Living in Boston

Where Our Students Live

Boston is an academic and medical hub! It is a great place to live and an easy city to navigate with most destinations being a short walk away. Boston's public transportation throughout the city makes navigation to destinations easily accessible.

New England College of Optometry is located in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. Within walking distance of campus you can find restaurants, stores, parks, and entertainment. With a number of famous historical sites, museums, sports teams, and theater venues there's always something to explore! You can choose to study at the historic Boston Public Library or take a walk or run along the Charles River behind our campus. The options seem endless.

Boston is a city comprised of 23 neighborhoods. Many students choose to live near our Back Bay campus or in one of the nearby neighborhoods. Others choose to live in nearby cities such as Cambridge or Brookline. We've compiled some information about the most popular areas that our students live in below. The City of Boston website also provides more information about all of the neighborhoods.

Popular Neighborhoods

Boston: Back Bay

NECO is located in Back Bay, and many students choose to live here in order to walk to class.
Back Bay is home to the Boston Marathon finish line, the Boston Public Library and Newbury Street, known for restaurants and shopping.
Rent ranges from $1800 per month for a student to $2500 per month for a two bedroom apartment.

Boston: Fenway/Kenmore

The Fenway/Kenmore neighborhood is next to Back Bay, and within a 15-30 walk to NECO. It also has easy access to the MBTA Green subway line.
It is home to Fenway Park, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as restaurants, shops, and nightlife.
Rent ranges from $1600 per month for a studio to $2200 for a two-bedroom apartment.

Boston: South End

The South End neighborhood is primarily a residential area with beautiful Victorian brownstone houses, but also includes restaurants and shopping.
Located next to Back Bay, and within a 20-30 minute to NECO. It also has access to the MBTA Orange subway line.
Rent ranges from 1800 per month for a studio to $2500 per month for a two bedroom apartment.

Boston: Brighton/Allston

Brighton/Allston is home to a large college student population and unique coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques.
Widely accessible by public transportation, with multiple bus lines and the green MBTA subway line arrive to stops near NECO within 30-40 minutes.
Rent ranges from $1500 per month for a studio to $2000 for a two-bedroom apartment.

Brookline: Coolidge Corner & Washington Square

Located in the neighboring town of Brookline, the Coolidge Corner and Washington Square neighborhoods are residential areas that host small boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants.
The MBTA Green subway line runs through both of these neighborhoods, and arrives to stops near NECO within 20-30 minutes.
Rent ranges from $1500 per month for a studio to $2100 per month for a two-bedroom apartment.

Cambridge: Harvard & Central Square

Located in Cambridge, Harvard and Central Squares are residential areas that are home to unique restaurants, parks and theaters.
Public transportation is widely available, and the #1 bus line runs through both neighborhoods and stops one block away from NECO within 25 minutes.
Rent in Cambridge ranges from $1500 per month for a studio to $2200 per month for a two-bedroom apartment.

Getting Around

Boston is known for being a walkable city and easy to get around. It has an international airport, public transportation system, and an ever-expanding set of bike lanes and a bike share program. Many restaurants, sites, libraries, gyms, and shopping are all within close proximity of the campus. The Boston Marathon comes within a few blocks of our Beacon Street campus and Cambridge is a quick walk across the bridge. The rest of the city is easily accessible by public transportation, biking or car and ride sharing. In addition to our page here, the City of Boston website has a comprehensive guide to travel around the city.

MBTA Public Transit System

The MBTA, commonly know as the "T", is Boston's public transit system, consisting of trains and buses that run all over the city. Most students choose to live in neighborhoods that have easy access to the MBTA train system. The subway system is mostly underground and is comprised on four lines that are designated by different colors: Green, Red, Blue and Orange.

The green line is the main line that goes through Downtown Boston. This is the line that is closest to the Beacon Street campus, with stops at Copley Square and Hynes Convention Center Stop. The green line has four branches that provide easy access to the Fenway/Kenmore, Brighton/Allston and Brookline neighborhoods.
The red line is the main line for Cambridge and heads southeast down to the town of Braintree. There are a couple stops on the red line that stop in Boston proper, and connects with the green line at Park Street Station.
The orange line begins north of Boston in the town of Melrose and heads southwest to the Jamaica Plain neighborhood in Boston. It stops at the Massachusetts Avenue and Back Bay Stations, which are about a 20 minute walk to NECO's Beacon Street campus.
The blue line runs northeast of the city from the city of Revere to the northeastern part of Boston proper. The blue connects with the green line at Government Center station.

In addition to trains, there is a comprehensive bus system that spans the city. The 1 Bus stops closest to NECO, and there are many others that stop in nearby Copley Square.

A one way ticket for the subway is $2.40, and discounted monthly passes are offered to students through NECO at $80 per month. Other transit fares are listed on the MBTA website.

We created a map to help you visualize the different train lines and the most popular areas that students live in. Additionally, the MBTA website has a great trip planner feature to help with your transportation needs.

Biking

Bike lanes are continually being added throughout Boston and the surrounding towns and many people use them for commuting. The Beacon Street campus has a bike rack student use. There are also bike paths that extend for miles in many directions around the city and beyond. The Bluebikes public bike-share program offers an alternative for cyclists who don’t own a bike: 4,000 bikes for rent at nearly 400 stations in Boston and nearby cities - and with docking stations close to NECO. Check out the Bluebikes website for more information!

Cars and Parking

Most students do not bring cars, and student parking is not available at the college during the day. If you are planning to bring your car, make sure to read about resident parking in the city. Additionally, there are many parking garages around the city, and metered street parking is available through the ParkBoston app. The car sharing service, ZipCar, is also available for those who may only need to drive occasionally.

Ride Shares and Taxis

Ride share services such as Uber and Lyft are readily available to provide direct transportation to your destination. Services can be booked through their respective apps. Taxis are also available throughout the city.

Explore Boston

Each year, over 20 million visitors come to Boston to experience the rich history, arts, culture, education, sports, shopping, and natural beauty. Home to more than 35 colleges and universities and 150,000 students, Boston is a vibrant city. Just outside the city, neighborhood like Harvard Square in Cambridge and Coolidge Corner in Brookline are fun to explore and accessible via public transportation. Check out some of the most popular attractions below!

Events and Attractions

In Boston, there is no lack of sites to see and places to explore, and there is always something going on! Check out the Boston Calendar to see what's happening around the city, and the Boston USA website for a comprehensive list of activities.

Festivals and Events: The City of Boston offers many festivals and events throughout the year, including the Boston Pop Fireworks Spectacular on July 4th.

Boston Harborwalk: You can walk along the Boston Harborwalk and take in historical landmarks, contemporary buildings, and street performers at Faneuil Hall, in the North End, and in Christopher Columbus Park.

Parks & Recreation: To relax and unwind after a log day, or simply to enjoy the landscape of Boston, visit the many parks and green spaces throughout the city including the Boston Common and Public Garden right near NECO's Beacon Street campus.

History & Walking Tours: The City of Boston offers many free walking tours to learn more about the history of the city and the country. Walking the freedom trail and visiting the USS Constitution and Bunker Hill Memorial are also available for no charge.

Professional Sports: Boston is home to professional baseball, hockey and basketball teams. The Red Sox play baseball at Fenway Park, which is just a 15 minute walk from NECO. The TD Garden in the North End hosts the Boston Celtics basketball team, and the Boston Bruins hockey team. Finally, the New England Patriots play football at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, which is about 45 minutes away from the city.