Gotcha! Take time to check out La Latina as well - Mariposita's input's invaluable here -
My guess is that you and your SO would be comfortable in either area -

Do suggest you stay on the city proper side of the river thou - you want to experience as much - as easily - as possible during your year. Also, you said he was doing research - so I'm guessing you would rather be as close to city center as possible.

Envy you both ....

My understanding is that gradually investors are buying up properties in Lavapies as it's so close to the city centre - and a lot of local people understandably are opposed to the property speculation. I believe it does have a bit of a reputation for street crime, but plenty of guiri live here and avoid trouble by taking the right precautions...
This is also second-hand but I understand there are a lot of happening bars and clubs there - you may live on a street with a lot of noise at night (ALL night) so take soundings before you commit to a particular accommodation...

Lavapies is all that the previous posters have said and I feel can be charming! We rent out our piso there and our tenant has been in it for more than 4 years and he has never experienced any problems on the street. Also, the barrio of Embajadores (where my suegros live) just south of Lavapies is just a tad further from the center, like 1/4 mile, and is totally residential with no tourists, it has 2 metro stops and may be on the more inexpensive side than closer to the city center, the pisos may be bigger too. Inexpensive in Madrid is an oxymoron these days!

Good luck!!

Hello!

I lived for a year in Lavapies (June 2003 unitl July 2004) and although there were no MAJOR incidents, almost everyone I know from the area has been pickpocketed, including myself, at one time or another. Not that that inherently makes it a bad neighborhood (you can get pickpocket anywhere), but a few people involved in 11-M were living in Lavapies at the time. The neigborhood is quite dirty, but it is very near Sol, hence it being well connected as far as transportation. Near metro Tirso de Molina and Lavapies, there are usually many questionable looking people just hanging out.......for what, who knows! And, in Tirso de Molina there are usually a lot of homeless people at night. Not to say that the area doesn´t have its charms, but if you don´t want to bother with these types of issues, it might be better to pick another neighborhood. And, as far as prices go, check around. You can get lucky in normally more expensive neighborhoods. One year in Lavapies was good, but at the end of it I was ready to move to another neighborhood!

its a good neighborhood for cheap shopping, i don't know about saftey though, my wife bought 25 scarfs for like 5 euro or some insane cheap price. strolled around there w/ a couple of madrid natives, who were reluctent to show off a little less glamourous part of the city, but it just another chance to people watch. Its pretty ethnic, w/ a large muslim/asian population-not that that makes it any less safe/more safe. Went to a couple of great bars while the woman were shopping, and while there were some pretty gruff youngsters there, the beer was cold and cheap!

A few posts back you mentioned your hubby just needs metro transport. That opens things up quite a bit. If you feel the need to be in the center, then go with your choice. If all you need is a metro stop nearby then you've got plenty of options. It's not the MBTA, but that's a good thing.