As a long-time Cantabridgian (no more, alas!), I find the suggestions that one consider living in Quincy (south of Boston) and commuting to Cambridge to be… very puzzling. That’s a reeeaaaally long commute on the Red Line, going from one end of it, all the way through downtown Boston, clear to the other end. And a driving nightmare, if ever that came up.
I suppose it wouldn’t be that bad if both home and office were within an easy walk of a station, but if a bus were required on either end it would be rather unpleasant. Watertown, Belmont, Somerville, Medford and Arlington all come to mind as more reasonable places to start. Parts of Cambridge definitely fall into the “expensive for what you get yard-wise and SqFt-wise” category, but I wouldn’t rule living in Cambridge out completely either.
More details about what you’re looking for and where in Cambridge the office is would probably help. Car vs. no car is also an important consideration for a number of reasons.
I’m puzzled too. I live in Somerville, right on the Cambridge line and there is semi-affordable housing to found in our little burb, as well as a bunch of stuff along the commuter rail lines that run into Porter. Where you work in Cambridge will make a big difference, as well as if you ever plan to drive to work.
There’s nothing wrong with living in Quincy (or so I’m told) but the majority of folks who work in Cambridge live north and west of the city, not south. If you’re not worried about schools your options are pretty good. I lived in Arlington for years and commuted into Kendall/MIT and it’s an easy commute. You can also live further out in the burbs and drive to Alewife and take the Red Line in from there.
I lived in East Arlington and walked to Alewife or you can easily take the bus to Harvard Sq from most places in Arlington. Not everwhere in Quincy is near the T stop; you’d have to do the same thing there. Medford is on the Commuter Rail line, Somerville has easy access to the T or buses that go straight to the major parts of Cambridge, buses go from Watertown Sq to Harvard Sq. Belmont is easy access to Alewife.
Anything within easy walking distance of a T stop is higher priced, but you can still find reasonable places to stay. If you’re willing to take a bus or walk a distance to the T the range of opportunities in these towns is pretty big.
There’s also a bike trail that runs from Alewife (northern end on the Red Line) west-northwest through Arlington, Lexington, and Bedford. Find a place near that and you can ride to Alewife, take the subway into Cambridge (there’s a pretty secure looking bike shelter at the station), and then back again in the evening. It’s mostly downhill coming inbound, so you wouldn’t get too sweaty, and might even be plowed in the winter.
Sure, but a long straight ride from Quincy is roughly comparable to, say, taking a 10 min bus ride to Alewife and then transferring to the red line. It’s not the most convenient location but it’s a hell of a lot closer than just about anywhere on the commuter rail.
There are some useful maps out there that scale the transit maps based on travel time, or overlay travel time on geographical maps. The official T map really distorts a lot of things to give you an easily readable picture. For instance, this maps the T according to travel time from down town, and this one is for the Commuter Rail. (Remember to add 20-30 minutes to get from North or South Station to Cambridge). This map plots the travel time to any point in Boston onto a map of the city.
This is what we came to. My husband was looking at all possibilities and finally decided that one trip, even if it’s longer, was more convenient than multiple, closer trips. And since we’re not relocating, school districts aren’t an issue. He just wants a nice apartment building close to the T without having to transfer. His company does not have parking in Cambridge, so he really doesn’t want to drive. There are multiple T stops in Quincy, so it ups the chance he’s in a reasonable distance to one.
Last summer the housing market in Cambridge and surrounding communities was absolutely crazy. We are talking offers that were not only several tens of thousands over asking, but also people were waiving inspection. Just to warn you, buying a house in or around Cambridge will be a trying experience.
On the other hand, rental prices are even more insane.
And barring any delays, you could easily be in Cambridge in 15-20 minutes.
Back when I worked in Boston/Cambridge it took me roughly 45 minutes from my door. The bus stop is at the end of my street, and during rush hour they ran every 15 minutes. Bus to T stop – maybe 10-15 minutes, depending on traffic. The train would already be there when I got off the bus. 15-20 minutes down the Red Line – there you go!
I can’t speak to life in other neighborhoods - it’s been a very long time since we moved to East Arlington, but I can speak to my neighborhood and the T in general.
I live in East Arlington, within walking distance of the red line at Alewife. I think our neighborhood is quite affordable, though there’s really no such thing as a single family house here - all 2 or 3 deckers that went condo, so you’d need to be ok with condo living.
I would not live in Arlington if I couldn’t walk to the red line. The 77 bus during rush hour is unbearable - I have on some occasions walked the 2 miles home from Porter Square faster than the bus traveled along Mass Ave. It’s not unusual to be passed up by multiple buses when they are full. If you are able to commute outside the hours of 7:30-9:30am and 4:30-7:00 pm the 77 bus is a reasonable way to travel. There’s also the 79 and 350 out of Alewife but those are both miserable during rush hours as well because they have to go through the Rt 2 / Rt 16 mess.
Any transfer adds at least 10 minutes to your trip during perfect commuting. Expect it to add 20-30 minutes during normal T screw-ups and more than that if things get really bad. So a long red line ride from Quincy to Harvard would be preferable to a bus-to-subway transfer. If you have to make more than one transfer DON’T LIVE THERE!
I am talking so much about the T because you won’t get parking at Harvard. Trust me. You can get on the waiting list, but don’t expect a parking permit sooner than 2 years from now. And then your permit only guarantees you the right to look for a space.
IMHO, reasonable commutes (that I am familiar with) to Harvard Square would be:
Watertown as long as you can walk to the 71 bus. The 71 bus is shockingly reliable and it’s fun to ride the trackless trolley.
East Arlington within walking distance to Alewife (unless commuting outside rush) or within an easy bike ride to the bike path (which is plowed in the winter but studded tires are a must) There are also lots of brave souls who bike along Mass Ave to Harvard but I am not that brave.
Somerville within walking distance of a bus that goes in and out of Davis Square or Porter Square but not the 83 route. Much better to be within walking distance to Davis Square or Porter Square stations
Anywhere on the Fitchburg Commuter Rail line - transfer at Porter for the red line or walk to Harvard from there (it’s close)
ETA - don’t rely on any commute that has no options. If your only way to get where you’re going is to ride the X bus, the day that X bus is royally screwed you’re screwed too. I consider anything less than a 4-mile walk feasible in dire circumstances.
I was in East Arlington for 10 years, right by Magnolia Park. Small world.
I commuted to Kendall Sq either by walking to Alewife and getting the T, taking the 77 bus (it wasn’t *THAT *bad) or biking. The bike trip to Harvard Sq will be the fastest method by far from a place like East Arlington.
I now live in Somerville, on the Cambridge line. We walk to Harvard all the time as it’s the closest T station (for now, come on Green Line Union Square station!) There are many fairly reasonable renting options but we’ll need to know your budget to really judge anything.
I biked Mass Ave for several years, year round. In winter things are a little hairy but it’s definitely a commute that can be done by most. There are many bike lines and lots of cyclists, but you’ll have to keep your wits about you. I think Boston is a very bikeable city.
I have lived in Dallas, NYC and now the burbs of Boston and I can honestly say that Massachusetts drivers are the worst I’ve ever seen. I love everything about MA except the insane driving. If you are going to bike here I’d be extremely careful.
I was based in Cambridge (school-wise) for seven years at Harvard. First year was in a Harvard Planning & Real Estate apartment right across from Wigglesworth Hall (1306 Mass Ave), and it was a cube, basically. The best I could say about it is that it was always warm in there.
We then moved to Watertown, just off Mt. Auburn. I absolutely loved living there. Watertown feels different than Cambridge - you’ve got the beautiful Mt. Auburn Cemetery, and it’s got a vibe that’s more laid back IMO. As was mentioned upthread, the 71 trolley is as reliable as the Red Line. (Newcomers often pay out the nose to live near a Red Line stop and are amazed that the trolley lines are just as frequent.)
I could ride my bike to Harvard Square in 10 minutes. Maybe 7 if I was hauling ass. And while we had a car, it was more for doing shopping and trips out of town. Mt. Auburn rolls past a big Star Market, some cool diners, and very nice middle-class homes. I have no idea how much they go for, but our rent was $1550 from 2001 to 2007.
It’s very scenic. The Charles winds through the town, nice trails, the Arsenal is a cool place to eat and shop, and the Perkins School is peaceful and serene. Yes, I am an unpaid staff member of the Watertown Chamber of Commerce.
It was totally weird (not in a good way) when I saw Boylston Street on the news when the Boston bombers were holding the neighborhood under siege.
