Overall good town near Wellesley? (Boston, Newton: apartment complex, rentals, condos)

[laura2471]

Hello,

My hubby just got a job in Wellesley and I am looking for a nearby town with good schools, great rental prices (not too expensive) and nearby shopping.

I have searched some threads here already and getting mixed comments on Acton and Lexington.

I like the country feel but I also like to know that I can have an easy commute anywhere and would prefer to be close to a train station that will take me anywhere if needed.

Wellesley seems like a nice place but it's a bit pricey so I am looking for the next best alternative.

Anyone out there have any ideas?

[ogre]

One key question is what specifically you plan to spend on rent. "Not too expensive" has different meanings for different people. Also, would you prefer to rent a house, or a condo or apartment?

Going by your other criteria, one town I would suggest checking out is Ashland. Looking for rental property in towns that are a little bit country can be tricky. Towns like that often have a lot of single-family houses but few rental properties. Ashland is not really country as much as suburban with fairly low population density and some open space. It does have some condos, so it may have more rental property than similar towns. Ashland is also on the same commuter rail line as Wellesley.

Ashland does have two potential issues: a past history of water contamination due to a superfund site--I hear varying stories about whether that has been cleaned up, so this would be something you would want to check carefully; fast growth in recent years, which means that expansion of infrastructure, including schools, is barely keeping pace with the need. Again, you'd want to investigate carefully about the size of classes, etc.

Another town you might consider is Southborough. Also on the same commuter rail line, one town farther out than Ashland, with a little more of a stable population, and no history of hazards that I know of. Southborough is somewhat upscale, so your rental budget, along with the question of how much rental property is available in a town with low population density, would affect the availability of options in Southborough, but it's a town worth checking into.

Depending on how close you need to be to commuter rail, you might also check out Hopkinton and Holliston, two woodsy suburbs which have no commuter rail service themselves, but are next door to Ashland.

If you can go for less of a country setting, you might want to check into Newton. It's a nice upscale town, safe, with good schools, and nice small shopping areas scattered through the town. Newton is next door to Wellesley, on the same commuter rail line, and has more of a densely populated suburban character, being the next town in closer to Boston than Wellesley. Newton is a very expensive town, but it has the population of a small city (80k-plus, though the town is predominantly residential), so there are likely to be quite a few rental options.

Along the same rail line, next to Wellesley in the opposite direction from Newton is Natick. Natick's general character is very suburban, with neighborhoods that range from classic post-WWII subdivisions to areas with modest, well kept Victorians, to an area with more open space on the south side of town. I'm not sure how many rentals there are in south Natick. It's also the part of town farthest from the commuter rail stations, so the question of living in that part of town depends on how far from the train it would be convenient for you to live. Natick has the best shoopping of any town I've suggested, with an attractive downtown that is mostly closed by early evening, but also a large area of malls and strip malls on the north side of town. It's my understanding that the general quality of the schools in Natick is good, though I've heard that the middle school may be a bit weak in quality compared to the elementary schools, which are said to be really good, and the high school, which is of solid quality.

Depending on your housing budget, and your flexibility about distance from Wellesley and type of surroundings, there may be plenty of other options, but the above suggestions should at least be a good starting point in your search. Best of luck with your move.

[scarletfire]

I second the vote for Southboro - easy train access, strong schools, pretty town, good access to shopping, plus walking/hiking trails, etc. Rentals there are few and far between there, as there's no apartment complex, although I do know of a few single-family homes for rent there.

You could also try Westboro. The schools are well regarded and although parts of the town feel overbuilt but it still has nice neighborhoods. If you're looking for an apartment the Avalon Complex seems quite well cared for and is just a short drive from the Southboro train station.

I personally would not go with Ashland - much better options nearby - but that's just me.

[smarty]

Very few rentals in Southboro... I don't think rental will be cheap...

Rental in Newton is probably worst (w/ smaller sq ft and older) as people who are renting tends to commute to Boston using the green line.

Look West... Natick, Framingham, ... Hudson, Marlborough... or try some low price rentals in Waltham.... Holliston or Hopkinton is an option also.

[PerceptiveHomes]

Framingham is close to all major routes and only about 20 minutes or less to Wellesley. You would only want to live on the North side of town though not the South side.

[ukwoman]

What about Needham? it has a commuter rail, great schools, it's a suburban town, it borders Wellesley, and it's very safe. The drive to Wellesley would be about 5-10 minutes.

[camer]

Definitely check out Needham. Westwood too.

[WestonMD]

Try Natick as well. South Natick has some very nice homes and condos without the prices of Wellesley.