Malden - The affordable, safe, working class city
-
2/13/2010
Malden is the northern end of the Boston metro area where the last two orange line stops make for an excellent commute. The pricing starts to get to a place where families can afford to live and in many cases even have a single family home with a real honest-to-goodness yard (not possible in any of the closer neighborhoods). There are tons of converted multi-family homes, (2-4 apartments in a tall large single home), and some big apartment complexes too, so people are pretty packed in, but I find it to be much more pleasant than many of the other Boston neighborhoods which are too densely populated for my taste. I have met some of my favorite people here - there are so many people, and tons of different ethnicities, notably Italian, Irish, Jewish, Chinese, Indian, and Brazilian people. Many others as well - you will find a friend here, just by odds alone. I love the diversity! Many of the people I have met are the best and the brightest from other countries coming here for jobs or education, working hard to make a mark in their field. Lots of young families and singles live here and commute to Boston for work. This is a place for working class people and students with families - Richer people tend to move up to Melrose and Stoneham or go closer to Boston (depending on their preference of a city lifestyle or a suburb lifestyle). There aren't many millionaires kicking around, but there aren't any scary ghettos either. People are really open-minded and accepting overall. The education level is high due to great schools and universities abounding nearby. When you forst move here, you have to remember that this is a crowded area. Healthcare is really tough to get into at first - find a doctor immediately upon arrival - it will take literally months to get in to see them! Once you do, appointments are no problem, it's just the initial appointment that's a problem. Utilities take days to hook up. It's just really crowded. It gets cold in the winter and very snowy, but the summers are glorious (short, but glorious). Spring is extremely rainy and cold and drags on forever. The weather is the disadvantage to living here, and is highly unpredicatable. But there is ALWAYS something to do. You can find anything cultural you could ever desire nearby, a couple of great restaurants (but lots more in Boston), and the parks and nearby Fells Nature Reserve make it a good compromise between the desire for nature, and the desire for an easy commute. The forests and ponds in the nearby parks and Fells are beautiful! I think if I were tolerant of winter, I would eventually buy property in Melrose (the neighboring town), because it's got prettier yards overall, but I would also consider staying in a prettier area of Malden. Some of the hilltop houses are really nice, as well as some of the tucked-away neighborhoods.
Bp | Malden, MA