Boston living?

[mshheaddoc]

How are the living arrangements there in boston?

Any good areas to live? Also how is transportation in reference to those areas? I need the secrets!


I'm still 50/50% but boston would be better for me ... but I need more info.


Any help would be appreciated

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[Sundarban1]

How are the living arrangements there in boston?

Any good areas to live? Also how is transportation in reference to those areas? I need the secrets!


I'm still 50/50% but boston would be better for me ... but I need more info.


Any help would be appreciated

boston.craigslist.org = all your living arrangement needs.

You don't need your own transportation, use public.

 

[mshheaddoc]

boston.craigslist.org = all your living arrangement needs.

You don't need your own transportation, use public.

yes I realize that but I'm looking for specific areas and not all the listings on craigslist are in an area that is ideal. As I'm not from the area, that is what I'm looking to check out. I have checked out the website and so far so good. Lots of options at least I love that website.

 

[scooter31]

How are the living arrangements there in boston?

Any good areas to live? Also how is transportation in reference to those areas? I need the secrets!


I'm still 50/50% but boston would be better for me ... but I need more info.


Any help would be appreciated

In Cambridge, look around Porter, Davis, Central, and Inman Squares for decently priced housing. All of these are either directly off the Red line for subway or have tons of buses that traverse the area (and primarily will end up in Harvard Square). Get a T pass, and let public transportation do the driving for you; there really isnt much that isnt T accessible.

 

[stinkycheese]

yes I realize that but I'm looking for specific areas and not all the listings on craigslist are in an area that is ideal. As I'm not from the area, that is what I'm looking to check out. I have checked out the website and so far so good. Lots of options at least I love that website.

It would help if you mentioned what areas you're interested in.

 

[mshheaddoc]

It would help if you mentioned what areas you're interested in.

that is my point, I don't know where to look

I would be interested in a studio possibly ... maybe finding a roommate somewhere.

I don't know the area AT ALL.


Scooter - thanks for the suggestion!


Anyone live OUTSIDE the city and commute in? Is that possibly via train?

 

[cammy1313]

Neighborhoods surrounding the med center (walking distance or short bus ride):
South End
Back Bay
Chinatown

Neighborhoods within a reasonable commuting distance (30+ minute bus and/or train commute):
Central Square
Cambridge
Coolidge Corner (Brookline)
Allston/Brighton
Kenmore Square

Housing is pricey no matter where you live but the neighborhoods not directly surrounding BU med are less expensive. Public transportation is great but just be prepared to learn a bit more patience, especially in bad weather.

 

[jays2cool4u]

The best thing to do is to call all the places on craig's list that you are interested in then come to boston to see them. This way, you will get a feel for what the area is like around the apartment. I was going to take a place on the edge of Mission Hill that sounded too good to be true on craig's list. The place was great when I finally saw it but I had to walk through the PJs to get to it. It wasn't worth it. If you enjoy the college atmosphere then checkout Allston, Brighton, Coolidge Corner, Somerville's Davis Square, and areas around Northeastern like Mission Hill and Kenmore square. Don't look into Back Bay and Chinatown as Cammy suggested. Those are nice places to live but you'll get raped when it comes to rent. Average people in this city live with roommates so if you are planning on living alone I hope you have a pretty good job or a sugar daddy. If you can, try to pimp the federal gov. or other private lenders for some serious paper to pay for living expenses.

Transportation is pretty damn solid. Always ask the landlords on craig’s list if the apartment is in walking distance of a train station. They will try to advertise that's its close to the T but the T can be the bus or train. It makes a hell of difference when you can hop on the train as opposed to waiting on a bus that’s running behind schedule, packed to capacity, while its 3 degrees outside. Places deep in boston like the south end, roxbury, and parts of dorchester got the raw deal when it comes to the train. The train system inside city limits is shaped like an upside down U. So these people rely more on bus-bus or bus-train transportation. Too much of a commute if you ask me.

When you get here to look for apartments, you are going to need to purchase a weekly combo pass for $16.50. This will allow to ride the train and bus just about ANYWHERE as much as you want. Plus, you can check out some good eats like faneuil hall (BARS GOLORE ), copley(boylston st.), and the bum-infested central square for fast food. You can get this pass from train stations like park st. and government center. If you drive here, YOU DO NOT WANT TO FIND PLACES VIA CAR. You'll get lost and the locals don't know their way around either. Check out this website: MBTA Trip Planning. Best damn transit authority website on the planet.

All in all, this city is hit or miss. Either you love it or you hate it. Hope this helps.

Anyone, please add anything that I missed.

Jays2Cool4u

 

[ltrain]

hey, you're looking at harvard ext, right?

out of scooter's suggestions, both porter and central are easy walking distance (~15-25 min, depending where you are) from harvard.

it's good to think about (if?) where you're going to be working. here's a map of the T:

http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_subway.asp

if you're interested in working at one of the hospitals, MGH is on the red line (Charles/MGH), which is also the same line that goes to Harvard. Brigham & Women's, Children's, Dana Farber, and Beth Israel, are all around the Longwood Medical Center (green line). boston medical center (BU) is not easily accessible by T, but by a T/bus combo, or bus alone (if you want to live in Cambridge, the #1 bus goes right down mass ave to bmc).

but yeah, you really gotta come and see for yourself. good luck on the hunt!

 

[cammy1313]

hey, you're looking at harvard ext, right?

out of scooter's suggestions, both porter and central are easy walking distance (~15-25 min, depending where you are) from harvard.

Just a possible correction here. If the harvard extension courses are medical and are on the medical campus, the med campus is NOT in cambridge (or anywhere near it). it is in the longwood medical area in the brookline area.

 

[mshheaddoc]

wow you guys totally rock

Thanks for the info and keep the ammo coming!

 

[scooter31]

If youre cool you'll live in Cambridge.

That being said:
If youre doing the BU thing, youll want a bit of a commute, as the area surrounding campus stinks. If youre doing the HES thing, you can find stuff close enough that isnt too pricey that isnt in the 'hood.

HES courses are for the most part at main campus, save for one or two that are taught at the Brigham (sleep physio comes to mind as a Brigham class). Which reminds me-- there are parts of Fenway, Jamaica Plain, and Brookline that are pretty nice and arent too bad price/living conditions-wise that'll put you at about a 30 minute commute to both HES and BU campus.

 

[lightnk102]

Just like how people in NY can't agree on which neighborhood is best, good luck finding people here to agree on which neighborhood is best.

The South End is not "bad" area as someone previously posted. It's full of little restaurants and cafes and completely cute. It's also the gay-borhood of Boston (in case you were violently homophobic, I thought I'd put that out there). I lived in the South End when I was in Boston.

Depending on where you're going to school, I would highly highly highly recommend getting a place that's close to school. Commuting bites. And especially if you're going back to do post-bacc classes, you don't want to be killing time on commuting. Even if it's just a half hour commute, that's an hour of your day spent on the bus/train when it could be another hour of studying (or even better, one extra hour to relax and do something you want to do ).

Harvard Extension School is on Harvard's campus in Cambridge. The area immediately surrounding Harvard is pretty pricey, but as someone else suggested - Central Square is reasonable (I lived there also), and I hear that Porter Square is reasonable too (but I can't personally attest to it).

Back Bay is expensive, as is Beacon Hill.

Allston/Brookline is very much an undergraduate scene, so it tends to be noisier there at night, and your neighbors may be undergraduates. It's also an inconvenient commute to either Harvard or BMC (you never specified what you wer ecoming to Boston for) since you'll have to transfer off the green line to either the #1 bus (for BMC) or to the red line for Harvard.

I spent about 2 or 3 weekends in Boston looking for housing. Along with what everyone else said, I'd recommend coming up in person to get a feel for how far things are from each other before you decide.

 

[mshheaddoc]

Thanks lightnk102.


I am looking at the HES program for 2 years for right now

 

[sidewalkman]

Lots of good advice on this thread. Live with some friends to cut down on costs. Studios cost a lot. Harvard Square is very expensive. I'd suggest Porter, Davis, Central, Inman, and Arlington (near the Alewife stop). All of these are red line accessible, reasonable with 3-4 people, and travelling from these areas via T is good.

Other places. There's Quincy on the southern part of the Red Line, though it takes longer to get to Harvard of course. The upshot is that housing is cheaper. Avoid Dorchester; the areas I've been to weren't the greatest. Some people swear by the Orange Line, especially Malden and Forest Hills, and then transfer to other lines. I haven't heard anything positive about living off the Blue Line; I just use it to get to the airport. The Green Line will get you to Longwood. Some really like Allston and Brighton due to its convenience and inexpensiveness. I think it's just OK due to the 9 billion undergrads in these areas, and those days are over. Just my opinion. Same goes for the area around BC. Note that the Green Line actually branches off into 4 seperate lines. The outer Green Line stops aren't really convenient (if you need the B train; I guarantee 4 E trains will pass by first). From my experiences, the northern part of the Red Line gets my vote for best overall place to live near.

I've never been a fan of buses, so can't comment there.

Get a monthly T pass; they're a bargain compared to crappy Philly transit. Be careful; some of the outlying areas aren't covered by the cheap pass, so you'll have to pay extra for the more expensive pass.

Commuter rail. Unlike Philly, where the regional rail runs often, but is expensive, the Boston regional rail runs less often, but is much less expensive. Unless you know you're going to be in and out of Boston at exact times that mesh with the commuter rail schedule, I'd avoid living someplace that only has commuter rail access.

HTH.

 

[stinkycheese]

Allston/Brookline is very much an undergraduate scene, so it tends to be noisier there at night, and your neighbors may be undergraduates. It's also an inconvenient commute to either Harvard or BMC (you never specified what you wer ecoming to Boston for) since you'll have to transfer off the green line to either the #1 bus (for BMC) or to the red line for Harvard.

Brookline is not really an undergraduate area except for the parts right near BU (Kenmore square). The rest of Brookline is full of young professionals and families. It's a good place to live for Longwood, but not for Harvard main campus. It's more convenient for BMC since you can catch the BU shuttle from the main campus.

For HES, I would recommend living in Porter or Central. One stop away, reasonable prices, and a diverse scene.

 

[Jack1919]

If your going to live across the Charles from Boston - the Central Square area is the best. It's cheap (for Boston), diverse, nice atmosphere. Inman, Davis, Porter, etc are all right up there too. Somerville is really cheap but it can be hard to get to the Redline depending on where you are.

But, dont forget about Boston proper. Personally I think the South End is a cool area. It can very very pricey or cheap. Its very diverse, close to everything, and has a classic Brownstone kind of feel. Some people think its "ghetto" and some think its too "gay," so I guess it depends on your own tolerance of people. Regardless, you wont find better restaurants and tree lined streets anywhere else in Boston.

Don't try to live in the North End. I made that mistake for a year! Its very touristy, and not very diverse. I dare you to try to find anything but Italian food there. You can't. To do that you have to put on your Khaki pants and tuck in your Oxford shirt and go yuck it up with the frat boys and girls at the Sail Loft or in Fanueil Hall. In the summer you'll wake up to Marching bands every Sunday morning. Its endearing at first but you'll grow to hate it. You'll also find the people who've lived there their whole lives endearing at first. It's weird dude!

Anyway, have fun in Boston. Save your money!

 

[redsoxfan]

boston.craigslist.org = all your living arrangement needs.

You don't need your own transportation, use public.

I work at BUMC and commute in (which I dont recommend for a student). One thing to keep in mind about BU is that it is NOT on any T line (subway). YOu Must take a bus. That being said, avoid the green line area (ie brighton, brookline) b/c the green line is wicked slow. Also, avoid areas where you don't want to be walking around late at night, ie Dorchester, Roxbury, etc. Amongst the many bus lines that feed into BU, the 2 most reliable are the CT-1 or #1 (almost same route) and the silverline. The CT-1/#1 buses run you down Mass Ave. from Central Sq in Cambridge, past MIT, and plops you in front of BUMC. The Silverline takes you from Downtown Crossing thru Chinatown (Tufts med) and stops about 2 blocks shy of BU med. It is by far the most reliable b/c although it is a bus, it is an extension of the subway (T) system. (I should warn you though that it is slightly ghetto). If money is no object, I would recommend living in the Southend ($$$) or Backbay ($$$$) and walking to class. If you can't afford that, try living in Cambridge and taking the bus I mentioned. Anything else just gets to be too much of a hassle b/c you're not right along the T and most buses are only every 30min off-peak. Aside from your school commute, Boston is actually a really tiny city once you get to know it. Most of it is very walkable, esp in the nice weather (it does get nice, I swear). For those interested in Harvard's program, Harvard has its own T stop on the red line. Do NOT attempt to drive/park around Harvard square. I know some secret spots to park (for free) around BU, but only way early in the am, and it involves patience and luck... I also went to school in DC, so am familiar with Georgetown area for those of u interested in that SMP....

 

[Morb]

But, dont forget about Boston proper. Personally I think the South End is a cool area. It can very very pricey or cheap. Its very diverse, close to everything, and has a classic Brownstone kind of feel. Some people think its "ghetto" and some think its too "gay," so I guess it depends on your own tolerance of people. Regardless, you wont find better restaurants and tree lined streets anywhere else in Boston.
Anyway, have fun in Boston. Save your money!

im going to HES this fall, my gf knows someone who owns real estate in south end, and said he could get us a top floor, 2 bed room for $800

what is the distance to campus? and/or whats the best way to travel?

thx

 

[PineappleGirl]

im going to HES this fall, my gf knows someone who owns real estate in south end, and said he could get us a top floor, 2 bed room for $800

what is the distance to campus? and/or whats the best way to travel?

thx

Woah, a 2 bed in the South End for $800. Even $800 per room/person would be a good deal. Sounds a little too good to be true. The South End has some pretty sketchy areas. I wonder if it might be one of those. Definitely check this out. Parts of the South End can be kind of scary.
Personally, I really don't like the South End because aside from the occasional sketchiness it is not very accessible by train. To take the train you would likely have to take the Silver Line bus to the Red Line to Harvard. Depending on where you are in the South End this could take upwards of an hour. You could also walk over to Mass Ave and take a bus to Harvard, which might be a better bet, maybe about 30-40 min.

 

[Singing Devil]

Woah, a 2 bed in the South End for $800. Even $800 per room/person would be a good deal. Sounds a little too good to be true. The South End has some pretty sketchy areas. I wonder if it might be one of those. Definitely check this out. Parts of the South End can be kind of scary.
Personally, I really don't like the South End because aside from the occasional sketchiness it is not very accessible by train. To take the train you would likely have to take the Silver Line bus to the Red Line to Harvard. Depending on where you are in the South End this could take upwards of an hour. You could also walk over to Mass Ave and take a bus to Harvard, which might be a better bet, maybe about 30-40 min.

This HAS to be $800 per person. A landlord would be taking a huge hit to charge $800 for two people in the South End, even if it were a high crime area (which really only happens in Roxbury proper). I live in a somewhat sketchy area, just south of Mass Ave, and we pay $1550 for a two-bedroom, and that's a good deal.

 

[lightnk102]

im going to HES this fall, my gf knows someone who owns real estate in south end, and said he could get us a top floor, 2 bed room for $800

what is the distance to campus? and/or whats the best way to travel?

thx

Like Singing Devil said above, it must be $800 per person. Living in the South End means taking the #1 bus to HES (~30 minute ride).

I'd recommend living in Cambridge for a few reasons
a) you'll be within walking distance to HES
b) rent is cheaper, and you get more space for your money

Just so you have a point of reference:
I lived in the South End paying $800 per month for my small room on the top floor of a brownstone building. Add in utilities and internet service, and i was paying about $900-$950 a month (more in the winter). My room could fit my full-sized bed, two small dressers, a small bookcase, with very little floor space leftover.

In Cambridge, I was paying $550 a month in Central Square, utilities included, for a huge corner bedroom with windows along two walls. Central Square is a 10 minute walk to Harvard.

I don't see the purpose of living further away from school, and paying more rent for a smaller space.

 

[redsoxfan]

$800 for a 2BR is unheard of for anywhere in Boston--I would be REALLY skeptical and wouldn't sign anything until u see the place...

 

[Morb]

$800 for a 2BR is unheard of for anywhere in Boston--I would be REALLY skeptical and wouldn't sign anything until u see the place...

when i said knows a real estate owner, the implication was a better deal than could normally be had but from what shes told me, its southy, its nicer than the place we have now and the 1br is 650, i cant prove anything until i sign a lease, im still tempted and inclined to look around central or porter, because id prefer walking distance obviously and from what i gather, those places are ideal in that regard

 

[Law2Doc]

when i said knows a real estate owner, the implication was a better deal than could normally be had but from what shes told me, its southy, its nicer than the place we have now and the 1br is 650, i cant prove anything until i sign a lease, im still tempted and inclined to look around central or porter, because id prefer walking distance obviously and from what i gather, those places are ideal in that regard

FYI "Southy" is not "South End". Southy is South Boston. (Think "Good Will Hunting"). South End is considerably more gentrified, for the most part, so the rent is higher.
But if it is in fact in "South End", be careful to check it out-- there are a couple of subsidized Section 8 housing buildings ("Projects") dispersed in the South End, and so that price might reflect being next door to one (if that bothers you).

 

[Morb]

FYI "Southy" is not "South End". Southy is South Boston. (Think "Good Will Hunting"). South End is considerably more gentrified, for the most part, so the rent is higher.
But if it is in fact in "South End", be careful to check it out-- there are a couple of subsidized Section 8 housing buildings ("Projects") dispersed in the South End, and so that price might reflect being next door to one (if that bothers you).

if southy is south boston, how far away is that from HES?

 

[Law2Doc]

if southy is south boston, how far away is that from HES?

Further than south end. But you should still be able to get there via public transportation. (You can check out http://www.mbta.com to determine what T or bus stop you can be near; Harvard is on the Red Line T.)

 

[PineappleGirl]

if southy is south boston, how far away is that from HES?

If you want to live in Southie, what would be ideal would be to find a place near the Broadway T Stop on the Red Line (which is at the South End/ Southie Border). From the Broadway T Stop you could take the Red Line into Harvard. Check out the MBTA link above. This would take a max of 20 min. In my opinion, it would be a nice commute.
Also, Southie is not as bad as people make it out to be. It is very working class, but most areas are not unsafe. I would actually prefer living in Southie to the South End: much less expensive, much safer feeling (at least for me, this, of course, is subjective) and lots of good pubs. In the South End everything is way way way overpriced.

If anyone wants to PM me I'd be happy to dish Boston neighborhoods. I've lived here for 6 going on 7 years.

 

[wannabedoc34]

How bad is Dorchester? What about the commute? Pros and Cons needed..

 

[Sundarban1]

Commute to where?

 

[skypilot]

How bad is Dorchester? What about the commute? Pros and Cons needed..

Hey, if you are going to Harvard Extension School and are relatively young and unencumbered (no kids) and new to the area, you should live in Cambridge. Porter, Davis, Central are good. Union Square in Somerville would be ok and cheaper if you can ride your bike to school. Dorchester has some rough neighborhoods and if you don't know the area it is better to get to know it before moving there. Quincy is ok but it is more for families. If you like really quiet living, Quincy would be ok. Southie would be ok too as long as you are close to the Red line.

 

[Jack1919]

Not to get into a pissing contest, but anyone who's worrying about the "ghettoness" of boston, please stop. Boston, is really nice and with the exception of property crime that plagues any city, it is really really safe. I have lived in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia - and Boston is by far the most safe and docile of any of the Northeast cities!

That being said, if you're going to HES just do your best to live along the redline somewhere and I think you'll be just fine. It would be ideal to live in Cambridge, Somerville, etc..., but if you have struck out there and downtown Boston (i.e. Symphony, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End) is too expensive, which it often is, then don't be scared off by Dorchester. Dorchester still has some tough areas but compared to ten years ago, it's just fine. Case in point, Savin Hill. Used to be nicknamed "Stab-'n-kill." Today, much nicer, relatively cheap, and right on the red-line. It's still working class, but other than that it's a bunch of U Mass Boston kids and Irish dudes. And, there's other areas like this in Dorchester. Unfortunately, unless you've lived in Boston for awhile and had time to explore, it will probably seem like to much of a risk. After you've lived there awhile, you may be like "what was I afraid of?"

Personally, if I was just moving to Boston for the first time and going to HES, I would try to find a place in Somerville.

 

[wannabedoc34]

Thanks for the info. I will be commuting to BUMC.

 

[PineappleGirl]

Thanks for the info. I will be commuting to BUMC.

The area around UMass Boston in Dorchester is not bad. I have a friend who lives on Dorchester Ave near the JFK/UMass T stop and he's fairly happy with it (although his place did get broken into once), but nothing violent and it's not like there are shootings in the street.

There are several areas of Dorchester that are becoming somewhat gentrified. I don't really know enough about it to recommend a specific area other than the Umass Boston area, which is popular with students (obviously) and relatively safe, but I am sure if you do some research you can find something reasonable and safe in Dorchester.

 

[HailToTheThielf]

whats up!!!! Alright, I lived in Boston for 3 yrs. Went to UMASS....loved it! Best experience of my life! Anyways I read some people taking about southie or dochester. I used to live in dorchester right next to UMASS in apartments called Harbor point apartments. First, yes they are in section 8. But, its not at all what you think. The apartments are awesome and spacey. Yes they are right next to sec 8 but it really isnt that bad. Actually, I lived there for a year and a half before I found out that Harbor point was right next to sec 8. Its not at all like you would think, or like the movies with guys in the corner slanging drugs with guns. Its actually a beautiful apartment complex. Carpet floors, great air conditioning, its right on the bay so there are trails for runners and its actually about half a mile to a small little beach. Its really beautiful. You might be skeptical and think I am "promoting" these apartments. But actually I was in your exact spot and chose Harbor point because it was so close to umass. Also its about 3-4 blocks from the red line T. Trust me, the red line, I think personally, is the main T line and gets you everyone especially from south to north. And in between, are the major stops to cross onto the green line etc. Took about 7 minutes to ride the T to downtown. I would say, for BU, you'd have to take the red line, switch to green line at downtown crossing and that will get you to BU. All in all it would be about a 25-30 minute commute from dorchester. There is also a pool, and a gym at the harbor point aparts. Whats also awesome is that Harbor point apatrments is right next to Star Market, a grocery store, so you can get all your groceriesI met alot of friends there and none of them complained. Actually when I brought people from the city over to my place, they were jealous. You get the same benefit of living in Boston, without having to live in some crappy studio were the AC breaks every three months. Only downfall is that they are a little expensive. I, well my parents helped me out, paid $1450/month for a one bedroom/one living room apart that overlooked the bay. Best view in the whole city of Boston! There might be cheaper ones for rent, youd have to check. You should really check these apartments out. I know they have a webcite. I have to say that my experience in Boston was unforgettable, met the coolest people! Never knew how narrowed minded I was about the world I lived in till I spent three years in the city. Opened my eyes alot! Anyways, goodluck and enjoy the time you have. If you really think about it, this is the best or probably the only time to live in a city. Once we are older and have a family, city life isnt for you. So enjoy it know! Make sure you go to Little stevies pizza off of Mass ave across from Berkley school of music! Best slice of heaven! If you can get there drunk at 2:00 a.m., for some reason the pizza tastes even better. Good Luck!

 

[wannabedoc34]

So far, Boston seems like a nice place. But, I feel like there's a strong racial tension between racial groups in Boston? I don't know why..

 

[scooter31]

So far, Boston seems like a nice place. But, I feel like there's a strong racial tension between racial groups in Boston? I don't know why..

There are a lot of ethnic groups here, in a very confined area, so youre going to have tensions. Having lived in other major cities (SF, LA, Las Vegas, Memphis, Little Rock, Dallas, Denver, Sacramento), Boston is in the middle in the continuum of "hate my neighbours' sentiment. The poorer areas of town have problems with law enforcement, and theres the odd hate crime here and there in Back Bay-- the same as anywhere else.

This is just my opinion, that of a white male raised in a lower middle class type of setting most of my life-- hopefully other Bostonians of other ilks will chime and give their $0.02 worth.

 

[Sundarban1]

There are a lot of ethnic groups here, in a very confined area, so youre going to have tensions. Having lived in other major cities (SF, LA, Las Vegas, Memphis, Little Rock, Dallas, Denver, Sacramento), Boston is in the middle in the continuum of "hate my neighbours' sentiment. The poorer areas of town have problems with law enforcement, and theres the odd hate crime here and there in Back Bay-- the same as anywhere else.

This is just my opinion, that of a white male raised in a lower middle class type of setting most of my life-- hopefully other Bostonians of other ilks will chime and give their $0.02 worth.

Yeh it's called big city living. Time to grow up.

 

[Jack1919]

So far, Boston seems like a nice place. But, I feel like there's a strong racial tension between racial groups in Boston? I don't know why..

I think your actually being quite aware... Boston has a history of poor race relations i.e the busing riots. The Red Sox were actually the last MLB to integrate their roster. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that in the 60's and 70's Boston had a racist reputation and today it's still the third whitest metropolitan area in the U.S.

Ever see a black man or woman in the North End, Beacon Hill, or at a Red Sox game?.. Maybe, but it's not common. I'm not saying this implies racism, but Boston is not exactly "The Hub" of diversity either.

Here's a link: http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/11.07/09-racism.html

So don't tell the poster to grow-up... He/she is actually being astute...

 

[scooter31]

Yeh it's called big city living. Time to grow up.

I think I've done plenty of growing up and have done so in some pretty racially tolerant (and some intolerant) places... what's your point?

 

[Sundarban1]

I think I've done plenty of growing up and have done so in some pretty racially tolerant (and some intolerant) places... what's your point?

Oh not you, the one who just asked about racial divide. Its all over big cities. You deal with it.

 

[Sundarban1]

I think your actually being quite aware... Boston has a history of poor race relations i.e the busing riots. The Red Sox were actually the last MLB to integrate their roster. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that in the 60's and 70's Boston had a racist reputation and today it's still the third whitest metropolitan area in the U.S.

Ever see a black man or woman in the North End, Beacon Hill, or at a Red Sox game?.. Maybe, but it's not common. I'm not saying this implies racism, but Boston is not exactly "The Hub" of diversity either.

Here's a link: http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/11.07/09-racism.html

So don't tell the poster to grow-up... He/she is actually being astute...

Wow, how astute? Realizing that any city with large diverse populations struggle with racial tension is a revolutionary observation. How dare I question its origionality?

Yeh, so why is this not on the cover of every Boston news headline?

Maybe because someone who has never lived in a big city needs to get out more and see what city life really means.

 

[jamesrd]

Thing is, you speak with anyone who's spent time living in other major cities and they're blown away by Boston's segregation. Maybe you need to spend more than a few months here to figure it out entirely. I've been living in the city for 6 years and trust me, Boston has massive racial issues.

And if it'll take the newspaper to realize Boston has unique race issues, you can check this out

 

[wannabedoc34]

I've lived in major cities all my life. I'm sure there are racial tensions in every city. It is just that in Boston, I feel like it is a bit stronger.

 

[skypilot]

I agree with what has been said. There are definitely problems in Boston. Some of the neighborhoods still have residual segregation. But Boston is very small and we are all jammed together and connected by the subways and we all see and have to live with each other every day. The South End where BU is located is one of the more integrated neighborhoods in the city.

 

[jays2cool4u]

How long have you lived here in Boston Sundarban1?

 

[eshanim]

honestly, this is a HUGE topic in boston at all times. the reality is it's not just the typical urban city issue, it's a very particular breed of segregation that you can sort of sense at times. it's not like it hits you in the face every day, but you can feel that underlying sense of it especially if you note the way the city is organized and the clash of the 'white irish' typical bostonians with minorities ... not to mention the old money elite and the uppity 'high society', lily pulitzer types. and i really hate to minimize it like that, but it's really true overall. it's def. not just a big-city phenomena type of thing in boston. people coming to boston from all over talk about really quite often ... but aside from all that underlying tension, boston has def. been notably more assimilated and those unpsoken 'barriers' between communities and neighborhoods are much less defined than before. a lot more fluidity lately

 

[Lacheln]

FWIW - I have lived in Southie for 6 years. Prior to that I was a student in Cambridge. I moved to Southie because it's right on the red line (Broadway or Andrew) and is much cheaper than anywhere on the red line in Cambridge, assuming a non-multiple roommate situation (Yes, you can get $400-500/month rent if you're willing to live with 4 other people. I'm not). I used to live right near the projects on Broadway, and never felt unsafe. I now live on the water, in a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, gorgeous place with fireplace and skylights, a view of the water, backyard, 2 decks, for $1650. You're not going to find that in Cambridge, that's for damn sure.

Southie is very accessible to downtown, 93, and 90, so for me that's ideal. I actually feel rather trapped in Cambridge, especially east Cambridge or Somerville, b/c it takes so long to get anywhere else.

As for racial tensions in the city, I've lived all over the country and Boston is definitely bad, but it's in a subtle way, not an outright violence sort of way. You just don't see people mixing all that much. I'm white and lived in a black dorm my freshman year of college. I had a ton of black friends in college, but post-college I only have a few b/c the circles don't overlap all that much.