Massachusetts or upstate New York? (Boston, Belmont: property taxes, housing, rent)

[gingerboy]

Hi,
My husband and I are wanting to relocate to the east coast (we are currently in California, originally from Tennessee), and want to be within about a 3 hours drive from New York city. We love nature/beautiful scenery and would prefer a small-medium town. Can anyone give advice or tell me about these two areas, in comparison? (people, climate) We are looking for a cheaper cost of living. No kids yet, but would like a family atmosphere.

[goyguy]

Either the Berkshires in far western MA and northwestern CT, or NYS from Dutchess and Ulster Counties north to the Adirondacks, could prove suitable. If you're from eastern Tennessee, you might find similarities to the Appalachian foothills in those areas - at least topographically speaking. Among many towns which conceivably meet your criteria are Roxbury or Litchfield (CT), New Paltz or Rhinebeck (NY), and Stockbridge, Williamstown, Lenox, Great Barrington, or Lee (MA.) They all have about them a friendly and relaxed air which diminishes the farther east you go.

Naturally, from being at a higher elevation, that region gets snowier and colder winters than its neighboring areas to the east and south. That's another way you'd be reminded of the Smokies.

[xCalifornian]

You don't mention anything about jobs, but if you are just looking for a nice place, check out Ithaca NY. That's probably one of the nicest small northeastern towns. That would be more like a 4 hour drive to New York City, but well worth the trip!

Elsewhere around there, the Binghamton area is depressed, but I found Elmira/Corning to be a pleasant area and the housing prices there are incredibly cheap. I think that area is poised for a good comeback in the future.

In upstate NY, the closer you get to Lake Ontario, the colder and snowier it gets.

[Viralmd]

I also second the idea of the Berkshires and the eastern, adjacent area of NY. Very nice.

Going to Ithaca you'll think that you've moved to Antarctica.

[gingerboy]

Thank you, both for your advice, I'll look further into those areas.

[holden125]

One thing to consider is that income and property taxes will be much higher in New York State than in western Massachusetts.

[Viralmd]

Originally Posted by holden125

One thing to consider is that income and property taxes will be much higher in New York State than in western Massachusetts.

That's not necessarily so. It WOULD be true if it were Westchester County, but not in Columbia or Dutchess Couties in NY. There's a reason it's called 'Taxachusetts.'

[holden125]

Originally Posted by Viralmd

That's not necessarily so. It WOULD be true if it were Westchester County, but not in Columbia or Dutchess Couties in NY. There's a reason it's called 'Taxachusetts.'

The reason is that people haven't figured out that 1980 was a long time ago.

City-Data lists the median property tax in 2005 in Berkshire County, MA as about $2000. Dutchess was $3437 or $3936, depending on whether the property had a mortgage. Columbia County was at $2,284, over 10% higher than Berkshire county, back in 2000, before the upward pressure due to decreased funding from Washington. No data for Columbia County 2005 on the site.


While Westchester is certainly much higher than counties farther upstate, the median property tax levy per household in 2005 in Dutchess County was between $5500 and $7000, and between $4500 and $5400 in Columbia County.

See map on page 6: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/...pertytaxes.pdf

MA income tax is also a flat rate of 5.3%. NYS is 6.85% on every dollar earned if your income is from $20,000 to $100,000, and 7.375% on every dollar earned if your income breaks $100,000.

I pay taxes in NYC, where thanks to the city income tax, which these people won't be paying, I take home $1000 less every month than I would if I had the same income in Boston. Even assuming I wouldn't have the same income in Boston, I could take a $20,000 pay cut and come out even.

While I don't claim their calculations are flawless, the Tax Foundation's 2007 numbers have NYS 3rd at a state/local tax burden of 13.8%, and Mass. 28th at 10.6%. Thus in the bottom half.

Closer to NYC it's just crazy. I was checking out a house in Winchester, MA that costs $800,000 with taxes of $6,800. That's a bigger house, in an equally nice town, to a house in Harrison, NY for $1.2 million and taxes of $22,000.

[skytrekker]

If a three hour drive is your criteria- and you seek a milder climate, consider eastern Connecticut- the states so called 'Quiet Corner' The towns of Tolland, Bolton, Coventry & Stafford Springs are about 2.7 hours from NYC, about 1.5 hours from Boston, 50 minutes from Providence RI. and less then an hour from CT beaches on Long Island Sound. The weather here will be considerably milder then western Mass and upstate NY- Median house price under 250K.

The Connecticut shoreline- east of New Haven-the towns of East Haven, Branford, Guilford, Madison, Westbrook, all on the shoreline will have a moderate climate, with winter temperatures the same as many parts of Tennessee. Median home prices will be around 300K.

Distance to NYC from the mouth of the Connecticut river on Long Island sound will be 3 hours.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

Distance to NYC from the mouth of the Connecticut river on Long Island sound will be 3 hours.

Except trying to get out of NYC by car or bus on a Friday evening in summer, in which case the distance from NYC to another part of NYC is 3 hours. I can't imagine how many 8-hour trips to Boston I've had.

If you take 684 to 84 to the Mass Pike and don't hit traffic, I can make it from western Queens to Belmont in under 3 hours. Fridays in Summer, forget it.