Nice towns close to Boston (Cambridge, Plymouth: apartment, condo, house)

[nomorenyc]

I currently live in Queens, NY and work in "the city". I'm tired of the hustle and bustle - the rudeness - and would like to relocate to a place where only my husband would have to work. I have two small kids and would like to be able to stay home with them. If anyone can recommend nice towns in driving distance to Boston - I would much appreciate - even southern New Hampshire would be nice. Good schools are important.

[lrfox]

Hi,

what do you consider, "driving distance?" Also, would you mind letting us know your budget? This can make a big difference in where you should look.

Commute times are generally shorter in Metro Boston than they are in New York so what you may consider driving distance may be further than what most people up here would consider reasonable.

Also, it's worth noting, while pretty much anything in the US will have LESS hustle and bustle than NYC, Boston is often noted for it's faster pace and is generally stereotyped as being "rude" (which I think is untrue, but that's another topic). You'll likely find it a bit more laid back than Queens up here, but probably not but a huge margin.

There are plenty of towns that are quiet and comfortable within close proximity to Boston, but they tend to be in pretty expensive locales (not Greenwich CT expensive, but still expensive).

Are you looking for a single family home... condo or an apartment? Do you want rural, suburban or urban (I'm assuming that you don't want urban since you're moving OUT of the city, but hey, I have to ask)?

Any information you can give will help us to give you the best suggestions that we can. Thanks.

[clevedark]

Oh gosh there are so many--what's your budget? How long of a commute is your husband willing to endure?

One of the things about Boston that's different from NYC is that the suburbs are not looked down on by city dwellers. The towns lying outside of Boston can be quite beautiful. You can get all country with land, or go near the ocean.

What are you looking for?

PS New York is approximately ten times busier and ruder than Boston. Our friend from Queens will breathe a sigh of relief if she's looking for peace and quiet. I had to learn new ways of relating to people when we moved up here. We're talking outside of Boston, too which is rural by NYC standards.

[trouble30]

I'm originally from Brooklyn, NY so I can understand! Boston might be rude and expensive by some people's standards, but NYC is infinitely worse. I've lived in Boston proper for the past 10 years, and recently moved out to "the burbs."

As the other posters said, you should be more specific with what you are looking for, including budget, size of property, amount of land, whether you should be near a commuter train, etc. There are many towns with great schools, but of course the top tend to be more expensive with higher property taxes. Also, if your husband will be working in town, you'll probably want to be near a commuter rail station (unless he enjoys sitting in tons of traffic!!).

[wktiz]

Hi,

I have the same exact question, as my wife and I are planning to move to the Boston area this summer. We are looking for a town relatively close to trains, but relatively rural, where a 1-acre wooded lot and house can be had for $350-$400K. I'd prefer no more than an hour commute each way. We've been looking online from Andover to southern New Hampshire, but don't know enough to really gauge pros and cons. I guess what we really need is an agent/advisor, so if you can recommend one as well, that would be great!

[tmac9wr]

On the South Shore you could check out places like Marshfield, Hanover, Pembroke, Plymouth, Stoughton, Whitman, or Hanson. They're all nice towns and aren't too terribly expensive.

Other nice places are Cohasset, Scituate, Hingham, Duxbury, Milton, and Norwell. However these places are more expensive.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by wktiz

Hi,

I have the same exact question, as my wife and I are planning to move to the Boston area this summer. We are looking for a town relatively close to trains, but relatively rural, where a 1-acre wooded lot and house can be had for $350-$400K. I'd prefer no more than an hour commute each way. We've been looking online from Andover to southern New Hampshire, but don't know enough to really gauge pros and cons. I guess what we really need is an agent/advisor, so if you can recommend one as well, that would be great!

If you've been looking around Andover and southern NH, send a dm to Valerie C. She usually posts on the New Hampshire forum, but is licensed in both states.

[Coolhand68]

If you're tired of the rudeness, then don't come to Boston. I grew up in NYC and have lived in Boston-Metrowest for close to five years, folks here are quite salty and just as rude as your most hardened New Yorkers.

Now if you want a decent place to live with great schools check out Bedford, Arlington, Lexington, Concord, Lincoln. Bedford and Arlington will be the most affordable in terms of rent. Schools are great and you are about 18 - 20 miles from Boston. There are T stations in Woburn and I believe there is a commuter rail station in Concord and Lincoln.

[Your#1HouseGal]

Hey there,

Lots of great towns north of Boston. Try Winchester, Arlington, Cambridge. Depending on your budget, lifestyle, commuting needs, there's also Reading, Woburn, Melrose...lots of great towns!