Neighborhoods


 * Allston/Brighton
 * Cheap and cheerful, this is where many BU students live. Accessible by the T Green Line (B-branch) along Commonwealth Ave and the 57 bus along Brighton Ave. Generally quite noisy, reasonably safe.
 * Allston Village ("Sunny Allston")
 * One of the most popular student areas of all, which is broadly around Brighton Ave, Harvard Ave, Glenville Ave and Commonwealth Ave. About 30 min walking, 10 min bus/bike, 20 min T ride from BU. Can be noisy. Apartments tend to be in bad condition and (arguably) overpriced too. Reasonably safe.
 * Lower Allston (North of the Mass. Pike)
 * Much quieter, with lots of houses, but more difficult to get to BU from--little public transport. Reasonably safe.
 * Gardner Street area, near BU's Nickerson Field and West Campus
 * Close to BU (20 min walk, 10 min bus), nice area, not too much traffic, but more expensive. Lots of undergrads. Safe.
 * Washington St., Chestnut Hill Ave. and further down Commonwealth Ave.
 * Apartments tend to be cheaper, quieter area, but further out (30 min on T) and prices start to rise again close to Boston College. Safe.
 * Brighton Center
 * Further out along the 57 bus route, 15-20 min bus, 45-60 min walk. Much cheaper, fewer students in area, although less convenient for BU. Safe.
 * Brookline
 * An affluent town, which is adjacent to BU. Known for its good school system, hence rents are significantly higher than other areas. Stretches out along the T Green Line (C-branch), which runs down Beacon Street to Cleveland Circle. Very safe, in general.
 * South Campus/Carlton Street/St. Mary's Street
 * Very close to BU (5-10 min walk) and pleasant area. Expensive. Reasonably safe. Coolidge Corner. Brookline's version of Allston Village, but done in a much more upmarket way. Again, expensive. About 15 min from BU on the C-line, about 30 min walk. Safe.
 * Summit Ave/Cleveland Circle/further out on Beacon Street
 * Like the Washington Street area of Allston but more expensive. 30-40 min on the C-line, 60+ min walk to BU. Safe.
 * Brookline Village
 * 20 min to BU along D-line (but only as far as Kenmore). Again, expensive, but not that many students. Safe.
 * Fenway Just south of BU
 * The Fenway is the neighborhood adjacent to Fenway Ball Park. A public park and public gardens surround part of the neighborhood. It houses a mix of families, professionals and students (from BU, Northeastern and other small local colleges). Gay-friendly neighborhood. Prices are moderate to expensive, easy walking to BU (5-10 min). Convenient access to T lines, supermarket, and popular areas of Boston. Lansdowne Street has many nightclubs. The area around Fenway Park gets snarled up when there's a baseball game. Reasonably safe, but you shouldn't walk through the park or dark areas at night.
 * Kenmore Square
 * On the edge of BU, excellent public transportation, but very noisy especially when there's a baseball game. Prices vary, reasonable apartments can be expensive. Fairly safe.
 * South End
 * South of Newbury Street and north of the City Hospital, a very quaint area, with a large gay community. Safe, although less so the further south you go. About 30-45 minutes walk from BU, or 15 minutes walk to the T Green Line, then 10 minutes on the T. Generally expensive, but there are some cheaper apartments.
 * Cambridge
 * The other side of the river from BU, home to Harvard and MIT. Cambridge has a good school system, so rents are higher. Accessible by public transport, but trips are longer. You may have to take the T Red Line, then Green Line, which can take an hour or more. There are some buses that go between Boston and parts of Cambridge. If you have a bike, it may be quicker to ride to school (10-15 min).
 * Cambridge Port
 * Other side of BU Bridge, 10-20 min walk or 47/CT2 bus. Quiet, nice area, not many students (it can be very cold crossing BU Bridge in the winter!). Fairly safe.
 * Central Square
 * Lots of character, although MIT students want to live there, so rents can be high. Catch the 47 bus to BU, around 10 min, or 30-45 min walk. Fairly Safe.
 * Harvard Square
 * It's hard to find an apartment near Harvard Square.
 * Porter Square
 * Further out there are some apartments, if you really feel you need the distance from BU. But a long way in. Rents are still fairly high too. Safe.
 * Somerville
 * Commuting from Somerville is not impossible, but not fun if you don't have a car. At least an hour on the T. By bike, not a long trip to BU (25-40 min), but the commuter faces hilly terrain and busy intersections through Cambridge. Mostly safe, except maybe around Sullivan Square.
 * Davis Square
 * Features an eclectic blend of bars, a small independent movie theatre, and is at the head of a popular bike/rollerblade path that goes North (the opposite direction from BU).
 * Union Square
 * Good food and nice blue collar neighborhood. 20 min bike ride to BU. Cheap(er) rent.
 * Arlington
 * While a car seems to be a must for those who might think about living in this town situated next to Cambridge and Somerville, the rent is cheaper than most areas. In downtown Arlington, the head of the Minuteman trail brings you to the historic town of Lexington (but not BU). The closest T station is Alewife, in Cambridge, and commuters should allow an hour's time to reach BU via the T. Safe.
 * Watertown Square
 * Right at the end of the 57 bus route. It's cheaper than Brighton Center but less convenient too. Allow 30-40 minutes on the bus. Safe.
 * Newton
 * Expensive. Exclusive. About 30-60 minutes on the T Green Line (D-branch). Where all the professors live. Safe.
 * Back Bay
 * Old and beautiful, but very expensive, one of the most sought-after areas in Boston. 20-30 min walk to BU, 15 min on the Green Line. Mostly safe.
 * Jamaica Plain
 * Quite far away from BU (60 minutes from Forest Hills to BU on the Orange Line). Multicultural, good sense of community, quite trendy at the moment, relatively cheap, but still safe.
 * Roxbury, Dudley, Dorchester, Ashmont, Mattapan
 * Not very popular areas, very cheap, can be unsafe in some areas. Many students and medical students live in Mission Hill.
 * South Boston
 * Not to be confused with the South End, an area beyond South Station. Large Irish Community. Inconvenient for BU (60+ min by T Red and Green lines). Can be unsafe. Expensive.
 * North End
 * Large Italian Community, close to the center of Boston. About 45 min away from BU on T Green Line. Expensive.
 * East Boston
 * Convenient for the Airport, but not for BU (60 min by T Blue and Green lines). Cheap, reasonably safe
 * Beacon Hill
 * The area features 19th and 20th century brownstones, cobblestone streets, old fashioned narrow alleyways, and sidewalks lined with gas streetlamps. Near the Charles/MGH T stop on the Red Line, about 30 minute T ride to BU. Expensive.