Concord or Bedford?? Any major differences? (Chelmsford, Lexington: real estate, apartment complex, renters)

[flutterbyu]

My family and I are planning a move to the metro-northwest area this summer and I have narrowed our search down to Bedford or Concord. I have visited both towns and fallen in love with the area. We have a daughter who will be in 3rd grade next year so schools are very important in our decision. For those of you familiar with the area, I'm wondering if there are any essential differences in living in these two places. By this I mean: is one town more accepting of newcomers; is there any "looking down on" by one town to the other; is there any kind of social rivalry with high school-aged kids; does one town offer more perks than the other?

I should mention that we are planning on renting in the beginning and I'm wondering if there is any stigma associated with renting in these towns that are primarily single family homes? We have found very nice homes, condos, and apartments for rent in each town, but I wonder what it would be like to actually live in one of these properties with a child.

I look forward to any and all input you have for me!!

Thanks
~E

[goyguy]

Concord would rank higher on exclusivity and snootiness. Thanks in part to every other square foot of land's bearing historical significance (lol), Concord has limited its commercial activities to the "cute" center of town. There's nary a supermarket or strip mall to be found, unless the small collection of stores and restaurants flanking the commuter-rail station count. Contrast that with Bedford, where retail and fast food places and motels are strung along most of Route 4 all through town.
Concord is one or more steps up the economic ladder from Bedford, though the latter community is also "decidedly upper middle class." Its school system is also better regarded than the none-too-shabby one serving Bedford.
Snobs and open-minded people coexist wherever you go. But any stigma against renters would be a good bit stronger in Concord.
Neighboring Acton and Chelmsford are more my speed.

[flutterbyu]

Thanks for the input goyguy. I did look into Acton, but it is just slightly too far out of the beltway for what I'm looking for. I'm a little surprised that Bedford is considered a snobby town, as I was hoping that Hanscom would break that up by adding a significant mix of military families. Would you disagree with this assumption? Concord is appealing to me for 2 reasons: great schools, great natural environment (yes, it is so CUTE!), however, my family will never be a 7-figure income family and so I fear that Concord may be a bit of a reach for the long-term.

[drouhin]

I used to live in Bedford and found it very welcoming and not at all snooty. I don't think Concord is snooty either, but it does have many residents whose families have lived there for centuries, and for that reason, it has a very well-established town culture that might make it feel like a closed book to a newcomer until they become familiar with it.

For instance, pronounce Thoreau as "thor-O" in Concord, and you'll get second looks and Concordians will know immediately that "you're not from around here". But that's because Thoreau is a fairly recent resident, in Concord terms, and there are still Concordians who have an almost personal-feeling relationship with him: I've met a Concord lady who knew his gradeschool teacher. It really isn't snootiness, but an attitude of "this is how we've done things for almost 400 years now, and you, newcomer, will have to adjust". There's a positive side to that too. Concord is a real place, unlike many suburbs where there's no "there" there. (And it's pronounced "THOR-o", accent on first syllable, btw.)

No child in either town will receive a substandard education. I only know two graduates of the Bedford school system, but one is a doctor and was very happy with her education in Bedord. If I had kids, one factor that would draw me to Bedford would be the very compact town center. The upper-grade schools are close together, close to the library, stores, and not far from residential areas. I often saw kids walking to school or riding bikes, which reminded me of the small town I grew up in, in the 60's. The summer kids' programs seem to be very popular and well attended, too.

Personally, I think I'd choose Bedford to live in, for friendliness, shopping, and less expensive housing, but would often visit Concord, for farmstands, conservation land and history.

[haberstroh]

Not to be a downer but keep in mind the depleted uranium super fund site (Starmet) in Concord. The town is very good at not making a big deal about this (can't blame them). When we were looking at houses the agents would usually point it out (I think they had to considering how lax the real estate disclosure laws are in MA). They started a cleanup but it would still be huge concern to me moving in with kids. Here is a link



CREW News

[Coolhand68]

I would choose Bedford over Concord for convenience. More shopping options in Bedford and schools are of equal standards. You should also have a look at Lincoln and Lexington which are the other two towns that border Hanscom AFB. The military presence here has zero bearing on the locals, many of them don't even know there is a military base here. It's not like other military towns at all. Though you will find more folks from out of state in Bedford than Concord. Whatever you choose between the four towns you can't go wrong.

Renting is also the best way to go, property taxes in the Concord/Lexington area are very high. Bedford/Lexington/Lincoln are more receptive to renters in my opinion. Bedford High School is excellent, and it is located alongside the Bedford Library and the Bedford Police Station. It's one of the safest schools around with a solid academic curriculum.

[flutterbyu]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I actually went to Bedford today and looked at the Avalon at Bedford Center apartment complex- what a nice place! I drove around and saw the schools, including the elementary school that my daughter would attend. I just get a really good feeling from being in the town in general. I also drove around Concord and despite how absolutely beautiful it is, I think I like the smaller feel of Bedford. I will take all of this advice into account and I will certainly never say THOR-o again!!