Moving to area, help needed (Boston, Lynn: rentals, neighborhoods, elementary school)

[JoChrnt]

I'm relocating to the area to work near the airport. Looking at schools, walkability, and town feel have some questions on best places. For instance - on the surface Melrose, Lynn and Quincy all have some things about them I like, but I shudder at other things I hear. What would the best options be ? Need easy commute to airport area - specifically round the racetrack - and must have decent schools, walkable downtown areas that are safe and reasonable pricing. Given I'm coming from areas that cost less than half of what I'm seeing in Boston, reasonable is a relative term. Are Revere, Everett, Chelsea that bad ? Looking for a place to finally call home, so any help is appreciated.

[Verseau]

Originally Posted by JoChrnt

Are Revere, Everett, Chelsea that bad ?

Yes. Sadly, this is the case for most of the towns closest to the airport.

Giving us a specific price range would definitely help. I think Melrose sounds like a good choice for your criteria, although it is more expensive than the other towns you listed. Quincy is more affordable and also has several walkable neighborhoods, but I think that commute might be rough depending on what time of day you're commuting - at least from Melrose you have a few different possible routes to the racetrack.

Lynn is... well, Lynn. "Decent" is not a word I would use to describe the schools there, and "safe" is not a word often associated with the city.

How long of a commute are you willing to have? Going a little further out might open up your options a little bit.

[tickybox]

Of the ones you've named, I would consider Melrose the nicest. Very sweet little downtown area.

But, the tradeoff is distance and price. Are you looking to rent or buy, and what price range?

[unit731]

You don't state enough information.
Schools? Are you seeking a college for yourself or schools for children?
Do you have an automobile or are you seeking strictly public transportation?

[JoChrnt]

I do have a vehicle, but would be very interested in being close to the T if possible, especially during the winter. Good Elementary school would be the type that I'm looking for.

[JoChrnt]

Originally Posted by tickybox

Of the ones you've named, I would consider Melrose the nicest. Very sweet little downtown area.

But, the tradeoff is distance and price. Are you looking to rent or buy, and what price range?

I am hoping that the commute is under 40 minutes and would have to rent initially until I could really get a feel for the area. I've tried to look at rentals online to get an average price range, but am finding some difficulty in identifying areas that would fit what I'm looking for and applicable averages.

[Verseau]

Originally Posted by JoChrnt

I do have a vehicle, but would be very interested in being close to the T if possible, especially during the winter. Good Elementary school would be the type that I'm looking for.

Melrose is relatively close to the Orange Line (which connects to the Blue Line), but a commute by T would still take about 3 times longer than driving to East Boston, because you have to go through downtown Boston first in order to get there. Same is true for other areas that might fit your criteria, like Quincy. A commute under 40 minutes from a town that matches your criteria is definitely feasible by car, but unfortunately not by public transportation - you're looking at at least an hour for that.

[Bruins_Fan]

What is your monthly rent budget?

[konfetka]

The closest nice towns to the airport are Swampscott and Melrose. Revere is affordable, and I would not call it unsafe, but it's very diverse. Everett and Chelsea are the same. You might want to look at Winthrop. It's more affordable than Swampscott and Melrose, but not as bad as Revere. It's small and quiet, but right next to Boston and the airport.

[Beantown_mama]

I was going to recommend Melrose and Swampscott too. Depending on your income, Marblehead is also a wonderful town (but it is more expensive than Swampscott and Melrose).