"Southie" as it is affectionately known, boasts an unmatched character among Boston neighborhoods. This is a hard-working, traditionally Irish-Catholic neighborhood that boasts many historic churches and other landmarks. While it traditionally appears as a tough and hard-nosed community in TV and movies, that is not always the case and the reputation has gotten "softer" in recent years. This neighborhood has a nice, small-town feel with easy access to the big city. In recent years, young…
“Southie” as it is affectionately known, boasts an unmatched character among Boston neighborhoods. This is a hard-working, traditionally Irish-Catholic neighborhood that boasts many historic churches and other landmarks. While it traditionally appears as a tough and hard-nosed community in TV and movies, that is not always the case and the reputation has gotten “softer” in recent years. This neighborhood has a nice, small-town feel with easy access to the big city. In recent years, young professionals and families have been moving in to take advantage of the strong sense of community, the waterfront parks and the proximity to downtown.
As mentioned in the intro, the character of this neighborhood is unmatched in Boston. Its inhabitants are hard-working and honest, and the neighborhood boasts the same type of feel as a small, working class town. People in the neighborhood stick with their neighbor and have a very strong sense of community, something that doesn’t always exist among larger cities and neighborhoods.
There is also a wide array of different landscapes throughout South Boston. The architecture is hundreds of years old, but also brand new condominiums are always being built. This gives renters and buyers alike a ton of options as to what kind of dwelling they prefer to live in. There are also parks throughout the neighborhood and water views from almost every angle, in addition to nice beaches to the south.
The community used to be primarily Irish-Catholic working class individuals, but recently, newer developments and the proximity to downtown has made it more desirable for professionals and families alike. It has slowly began to become a more upscale residential area, which is a far cry from what it was like a few decades ago.
South Boston became a neighborhood in 1804 when it separated from the historic Boston neighborhood of Dorchester. For the next 100+ years, it was a hardworking and “rough” neighborhood (a characteristic that still follows it to this day in the eyes of some). However, in the early 21st century, a major increase in property values began to occur. This can be pinpointed to a number of factors such as gentrification, the proximity to downtown, the sense of community, and more. As a result, more wealthy individuals and families began to move in and change the dynamic of the neighborhood to a more “upscale” environment.
As a result, South Boston is the most expensive easterly neighborhood to rent in. In line with the housing, the overall cost of living is quite high and is nearly 40% more than the national average. However, most people don’t have a problem with paying more for the strong community, waterfront views, distance to downtown, and the small-town feel.
The MBTA services South Boston with both subway trains and buses. A number of different bus routes go throughout South Boston so getting downtown via the bus is a breeze. When it comes to the subway, the MBTA has numerous stations throughout the neighborhood. The great public transit in this neighborhood is one of the biggest benefits to its residents. However, if you can, walking around the neighborhood is a great option. The neighborhood is full of interesting individuals and the neighborhood pride can be seen everywhere. Also, the squares in the neighborhood are great to check out as a lot of them feature old churches with great architecture.
Driving is an option, but there is a policy in the neighborhood that restricts the amount of parking spots that are available to use in the neighborhood. This policy was made to promote carpooling/public transit use and also to reduce air pollution.
Silver
0.27 mi - 21 Dry Dock Avenue (21 Dry Dock Avenue, Boston)
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Red
1.36 mi - Broadway Station (Dorchester Avenue and Broadway, Boston)
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Red Silver
1.46 mi - South Station (Summer Street at Atlantic Avenue, Boston)
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