High schooler, single mom, researching New England area coastal town for relo (renting) (Boston: real estate)

[kalipsoh]

Hi all,

I've read tons of threads, each with a different motivation (family, cost of living, school districts, etc) and I'm having trouble reconciling the list of towns for a conglomeration of factors. I find one based on schools, then cross it off due to commute. Find another based on arts & entertainment, then cross it off due to location (i.e. 2 hr drive to coast).

We're moving to the northern east coast this summer. While we're focusing on Mass., I'm not opposed to any of the neighboring states. We want to live as close to the coast as possible (who doesn't!).

Here's our factors:
1) Single mom, so I need to find a 2 bedroom apartment/condo rental for under $1500 per mo. Also, I don't want to fear being mugged while bringing in the groceries from my car. I grew up in an urban area, and have lived the last 10 years in a more suburban environment. Been mugged in both areas, so I'm not naive enough to think crime doesn't happen outside of a city, but safer an area, the better. I know you can research crime statistics, but they're usually aggregates, and what appears to be lower crime is higher per population percentage. And they only have some impact on how safe you feel when you go out jogging - know what I mean? Neighborhoods have a "feel" to them.
2) High school age son, so good school districts (for high school) are a must. He's grown up in very suburban areas here in Colorado (Greenwood Village, CO and Monument, CO) and I'd like to avoid the inner city-school experience for him that I had in Denver, CO. I know, each has its own pro's and con's, so I'm not bashing city schools, just stating my preference.
3) But...I'm only 35, so as beautiful and family-friendly as a lot of places are, they're totally boring to me (and anyone without a toddler). I'm not looking for "family friendly," I want some place fun. Maybe contradictory, but I'd like to aim as close as possible. I also hate being the 5th wheel on dinner party nights. I would loathe moving somewhere where it's ALL families (i.e. Monument, CO). But I'm a devoted parent who wants her son to enjoy the area as well when he's out with his friends.
4) Commute. I'm moving out there without a specific job prospect yet, so I need to keep the logistics open to possibilities. I will be applying for teaching positions (college/university) in the fall, but will need to find other work ASAP because it could take a year to find a teaching job. So I need to be an hour or under commute away from an urban area with greater job opportunities.
5) Arts, entertainment, urban city life...I'd like to stay an hour or under away from that as well. Ideally, I'd like to be within an hour of Boston.
6) Coastal, coastal, coastal. I'm having trouble discerning how close many of these areas are to the coast in drive time because from maps they don't look that far, but in reading some threads, what I thought was close was actually over an hour away.
7) Rental - I know I mentioned that, but while I have used a few rental rating sites, I think they'll be more helpful when I've narrowed down the city choices. It seems most people factor their city choice based on real estate purchases, and I only want to rent for the the next 4 years. Apartments, condos, townhouses, I'm flexible on that, but the housing market doesn't mean as much to me. I've seen a few really neat areas but with minimal rental options.

So...does this place exist? We're going to visit next month and visit a few, and hoping to nail down a place by May/June. Your help would be GREATLY appreciated! I'm a Colorado native and am used to knowing almost everything about areas here, so it's very disconcerting to go out on a limb like this. Now I see why so many people use this site. I plan on returning the favor for Colorado inquiries now that I know about this site!

Thanks in advance

[vter]

Newburyport popped into my mind as I read this, as did/does Beverly.
Newburyport is a coastal town which has seen a rennasaince the past decade or so. It's a beautiful small seaside town. You are about an hour to Boston (maybe less) via car, or you can take the commuter rail.
Beverly is closer to Boston and is also on the commuter rail line. Some will say Beverly may be a bit run down, or not as desirable as other areas, but I feel totally comfortable when I'm there. In fact, my cousins call it home and love it. Nick's Roast Beef in North Beverly is a must . There are a few colleges in/around Beverly including Endicott, Gordon, and Salem State.
Can't comment on school districts for you unfortuntely.
Hopefully some Mass "experts" will give you some more in depth answers.
Good luck!
PS. Also take a look into Portsmouth, NH. The University of New Hampshire is nearby.

[professorsenator]

A place that is right on the water, very pretty, almost zero violent crime, close to an urban area (Providence; Boston is just over an hour away) and has an excellent school system is Barrington, Rhode Island (Google for some photos, info., etc.). Barrington is mostly families, but Providence (with it's cool, trendy, hip East side) is only 15-20 minutes away.

But here's the kicker: there aren't many apartments for rent. Barrington is an upscale town that is 98% single family homes. But there are A FEW apartments (maybe even a small house to rent). And if you could grab one (look at projo.com, craigslist, realtor.com for rentals), it's a very nice place to be and the area would fit all your criteria.

[kalipsoh]

Thanks! I'll start researching these as a start. I appreciate your help.

Is Barrington mostly family-oriented or a good mix?

Edit - oops, I see you mentioned that, thanks!

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by kalipsoh

Thanks! I'll start researching these as a start. I appreciate your help.

Is Barrington mostly family-oriented or a good mix?

Edit - oops, I see you mentioned that, thanks!

Barrington is mostly families (two parent mostly, some single parent) and seniors (old timers who've been there forever). It's an upscale suburb close to Providence. It is NOT a young, 20's single place. Nor is it diverse: like many places in New England, it's whiter than Wonderbread (though I've never heard of any instances of racial hostility).

As for water, see: barrington, ri - Google Maps