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The towns NW of Boston would use the commuter rail lines that stop in Cambridge (Porter Sq) and North Station in Boston. These stations are for the most part not where the jobs in these cities are. You would therefore then likely need to take an additional subway ride to your workplace.
The Worcester-Framingham commuter rail line which runs east/west and goes through Westborough stops at Backbay and South Station in Boston. These two stations are close to the big job centers of the city and may require just a short walk from the station.
I think your decision should factor in where you think you will most likely work in Boston.
There's a plethora of museums, shopping, diversity, and international flavor in Boston. It's just not the capital of the United States; but then again, not many places are haha.