Shrewsbury to Lowell commute? (Boston, Worcester: home, good schools, costs)

[Lily R]

Hi, all, thanks for your time reading. Our family is currently in Boston, but with a new job in Lowell. We're really interested in Shrewsbury for the good schools and diversity, and really like Worcester as a city. We have a young child and have loved being able to take them to parks and festivals and museums around Boston. Does anyone regularly do a Shrewsbury-to-Lowell commute and find it a big problem? We're hoping for a 45 minute drive, which is honestly about the commute we have in Boston right now, only it's 45 minutes for 5 miles across the city.


If that commute is truly a terrible idea, then we will think more about towns further up 495 from Worcester -- we might be able to squeeze into the bottom of the market in Harvard/Groton/Westford.


We just really like the idea of being in a bigger suburb, and being able to take our kid into all the great stuff happening in Worcester.



Thanks!

[bostongymjunkie]

I'm guessing the run to Lowell will be more than 45 minutes during rush hours, although I haven't done that in a while. It's at least 30-40 or so during non rush hour.

[gf2020]

It's probably more like 50 minutes on most mornings. Throw in a snow storm or a car accident and that could double. Not a terrible drive by Greater Boston standards. Hopefully there is the opportunity to work from home on some days.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by Lily R

Hi, all, thanks for your time reading. Our family is currently in Boston, but with a new job in Lowell. We're really interested in Shrewsbury ...
If that commute is truly a terrible idea, then we will think more about towns further up 495 from Worcester -- we might be able to squeeze into the bottom of the market in Harvard/Groton/Westford.

...

Consider squeezing into Littleton, if you could consider Harvard/Groton/Westford.

Best wishes on the move.

[scorpio516]

My wife used to. You're going with the heavy traffic each way. It's 45 minutes without traffic, depending on where in Shrewsbury. Longer from Edgemere, less from 140 @ 290.

There will be slowdowns at 290-495, there will be slowdowns at 2. There might be slowdowns at the Lowell connector. But you might get to see a moose on your drive.

[GeoffD]

There’s a reason why the IRS mileage rate is 58.5 cents per mile. In addition to losing 2 hours of your life per day in a car with the related stress of that commute, you’re looking at $1,000/month in commuting costs for a middle of the road car.