Move to Boston
 

I am contemplating moving form Denver to Boston (though it is only in the early stages). Boston is one of my favorite cities in the US. I love the history of Boston, the diversity and the nightlife. It has alot of cool neighborhoods such as Beacon Hill, Chinatown, Little Italy and the South End. Also I would love living in a city with so many colleges. I know winters are cold but that dies not bother me. So I am wondering what everyones oppinion of Boston is in terms of liveability? What are some good neighborhoods to live in that are right in the city?

You should really give us an idea of what you can afford and if you want to buy or own. The downtown neighborhoods you mention are among the most expensive properties in the country. If you can not afford those areas, consider Somerville or Allston-Brighton or South Boston.

There is plenty to do, but Boston does not have nearly the nightlife of Chicago or NYC.

I really enjoy the people of Boston, but developing a social life takes time as people are generally stand-off ish at first.

If you do not have the money to spend I would suggest Philly or Chicago.

I lived in Boston and an inner suburb for 25 years and pretty much loved it all the time. The location of the city, with mountain hiking and skiing or beaches and sailing both within easy distance makes it more or less unique except for the Bay area and maybe LA. Except for opera, almost any kind of music you want is readily available, and there are good places to eat in every price category, to say nothing of clubs, bookstores, etc.

If you were coming from the Bay area or NY, housing wouldn't seem so bad, but coming from most other places, it is expensive. The good news is that prices for houses or condos are falling fairly quickly, though owners don't necessarily want to admit that. Rentals are a bit firmer, but for the first time, I have seen "one month free" in some ads for rentals in the suburbs.

Is it a great place? Yes. Can you afford to live there? Check out Craig's List, which gives a more realistic price than more formal sources.

Boston is a great place to live and weather-wise, coming from Denver, shouldn't be a big deal.

The big deal is cost of living. I love living here but I'm not sure if I'd move to Boston if I was from a lower COL area. You're going to have to spend $750K for a 2 bedroom apt in the areas that you've mentioned. And you really have to live a good hour outside of Boston to find a range of more affordable property.

This is a bad week to ask this question of Bostonians -- they're all outside chipping four inches of ice off their sidewalks.

Wyatt's real estate prices are accurate for downtown, but somewhat inflated for the suburbs; I live in the town of Milton, which borders Boston on the south, and there are plenty of 3 and 4 bedroom homes available for under $500K.

If you want to be 'in' Boston the prices will be more expensive generally - TKT gave you some good ideas for other neighborhoods than you mentioned where you can find places - and look on Craigs list.
Not knowing what your ballpark is, you may want to list that for more specific info.

I would also suggest looking on the MBTA.com page to see where the T would take you, which may give you an idea of other neighborhoods to look at and/or if things on Craigs List are mentioned by these other areas - you'll know approx where they are if public transport is something you would need or use. Same with their bus schedules online.

Many people also live 'outside' of Boston towards the south shore or north of the city - Quincy, Milton, Braintree - where you might find something more affordable (but again, maybe you can afford the areas you mentioned)

The train is almost completed from Boston to many south shore towns, which opens some options if public transport is important, but if you want to be closer to the heart of the city, I think the MBTA site might help you get a feel for those parameters.

No useful info here, just a comment. We moved here in 1971 and have always loved it. I still cannot help but smile from ear to ear everytime I hear, "I love that dirty water, oh yeah Boston, you're my home". :)

I grew up in Boston and so I am biased... but I don't think there is a better city in the country to choose as home. There is just SO much offered there for so many different people. It is a great city for sports, arts, food, education, history, parks... you name it! The only drawback? It is INSANELY expensive. The only reason I am away from Boston in the moment is I could not find any nice spot to live in on a teacher's salary. The winter would be a drawback for many, too... I just grew used to it. Good luck with your move!

Well, I'm sure you can tell from my screen name but I'm clearly biased :)

I've been living here for many years and absolutely love it, cannot see myself moving away from the area.

A neighborhood that noone's mentioned yet is Bay Village. It's a cute, tiny neighborhood right in between Back Bay, the South End and the Theatre District. More affordable than either Back Bay or the South End.

Sure, the nightlife is not like CHI or NYC, but there's still plenty to do, between the various neighborhoods of Boston, Cambridge, Somerville... I still have a long, running list of places that I've yet to hit for both restaurants and bars.

Not to mention, the location, with close proximity to both the beach and mountains, is ideal.

Good luck!