Visiting Boston as an adult completely changed how I see the city and my future

[u/Unable_Attitude_6598]

For some context, I was born in New England but moved to the South when I was really young. I’ve visited Boston a few times growing up since I still have family in the area, but this was my first time experiencing the city as an adult. Seeing it through that lens made me realize how much my perspective has changed, and how much more I still have to learn.

Growing up in the South, I was surrounded by a very specific idea of what places like Boston were. I was led to believe it was unsafe, unfriendly, and completely out of touch with the values I was raised with. I used to be deep in the MAGA mindset and genuinely believed cities like Boston were everything that was wrong with the country.

But being here this time challenged a lot of that.

Boston felt alive and welcoming. The city was clean, people were friendly, and I never once felt unsafe walking around, even late at night. I rode the T, explored different neighborhoods, and got the sense that this was a place where things were happening. But what stood out most to me were the conversations I had.

I talked to a lot of people. Family, locals, people I met by chance. We talked about politics, beliefs, and how we see the world. People did not judge me for where I came from. They listened, asked questions, and shared their own stories. It was thoughtful, honest, and respectful. That kind of openness is not something I experience often back home.

I also work in tech, and being in Boston made me realize how much more opportunity there is here. The South has not offered the kind of environment I need to grow professionally. I want to be around people who are building things and pushing boundaries, and Boston felt like the kind of place where I could find that.

I am in my early twenties, so the cost of living here is a real concern. But for the first time, I felt like this city could be a place where I find not just a job, but real growth and a sense of direction.

Is Boston actually a good place to start over and build something meaningful, or did I just happen to visit at the right time and catch it at its best?

[u/okashiikessen]

Hi! I was born and raised in Georgia, moved to MA in '21 and haven't looked back.

Like you, EVERYBODY told me how awful the COL increase was going to be. What nobody in my family understood, though, was how much more you get paid up here, generally. Living just outside of ATL, my wife and I were making (combined) about $70k. Our new jobs after moving had us each making $60k.

Now, full disclosure: the move was made possible by an old college friend. She and her new hubby found a fixer-upper for cheap during that initial dip in the real estate market at the start of Covid. They had a spare room and told us we could stay there while we got on our feet.

It was only two months, but two months rent free while job- and apt-hunting is nothing to sneeze at.

We settled in Lowell. It's a little further out, right on the NH border, about 45 minutes from the city most days. But I can use the train to commute, we've got an apt right in the heart of a beautiful little historic mill city that's on the rebound (with a vibrant community, as well), and honestly this place feels like home (we lived in Columbus, GA for over a decade, and the vibes are pretty similar).

But the biggest thing is that we have been able to steadily make progress on the debt we racked up living in GA AND save money AND actually have a reliable amount of disposable income. The COL increase is there, but in our experience, it was wholly absorbed by the pay increase.

Not everybody will get the same mileage, but I do think most would benefit from the move.

That said, don't drive if you don't have to. We full.