Upstate NY to boston area/central MA area (Worcester, Shrewsbury: condo, house)

[missionhill]

Taxes are higher in NY partly because there's so much more government to support--big county government, sometimes village government within the town, autonomous school districts and, of course, the all-pork government presiding in Albany. Mass is cheaper and, despite the legends, more honest, but due for a reckoning--either the taxes go up or the thousands of shockingly rusted bridges you pass beneath on state highways will start collapsing. Fortunately no county govt in Mass, which is a cesspool of unaccountable, kickback-laden business-politics. Town governance is a relatively simple and transparent system. Hooray for New England!

[montydean]

Originally Posted by missionhill

Taxes are higher in NY partly because there's so much more government to support--big county government, sometimes village government within the town, autonomous school districts and, of course, the all-pork government presiding in Albany. Mass is cheaper and, despite the legends, more honest, but due for a reckoning--either the taxes go up or the thousands of shockingly rusted bridges you pass beneath on state highways will start collapsing. Fortunately no county govt in Mass, which is a cesspool of unaccountable, kickback-laden business-politics. Town governance is a relatively simple and transparent system. Hooray for New England!

There's a lot of truth in here.

[nei]

Originally Posted by brent s

The winters are much less harsh in Worcester vs. Syracuse. Syracuse is like living in a snow globe. It does not snow nearly that much in Worcester, however we still get a good amount of snow. Winters are definitely gray here however.

Worcester is much sunnier in the winter than Syracuse.

One thing you will notice about the Worcester area is, that there are other things besides dairy farms in the surrounding towns. When you go 10 miles outside Syracuse in any direction, and you are in farmland. Maybe that will happen to an extent if you to 10 miles west of Worcester, but anywhere east is further and further into the suburbs of Boston.

If you go west of Worcester it's much more forested and less farmed than around Syracuse.

[montydean]

Originally Posted by nei

Worcester is much sunnier in the winter than Syracuse.



If you go west of Worcester it's much more forested and less farmed than around Syracuse.

You mean "more farmed" than Syracuse I presume.

[nei]

Originally Posted by montydean

You mean "more farmed" than Syracuse I presume.

No, I mean less farmed. That's one of the largest differences I noticed between upstate NY and western/central MA.

Look at the satellite view of Syracuse compared to Worcester at about the same scale.

The light green and orange patches are farmland, dark green forest. A lot more around Syracuse. 150 years there would have been a lot more farmland outside of Worcester; it's been mostly abandoned.

[montydean]

Originally Posted by nei

No, I mean less farmed. That's one of the largest differences I noticed between upstate NY and western/central MA.

Look at the satellite view of Syracuse compared to Worcester at about the same scale.

The light green and orange patches are farmland, dark green forest. A lot more around Syracuse. 150 years there would have been a lot more farmland outside of Worcester; it's been mostly abandoned.

If you are saying that Syracuse/CNY is more rural than Worcester/cent, west mass, than we are in disagreement.

Not sure that link really proves a point either way. Still, I'm always looking for a chance to learn so the map is interesting.

[nei]

Originally Posted by montydean

If you are saying that Syracuse/CNY is more rural than Worcester/cent, west mass, than we are in disagreement.

Did not say that. I'm saying the surrounding rural / less developed land outside Syracuse and Central New York contains much more farmland; Central Massachusetts is more forested than farmland.

Not sure that link really proves a point either way. Still, I'm always looking for a chance to learn so the map is interesting.

[kram79]

I believe there are taxes on cars and personal property in MA? Is that significant or just a nominal amount per year?

[brent s]

Originally Posted by kram79

I believe there are taxes on cars and personal property in MA? Is that significant or just a nominal amount per year?

its really just vehicles that are taxed. It can be significant if you have a new car, but once it is 4-5 years old, it is not really much at all. On our new car, that had an MSRP of around $18k, I think the taxes in the first year were like $250. It goes down from there, and by the 5th year (model year, not year you've owned it), it should be down around $40-50 for the year.

My 2000 model year car, with a $21k MSRP, is about $40 a year in taxes.

[kram79]

So would a household income of say 70 k per yr for a family with 2 kids be enough or is it way too low?