Want to know more about these towns in MASS: Beverly, Salem, Peabody, Lynn, and Saugus

[DG001]

I would caution the OP - you really should come up and take a look at the North Shore before you make a decision to move here. I worked in the North shore on and off for a few years, and I really like it, but its not for everybody. I love visiting ever so often, but I would not move here (I did live here for a while)

On the other hand - you might love it!

Salem - as has been mentioned - is a city and has the attending problems (plus - car insurance is really high - you can imagine why).

[TigerBlue62]

Originally Posted by luvmyguys

I'll jump in here since I live in Beverly, been here most of my life.

It is very family oriented and yes, Lynch Park is awesome. Can't beat a summer night down at Lynch listening to the bands, grabbing an ice cream, etc. Homecoming week is the best! There is nothing like being a teenager in Beverly and riding your bike to the beach every day in the summer to hang out with friends.

Anyway, does Beverly have some negatives, absolutely-like every city and town. The biggest negative right now is budgeting and schools. There is a lot of talk going on right now about closing two elementary schools and consolidating which in turn will result in larger class sizes. Is this problem specific to Beverly, absolutely not but regardless it is very unsettling. Would it make me move out of Beverly? No. On the plus regarding schools, Beverly is in the process of building a new state of the art High School and surrounding athletic facility. It will take a few years to complete but will be incredible when it is done. I will have one child who will be in the high school during renovations (although they have a plan in place to make it as disruptive to the students as possible) and another who is scheduled to be the first incoming class when the high school is complete.

Regarding sports...Beverly is HUGE on youth sports. Soccer is big, baseball is HUGE! Basketball and hockey are very well managed/attended also. There is a fairly newly renovated YMCA too. They baseball fields are impeccably kept and there is a new soccer field.

I too would stay away from Lynn, Saugus and Peabody. Peabody is very BIG and commercial. I lived in Peabody for three years after I was first married/first baby and decided to return to Beverly. Peabody didn't have that "family" feel I grew up with in Beverly.

Danvers is lovely. I know it has a new middle school but I don't have anything good or bad to say about their schools.

Danvers and Peabody both have malls within five minutes of each other but they are both right off the highway so getting there from Beverly takes about 10 minutes. Getting there from Salem is a nightmare. Salem has no highway access which can be a problem if you work down route 128.

The commute from anywhere on the North Shore down Route 128 can be tricky but unless you are one of the lucky ones to work right in the Cummings Center in Beverly, Cherry Hill Park in Beverly or Centennial Drive in Peabody, driving down route 128 or taking the train into Boston to commute to work is pretty much unavoidable.

For what it is worth, I moved out of state a few years ago and decided to return to MA, specifically Beverly. Guess I felt the winters, taxes, cost of living and schools weren't so bad after all..........

Good luck. Hope I was able to help. Feel free to PM me.

You will be glad you moved back....I moved from New England when I was 12 due to my dad's Navy career...I have lived in the Southeast for over 30 years (most of my life) most of it in Florida. When my daughter graduated from high school in Jacksonville, she wanted to get out of the south. As a biracial person, she was sick of the treatment she got from the populous. She applied to 2 colleges in MA and then RISDI. She was accepted to all 3, but chose Montserrat in Beverly principally because of the kindness of the staff and the quaintness of Beverly. She fell in love with the town and has made it her home. Everyone treats her politely and friendly and she has not had to deal with any racial hatred. Visiting her as often as I can, I see such a difference in the whole way of life. Yes, you have snow, taxes and expensive realistate, but you also have parks and museums, public transporation and friendly citizens. Of all the years I have lived in the south, I still have not found that "southern hospitality", but I do find it in New England! Oh, and your cost of living is not any more than Jacksonville, except for the housing costs.

[travlnjazz]

I was looking at travel nursing position in Beverly and was concerned because we are an interracial couple and was afraid it would not be accepted in a smaller town. Do you think this is true? Appreciate any input