Living on the North Shore? (Boston, Lynn: oceanfront, apartments, renting)

[leds]

We will be moving to Boston in January and we're in the process of trying to narrow down which area of the city best meets our needs. We had been considering Belmont or Newton, but when we looked at the North Shore, we really felt like that was were we wanted to be. The idea of living on the water is very appealing.

We have been told to stay away from Lynn. Swampscott is right next door. Is it a desirable town to live in? We have two small children - how are the schools in Marblehead and Swampscott? Do many of the residents commute into the city? Are the residents fairly open to newcomers or is a pretty close-knit kind of community? We live in a small town now and are looking to avoid the kind of towns where everyone knows each other from high school.

How is the commute into Boston from these towns? My husband plans to use public transportation, as we've heard driving from the North Shore is brutal. He will be traveling to North Station.

Any additional information you have about towns on the North Shore (recommendations, warnings, advice) is very much appreciated.

[AnnPedi614]

Originally Posted by leds

We will be moving to Boston in January and we're in the process of trying to narrow down which area of the city best meets our needs. We had been considering Belmont or Newton, but when we looked at the North Shore, we really felt like that was were we wanted to be. The idea of living on the water is very appealing.

We have been told to stay away from Lynn. Swampscott is right next door. Is it a desirable town to live in? We have two small children - how are the schools in Marblehead and Swampscott? Do many of the residents commute into the city? Are the residents fairly open to newcomers or is a pretty close-knit kind of community? We live in a small town now and are looking to avoid the kind of towns where everyone knows each other from high school.

How is the commute into Boston from these towns? My husband plans to use public transportation, as we've heard driving from the North Shore is brutal. He will be traveling to North Station.

Any additional information you have about towns on the North Shore (recommendations, warnings, advice) is very much appreciated.

Are you buying or renting??
I know the town I grew up in still has a lot of kids that I went to High School with living there, but also a lot of newcomers. I did grow up on the North Shore in Lynnfield and loved living on the North Shore. If your husband will be taking the train into town, you could also look in Beverly. My friend just bought a house there and says her neighbors have been very welcoming and it is a great small city. Lots to do.
A lot depends on your price range........As for Swampscott and Marblehead, they are both on the coast, I have a cousin in Swampscott and he likes it. As for Marblehead, beware it is hard to get in and out of in my opinion. You have to go through Salem and in October that can be brutal.....

[ChunkyMonkey]

Originally Posted by leds

How is the commute into Boston from these towns? My husband plans to use public transportation, as we've heard driving from the North Shore is brutal. He will be traveling to North Station.

Swampscott is on the Newburyport/Rockport line. Here's a typical schedule. Looks to be about 30 minutes to North Station.
MBTA > Schedules & Maps > Commuter Rail > Newburyport/Rockport Line

The closest T station to Lynnfield is probably either Reading or Wakefield on the Haverhill line.
Here's the schedule.
MBTA > Schedules & Maps > Commuter Rail > Haverhill Line

I definitely would not drive from either of these towns especially if your final destination is North Station. Good luck.

[septimus]

both Marblehead and Swampscott are great towns with good school districts. If you are using public transportation I would probably consider Swampscott since it has a train station that you can basically walk/ride your bike to from any part of town. If you live in Marblehead you'll have to drive and parking in Swampscott is harder but the train stops more frequently in Salem. Another option is to drive to Wonderland and take the blue line in...that's what I used to do when I staying with family btwn apartments, but my sister would just ride her bike to the commuter rail.

[talamalee]

I grew up in Swampscott and am currently living there as well.
Swampscott and Marblehead are similar towns. Both have good school systems. They are both small towns, each with their townie populations, but are generally very accepting and welcoming of newcomers. Both are relatively wealthy towns so they can get labeled as snobby. For the most part this is nothing more than a label, but you do find it a little bit. I think one will always find a few snobby people in any wealthy population. I think the income cross section in Swampscott is a little more diverse than it is in Marblehead, though. Both towns are really beautiful and have good beaches etc.

There is only one (possible) drawback of living here (and marblehead) - they're both far from the highway. Expect to drive 15 minutes before you even get to a highway. Some consider this a good thing. Boston is really accessible by the Train or T (subway) and the seclusion can be nice. BUT, if this is a problem for you, I'd consider a town like Beverly. Beverly is oceanfront as well, but is close to the highway and also on the Train line. Beverly also offers benefits similar to swampscott/marblehead, but it is a larger community so it has more diversity and a little more to offer.

I know this info comes awfully close to your move date, but I hope it is helpful somehow.