As mentioned briefly in the introduction, West Fens is a neighborhood where something is always going on and there is tons of energy in the air. Whether it is students going to and from the various intellectual institutions, or sports fans perusing the bars and restaurants on game day. If being surrounded by action is something you enjoy, definitely consider renting in this area.
Speaking of restaurants, there are a ton of great spots to check out in West Fens for a bite to eat or a drink. While many are catered towards sports fans and young people due to the demographics, there is something there for everyone. Despite this neighborhood being right near the heart of Boston, there is a ton of outdoor and green space if you like to spend time in the great outdoors.
Like the rest of Fenway, this neighborhood is a fairly young one and as many residents are students or young professionals. The proximity to various different universities definitely helps the neighborhood stay young. Also, this helps the neighborhood to be a renter’s paradise. As many students and young professionals cannot afford to buy a home, there is a lot of demand for renters here, which means there is a lot of supply. In fact, almost 92% of people living in West Fens are renters.
Like the rest of the Fenway neighborhood, West Fens came into existence in the 1870s when land was taken from Brookline to create it. While it was first planned to be an expensive neighborhood for the wealthy, its proximity to a number of different schools over the years led to many students moving into the neighborhood. This has continued to this day as the neighborhood is made up of mainly young adults. But despite the fact that over half of the population of West Fens makes less than $50,000 a year, the cost of living is quite high. The biggest contributor to this high cost of living is the rent.
There are three main ways of commute and getting around this neighborhood for most residents and that is walking, taking public transit and driving, in that order. So while walking and public transit are popular (as they are throughout Boston), driving is actually easier than you would expect in this neighborhood as there is ample parking.
However, as you would expect, many students and those just getting started in their career may not be able to afford a car, and thus, the subway and walking are preferred. There are numerous stops near West Fens for the subway and you’ll almost always see people walking the streets too.
However, if you live in this neighborhood, it would be a good idea to know when the Red Sox is playing. Driving is a terrible idea before and after a game due to the massive amount of people in the neighborhood. There is also a good chance that the subway will be crawling with people, so walking might be your best bet on gameday, unless you are far enough away from Fenway Park.
- Boston University
- Northeastern University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy
- Berklee College of Music
- Harvard Medical School
- Fenway Park is easily the biggest attraction in the West Fens neighborhood and is one of the most famous sports stadiums in the world. You are doing yourself a disservice if you don’t check it out.
- House of Blues Boston is a concert hall that features live music, art, comedy, and much more. They have a wide variety of shows and performances that are definitely worth a look.
- Fenway Garden Society is home to the Victory Gardens, which is the longest running victory garden in all the USA. This place is home to over 500 different gardens spanning numerous acres and is a great place to check out on a nice and sunny day.
- Make sure to check out the variety of different bars and restaurants in this little neighborhood, as there is a lot of them. If you are a sports fan, there is also a number of different sports bars near Fenway Park to grab a beer before or after a game.
- Boston is full of nice green spaces and parks, but perhaps none is better than The Fens. This is a large park space and urban wild right in Boston. There is so much to do and see from lush foliage, to sculptures and art and much more.
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