What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in Boston, MA?

 

 

Boston is the most populous city in, as well as the capital of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

 

Boston covers some 48 square miles. 

 

Estimated population of Boston as of 2018 was 694,583. In turn, this makes it New England’s most populous city, too. 

 

 

Boston was founded in 1630 by English Puritans. That makes it one of the oldest cities in all of the United States. 

 

Boston was home to a number of events that were highly instrumental with regards to the American Revolution.

 

Included are the March 5, 1770 Boston Massacre, the December 16, 1773 Boston Tea Party, the June 17, 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill, as well as the Siege of Boston, which took place between April 19, 1775 and March 17, 1776. 

 

Even after the United States gained its independence from Great Britain, Boston continued on as an important hub for manufacturing, for education, for culture, and also as an important port. 

 

This rich history helps to attract tourists in huge numbers. The Faneuil Hall alone attracts over 20 million visitors on an annual basis. 

 

There are numerous “firsts” in Boston, too. 

 

Boston was first in the United States to have a public park (Boston Common, 1634).

 

The City was the first to have a public (or state) school (Boston Latin School, 1635).

 

Boston was also the first city in the United States to enjoy a subway system (Tremont Street Subway, 1897).

 

 

 

Advantages of Living in Boston, MA

 

 

1  Climate

The climate in Boston, MA, while not ideal for some, is not too far from ideal for many.

 

Per year, there’s an average of 47 inches of rain. The average for the U.S. is 38 inches of rain each year.

 

In Boston, per annum, there’s snow – 48 inches of it each year. Great for the kids; not so great for most anybody else. The average snowfall in the U.S. per year is 28 inches each year.

 

On the other hand, in Boston, on a yearly basis, there’s an average of 200 sunny days. The U.S. average is some five days more at 205 days.

 

How about wintertime low temperatures in Boston?

 

The coldest month is January. The average low for January is 19 degrees F. That’s minus 7 centigrade.

 

In the summer, the hottest month is July. The average high for July is 82 degrees F. That’s 28 degrees centigrade.

 

 

2  History, culture and music

Boston is among the U.S. cities, if not the city, that is richest in terms of its history and its culture. 

 

The highlight in terms of Boston’s history is, arguably so, the Boston Tea Party. But there’s so much more.

 

The reality is that Boston is where the nation’s modern history began to take shape. 

 

Check out Google’s list of best historic places (and other places) to visit in Boston, in accordance to best reviews. 

 

The music scene is great in Boston, too. 

 

 

3  Boston’s public transport

Commuting in Boston is a breeze. That’s because of the buses, the subways, and the trains provided by the MBTA transport system. 

 

For the newcomer to Boston, public transport can be a little tricky to get used to. 

 

Nevertheless, after a bit of trial and error, you’ll find that you can navigate around central Boston and the suburbs within a matter of minutes. 

 

 

4  Boston cuisines – dining out

In any big city in the U.S., it’s normality to be able to get any type of food when eating out. Boston is no different.

 

So, which are the best restaurants in Boston?

 

The following are the highest-rated restaurants according to Boston’s Google Places.

 

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse: 75 Arlington St, Boston, MA 02116

Saltie Girl: Seafood; 281 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA 02116

The Capital Grille: Steakhouse; Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02115

Mamma Maria: Italian; 3 N Square, Boston, MA 02113

Rino’s Place: Italian; 258 Saratoga St, Boston, MA 02128

Meritage Restaurant: Fine dining and fine wines; 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA 02110

Neptune Oyster: High-end oyster bar; 63 Salem St # 1, Boston, MA 02113

Theo’s Cozy Corner Restaurant: American, Italian, and Brazilian; 162 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113

Myers+Chang: Chinese and general Asian; 1145 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118

Vaisakhi Indian Restaurant: Classic Indian; 157 Sutherland Rd, Boston, MA 02135

O Ya: Japanese; 9 East St, Boston, MA 02111

Tenoch Mexican: Traditional Mexican; 3 Lewis St, Boston, MA 02109

 

 

 

 

Disadvantages of Living in Boston, MA

 

 

1  Boston is a costly place to live

It’s costly to live in Boston. 

 

According to bestplaces.net, it’s the cost of housing (renting and buying) that drives the cost of living in Boston way up. 

 

On the bestplaces.net index, whereby for the country as a whole, their index stands at 100 for housing in general (renting and buying). Massachusetts is at  209.9 on this index scale and Boston is at 313.9.

 

Says it all, really.

 

To shed further light on the cost of housing in Boston…

 

The median cost of buying a home in the U.S. is $219,700.

 

The median cost of buying a home in Boston is $608,900. 

 

 

2  Crime rate

The crime rate in Boston is high.

 

In comparison to the national average, according to stats collated by areavibes.com, Boston’s overall crime rate is, in fact, the same as the nation’s.

 

However, in comparison to the overall crime rate for the state of Massachusetts, Boston’s crime rate is 54 percent higher. 

 

With regards to property crime, Boston does, in fact, have a lower property crime rate than the national average – some 12 percent lower. 

 

Nevertheless, and again, Boston’s property crime rate is much higher than the average for the state: 45 percent higher.

 

Then there’s violent crime.

 

Boston’s violent crime rate is 75 percent higher than the national average. Boston’s violent crime rate is 87 percent higher than the average for Massachusetts. 

 

 

3  Traffic congestion and parking

The reality is that you don’t need a car to navigate the streets of Boston.

 

Boston is a particularly walkable city. 

 

What’s more, public transport here, in the form of MBTA, is excellent.

 

Nevertheless, as with any big city, traffic congestion does exist in Boston. Particularly so, as you would imagine, during morning and evening rush hours. 

 

Additionally, as you’d also likely expect, finding parking in central Boston isn’t always easy. 

 

 

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