I’m Admitted, Now What? Housing Part Three: Neighborhoods to Consider
June 30, 2022
Amanda Miller, Heller Admissions Staff
This time of year, it seems like I have a conversation about housing at least once a day. The truth is, the Boston rental market is one of the most competitive in the nation, due in large part to the vast numbers of students who live in Boston (more than 150,000 students, two-thirds of whom don’t live in university provided housing). When you’re looking for housing in Boston, it can seem like you’re competing with every single one of those 100,000 students, and if you’re not from the Boston area, knowing which areas to look in can be extremely frustrating or confusing. This blog post is my attempt to help: these are the neighborhoods that I would recommend checking out if you’re moving from out of state (although keep in mind that this is by no means an exhaustive list and is just based on my experiences and conversations with students).
If you don’t have a car:
Waltham. Starting off with the obvious here, Waltham is a popular choice for many students who attend Brandeis. Because it’s outside of the city limits, it’s more affordable than what you would find in the main Boston area, and it’s also relatively easy to find roommates among your fellow Heller students or even other Brandeis graduate students. There are plenty of buses and Brandeis shuttles to help you get around the area and to your classes.
Somerville/Cambridge. Porter Station in Somerville is on the same commuter line as Brandeis, making this a really convenient area for students without a car. Harvard Square, in Cambridge, is connected to Brandeis by a university sponsored shuttle, giving you a really affordable option to get to campus. The neighborhoods of Union Square, Davis Square, Winter Hill, Spring Hill, Magoun Square, Powder House and South Medford are all within walking or biking distance from either Porter Square or Harvard Square. These areas (especially Union Square and Davis Square) are all pretty desirable areas since there are great restaurants, shopping, and activities, so expect to pay a little more than you would in Waltham.
North Concord/Concord/Acton. Okay, I’ll admit: these are not the most popular places for graduate students at Brandeis to live because they’re further out from the city and don’t have as many apartment buildings, but I’m here to advocate for them as an option. These towns are also connected to Brandeis by the commuter rail and have a lot to offer in terms of culture. Because they’re atypical places for students to live, you can sometimes find really surprising deals.
If you do have a car:
Jamaica Plain/Hyde Park/West Roxbury/Roslindale. This cluster of neighborhoods south west of the city is a really popular place for graduate students and young adults to live in Boston. The Jamaica Plain are has definitely gotten more expensive over the years, but the neighborhoods surrounding the area are still affordable and give you the same access to the city as you would have if you lived in Jamaica Plain. Although not linked to Waltham by a major highway, it’s very easy to get to these areas, with commutes around 30 minutes.
Allston/Brighton. These neighborhoods, located just east of the city, are really popular places for students of all ages to live. You can definitely find some more affordable housing in this area, especially if you live with roommates, and you’ll be more in the center of Boston nightlife. These neighborhoods are right off of 90, so you can get to Brandeis in under 20 minutes with no traffic.
Arlington/Medford/Malden. Again, these are probably not the most popular neighborhoods for Brandeis students to live in, given that they are further out than the other options I’ve listed here. However, I would not ignore these places as an option: you can take Highway 2 to 95, which will take you right to Brandeis, so it’s actually very easy to travel from these areas to Brandeis, and you can usually get to these areas in under 30 minutes. They’re also relatively close to Somerville and Cambridge, which are great areas for dining, shopping, and entertainment, while having a lot of restaurants of their own, not to mention the natural beauty of Mystic Lake and Middlesex Fells.
Like I said before, this is no means an exhaustive list, and there are tons of neighborhoods and housing around Boston. But if you’re finding yourself lost as to where to start, take the time to explore some of these options and see if they might be right for you!