Boston/Cambridge is hot but there has always been a strong tech scene here so it's not so much up and coming. Cambridge is on top of their game, Boston is doing really well despite its city government. The issue with the Boston area is your COL is about the same as SF but your standard of living is a bit lower due to the usual culprits (NIMBY, poor govt leadership, New England conservatism, etc) and just plainly the housing stock is old. If I had to guess I'd guess your money actually goes further in SF than in Boston because you get newer construction, with bigger floor plans and more modern amenities.
I do not think Boston/Cambridge CoL is anywhere close to SF/SV. Maybe if you want to live right in Downtown Crossing, Kendall Square, Back Bay or the South End (not the same as South Boston which is totally different for those who have limited familiarity with the city). It's certainly not anywhere nearly as expensive if you're living in Somerville, Eastie, Dorchester etc. For about $1500-$1800 you can rent a place to yourself which is likely walking or biking distance to your office. Try doing that in SF.
Our state government is a corrupt mess, but so are a lot of state governments. I tend to think the city governments are pretty good. Cambridge and Boston both seem to have their shit together right now.
I would point out that there are many cheap places within the greater Boston area. I pay 1,800 for a three bedroom in Somerville. It's only a 10 minute walk from a redline station that will get you anywhere in the city quite fast. You are totally right about the actual quality of the places available though. Anything cheap will be 50-150 years old.
How much do you pay for temp control at your place though? In Providence I moved out of a 120 year old two-bedroom flat that cost me upwards of $300/mo to heat in the winter and never got above 68.
