Hello, I'm moving to Boston - Cambridge vs Allston or somewhere else?

Oh, definitely Cambridge. Allston is very student-y, but it's impossible to get anywhere. In Cambridge on the other hand, you've got the Red Line (very speedy). 40 mins does sound pretty accurate, but that's including wait time and stuff. It's actually not very far, distance wise. And think of it this way: I allow 20 minutes to go 2 stops on the green line every morning. The station is 5 mins. away from my house. Clearly, the Red Line is faster, not to mention nicer. As for Cambridge itself, you will fit right in. Cambridge is quaint and filled with "quirky" coffee shops and bars. Live music is literally everywhere, you can't walk ten feet outside without running into a street performance. But since I'm guessing you're looking for slightly better performances, there are great places like the Middle East (upstairs and down) and TT the Bear's and Johnny D's etc. etc. for you to check out in the immediate area. If you can afford it, I would highly suggest Harvard Square for you, I have a hunch you would love it there. Good luck!

Cambridge is lovely, but Alston would be a bit far. Braintree is nice as well, and convenient, as is Quincy, but can be quite pricey. If it were me, I would choose Cambridge, simply because I love that immediate area so much.

My sister goes to UMASS Boston, she lives in Quincy cause it's right on the Red line which makes it very easy to get there. My friend that goes to UMASS lives in Allston and complains about how much of a pain it is to get there, so that's really not a convenient area to live in if you plan to go to that school. Allston is a big party area though, because it's by BU, so lots of college kids. But Cambridge is a lot nicer though of the two. Though I couldn't tell you how good it is or isn't for commuting to UMASS.