Townies vs Transplants: The New England Version (Boston, Lowell: home, high school)

[AtkinsonDan]

So I have come across a few postings where people who have come to Boston for school bitterly complain about the locals. As a lifelong New Englander I am curious what people think about townies and transplants in the New England states.

My definition of townie is fairly strict. For the sake of this topic I am defining townie as someone at least 18 years of age who has not left the city or town where they attended high school AND has no intention of doing so.

-If you moved away but returned to the town where you went to high school for any reason, you are not a townie.
-If you moved from your childhood town but only a couple of a towns away, you are not a townie.

Are you a townie or transplant and do you voluntarily interact with mostly townies or mostly transplants?

[495neighbor]

I live in Acton. I am a transplant. I like more townies than transplants in my particular town.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

I live in Acton. I am a transplant. I like more townies than transplants in my particular town.

I am a recent transplant to Atkinson and it may be a little early for me to judge, but I think I will gravitate to the townies rather than the transplants as well. The townies are more likely to preserve what attracted me to Atkinson in the first place.

[sfosyd]

Live in NYC but get to Cape Ann as often as I can in summer so I can't classify myself as either. I do own a home in Gloucester. Part of what attracted me to the area was the fact that you can have a CEO type talking to a fisherman at a bar and no one cares. Cool place and all the "townies" seem exceptionally nice. The term "townie" does sound derogatory to me even though I know the OP didn't mean it that way.

I love how the "townies" here think Boston is so far...30 miles from NYC is not even exurban.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by sfosyd

Live in NYC but get to Cape Ann as often as I can in summer so I can't classify myself as either. I do own a home in Gloucester.

I now realize I overlooked dual residency.

Originally Posted by sfosyd

Part of what attracted me to the area was the fact that you can have a CEO type talking to a fisherman at a bar and no one cares. Cool place and all the "townies" seem exceptionally nice.

I find my interactions with townies vary by locale. In Maine the situation was similar to how you describe Gloucester. While in the Lowell suburbs I tended to feel tension between myself and the townies. In southern NH I detect no real differences between transplants and townies outside of political leanings and expectations from government.

Originally Posted by sfosyd

The term "townie" does sound derogatory to me even though I know the OP didn't mean it that way.

That is correct. I could not think of a synonym for townie

[495neighbor]

[quote=AtkinsonDan;30425475That is correct. I could not think of a synonym for townie[/quote]


Locals?

[donewithpretty]

My close friends are all transplants, even though most of them have lived here 10+ years. Some grew up in Brookline or Newton and now live in Cambridge/Somerville, but they aren't "townies" by your definition.

For whatever reason, I don't know any people my age (early 30s) who grew up in Medford and still live here. All of the locals I know (neighbors, shop owners) are in their late 40s and up. That may be more of a sign of gentrification than anything, though.

[Boston_Burbs]

IMO, the most annoying species are transplants that want to make their new town like the place they used to live.

With the amount of data out there, nothing about a new town should be a surprise to you.

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by Morris Wanchuk

IMO, the most annoying species are transplants that want to make their new town like the place they used to live.

Super rep to MW for this post. Couldn't agree more.

[xo_kizzy_xo]

Although I've lived in my town for over 40 years, I'm not considered a townie by other townies because I wasn't born here.

Back in those days most towns around here had more of the "townie" mentality. There still is some, but gentrification has had a lot to do with diluting it.