A couple of questions regarding Plymouth (Boston, Dover: real estate, condo, crime)

[casperthegm]

My wife, 12 year old son, and I are looking into relocating to MA and are curious about Plymouth. I'm working on researching it but some things are tough to get a feel for unless you actually go there (which we plan to do at some point) or get some feedback from those who know the area. So for those who are familiar with Plymouth could you give me some insight on the following:

Commute to Boston? Mapquest says about 50 minutes but I know there must be a lot of variables that go into that time estimate, so I'm hoping to hear from those who have actually done it.

School system in Plymouth? From what I can tell it's decent; not great, not bad, kind of middle of the road. Anyone have some first hand experience?

Besides the commute, how is traffic in general around Plymouth? We're kind of fed up with stop and go traffic off the highway and waiting through more than one traffic signal cycle to get through the intersections where we live. It's just too built up here and roads can't accommodate all the cars. I'm assuming it changes seasonally due to visitors during the summer but any kind of heads-up would be appreciated.

And, I know this is a bit of a long shot, but my wife and I are debating which is better, the Plymouth area or the southern Maine coast (York, Wells, Ogunquit, Kennebunkport). We checked into the area briefly this summer and I thought it had potential but my wife still thinks Plymouth is worth looking into. If anyone has been to both southern Maine and Plymouth I'd be curious to see how they compare in your opinion. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Justin

[macalan]

Two really beautiful areas and two of my favorite.

The one thing that stands out as a difference is that the Maine winters will be colder, last longer and have more snow.

Traffic wise might be the same during the summer. Both beach areas will be rocky. Plymouth has pretty high real estate taxes, but I think Maine does too. I think Plymouth might be a tad higher in the crime department, but still very low.

Don't know what your priorities are, but you might also want to check out Portsmouth, NH. More of a year round town in my opinion than the Maine coast towns, very vibrant, easier commuting. But real estate taxes are very high in NH, even though there is no income tax.

[bostonguy1960]

I really like the parts of Plymouth I've seen. I had a friend there in a basic condo and have visited many times.

They even have trailer parks. That may be my only option once I turn 55. One I saw was rather nice in a busy area just off Route 44. There's a Walmart in town, so there must be some lower income as well; that's why I mentioned the trailer parks. That would turn off many residents, of course. But I'm sure it's a very small facet of life there.

Don't forget that a power plant is there.

One person I talked to a few years ago in Boston called the town Plymouth "white trash." I can't recall if she's from there or has lived or just passed through. An Internet poster somewhere years ago said the same. Hmmm...

They have some really nice homes for under $400k.

[casperthegm]

We found a couple of pretty nice beaches in southern Maine that we think work well(pretty sandy); Long Sands in York and Ogunquit beach. I understand what you're saying about the winters and it's something to consider. So, are the beaches in the Plymouth area pretty rocky then?

And what about the school system? I've read mixed reviews but I'd like to also hear from the locals.

Nuclear power plant? We're not too far from one right now (5-6 miles). Not crazy about it but we can probably live with it.

Oh, and we did check out Portsmouth. Good suggestion- we actually checked it and the Durham area out. They were nice but not quite what we were looking for (plus it was blistering hot, which is never a good way to get an unbiased feel for an area). When we drove across the state line into Maine and found York, that's when we started thinking about those southern Maine towns. Anyway, any input regarding the school system, beaches, and if traffic away from the beaches is bad would be helpful. Or any other interesting advice that I hadn't thought to ask. Thanks.

[macalan]

Where will you be working? If Boston, York to ME sounds grueling....

York is beautiful. Has a hospital in town. Depending on your budget Kittery Point is gorgeous & closer to things - Portsmouth Hospital, New Castle, etc.

Don't know about schools as we don't have kids. Maybe someone else can comment.

[casperthegm]

If we live in southern Maine we would look at working in one of those towns, Portsmouth, Dover, maybe commute to Portland. We wouldn't commute to Boston from Maine.

Living in the Plymouth area we'd either look for work there or commute to Boston. Is that a rough commute?

And if anyone else has any comments about the schools in Plymouth we could sure use some info. Thanks again for the help.

[bostonguy1960]

Check bostonmagazine.com. I think they do an annual best schools listing. It may even be annually. But unsure if the towns covered stretch that far from Boston.

There may be a link on the homepage...

[gf2020]

Honestly, I would nail down a job first and THEN find a place to live that makes sense based on commute and other requirements.

[SpringMom3]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

I really like the parts of Plymouth I've seen. I had a friend there in a basic condo and have visited many times.

They even have trailer parks. That may be my only option once I turn 55. One I saw was rather nice in a busy area just off Route 44. There's a Walmart in town, so there must be some lower income as well; that's why I mentioned the trailer parks. That would turn off many residents, of course. But I'm sure it's a very small facet of life there.

Don't forget that a power plant is there.

One person I talked to a few years ago in Boston called the town Plymouth "white trash." I can't recall if she's from there or has lived or just passed through. An Internet poster somewhere years ago said the same. Hmmm...

They have some really nice homes for under $400k.

someone, somewhere at some point on the internet, huh?