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It looks like we will be relocating to the US after 4 years abroad in Europe and I was looking for some advice on which towns or areas folks would recommend. Some info on us:
- We have a 3 year old daughter
- Work will be in Mansfield and we are looking to limit the commute to 45 min or less
- We want to rent since we aren't positive how long we will stay in the area
We are hoping to find a town that is kid friendly but has an urban center with local shops, cafe's, stores, etc. that are (hopefully) walkable from home. I am looking for a nice blend of suburban/urban with parks for the kids. I have heard some nice things about Arlington, but it seems a bit far from Mansfield.
Also, our daughter speaks German so it would be great (but not a pre-requisite at this point--we can always explore other options) if there was a German community or school nearby so that she can maintain her language skills.
The The Boylston Schul-Verein (Boylston Schul-Verein > Home) is located very close to Mansfield in Walpole. They do have language classes (Boylston Schul-Verein > Language Classes > German Saturday School Boston) but those appear to be in Lexington, very close to Arlington. Walpole itself is a nice town and might be what you're looking for. It also has a German food store that is occasionally open (Euroguild - Walpole, MA). Not quite as urban as Arlington, though. Norwood, one town north, has a nicer town center and is more urban, but I think the schools aren't considered as good. Mansfield itself is a nice town, too. I don't know much about Sharon as a town but it has very good schools. A little further north Canton has a number of rentals available, isn't too far from Mansfield. Westwood (where I live) also has good schools, but is lacking in both rentals and a walkable town center. I'm sure there are other towns to consider, but these towns are all relatively close to Mansfield (and I know about them).
Arlington is pretty far from Mansfield and while a great town, I wouldn't want that commute. Lexington is great, too, but pretty far, as well.
All good suggestions by Jay. I would definitely cross Arlington and Lexington off that list as they would be a LONG commute.
To Jay's list I would add Needham which is right about a 45 minute commute to Mansfield and I would also add Medfield with the understanding that Medfield lacks a lot of the shops, restaurants, town center, etc that you mentioned. Medfield is just a nice town with a well regarded school system. If anything Medfield has more of a rural/suburban mix, but I'm not sure how much weight that factor has in your decision making process.
Also, I would just say that absolutely none of these towns so far really have an urban/suburban mix. I just don't know of any out in that direction off the top of my head. Norwood might be the closest to that but aside form the urban/suburban mix I'm not sure it has a lot of other things that you're looking for.
Mansfield and surrounding towns are suburban/rural with town centers that are small but walkable with cafe's and restaurants etc. There may be only a few options in the town centers itself. Mansfield itself a has a small but walkable and pretty town center. The closest safe areas with a larger walkable areas and a city feel would be Needham/Newton area or Quincy area or East Providence area. All of these are around 30-35 mins commute by driving. HTH
Thanks for all your input! I think we will look in the Needham/Newton, Quincy, and East Providence area. After living in the city for 4 years, we aren't quite ready to convert to rural/suburban life so that urban mix is actually really important to us.
You might like the town of Walpole. It is only about 20 minutes away from Mansfield. Walpole has a nice walkable town center and good town recreation in the many nearby beautiful parks. There are a number of nice townhome communities in Walpole. Perhaps, there is one for rent.
You might like the town of Walpole. It is only about 20 minutes away from Mansfield. Walpole has a nice walkable town center and good town recreation in the many nearby beautiful parks. There are a number of nice townhome communities in Walpole. Perhaps, there is one for rent.
The OP started this thread in 2012. I'm sure they've settled someplace by now.
Location: says MA on my license but can be found wandering the beaches of RI
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If you want to stay within 45 minutes, and have that urban feel, you might want to consider looking into some neighborhoods in the Providence area (East Side of Providence, which breaks down into several smaller neighborhoods). It is near Brown University, has MANY many wonderful restaurants, shops, farmers markets, walkable areas, parks, etc. Most streets have a suburban feel while being very close to downtown Providence. You can take the commuter rail to Mansfield or drive and be under 45 minutes.
The The Boylston Schul-Verein (Boylston Schul-Verein > Home) is located very close to Mansfield in Walpole. They do have language classes (Boylston Schul-Verein > Language Classes > German Saturday School Boston) but those appear to be in Lexington, very close to Arlington. Walpole itself is a nice town and might be what you're looking for. It also has a German food store that is occasionally open (Euroguild - Walpole, MA). Not quite as urban as Arlington, though. Norwood, one town north, has a nicer town center and is more urban, but I think the schools aren't considered as good. Mansfield itself is a nice town, too. I don't know much about Sharon as a town but it has very good schools. A little further north Canton has a number of rentals available, isn't too far from Mansfield. Westwood (where I live) also has good schools, but is lacking in both rentals and a walkable town center. I'm sure there are other towns to consider, but these towns are all relatively close to Mansfield (and I know about them).
Arlington is pretty far from Mansfield and while a great town, I wouldn't want that commute. Lexington is great, too, but pretty far, as well.
Good luck!
The German International School is in Boston. It is probably more in keeping with the poster's desires. However, I believe that curriculum is in English.
Bill
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