&gt;No one really chose to live out there after graduating for college<p>Sure they did. I knew relatively few people who chose to live in Boston&#x2F;Cambridge after graduation in the 80s. Yes, some of this was because of the commute to their jobs in Metro-West. But I knew lots of people (including myself) who never seriously considered living in the city post-graduation.<p>As you say, places like Kendall and Central Square weren&#x27;t exactly desirable locales. Both the state of much of Boston&#x2F;Cambridge (and even Somerville) and the general attitude toward urban living among certain demographics has obviously shifted.