Best school system? (Boston, Cambridge, Quincy: budget, work, townhouse)

[smarty]

I do not live in Mendon Upton. However, they have become bedroom communities to Boston. Definitely towns to look into.

[pma]

You should check out West Boylston. It is a small close-knit, friendly community with a local (vs. regional) school system. It always ranks very high in standardized tests. The high school is small so the students get a lot of one-on-one attention (the class sizes are about 80 students per year), however, for things that require numbers such as team sports they do combine with Boylston so the students get the best of both worlds - small school advantages and large school advantages. The girls' soccer team just won the State championships.

Worcester is right next door but you need to pass several farms in order to get out of West Boylston and into Worcester - again, the best of both worlds - small town advantages with the city advantages nearby.

Plus, the Wachusett reservoir in located in West Boylston, which makes for some very pretty scenes, great walking and bike trails etc.

The disadvantages? The tax rate is high. One-third of the town is owned by the State because of the Reservoir which means our tax base is severely limited. However, the good news to that is that W. Boylston will never be over-built as so many of our neighbors are experiencing.

[wpotsie]

West Boylston is highly overrated. THe elementary schools are fine but the high school is very run down and the cirriculum is very limited. A high percentage of students attend private high schools. You should look into the town of Harvard. Its high school, Bromfield, is probably the best in the state...and that includes private schools!

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by smarty

I do not live in Mendon Upton. However, they have become bedroom communities to Boston. Definitely towns to look into.

Not sure if Mendon residents actually commute to Boston -- they probably work mostly in the suburbs. I know someone who commutes from Mendon to Sudbury at 5:30am and it still takes him 1 hour. God knows how long it would be to Boston!

[smarty]

Originally Posted by Parsec

Not sure if Mendon residents actually commute to Boston -- they probably work mostly in the suburbs. I know someone who commutes from Mendon to Sudbury at 5:30am and it still takes him 1 hour. God knows how long it would be to Boston!

At 5:30am, I think it will be more like 45 minutes. From Mendon to Hudson is only 25 minutes. However, when you go from Marl/Hudson on Rt20 to Sudbury, it can take you 20 minutes for the 5 miles.


If you go at 7-7:30am, it will take you an hour+ since you need to fight through traffic to Rt90 and Rt20.

[CuriousfromBoston]

I appreciate this forum so much. I'm working with some people who are looking to move from the West Coast and purchase a home in Massachusetts. From this particular list, and perhaps one or two more (and a conversation), the list is:

Harvard
Shrewsbury (this may be too suburban)
Upton
Westborough
Hopkinton

Holden
West Boylston – mixed reviews
Nashoba Regional — although I’ve heard this from several sources
Mendon
Southborough
Fair Haven

On the north shore, I’ve heard:
Ipswitch
Hamilton — for public schools?
Boxford

Any insights or comments would be tremendously helpful. Any thoughts on Webster, Southbridge, or Sturbridge?

I'm also wondering if the person writing from GA ever found a home (and community).

Thanks.

[scarletfire]

Hi Curious,

On the North Shore, Hamilton & Wenham are nice little towns both with very good school systems.

The towns you mentioned in the Metrowest area all nice choices.

Sturbridge is much more desirable than Southbridge. I don't know much about Webster.

Where will your clients be working and what are they looking for in terms of a community?

[CuriousfromBoston]

Thanks scarletfire,

This is very helpful information. My clients will be working from home, hopefully, but it would be nice for them to have some access to a major road. They're looking for a smaller community, a friendly one, with a good school system.

I'm much more familiar with the school systems in and around the Boston metropolitan area (and local suburbs).

[smarty]

I think the question to ask is what kind of community would he/she like. Some of the communities do not even have sidewalks... houses are far apart that you never see a neighbor... Is that what they want?

Also, you mention... small... it is relative... what west coast consider small could be big here... (Harvard vs Shrewsbury is very different in size for us)

Do you care if there are shopping/mall area in town or they are willing to drive 20 minutes just to get grocery?

May be given the town/area they are currently living in will help...

[miu]

Originally Posted by CuriousfromBoston

Any insights or comments would be tremendously helpful. Any thoughts on Webster, Southbridge, or Sturbridge?

I would say a resounding nay to living in Southbridge based on the young people I have met.

I grew up in Concord, MA. I was and still am very happy with the public school education I received there. Thanks mom and dad!