Considering a move to Boston area (Cambridge, Newton: cheap house, public schools, property tax)

[EGRAB]

My husband and I, with our infant daughter, are planning a move to New England in the next year or so. We are traveling to Boston next weekend to check out suburbs in the North Shore, South Shore and Metro West. We are considering Ipswich, Marblehead, Newburyport, Portsmouth, NH, Hingham, Cohasset, Wellesley, Burlington, Newton, Brookline, Sudbury, etc. We are really open to any town that has a quaint New England feel as well as great public schools. We realize that we are looking at fairly wealthy towns and we're hoping to find one that is friendly and not snobby. We are very outdoorsy, we love to go on hikes and spend time in parks. Most importantly, we would like to find a young community (30-40s) in a town that has a few pubs and restaurants. Any ideas, thoughts, suggestions are welcome. Thanks!

[ogre]

Originally Posted by EGRAB

My husband and I, with our infant daughter, are planning a move to New England in the next year or so. We are traveling to Boston next weekend to check out suburbs in the North Shore, South Shore and Metro West. We are considering Ipswich, Marblehead, Newburyport, Portsmouth, NH, Hingham, Cohasset, Wellesley, Burlington, Newton, Brookline, Sudbury, etc. We are really open to any town that has a quaint New England feel as well as great public schools. We realize that we are looking at fairly wealthy towns and we're hoping to find one that is friendly and not snobby. We are very outdoorsy, we love to go on hikes and spend time in parks. Most importantly, we would like to find a young community (30-40s) in a town that has a few pubs and restaurants. Any ideas, thoughts, suggestions are welcome. Thanks!

Of the towns you've listed here, one that jumps out at me, because it stands apart from the others geographically, is Portsmouth. Portsmouth is a good deal farther away from Boston than the others you're talking about, but it does have the pubs and restaurants you'd like. I'm not very familiar with the north shore or south shore, but I believe Marblehead and Newburyport would have a selection of eateries, as well as quick access to the beach.

If you're going to be commuting to Boston, it's worth considering that the driving commute is generally more congested from north and south of the city than from the west. Not great from the west, but better than the other directions. If you'd be using commuter rail, of course the issue of commuting traffic becomes moot. And, if you're not looking at a commute to Boston, this changes the situation as well.

I'm most familiar with the western suburbs. In that area, it could be tricky to find everything you've said you're looking for in the same town. I don't know what is your idea of a "quaint New England feel," but to me this conjures images of a town less densely populated, with some woods and fields. Of the towns you've listed, the one most like this in the western suburbs is Sudbury, but most towns of this sort west of Boston don't have so much in the way of restaurants, though they do offer opportunities for the outdoor activities you're looking for. Newton and Brookline will have restaurants, but they're both closer to Boston than most of the other towns, and are more densely populated, and so do not offer as much open space for hiking, etc. In those two towns you'd find open space more in the form of city parks than open woodland.

If you can afford to live in most of the towns you've listed here, and would like an affluent community of this sort, you might want to have Burlington low on your list. It's a pleasant enough town, but is more a basic mid-level suburban kind of place than affluent towns like Newton, Wellesley, Brookline, or Sudbury. I'm a little uncomfortable with discussing attitudes in different towns based only what I've heard occasionally, but if you're looking for a town that's affluent but not so snooty, Wellesley might not be your first choice. Please keep in mind that this is based on nothing more than a few things I've heard here and there, but around the local area, Wellesley seems to have a reputation for snootiness.

One town not on your list that I would suggest you consider is Wayland, also in the western suburbs. It's a nice, affluent town, with woods and fields, and also a small business district in the Cochituate section. You'll find a few small local restaurants in that part of town, and there are a bunch of larger chain restaurants as well as shopping malls in the adjacent towns of Framingham and Natick.

Just a few thoughts to get you started. Best of luck with your search.

[baystater]

Town of Hingham Massachusetts, Incorporated 1635

Town of Cohasset, Masschusetts, Official Web Site

Hingham is a nice,safe town on the south shore. I would alot of the people are well off there for the most part.
Cohassett is a very well-to-do town. Very pretty and very expensive.
Both offer in my opinion pretty good beaches for recreation. As for the Bar and restaurant scenes for the towns. It's from OK from what I remember. Someone else may have a better vibe on that than me.

Town of Brookline
City of Newton, MA

Brookine and Newton are really close to Boston proper. So you wouldn't have to worry about a bar or restaurant scene in those two towns. I would consider both affluent town. With Newton being the better off of the two.
My significant other has lived in both towns. She like Newton better and felt like she got an excellent education in the Newton school system. Plus Newton consistently makes it to the top 3 for safest town in America. So if your concerned about that Newton is a good place in regards to safety.


Good Luck to you.

[Floridagirl08]

I agree that Brookline and Newton are very close to Boston. Other cities to consider are Arlington and Watertown. Watertown was very nice when I visited but do not know much about Arlington other than it is a short commute to Boston.

[NY'er lost in MA]

Wellesley is very expensive (to own in) and is by no means young. When you think of Wellesley, think of old money and old New England families = exclusive.

It really depends on your budget and commute.

[smarty]

Originally Posted by NY'er lost in MA

Wellesley is very expensive (to own in) and is by no means young. When you think of Wellesley, think of old money and old New England families = exclusive.

It really depends on your budget and commute.

I am not sure about old...

However, Wellesley actually has one of the lowest property tax rate in MA ($8.87 per $1K). Average tax bill for Wellesley is $8962 with median MA tax bill at $4007. If you can find a cheap house, you're good.


Property tax bills rising across state - The Boston Globe

[NY'er lost in MA]

Originally Posted by smarty

....If you can find a cheap house, you're good.

that will be quite the task!

[capecodcathy]

You may want to consider Plymouth. Pretty easy commute to Boston on the rail.

[brightdoglover]

If the original poster really means *towns*, then Brookline and Newton are a lot more urban than a quaint town could ever be. I consider them "city" like I do Watertown or Arlington or Cambridge. I think they are all great places to live (especially if you work in Boston) but they aren't town-like at all. I agree with the suggestion of Wayland. How about Harvard? I guess I'm thinking of places with old-fashioned town centers/commons from the past.

[janice3]

BOXFORD, MA

Great schools, young families, Great Schools, wonderful zoning, Great schools, 20 minutes to Boston, and the ocean...oh and did I mention they have great schools