Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My husband and I are moving from the Palm Springs area of California to Fort Devens (or vicinity) within the next several months.
Ive read the post about friendliness, etc--Im not too worried. My husband is a US Marine and we've lived all over...we both actually take alot of pride in being from sleepy southern towns but our close friends hail from all over the world..."likemindedness" is not always a good thing, so we like to branch out.
My questions, if you would be so kind:
1.Is a commute from Hanscom AFB to Fort Devens reasonable? more than 30 minutes?
2. How are military members and their families viewed in the area? Are they welcomed? (Most recently, we've lived in California and Maryland...opposing political views are not something new to us.) I could care less someone's political view, so long as they dont lash out at my husband. Then we have problems.
3. Do you know if people stationed in the Devens area call Hanscom home?
4. Safety is an issue! Should we buy, what condo developments, townhome developments, etc are in good areas?
5. How long does it take to drive to NYC? more than three hours?
any other information you can provide, helpful websites other than chamber of commerce, etc. are greatly appreciated. Im a little obsessive-compulsive when it comes to our moves. My husband works so hard (we could own property in Iraq he spends so much time there) so I like to make my mission as having answers for him and being proactive.
I hope my southern manners and hint of accent are not mistaken for ignorance or stupidity. I hope MA is as open-minded as they claim to be and welcome "outsiders"
We live in the area your interested in, my son says he has games (in sports) in Fort Devens, 30 min. away.
There are great towns around there, very family-oriented, good schools, lots of activities for kids, some towns with a real New England feel.
We live 2 minutes away from Hanscom and have lived near for years. Except for the issue of commercial airlines going thru there, I've never heard any comments, negative or otherwise about Hanscom, or families associated with it. The kids go to Bedford High which is considered a good school, one of the better public. My concern was the transience of the kids with parents based here. But in all my years here, I've never known any segregation. I think it's just a fact, part of this community -families associated with Hanscom don't stand out at all, if that's a concern.
The drive to NYC, 31/2 hours I'd say. Trains are great.
As for places to live, I would seriously take advantage of the rental communities like "Avalon" popping up all over. -Very nice, safe, structured. Lease 1, 6, 12, months. Rent, from what I hear is average.
I really think you have no worries about being an 'outsider'. New Englanders take time to warm up, but you'll find some very helpful people, no segregation.
I do not think families live on the base...damn-near close, but not actually on it!
My husband and I are moving from the Palm Springs area of California to Fort Devens (or vicinity) within the next several months.
Ive read the post about friendliness, etc--Im not too worried. My husband is a US Marine and we've lived all over...we both actually take alot of pride in being from sleepy southern towns but our close friends hail from all over the world..."likemindedness" is not always a good thing, so we like to branch out.
My questions, if you would be so kind:
1.Is a commute from Hanscom AFB to Fort Devens reasonable? more than 30 minutes?
2. How are military members and their families viewed in the area? Are they welcomed? (Most recently, we've lived in California and Maryland...opposing political views are not something new to us.) I could care less someone's political view, so long as they dont lash out at my husband. Then we have problems.
3. Do you know if people stationed in the Devens area call Hanscom home?
4. Safety is an issue! Should we buy, what condo developments, townhome developments, etc are in good areas?
5. How long does it take to drive to NYC? more than three hours?
any other information you can provide, helpful websites other than chamber of commerce, etc. are greatly appreciated. Im a little obsessive-compulsive when it comes to our moves. My husband works so hard (we could own property in Iraq he spends so much time there) so I like to make my mission as having answers for him and being proactive.
I hope my southern manners and hint of accent are not mistaken for ignorance or stupidity. I hope MA is as open-minded as they claim to be and welcome "outsiders"
Looking forward to your feedback.....
Welcome! So your husband will be at Hanscom, and you're thinking of moving to Devens? (It's called Devens now -- it used to be Fort Devens but the base closed and it's been converted to a residential, planned community run by a quasi-public agency). Or is he somehow still working at Devens and you want to live in Hanscom? If you'll live in Hanscom, Tao answered that for you. And I agree; Bedford, Lincoln and Concord (the surrounding towns) are all really nice areas. No worries at all about safety.
Commute will be no problem at all -- 30 minutes at most, I'd think.
So just in case it's the other way around (living in Devens, commuting to Hanscom) here are some thoughts:
Devens is located physically in the towns of Shirley, Harvard, and Ayer, and is not exactly its own town, but at the same time sort of is. Devens kids go to Shirley schools. It's a little odd. But I've heard its nice. Shirley is not a particularly well-off town, and neither is Ayer. I think for those towns, visiting in person is a good idea. I would be hesitant to rent in an apartment complex in those towns. No worries about safety anywhere in that general area in terms of violent crime, but I would be a little concerned in the apartment complexes in Shirley and Ayer about drug-related crime.
Harvard is extremely affluent, and honestly hard to buy in. Great if you can afford it. I don't think they have any condos or apartment buildings.
If you go a few towns over to Acton, there is a townhouse community called Nagog Woods that is a really well run, family friendly, and (relatively) affordable community.
But all are decent towns. I'd stay away from Clinton, Leominster (just because it is too far away), but other than that you'll be fine.
I have spent my whole life here and I would think you would not have to face any problems with being a military family -- we have a number of bases here (well, fewer now, since some have closed) so it is not a foreign concept to us. And I would hope we'd be better than to judge you on an accent! Lord knows we have our own, too, and I've heard plenty people make fun of ours!
Commute will be no problem at all -- 30 minutes at most, I'd think.
It is only ~25 miles between Devens and Hanscom. However, not sure about 30 minutes. I think it really depend on time of day. Going through Concord during rush hour is always a challenge. I recall Concord rotary Rt2/2A backs up 15-20 minutes heading west one Friday evening.
Here is some info on the area former called Fort Devens. Pretty good chunk of land. I was stationed at Fort Devens when it was an active Army base. Was back there a couple years ago to attend a reunion. Lot of retired military in the area. Was one of my favorite military bases.
As that blurb says the land was broken up. Some of the former military housing was sold off. Part of it is like an industrial park, apparently there is some newer housing built there too.
The town of Ayer is about the same as it ever was over the years, pretty much a nothing place. Didn't change in all the years I knew about it. That entire area is pretty pricy. You don't get much for the money.
I looked at moving there when I left Boston but the cheapest dump was like $240K and I just passed as there was no compelling reason to go there. Fall can be a very nice season there. Winter can be a bear.
Just to add, Devens has been trying to become a town but was the vote recently didn't go to well. Shirley, Ayer, and Harvard all voted on this, but i've heard from many that sooner or later Devens will become a town. From the Hanscom area, you would be traveling down Rt. 2, a reverse commute on Rt. 2 isn't too bad and without traffic would take about 20-25 minutes.
There are some condos in Harvard, right off of Rt. 111, but like others said, Harvard is very expensive. If you are working in Devens, there are many towns around to consider. East of Devens are the towns of Boxborough, Littleton, Concord, and Acton. West are the towns of Shirley, Lancaster, Leominster, Fitchburg, & Westminster. North are Ayer, Groton, & Pepperell. South are Harvard, Bolton, & Clinton.
Although in general the state is liberal, people are still supportive of the military and i've never heard anyone say anything bad to someone's face because they are in the military.
Hi Packed, I am a Marine wife in San Diego being stationed at Fort Devens in June, going through the same thing, would love to get your advice...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
