About Neighborhood Nine
Neighborhood Nine is the official City of Cambridge name for the area between Harvard Square and Porter Square, northwest of Harvard University, bounded by Massachusetts Avenue to the east, Concord Avenue to the south and railroad tracks to the north and west. It is widely known as Radcliffe and takes in the smaller areas of Avon Hill, Observatory Hill and Larchwood. No station sits inside it, but Porter, Harvard, Davis and Alewife on the Red Line are each within walking distance of some part of it, and Porter also carries Fitchburg Line commuter rail. Its rental stock is unusually mixed, with apartment buildings along Massachusetts Avenue and single-family and two- and three-family houses on the interior hills.
Spot Easy lists Neighborhood Nine apartments from verified agents, with real-time availability, filters for bedroom count, bathrooms, pets, parking, laundry, elevator access and no-broker-fee listings, and photos or 3D tours on most units.
Harvard Square apartments lie to the south, with Porter Square apartments on the eastern edge and West Cambridge apartments to the southwest. Cambridge-wide median asking rents by bedroom count, with sample sizes and percentiles, are published in the Spot Easy Rent Index.
FAQ about Neighborhood Nine Apartments for Rent
Where is Neighborhood Nine?
Neighborhood Nine is the official City of Cambridge name for the area between Harvard Square and Porter Square, northwest of Harvard University. It is bounded by Massachusetts Avenue on the east, Concord Avenue on the south, and railroad tracks on the north and west. Many people know it as Radcliffe, and it takes in the smaller areas of Avon Hill, Observatory Hill and Larchwood.
Why is it called Neighborhood Nine?
Cambridge numbers its thirteen official neighborhoods, and this is the ninth. Unlike most of the others it never settled on a single popular name, so the number stuck in city planning documents and on maps. You will see the same area listed as Radcliffe, or by the name of one of its smaller sections such as Avon Hill or Observatory Hill, depending on the source.
How is transit access in Neighborhood Nine?
Unusually for Cambridge, no station sits inside the neighborhood, but four Red Line stops are within walking distance of some part of it. Porter is right on the eastern edge, Harvard is a short walk south, and Alewife and Davis are reachable from the northern end. Porter also carries the Fitchburg Line commuter rail, which is the fastest way out to Waltham, Concord and points west.
What kinds of buildings are in Neighborhood Nine?
The building stock here is more varied than in most Cambridge neighborhoods, with no single type dominating. Mid-size and larger apartment buildings cluster along Massachusetts Avenue and toward Porter Square, while the interior streets around Avon Hill and Observatory Hill are mostly single-family houses and two- and three-family homes. Elevator access is realistic near the avenue and rare on the hill.
Which parts of Neighborhood Nine should I search?
The eastern edge along Massachusetts Avenue puts you closest to Porter Square and the widest choice of buildings with elevators and on-site laundry. Avon Hill and Observatory Hill, in the interior, are quieter and steeper, with older houses and more outdoor space. The southern end near Concord Avenue and Cambridge Common is the shortest walk to Harvard Square.
What is nearby in Neighborhood Nine?
The Radcliffe Quadrangle sits inside the neighborhood, and the Harvard College Observatory gives Observatory Hill its name. Cambridge Common is just off the southeastern corner, Porter Square's shops and restaurants are on the eastern edge, and Harvard Square is a short walk down Massachusetts Avenue or Garden Street.
How do I find no-broker-fee apartments in Neighborhood Nine?
The managed buildings near Massachusetts Avenue and Porter Square lease without a tenant-paid fee more often than the owner-held houses on the interior streets. Apply the no-broker-fee filter and compare the two ends of the neighborhood separately. A fee is usually one month's rent, alongside first month, last month and a security deposit.