Newton is nice, but you pay sick money to live there. Waltham is better IMO- working class, reasonable in price compared to the alternatives, and people on the streets seem a bit less stuck up.
Great restaurants in that area too- there's a mom & pop Mexican restaurant nestled in with a bunch of bodyshops, best mexican I've ever had. Unbelievably cheap too.
The main drag street (was it Charles street?) is really nice, and honestly if you have a job there its pretty good. I vote yes, unless you can get something in Miami
Watertown is right next door- its where I used to live, and that is worth a look too.