Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Boston

You think about moving to Boston but still want to get additional information about the city and overall quality of life before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in Boston in the following article.

Living in Boston – Overview

Advantages of Living in Boston

1. Boston is a multicultural city
2. You can have interesting conversations with people from all over the world
3. Boston attracts pretty smart people
4. You can build a strong business network
5. Many world-class universities in Boston
6. Decent average income level in Boston
7. Many big corporations to work for in Boston
8. Highly-qualified people can make good money in Boston
9. Unemployment rate is pretty low
10. Boston has a solid reputation
11. Many people in the US consider moving to Boston
12. Population in Boston is growing
13. Boston city is an important economic region
14. Decent future outlook for Boston
15. Many tourists visit Boston
16. You can experience real seasons in Boston
17. You can go skiing or do other winter sports
18. Boston is located at the sea
19. You can go surfing or swimming during lunch break
20. You can go fishing, hunting or hiking without having to drive long hours
21. Boston has decent bars to hang out after work
22. You will find most things of daily life within walking distance
23. You can enjoy the comfort of a big city in Boston
24. Traffic is not a big problem in Boston yet
25. People in Boston don’t have to search for long to find a parking lot
26. Boston is not as crowded as NYC or other big cities
27. Enough recreational spaces to relax in Boston
28. Boston is a bike-friendly city
29. Public transport in Boston is excellent
30. You may not need a car to get around
31. People don’t have to spend lots of time commuting to work
32. You can try delicious foods in Boston
33. Many neighborhoods to choose from in Boston
34. You have many leisure activities to choose from in Boston
35. Chances are that you will never get bored living in Boston
36. Getting from one end of Boston to the other is rather easy
37. Decent medical infrastructure in Boston
38. Many museums to visit in Boston
39. Boston has a great art scene
40. Boston is interesting to architects
41. Boston has a rich history
42. Decent air quality in Boston
43. Boston has decent tap water
44. Many friends will visit you in Boston
45. Boston is a great place to live for many different age groups
46. You may never want to leave the city again
47. Boston has an international airport
48. Many decent shopping opportunities in Boston

Boston is a multicultural city

One advantage of moving to Boston is that it is a pretty multicultural city where you can meet many interesting people from various regions and can also experience many different lifestyles.

In turn, you will likely become much more tolerant and will also learn a lot about life in general from which you can benefit later on.

You can have interesting conversations with people from all over the world

Since Boston is a pretty popular city, it also attracts many people from all over the world and this is great since you can experience many different cultures and you can also learn a lot about different countries and what makes them special.

In the long run, you will learn quite a lot in this regard and can also keep in touch with people from many exciting parts of the world and may also want to visit them in their home countries sooner or later.

Boston attracts pretty smart people

Since Boston is a pretty popular place for students, it also attracts many pretty smart people and you can therefore get in touch with people who will often get into leading positions in the corporate world or even the government in the future and this can help you in various parts of life.

You can build a strong business network

Since you can meet many smart people and can have interesting conversations with them, you can also build a strong business network in Boston pretty quickly and this may really give you a career boost in the long run since the more important people you know, the easier it is to make progress and to climb the corporate ladder.

Many world-class universities in Boston

Another reason to move to Boston is that you will have some of the best universities in the world in this region.

If you are good enough and also have the money, you can get a degree from Harvard or MIT and will be able to get a great job and to make really good money in the long run.

Decent average income level in Boston

Another upside to moving to Boston is that average income levels are above national average and if you are willing to work hard and also get fancy education, chances are that you will be able to make more money than in most other places in the country, excluding NYC and Silicon Valley.

Many big corporations to work for in Boston

Since Boston is a pretty popular city, many big corporations have settled down in this region and you will therefore have a decent variety of big companies to work for and as long as you have decent education, chances are that you will find a good job pretty quickly.

Highly-qualified people can make good money in Boston

While low-qualified people often struggle to make a living in Boston, highly-qualified people who are able to provide lots of value to the corporate world will almost have freedom of choice regarding whom to work for and can make really good money in Boston.

Many of them even make a six-figure income at a pretty young age and are also able to afford some luxury.

Unemployment rate is pretty low

Unemployment rate is pretty low in Boston in general and as long as you have solid education, you don’t have to worry about getting laid off that much since even in case this happens, you will have many other companies to work for and can find a new job rather quickly.

Boston has a solid reputation

Another benefit of moving to Boston is that the city has a pretty solid education.

While people living in Philadelphia often have to deal with the stigma that they live in a rather dodgy city, you don’t have to worry in this regard and will also not have to justify your plans of moving to Boston that much.

Many people in the US consider moving to Boston

Boston has also become increasingly popular by many people all over the US over the past decade and it may therefore make sense to move to Boston right now as long as property prices are still not as high as in NYC or other popular places so that you can still make a bargain in this regard before demand for housing may explode even further.

Population in Boston is growing

Another indication that Boston is a great place to live is that population in the Boston area has been growing over the past decade and an increasing number of people from NYC and other cities nearby consider moving to this region.

Boston city is an important economic region

Boston is also a big city and therefore an important economic region in Massachusetts.

In turn, the state will try everything to make the city a great place to work and live for many years to come and may also invest lots of money in infrastructure projects to make the region even more attractive in the future.

Decent future outlook for Boston

Since population in Boston is growing and the city also becomes more popular every year, Boston has a pretty decent future outlook and you therefore don’t have to worry that too many people will leave the region and overall infrastructure may collapse anytime soon.

Many tourists visit Boston

While Boston is not as popular among tourists as NYC, it still attracts many tourists from various countries and you can therefore make many new friends from all over the world and can also have many interesting conversations with people from all around the planet.

You can experience real seasons in Boston

Since winters are pretty cold and summers are warm, you can also experience real seasons in Boston and while many other people living in Dallas or other warm places just enjoy hot weather all year long, your life in Boston may be much more interesting in this regard.

You can go skiing or do other winter sports

Moving to Boston can also make quite a lot of sense in case you love winter sports and want to go skiing or snowboarding on a regular basis since you can do so almost every winter while people living in warmer regions just don’t have this luxury.

Boston is located at the sea

Another advantage of living in Boston is that the city is located at the sea and this gives you many opportunities to relax at the beach and to unplug from your stressful life a little bit to reload your batteries for the stressful times yet to come.

You can go surfing or swimming during lunch break

Since Boston is located at the coast, you can go swimming or surfing on a regular basis and some people even do so during lunch break. In fact, this can be great since you will feel like a completely different person and will be full of energy when you get back to work.

You can go fishing, hunting or hiking without having to drive long hours

Since Boston is also surrounded by lakes and forests, you can also go fishing, hunting, hiking or spend lots of time in nature on other things and this can be great since it gives you many opportunities to spend time outdoors and to catch enough fresh air to stay fit and healthy in the long run.

Boston has decent bars to hang out after work

While Boston doesn’t have the most exciting nightlife, you will still find solid bars to hang out and to meet up with your favorite people after work while you would often not have this luxury in smaller towns or villages.

You will find most things of daily life within walking distance

Living in Boston can also be quite convenient since you will find most things for daily life within a rather short period of time and don’t have to spend lots of time in this regard.

You can enjoy the comfort of a big city in Boston

In general, by moving to Boston, you can also enjoy the comfort of a big city since you will find everything you need in this region and don’t have to drive to other cities as would often be the case if you lived in smaller towns where the supply of material goods is often pretty poor.

Traffic is not a big problem in Boston yet

Another upside to living in Boston is that traffic is not a big problem in Boston yet. Sure, you will sometimes get stuck in traffic jams like in many other big cities.

However, compared to NYC or L.A., traffic is still not that of a big deal in Boston and you will therefore not lose that much time in this regard.

People in Boston don’t have to search for long to find a parking lot

As long as you don’t search for a parking lot downtown, you will have a rather easy time in this regard in Boston and don’t have to spend as much money and time on parking as in other major cities.

Boston is not as crowded as NYC or other big cities

While Boston is a big city, it is still not as crowded as other major cities in the US and this gives you more opportunities to hang out in public without running into people all day long and you will also have enough time to spend on your own in case you have to think about important problems and how to solve them.

Enough recreational spaces to relax in Boston

There are also many green spaces and parks in Boston where you can relax and unplug from your stressful life and it can also be quite nice to hang out in those spaces after work and to enjoy the sunset.

Boston is a bike-friendly city

Another benefit of living in Boston is that it is also a pretty bike-friendly city and you will find many bike lanes which you can use and get around by bike in a pretty efficient manner.

Public transport in Boston is excellent

Not only can you get around by bike, but also public transport is pretty good in Boston and you can therefore get from A to B by bus or train in a solid manner while people living in other regions where public transport is usually pretty poor often don’t have this luxury.

You may not need a car to get around

Since public transport is pretty decent and you can also get around by bike in an efficient manner, you may not even need a car and this can be great since you can not only save lots of money but can also do good for our environment since you can save greenhouse gas emissions and will also not contribute to air pollution that much.

People don’t have to spend lots of time commuting to work

Since Boston is not the most crowded city, you also don’t have to spend lots of time commuting to work and back.

In fact, the average person in Boston spends 30 minutes commuting to work and this is far less than people in other big metropolitan regions often have to spend.

You can try delicious foods in Boston

Since Boston is a multicultural city, you can also try many foods from all over the world and this will not only greatly increase your overall quality of life but it will also help you expand your own culinary knowledge so that you will learn how to cook many delicious dishes at home.

Many neighborhoods to choose from in Boston

Since Boston is a pretty big and diverse city, you will also have many different neighborhoods to choose from and chances are that you will figure out where you want to live pretty soon and can just settle down in a region where you will find the most like-minded people to hang out with and to have a great time in the long run.

You have many leisure activities to choose from in Boston

Not only can you spend lots of time in nature and go fishing, hunting and do many other interesting things, but you can also just go to the movies, to the zoo, get a drink at a bar or spend your leisure in ways that you might enjoy even more.

Chances are that you will never get bored living in Boston

Since there are so many things to do, chances are that you will also never get bored with your life in Boston.

Even in case you do, you can also make nice day trips to NYC or other places to experience new things all the time.

Getting from one end of Boston to the other is rather easy

Since traffic is not a big problem in Boston yet compared to other major cities, it is also rather easy to get from one end of Boston to the other and to visit your friends in different districts within a reasonable amount of time.

Decent medical infrastructure in Boston

Overall public infrastructure is pretty decent in Boston and this also includes medical services.

Hence, you will find many good doctors and hospitals in the Boston region and in case you get sick, you will have many experts who will be able to help you cure your disease as quickly as possible.

Many museums to visit in Boston

Boston also has many museums to visit and if you are interested in this regard, you will find more than enough exhibitions where you can spend your time and will never get bored in this regard.

Boston has a great art scene

Boston is also well-known for its decent art scene and you can meet many artists and other like-minded people from all over the world and can just hang out with many interesting people.

Boston is interesting to architects

There are also many interesting buildings in Boston that have a long history and if you are interested in architecture or are an architect who needs some inspiration, moving to Boston may also be a good idea in this regard.

Boston has a rich history

In general, Boston is pretty rich in history and has many interesting stories to tell.

Hence, if you want to learn more about the exciting past of this city, you should also go to local libraries where you can find lots of information in this regard.

Decent air quality in Boston

Compared to other major cities, Boston also has pretty decent air quality and while this may not sound important to you at first, it is still good to live in a region with decent air quality since your risk of suffering from pulmonary diseases will be lower compared to people living in more polluted areas.

Boston has decent tap water

Boston also has pretty decent tap water and instead of just buying bottled water from the store, you may just drink tap water and can save lots of time and money in this regard in the long run.

Many friends will visit you in Boston

Since Boston is a popular city and is also pretty close to NYC, many of your friends from other states may visit you in Boston and chances that you feel lonely will be rather low.

Boston is a great place to live for many different age groups

Since you can do so many different things in Boston, it is also a great place to live for different age groups and people from different generations get along with each other pretty well in the Boston region.

You may never want to leave the city again

Many people also move to Boston and never leave the region again since they just find everything they have ever hoped for and are pretty happy with overall quality of life and their incentive to leave the region will be pretty low.

Boston has an international airport

It is also pretty easy to get to other parts of the world from Boston since Boston has a pretty big international airport and you can therefore fly to foreign countries in a pretty efficient manner without having to deal with layovers that much.

Many decent shopping opportunities in Boston

Since Boston is a big city, you will also find many shopping malls and other places where you can buy fancy clothes or other stuff you might need to make your life better.

As you can see, there are many reasons for moving to Boston.

However, there are also many drawbacks of living in Boston that I want to address in the following chapter so that you get a more realistic picture of reality in this regard.

Disadvantages of Living in Boston

1. Living costs in Boston are pretty high
2. Property prices have skyrocketed over the past decade
3. Rents are barely affordable for the average person
4. People have to spend a high fraction of their income on housing
5. Housing shortage is a big problem in Boston
6. Competition in the housing market is pretty fierce in Boston
7. It may take you long to find a decent place to stay
8. You may have to worry about losing your home quite often
9. Many people in Boston live below the poverty line
10. Increasing level of inequality in Boston
11. Social tensions are about to increase in Boston
12. Homelessness is a big problem
13. High crime rates in Boston
14. Many locals are no longer able to afford to live in Boston
15. Financial pressure for people living in Boston is pretty high
16. Strong winters may not be for you
17. You will not get the same feeling of big city life as in NYC
18. You may not spend that much time outdoors
19. Many people have to work a second job to survive
20. Hard to provide for your family in Boston
21. Boston is not as glamorous as other major cities
22. You may not meet that many celebrities
23. People in Boston are not considered that friendly
24. People may not help you out
25. People in Boston are often in a rush

Living costs in Boston are pretty high

One problem with moving to Boston is that living costs are pretty high compared to many other cities in the US.

For instance, if you go out for a drink, you will often have to spend more money in Boston than people living in Charlotte or other cheaper places and this is not only true for drinks but also for various parts of daily life.

Property prices have skyrocketed over the past decade

Not only living costs are pretty high, but also property prices have skyrocketed over the past decade and if this trend continues, many people may no longer be able to buy a home in Boston since they would no longer be able to pay off their mortgages in a reasonable manner.

Rents are barely affordable for the average person

Similar to property prices, also rents have increased substantially over the past decade and in case this trend continues, many people will no longer be able to rent a decent place and may even get evicted sooner or later.

People have to spend a high fraction of their income on housing

Since property prices and rents are pretty high in the Boston region, people in this region often have to spend a high fraction of their disposable income on housing and this means that they have far less money left to spend on other things compared to people living in Fresno or other regions where property prices are lower.

Housing shortage is a big problem in Boston

Another downside to moving to Boston is that housing shortage is already a big problem and due to population growth, this problem may become even worse in the future and many people may have problems finding a suitable place to stay in the future.

Competition in the housing market is pretty fierce in Boston

You should also know that competition in the housing market is pretty fierce and that you need a pretty good financial standing and track record to find a good place to stay in Boston.

It may take you long to find a decent place to stay

Due to the huge demand for housing and fierce competition, it may also take you quite a long time to find a good place to stay and you may therefore have to search for many weeks or even months and may become increasingly desperate in this regard over time.

You may have to worry about losing your home quite often

Since there are so many good prospective tenants to choose from for landlords, you may also always have to worry about losing your home in case you are no longer able to pay rent since landlords may just evict you since many other better candidates may already be standing in line.

Many people in Boston live below the poverty line

Another disadvantage of moving to Boston is that you will also see many poor people. In fact, a significant fraction of the population in Boston lives below the poverty line and this is not a pretty picture and will also lead to all sorts of social problems in the long run.

Increasing level of inequality in Boston

Boston has also experienced an increasing level of inequality over the recent past and due to increasing property prices and rents, this trend will most likely also continue in the future and poor people may become increasingly desperate over time.

Social tensions are about to increase in Boston

Due to an increasing level of inequality, also social tensions may increase in Boston as well and social cohesion may deteriorate and people may just no longer help each other that much and rather focus on their own.

Homelessness is a big problem

Another downside to living in Boston is that homelessness has become a big problem over the past decade and due to high housing prices, this trend may become even worse since an increasing number of people may get evicted from their homes sooner or later.

High crime rates in Boston

You should also know that Boston is not the safest city and crime rates are pretty high.

Hence, if you are a careful person, you may not want to move to Boston but rather to safer places instead.

Many locals are no longer able to afford to live in Boston

Since living costs and property prices are pretty high, many people are also no longer able to make a living in Boston and may have to leave the region. In turn, part of the charm of the city may be lost and overall quality of life may drop in the long run.

Financial pressure for people living in Boston is pretty high

Since living costs and housing prices are pretty high, people in Boston also have to deal with high levels of financial pressure and are often pretty stressed since they urgently have to make money and often have to work long hours to make a decent living.

Strong winters may not be for you

While some people like the snow and the cold, others just like heat all year long and if you belong to the second group of people, you should rather move to San Antonio or other regions where you don’t have to deal with strong winters.

You will not get the same feeling of big city life as in NYC

While Boston is a big city, you will still not get the same feeling of big city life as would be the case if you moved to NYC or other more exciting cities and if you want to be at the heart of the universe, Boston may just not be for you compared to other bigger cities.

You may not spend that much time outdoors

Since you will have to deal with cold winters, you may also not spend as much time outdoors compared to people living in warmer regions and you may therefore not get as much fresh air in general.

Many people have to work a second job to survive

Since people in the Boston region have to make good money to make a living, they also often have to work a second job to pay their bills and may not have that much time to spend with their families as people living in cheaper regions.

Hard to provide for your family in Boston

Many people in the Boston region also have a hard time providing for their families.

This is especially true for low-qualified people who often just make minimum wage and are not able to provide for their children unless they work in a second or even third job.

Boston is not as glamorous as other major cities

While Boston has many nice things to offer, it is still not the most glamorous city and you may also miss the special feeling of much bigger cities like L.A. or NYC.

You may not meet that many celebrities

Compared to other major cities, you will also not meet that many celebrities in Boston and if you want to meet as many influential people as possible, you may rather want to move to Washington D.C. instead.

People in Boston are not considered that friendly

Another disadvantage of living in Boston is that people in Boston are also not considered the most friendly people and also have a certain attitude and in case you are a sensitive person, you may not be fine with the sort of communication that is often taking place in Boston and you may rather want to move to a friendlier city instead.

People may not help you out

Since people in Boston are often not as open as in other regions, you may also have a hard time finding people in public who would be willing to help you out and you may therefore just be on your own quite often.

People in Boston are often in a rush

Since people in Boston often have to make good money to make a living, they are also often in a rush and may not have time to talk to you and you may therefore have a harder time making new social connections compared to people living in different regions.

Top 10 Moving To Boston Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Boston A Good Place To Live?

Boston is a great city to live in since it is a multicultural city and you can meet many people from all over the world and can really grow in character in the long run.

It also offers excellent schools and universities and you can get degrees from some of the most prestigious colleges in the world.

However, Boston is also a pretty expensive city and property prices and rents are high and crime rates are above national average.

Hence, you should evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of living in Boston carefully so that you can better decide whether you still want to move to Boston or rather want to live in a different city instead.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to Boston anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Houston

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Los Angeles

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Fort Worth

Sources

https://www.boston.gov/

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/bostoncitymassachusetts

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.