Possibly Moving to Boston - Need Advice on Many Things

Hi there - we moved from Oakland to the Boston area several years ago with an almost two-year-old and a four-year-old. We miss CA greatly but also feel lucky to be out East. Interestingly, you used “racist” to describe a city. Although, completely across the country, I think to describe any major city as racist might be a little off. Most cities are diverse and dynamic dealing with the root of all the same issues in different locations. Boston yes, is not the friendliest city ( the cold weather breeds a lot of unhappiness), and has an air of historical elitists, but it has over 130 universities and colleges within its borders. It’s vibrant as one city can be. Mayor Michelle Wu is as bad ass as you can get and its an honor to be part of her visions for a city. But with any city, as you start to move outside of it, things can feel a bit different and look more homogenous - just like as you get to Northern CA.  

As for neighborhoods, Cambridge, Brookline, Somerville, Arlington, and all the Boston Neighborhoods are fun. I do not know of anything like BPN - it's a special place. I'm sure once you get settled in you’ll quickly find a community.  Good luck! 

For Berkeley-ish vibes in Boston proper, I'd look at Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, parts of Roxbury and Dorchester. Depending on where work is, Cambridge and Somerville. 

Where in boston will you/your partner be working?  We lived in somerville and loved it but cambridge has better schools but higher cost of living.  I wouldn't say boston is any more racist then any other big city in america. 

Hi there, longtime Bostonian here, have lived in Berkeley since 2019 but Boston area the rest of my life before then! Jamaica Plain will have a very similar vibe to Berkeley and is very diverse, although depending on your commutes it might not be easily commutable to your work. Cambridge and Somerville, especially Somerville, would be similar. Mayor Wu is amazing and I think there's been a lot of change in the city in the last few years. Particularly with the backlash to Trump, I find it's more progressive and welcoming than ever before. For babysitters, I have had a lot of luck (when back in Boston visiting family) with the Facebook group Newton Babysitting, and people post often looking for babysitters in nearby towns (Newton is just outside Boston). Good luck and I hope this helps! 

Hi, and congratulations on your move. Boston is a great city. I completely understand your concern about Boston & racism. The horrible response to bussing in the 1970's earned the city and certain neighborhoods a justified reputation for hostile, virulent racism. There are recent events that are very concerning and hangovers from redlining that remain. I would never claim that it's just been uphill from there, however the city has changed a lot. It's also worth noting that Boston has consistently been a city of progressive politics and social & civil rights change movements. The demographics of the city and surrounding towns have changed so much in recent decades. Like other cities in the US with a booming tech sector, gentrification and wealth growth have had a big impact, for better or worse. I'd look into Jamaica Plain. It sounds like exactly what you're looking for. I echo another commenter's point that the high level of colleges and universities help make the city progressive, diverse, and rich in intellectual life and cultural resources. 

However, I want to prepare you for some culture shock. I'm originally from the area and have been in California for 25 years. You will find Boston gruff, rude, and loud. This is their love language! The drivers are reputationally the WORST and take pride in it. I've heard it said that people on the East Coast are unhappy on the outside, but happy on the inside. And people on the West Coast are happy on the outside and unhappy on the inside. This is a sweeping generalization, but I find it some helpful truth in it. Get past the crusty exterior and you will find people who are hilarious, kind, resourceful, and generous-spirited, and from all backgrounds and parts of the world.  

There are many other good things to say about the city. I also encourage you and your family to get to Martha's Vineyard - if you have the flexibility - go in September or October when the summer crowds are gone. 

I wish you the best finding your community there. 

Thank you for recommendations and replies. My husband will be working downtown and I work from home. For clarification, I wasn’t describing Boston as racist. I was describing the reputation of the city. It’s one of the first things people say when they talk about Boston. When you contrast Boston’s reputation with the reputation of the east bay and Berkeley, you can see my concern.

We lived for four years on the Medford-Somerville border. I don’t feel like I can weigh in much about different neighborhoods, but ours wasn’t very racially/ethnically diverse. Cambridge is expensive, but like parts of Boston it’s diverse in terms of having drawn people from all over the world to work at and attend universities in the area. Worldly, cosmopolitan feel in that sense.

We had a really lovely experience at this preschool—very warm and kind teachers and directors: https://www.treehouseacademy.info

Even if you don’t end up in the Cambridge/Somerville area, I would see if you can join the MOC Facebook groups (Mothers of Camberville) based on your kids’ ages. The groups aren’t perfect, but I found them unbelievably more helpful, supportive, and kind than any online groups in the Bay Area. (This group/forum could be an exception but I haven’t engaged much with it!)

It’s a big move—good luck and feel free to message me if you want to talk directly.

Hi! We saw some of these responses and felt compelled to add our perspective. My spouse and I both spent a significant amount of time in the Boston area and have lived in multiple major cities on the East Coast. I think people's experiences of Boston will vary based on a number of factors. 

My spouse and I are both Asian. We did find that Boston was more racist than other major cities, especially compared to the Bay Area. As non-Black people of color, we would be uncomfortable walking alone in Southie, which is where Mark Wahlberg grew up and was the locus of anti-busing protests in the 60s and 70s. 

The consensus among our Black and Brown friends is that Boston is more racist than other cities they've lived. Yes, racism is everywhere in the United States, but in Boston, it's more overt AND people keep denying that racism is a big problem. That's why some folks who move from Southern cities are thrown off because at least in the South people acknowledge the overt racism. That there have been so few Boston mayors of color despite Boston being a diverse city is telling.

That said, there are definitely racially diverse and progressive neighborhoods in Boston. There is a long history of organizing and mutual support in Black and other communities of color in Boston. Our information is a bit outdated, but we'd recommend looking into Jamaica Plains and Dorchester. Somerville is more diverse (but mostly non-Black people of color) than Cambridge if you're looking in that region.