Moving to Boston, attending HSPH

[IbypassYou]

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Hello there,
let's start a thread for those of us who will move to boston next summer to attend a program at HSPH. Let's see if we can share thoughts, suggestions, tips and other info.
I will personally move from Canada, with 2 kids.
I'd like to know first of all:
- where to live; does it worth to live close to HSPH or it is too expensive? Otherwise which are the good and safe neighborhoods that are also well connected with HSPH?
- any suggestions for schools (my kids are in pre-school actually)?
- does it woth to bring the car or parking is a mess and expensive?
- any experience with Harvard Housing?

All suggestions will be appreciated.

I am sorry maybe this thread is a little too early, as people are still receiving acceptances/rejections.. but let's start collecting data... personally I have to figure out few things before final acceptance of April 15, first of all the school for the kids...

thank you all

 

[vivace]

Hello there IBypassYou. Glad to see another Canadian attending HSPH this fall. I plan on moving late August but unlike you, will not relocate my family. I was accepted in the MPH Environmental and Occupational concentration- there does not seem go be a lot of us around. I'm presently in occ med in a government organization.
I would be interested in reviewing the options of living on campus, at Shattuck International Residence or offsite. I'm also undecided wether I should bring my car or not - I'm sure my teenager would appreciate my leaving it at home. Any tips and suggestions would be welcome.

 

[EpiWin]

Boston has exceptional mass transit, and coupled with the high cost of parking and heavy congestion on the main roads you'll be alright not having a car around. Also, living so close to the campus at Shattuck means you'll never really need a car to travel. I've lived here five years and got around perfectly on buses and trains, but in case you do need a car, Boston is completely littered with Zipcars in case you ever do need something more substantial.

 

[Jamiefrances]

Hello there,
let's start a thread for those of us who will move to boston next summer to attend a program at HSPH. Let's see if we can share thoughts, suggestions, tips and other info.
I will personally move from Canada, with 2 kids.
I'd like to know first of all:
- where to live; does it worth to live close to HSPH or it is too expensive? Otherwise which are the good and safe neighborhoods that are also well connected with HSPH?
- any suggestions for schools (my kids are in pre-school actually)?
- does it woth to bring the car or parking is a mess and expensive?
- any experience with Harvard Housing?

All suggestions will be appreciated.

I am sorry maybe this thread is a little too early, as people are still receiving acceptances/rejections.. but let's start collecting data... personally I have to figure out few things before final acceptance of April 15, first of all the school for the kids...

thank you all

That's so exciting! I'm not attending Harvard (though I am hoping for and waiting on BU!) but I am from about an hour west of Boston originally and my relatives still live there. I really like the Reading/Peabody area, and there are some great schools there, but I think that would be a bit of a commute for you, though I think you can take the T from there. I think driving around the city can be pretty awful, but yeah, public transportation is really awesome, and Zipcars are amazing too, so you would likely be okay without a car. MA is beautiful,in a great spot geographically, and is small enough that you can visit other states and cities pretty easily, which is kind of cool, but you can also take trains and buses, so even for this a car isn't completely necessary.

I may be biased here, but I think MA has some of the best primary/secondary schools (and colleges too!) in the US. Sorry if this advice isn't helpful, I've been outside of MA for quite a while now...

Good luck figuring everything out! I hope I can soon add myself to the list of people moving to Boston. I'm homesick 🙁

 

[fall2012]

Hi all,

I am still to decide between Harvard and Hopkins. Though a 70% chance is to opt for HSPH. I am an Indian and in the Global Health stream. I heard that the cost of living in Boston is really high. If any one know about it please post.

 

[Kalla]

I live in Brighton, a neighborhood in Boston, and I can't tell you much about its school system, but I can provide you a little more perspective on costs 🙂

Brighton and Chestnut Hill are nice areas to live, and they are connected to the Green Line in terms of mass transportation. I live off Commonwealth Ave in a nice, quiet neighborhood. Costs aren't too bad in terms of apartments, which isn't really saying much, since Boston can be pretty expensive Stay away from the Allston neighborhood though! Lots of noisy college kids! (but Allston offers the cheapest of housing so that's a big plus)

I've heard Brookline is perfect for families, and I have peeked my head in around that area on my travels through the city. Nice restaurants, shops, and housing. I have also heard good things about their school system - so I'm sure you can find a decent place to live there.

I agree about the ZipCar as well - if you don't need a car, don't bring one. I hardly ever use mine and I'm in Brighton! I find everything I need on the subway. Good luck!

 

[EpiWin]

I've heard Brookline is perfect for families, and I have peeked my head in around that area on my travels through the city. Nice restaurants, shops, and housing. I have also heard good things about their school system - so I'm sure you can find a decent place to live there.

Absolutely agree with Brookline, it's a decently priced neighborhood, very safe, and most importantly, is quiet and comprised mostly of families. There are a couple T stops that service Brookline (Green Line, D) which take you directly to Longwood, with maybe a 10+ min walk to the school.

Stay away from the Allston neighborhood though!

If you're coming without a family, cost is a big consideration, and you enjoy going out to restaurants, concerts, bars, etc., Allston is a terrific choice. There are quieter parts of the neighborhood further north in Lower Allston, I've found it's mainly the areas around Allston Village near the T that the college kids congregate 🙄. In Allston, you'll likely be accessing Longwood via the 66 bus, which can be hit or miss. The written schedules are not reliable, so be sure to get an app on your smartphone that will track the locations of the buses so you can time your departure.

 

[Stories]

Absolutely agree with Brookline, it's a decently priced neighborhood, very safe, and most importantly, is quiet and comprised mostly of families. There are a couple T stops that service Brookline (Green Line, D) which take you directly to Longwood, with maybe a 10+ min walk to the school.

I lived in Brookline a few years. I agree it's a great place to live, but the cost of your apartment will directly correlate with how close you are to a T line. It's quiet, but there are a lot of little annoyances associated with living in a wealthy city (such as no overnight parking on the streets/meters).

I also shared a 6-bedroom/2-bath house near Coolidge Corner, 2 blocks from the Summit Ave stop (green C line) with 5 others for $3600/mo (no utilities) back in 2006.

My 4-bedroom/2-bath apartment in Coolidge Corner (half a block from the St. Paul stop on the green C line) I shared with 3 others was $2900/mo (no utilities) back in 2007. This was a much nicer location, IMO.

 

[fall2012]

I lived in Brookline a few years. I agree it's a great place to live, but the cost of your apartment will directly correlate with how close you are to a T line. It's quiet, but there are a lot of little annoyances associated with living in a wealthy city (such as no overnight parking on the streets/meters).

I also shared a 6-bedroom/2-bath house near Coolidge Corner, 2 blocks from the Summit Ave stop (green C line) with 5 others for $3600/mo (no utilities) back in 2006.

My 4-bedroom/2-bath apartment in Coolidge Corner (half a block from the St. Paul stop on the green C line) I shared with 3 others was $2900/mo (no utilities) back in 2007. This was a much nicer location, IMO.

Finally Someone has put some insight into the rates.Thank you Stories.. Can you tell me a range how much a 1 bedroom+ bath apt gonna cost in the above said area?

 

[IbypassYou]

Guys,
thank you all for this terrific suggestions! You are really great!

That's so exciting! I'm not attending Harvard (though I am hoping for and waiting on BU!) but I am from about an hour west of Boston originally and my relatives still live there. I really like the Reading/Peabody area, and there are some great schools there, but I think that would be a bit of a commute for you, though I think you can take the T from there. I think driving around the city can be pretty awful, but yeah, public transportation is really awesome, and Zipcars are amazing too, so you would likely be okay without a car. MA is beautiful,in a great spot geographically, and is small enough that you can visit other states and cities pretty easily, which is kind of cool, but you can also take trains and buses, so even for this a car isn't completely necessary.

The car issue is a big one, I have 2 kids and a baby coming soon, I am addicted to the car and just cannot imagine going around with 2 kids and a baby with the bus or train.. but here in Canada is different, I understand that in Boston the public service is netter.. let's see, of course with no car, no insurance, no parking bills, it's extra money for something else...

I may be biased here, but I think MA has some of the best primary/secondary schools (and colleges too!) in the US. Sorry if this advice isn't helpful, I've been outside of MA for quite a while now...

Good luck figuring everything out! I hope I can soon add myself to the list of people moving to Boston. I'm homesick 🙁

just a question, maybe in the US is different form Canada: my daughters are 5 and 3; can they go to the public school? Is it free?

I live in Brighton, a neighborhood in Boston, and I can't tell you much about its school system, but I can provide you a little more perspective on costs 🙂

Brighton and Chestnut Hill are nice areas to live, and they are connected to the Green Line in terms of mass transportation. I live off Commonwealth Ave in a nice, quiet neighborhood. Costs aren't too bad in terms of apartments, which isn't really saying much, since Boston can be pretty expensive Stay away from the Allston neighborhood though! Lots of noisy college kids! (but Allston offers the cheapest of housing so that's a big plus)

I've heard Brookline is perfect for families, and I have peeked my head in around that area on my travels through the city. Nice restaurants, shops, and housing. I have also heard good things about their school system - so I'm sure you can find a decent place to live there.

I agree about the ZipCar as well - if you don't need a car, don't bring one. I hardly ever use mine and I'm in Brighton! I find everything I need on the subway. Good luck!

thanks a lot, I think I will look for Brookline, CHestnut and Longwood areas, so it will be not too far from me and my family would also be safe and enjoy living in Boston

Absolutely agree with Brookline, it's a decently priced neighborhood, very safe, and most importantly, is quiet and comprised mostly of families. There are a couple T stops that service Brookline (Green Line, D) which take you directly to Longwood, with maybe a 10+ min walk to the school.



If you're coming without a family, cost is a big consideration, and you enjoy going out to restaurants, concerts, bars, etc., Allston is a terrific choice. There are quieter parts of the neighborhood further north in Lower Allston, I've found it's mainly the areas around Allston Village near the T that the college kids congregate 🙄. In Allston, you'll likely be accessing Longwood via the 66 bus, which can be hit or miss. The written schedules are not reliable, so be sure to get an app on your smartphone that will track the locations of the buses so you can time your departure.

I lived in Brookline a few years. I agree it's a great place to live, but the cost of your apartment will directly correlate with how close you are to a T line. It's quiet, but there are a lot of little annoyances associated with living in a wealthy city (such as no overnight parking on the streets/meters).

I also shared a 6-bedroom/2-bath house near Coolidge Corner, 2 blocks from the Summit Ave stop (green C line) with 5 others for $3600/mo (no utilities) back in 2006.

My 4-bedroom/2-bath apartment in Coolidge Corner (half a block from the St. Paul stop on the green C line) I shared with 3 others was $2900/mo (no utilities) back in 2007. This was a much nicer location, IMO.

 

[Stories]

Finally Someone has put some insight into the rates.Thank you Stories.. Can you tell me a range how much a 1 bedroom+ bath apt gonna cost in the above said area?

I had a friend who lived at 1223 Beacon St in Brookline. If you Google map it, you'll see it's literally 5 steps from a T stop.

She had a 500sqft 1-bed/1-bath and it was ~$1500/mo with heat included. Included a bedroom A/C unit. She lived there for 4 years because the location was unbeatable. Great location for a HSPH student, she was a postdoc at Harvard.

She moved because she got married (to a friend of mine I introduced to her!) and they now rent a 2-bed place deeper into Brookline (further from the C line). But I don't know what they pay for their 2-bed place. It's much nicer and has central air (so I can only imagine it's very expensive).

I have another couple friends that live in a 2-bed place at 1020 Beacon St (closer by a few blocks to Boston), and they pay somewhere in the ~$2000/mo range. Don't know the specifics, though. Very nice apartment, though. No central A/C, though.

Quick gander at Craig's List shows 2-bed units in Coolidge Corner are all $2k+/mo. (http://boston.craigslist.org/search/aap?query=coolidge+corner&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=&bedrooms=2)
1-bed units seem to go somewhere in the $1400-1800 range (http://boston.craigslist.org/search/aap?query=coolidge+corner&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=&bedrooms=1)

 

[Jamiefrances]

Guys,
thank you all for this terrific suggestions! You are really great!





just a question, maybe in the US is different form Canada: my daughters are 5 and 3; can they go to the public school? Is it free?




thanks a lot, I think I will look for Brookline, CHestnut and Longwood areas, so it will be not too far from me and my family would also be safe and enjoy living in Boston

I don't want to tell you wrong because I'm kind of young (just turned 22 on March 1st) so I don't have kids, and when I went I was pretty young, but I think public school is free if you live in the state and city (which you will, when you attend Harvard.) It never hurts to call and ask the schools though! Sorry I can't help you out with that 🙁

 

[fall2012]

I had a friend who lived at 1223 Beacon St in Brookline. If you Google map it, you'll see it's literally 5 steps from a T stop.

She had a 500sqft 1-bed/1-bath and it was ~$1500/mo with heat included. Included a bedroom A/C unit. She lived there for 4 years because the location was unbeatable. Great location for a HSPH student, she was a postdoc at Harvard.

She moved because she got married (to a friend of mine I introduced to her!) and they now rent a 2-bed place deeper into Brookline (further from the C line). But I don't know what they pay for their 2-bed place. It's much nicer and has central air (so I can only imagine it's very expensive).

I have another couple friends that live in a 2-bed place at 1020 Beacon St (closer by a few blocks to Boston), and they pay somewhere in the ~$2000/mo range. Don't know the specifics, though. Very nice apartment, though. No central A/C, though.

Quick gander at Craig's List shows 2-bed units in Coolidge Corner are all $2k+/mo. (http://boston.craigslist.org/search/aap?query=coolidge+corner&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=&bedrooms=2)
1-bed units seem to go somewhere in the $1400-1800 range (http://boston.craigslist.org/search/aap?query=coolidge+corner&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=&bedrooms=1)

Stories,
Thank you for such a detailed response. "Minimum 2K for me to stay there.. .. Dont know what to do. If anyone here can find a safe 1 Bed and bath apt, at range of 1500 please let me know.

thank you.