Safe Neighborhoods in Boston or surrounding area for a single woman?

Question

I'm from a large city in wisconsin and am thinking about moving to Boston or the surrounding area. I would like to know where would be a safe area to move to for a single 26y/o women?

Answer 1

I personally like Brookline a lot, although it's expensive (even by Boston standards!) It's got easy public transportation to downtown, and it's very safe and you can walk everywhere. There are lots of great restaurants and bars and stores and parks and stuff - it's a great area. Also Allston/Brighton are good (although lots of college students and college bars so there will be drunk college kids, but it's not a bad area). Also the Back Bay (again, kinda expensive but nice) Cambridge, Watertown, Quincy, or parts of Somerville (particularly around Davis or Porter Squares) are all nice.

Answer 2

For Single Women, there are a few options.

Brookline is a very good choice. I lived there for 2 1/2 years and enjoyed it. Lots of shops and boutiques, an independent movie theatre, multiple churches/synagogues, two grocery stores, and plenty of families and mid year people. Not overcrowded with college kids, and a nice residential side of city life that is still very close to the city. The T ride takes anywhere for 20-30mins, green train, C line. it mgiht also be a really good transition into "boston culture." This is my first recommendation.

I don't recommend brighton unless you have a car but even then, Brighton isn't my favorite part of the city. Just consider Allston out as well - too many college kids, too much going on - late night parties, oublic drunkenness, too many "bars." That area is good to party in but I wouldn't recommend living there. Also, not as safe as some areas.

When considering living closer to the city: Back Bay and Beacon Hill are great. Easily accessible to eveything. Safe, and plenty of people. Prices are higher, but you can find nice studios for 900-1200 a month. I live in beacon hill now and I love it! I feel totally safe, and its easy to access the T. Whole foods is up the street, and I am nearby all the great bars, the movie theatre, restaurants and my work as well. back Bay is an equally desirable area - Commonwealth Ave - Marlborough Street - Newbury Street - Beacon Street. Be careful if you are working with a realtor. Just explain that you are not interested in properties that are overpopulated with college kids, and you'll do fine.

Another fine option is Cambridge - Kendall Square, Central Square, Harvard Square, and Porter Square. A little older, but great self-contained areas with residentail living in mind but in easy proximity to the T and Downtown.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I am going to contradict one of the earlier answers. I am a single girl who lives in an apartment alone and I live in the Dorchester section of Boston. I love it and feel very safe. I will agree that since Dorchester is huge, there are safe sections and not so safe sections. But I hate when people make the generalization that all of Dorchester is "bad"! The neighborhood I live in is called Adams Village and it is a very safe neighborhood! In fact, many of my neighbors are Boston Police Officers and Firefighters! There are lots of families and local small businesses and it is a really tight-knit community. I would recommend looking at the following areas in Dorchester: Adams Village and Lower Mills, and the following nearby cities and towns: Quincy, Milton, Weymouth, Cambridge (again, there are some safer parts than others). The best thing to do is visit different areas and see how YOU feel there. Good luck with your search!

Answer 4

Boston is generally a comparatively safe city everywhere.

Alli B seems to be prejudiced against Allston-Brighton because of its college kids, but street noise at bar closing times does not a dangerous-for-women neighborhood make, as Mike R. states, and the area is also an ethnic polyglot with so many great places to eat and meet people.

One richly endowed (with lots of local shops and neighborhood vitality) area quite safe for women and not swamped with bars and students not mentioned above would be Jamaica Plain because of its large - but not overwhelming!!! - population of lesbians, many of whom are young professionals or couples, many with children.

I'm assuming you're from Milwaukee (the only "large" city in Wisconsin) and wish to live in Boston in a neighborhood with plenty of urban excitement and stores within walking distance or just a short subway hop away. If not, boston r's suggestion of Winchester can be compared to Whitefish Bay without the lake. Boston (actually Boston-Cambridge) is much greater a cosmopolitan place than Milwaukee, though slightly less than Chicago; alas there are many fine places to eat there as yet no Serbian-Croatian restaurants like what can be found in Milwaukee's south side. But the local beers in Boston from its brewpubs and New England micro-breweries are better! (Even more so in nearby Portland, ME, a city much worth a couple of days holiday when you are here in the summer; in fact if "surrounding area" includes interesting and livable but cheaper cities within a 2hr drive or train ride from Boston you might even wish to consider it to live in and work out of; also Providence (1 hr away)).

Answer 5

Winchester and Cambridge are very safe.Winchester is about 7 miles from downtown and Cambridge is around 4 or 5.

Answer 6

If you want Boston Proper,the north end.In the burbs,Cambridge.

Answer 7

Try Belmont.