara, hence the titile "A Renter's Life" - it's her take on the inside scoop: neighborhoods, transit, amenities, etc.
We'd love for more info to be added in the comments - if you have time, please share what you think would be helpful to the present and future readers of the post about renting in Boston.
Thanks!
I lived mostly on the Cambridge side for 20 years. I miss it and it is nice to read this.
Ah, a College Kid Version of Somerville (hint: the Red line isn't our only subway, for starters).
Glad to see that East Boston got a mention. It's a neighborhood that's often overlooked by newcomers to Boston. I've lived in East Boston for about a year and love it. It's one stop on the T (subway) to downtown (across the harbor), has beautiful parks, historic architecture, and a waterfront with killer views of the downtown skyline. It's one of the city's more economically and culturally diverse neighborhoods, and has the best Central American, Mexican, and Brazilian food in Boston. Gentrification has begun to creep into the area (new waterfront luxury condos have just broken ground), but for now it remains perhaps the most affordable neighborhood in Boston (certainly the most affordable area to rent that's within a 10 minute commute of downtown).
As a former resident of Allston/Brighton I would NOT cluster that neighborhood with Brookline or Chestnut Hill.Yes the borders are fuzzy but I've always viewed Allston/Brighton as a "Brooklyn" like neighborhood - great music, students, hipsters, big bike scene, and Brookline as a community for medical professionals, families, graduate students as its own separate city.
Janel the problem here is that there isnt even one "insider" thing that she posted. There isnt one single tip or trick listed ie get a renters resume and come to your listing with everything a prospective landlord would want to see especially if you are trying to sign a lease in primetime August/September. If she had just done some research she could have come up with a better post that actually rose to the level of providing insider info. It took me 15 secs to go to the link I posted from the City of Boston.
Every single thing she wrote is about neighborhoods that get a quite a bit of attention and make it on every schill real estate agents list. She didnt mention any of the lovely, affordable and accessible neighborhoods that have been mentioned by the posters ( including me). And thats why for anyone who really knows Boston this is a disappointing list.
Part of why I used to come to AT is that there were really informative posts and information I couldnt get anywhere else. This post is emblematic of the fact that the quality of AT's content is slipping and has been for the last few years. Now I just see a lot of uninformative, unoriginal and recycled posts. Whereas before 90% of the content on AT was useful to me now its down to less than 20%.
I love seeing my city highlighted on AT, but I was disappointed by this post. Not only did it leave out a ton of neighborhoods (including my own: Dorchester), it didn't tell me anything I don't already know. I would love more comparisons on the actual cost of living in each of these neighborhoods. How long do the commutes take? How safe are the neighborhoods? There is so much more to choosing an area to live in than just shopping and restaurants.
I'm inclined to agree with @Trumystique in that the article really isn't up to your old standards and I wonder about the "inside scoop" when I hear a term like "Cantabrigians" get mentioned. I've been around for awhile now and never heard that term. Now if the author had mentioned "The Peoples Republic of Cambridge." things would be different. Someone that was giving an inside scoop would also want to give insight as to why that term is being used in Cambridge as well.
Brookline and Brighton? The only thing they have in common is the "B".
I was pretty excited when I saw this post because I spent three unforgettable years in Boston for school. I was, however, disappointed to see you skip right over Allston. As a Berklee grad, I spent a lot of nights in Allston, and while it's a little rough around the edges, it's got such a great vibe. I lived in Back Bay and you did a decent job of watering down what it consists of, but I don't think you can lump Back Bay with Chestnut hill at all. Chestnut Hill is like stepping into old time Boston, almost more so than the North End, with all those old buildings and shops with hanging signs on red brick buildings. For me, Back Bay is Berklee, all the little authentic asian restaurants (Pad Thai Cafe on Boylston has the best pad thai I've come across yet), Symphony hall, the MFA...more than parks and convenience. Thanks for helping out my Boston nostalgia on my gloomy Missouri afternoon though :)
"Trumystique" Why are you still hanging around?
@andi_andrea: hate to be a nitpicker...but neither Symphony Hall or the MFA are in Back Bay.
@andi_andrea: hate to be a nitpicker...but neither Symphony Hall or the MFA are in Back Bay.
Alright, fair enough. Guess it's just more what home was to me up there than the specific neighborhood itself.
riffraffa- to see if I can find the 20%. But it is true I have moved on to other blogs mostly. Maybe I also come back for the nostalgia too. I remember old AT: the open daily threads where helpful advice was exchanged among AT posters, good questions where the editors actually provided info and just didnt immediately turn it over to AT posters, the daily scavenger from CL, product roundups, useful diy tutorials, genuine product reviews as opposed to sponsored content impersonating product reviews etc etc
I live in Roslindale and love that we were compared to Park Slope! Thanks for a great shout out. Nice to know that other neighborhoods were considered beyond Back Bay/South End and Cambridge as viable (and awesome!!) living spots in Boston!
I'd be careful regarding Mission Hill and Chinatown as good places to live while getting to the "established chic". I've lived in Mission Hill in a nice apartment on a nice street and still heard gun shots from my porch. I understand your points, but yeah.
Also, Arlington and Newton aren't in Boston city districts. They would have to be included in "A Renter's Life in Arlighton and Newton".
Yes I know Arlington and Newton arent in the city of Boston and if you read my posts carefully you would be clear about the fact that I made the distinction between city of Boston vs metro Boston. But Brookline, Cambridge and Somerville arent part of the city either yet Tara didnt point that out. Im from Boston and have lived all over the city and in metroBoston.
I hear what you are saying about Mission Hill but I lived and went to school in the South End and there was lots of drug deals and often there were gunshots. I didnt live in Southie but crime is alive and well there too. In any city you have to be aware of where you are living and who is living around you.
I would add Charlestown to this list. Great parks, waterfront at the Navy Yard, and a number of good places to grab a coffee/beer/dinner. Also, we're at the end of the freedom trail with the Bunker Hill Monument and the U.S.S. Constitution, and the historic fabric of the neighborhood is very nice.
Also, don't live in the North End. It may look pretty and romantic (which is why I moved there my first year in Boston), but the locals are rude and will rip you off at every turn. You'll get sick of italian food. It literally STINKS in the summer (trash bags are put on the street, and yes, actually on the street, not in dumpsters/bins) and is always clogged with tourists. I also saw a rat the size of a racoon waddling down my street once. Save your money!
While these neighborhoods do make up all of Boston, "Boston proper" refers to only a few... Beacon Hill, Back Bay, South End, Bay Village, Chinatown/Leather District, and Downtown/Financial District.
I'm not sure this is really the inside scoop without talking about $$. Also, and maybe this is just my experience, but I find it hard to think about Boston without consideration to the areas outside of boston. boston is less a city specifically and more of a region given the huge number of people that live outside of the city, and in many cases outside of the state - north shore, south shore, NH, RI etc.
Great comment, Trumystique. I'm pretty sure I've seen three different versions of this article about Boston on Apartment Therapy in the last two years. But I am glad that my neighborhood, in Boston Proper, was left off the list. It's still affordable, quiet yet wildly diverse, full of charm and green space AND! its right off the red line.
I'm glad that someone commented on the Boston proper thing. Add West End in there. And I'd like to say that the North End was great to me. I loved it as a newlywed. I loved it with kids. I'd still be loving it but we got priced out :-(
Oh Jesus Tapdancing Christ. The attacks never seem to end on AT. First of all, one could write a book or a blog about all the details of living in Boston. Of course Tara couldn't include every single neighborhood, square, commute time, and price range. And if she did, people would be critiquing her judgements of number of gunshots/night or commute length from exact point A to exact point B. Why can't we just add constructive comments to continue the discussion of rentals in the Boston area? Also, 'Cantabrigian' is most certainly a term. I lived in the Boston area for only two years and I heard it more than once. Calm down, people, and help improve the conversation!
I've lived here for 2 1/2 years and the only thing I tend to dislike is the lack of night life / coffee shops. I can't wake up on a Sunday morning, go for a walk and stop into a coffee house for a cup of good coffee.
I live in Brighton and I love it. Our apartment is small but really charming. What we lose in square footage we make up for in convenience. I love that I can walk to the gym and local shops. I love that I only drive when I need to. Our neighborhood is diverse and quite friendly. Most of Brighton is different enough than most of Brookline that I would separate the two, but that's based on my own opinion. Brighton is very "me". The neighborhoods around here do vary tremendously, and not just in cost, so I do recommend some effort be put into research if you're moving here for the first time.