Cambridge or Brookline if you can afford it. Both beat Mt pleasant by far in terms of walkabiltiy and quality of public schools (esp Brookline). But both much more expensive than Mt pleasant, renting or buying.

Congrats on the job!

Anonymous wrote:Jamaica Plain or Cambridge. Cambridge has a great Spanish immersion Amigos k-8 school, but Cambridge is a lottery system.

Friends who moved from Cambridge they weren't happy with their schools or wanted a larger home moved to Arlington.

But you'll need to spend more budget-wise for what you want.

OP here: I was looking at Amigos, thanks for the advice!

I used to live in Boston and also in Mt P. I think Jamaica Plain is your best bet but maybe also consider Brookline if you can afford it, specifically Coolidge Corner. It is not gritty like Mt P, but it does have the walkability and small town feel. And it has an amazing bookstore (Brookline Booksmith).

Anonymous wrote:You won’t find farmers markets, you have it good here.

Great farmers market in Rozzie (Roslindale for OP) and Allendale Farm is close to JP as well.

Jamaica Plain or Cambridge. Cambridge has a great Spanish immersion Amigos k-8 school, but Cambridge is a lottery system.

Friends who moved from Cambridge they weren't happy with their schools or wanted a larger home moved to Arlington.

But you'll need to spend more budget-wise for what you want.

You will be in a big apartment. Just so you know. 5k will not get you anywhere near house status within 30 minutes of Boston and everything else you want.

You won’t find farmers markets, you have it good here.

I’m a Bostonian and also would recommend Jamaica Plain. I love walking around Jamaica Pond, lots of good ethnic restaurants, diverse, great public magnet option, and many triplex type rentals with three bedrooms and a nice backyard.

Anonymous wrote:Jamaica Plain definitely. Nearby there’s Jamaica Pond, the Emerald Necklace, and Franklin Park. Boston Latin is also one of the country’s premier public schools.

It’s a shame the neighborhood’s trolley line was discontinued in the 80s but the T Orange Line is nearby and the bus is fine.

This. JP is the closest match, for sure.

OP: We currently own but would want to rent for a year or 2 before we commit to buying. Rental budget would be $4.5-5k a month for a 3 bedroom with some sort of outdoor space (although it doesn’t have to be a house)

^A dual immersion k-8 school is near the neighborhood.

It is an extremely walkable and beautiful area.

Jamaica Plain definitely. Nearby there’s Jamaica Pond, the Emerald Necklace, and Franklin Park. Boston Latin is also one of the country’s premier public schools.

It’s a shame the neighborhood’s trolley line was discontinued in the 80s but the T Orange Line is nearby and the bus is fine.

Isn’t Cambridge just Mt Pleasant but better in just about every way?

Budget? Which language for immersion?

Can narrow down from here:
https://www.doe.mass.edu/ele/programs/dle-list.docx

I just got offered a terrific position in Boston. I would totally take it, but it has made me realize how much we love our current neighborhood. We currently live in Mt Pleasant, walk our kids to school, know all of our neighbors, go to the farmers market every week, hike in RCP on the weekends, etc, etc. Is there any Mt Pleasant equivalent around Boston? Ideal would be an extremely walkable and diverse neighborhood that is less than 30 minutes to downtown Boston, with a bilingual public elementary school and a good middle school. I have never lived in Boston, although we have extended family in Western MA that we have visited a lot. I just don’t know enough about the area to know where to start to look. Ideally not looking to spend more than NW DC prices for rentals, although I recognize cost of living might be higher there.