Central Square

Located about a mile due east of Harvard University, the Cambridge neighborhood called Central Square acts as the city's primary magnet for attracting numerous startups that include Internet and pharmaceutical companies. Young professionals that attend either Harvard or Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) dominate the demographic base of the neighborhood. The Mass Cultural Council named Central Square an official Cultural District in 2012 and the National Register of Historic Places added the Central Square Historic District to its prestigious list. Multi-story brownstones house medical professionals that take advantage of lower than Boston average real estate prices and access to plentiful resource to conduct research. Cambridge offers financial incentives for startups to relocate primarily to Central Square. Startup enterprises benefit from the neighborhood's attractive layout and low crime rate. The neighborhood bustles with live music and theater venues, as well as a diverse selection of ethnic restaurants.

Central Square represents the epicenter of activity in Cambridge, as Western Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue, and Prospect Street converge at the central business district. Several parks provide recreational options for nearby residents, as does the Charles River, which separates Harvard University from Central Square. A short walk along Western Avenue takes residents to Harvard and Massachusetts Avenue ensures residents have quick access to MIT. Improv Boston, Central Square Theater, and Harmonix Music Systems highlight the ever-growing small business base in Cambridge.

Residents commute to downtown Boston by boarding the red line at Central Station. Multiple bus routes act as secondary public transit options that take passengers deep within the European style road grid that dominates Central Square and adjoining Cambridge neighborhoods. Apartment tenants typically stay for years in the neighborhood, which creates economic stability for business owners. A few of the gentrified homes in Central Square have remained within the same families for generations.