Melrose? (Boston, Worcester, Cambridge: violent crime, house, neighborhoods)

[Katezli]

We are planning to relocate to Massachusetts and I keep hearing about Melrose. From what I have heard, it seems like it might be a good fit for our family, but reading through the archives I came across this post from July, 2006 and now feel a little scared off. This description makes Melrose seem quite unappealing. Could people familiar with Melrose comment (copy of post below)? Or the original writer (I think Lolahbelle was the screen name) explain more... Thanks so much!

"many towns in boston are very progressive. i would stay away from townie hoods like melrose, medford, wakefield, stoneham (i live in melrose, it's 99% white and a lot of townies--meaning ppl who grew up here, married their HS sweetheart and never experienced life outside of MA or NEng)."

[ChunkyMonkey]

I agree that Melrose is not the picture of diversity. However, it is far superior than outer suburbia where you are surrounded by towns that are the same. Melrose has seen lots of influx of professionals from Boston due to the proximity of the commuter rail and Oak Grove on the orange line. It is also next to Malden, which is one of the most diverse city I've ever lived in. My son's school has kids representing over 40 nationalities. So, I say go for it and check it out for yourself.

[CaseyB]

Is it the "townie" comment that bothers you?

[Katezli]

Thanks Chunky Monkey-- Yes, your comment is a good one. I am planning to visit, but it is hard to tell too much about what it is *really* like to live in a town just by walking around.

And CaseyB, yes, I think you've really identified my discomfort-- it is the "townie" comment that bothers me. I wouldn't want to live anywhere where that insular if this is an accurate description. Do you think that it is accurate? Chunky Monkey and others, do you find that many people that are in Melrose and the surrounding towns are from there and have never left?

[MAtoNC!]

Well, it's 95% white. So, it's not the most diverse place. But it's very nice. I used to live in Medford. I didn't feel surrounded by townies. Every town has "townies" to some extent. The only reason I lived in Medford instead of Melrose is because it was more affordable. I think Melrose would be a great place to live.

[CaseyB]

I think Melrose is worth looking into if you want something safe and affordable close to Boston.

The poster that you quoted at the beginning of this thread also said this:



If you are in Saugus, look at Melrose. It's a nice community with good schools and it's very convenient to Cambridge. It has a real main st. with decent shops and restaurants and a much-used YMCA. They also have a farmer's market in the summer, they are building a new middle school... and it is a very safe town. My husband works in biotech in Cambridge, he uses the commuter rail and the "T"--it's nice to have the option. You can buy a fixer-upper in the lower 300k range. Stoneham/Wakefield area is nice too but not as convenient to Cambridge/Boston and more suburban. I go to Saugus to go to target and the mall. Melrose is more residential and walkable.

Strange, huh?

[howsitgoingdude3]

I'd have to disagree with most of the responses. Now, I do not live in the area so what i've heard is heresay. I've lived in Boston for 4 years and was told when i moved here and was looking for a place to live of places to say the heck away from and Melrose, Revere, Lynn, Saugus, and Malden were on that list. Although i've heard worse things about Malden, Revere, and Lynn I haven't heard anything directly bad. I've only passed through Malden I believe once and it was pretty dirty and very trashy. The people in the convience store were all on drugs and like digging through the trash cans to find other peoples lotto tickets. It was a mess and they were rude and had these really thick boston accents. It is not a place i'd ever live, but on the contrary i've heard there are some decent places in Revere. If I had to name a list of places i'd never live in MA it would be on there along with Dorchester, Worcester, Roxbury, Saugus, Mattapan, Brockton, Malden, New Bedford, Maine haha, South Boston, certain parts of Charlestown, Sommerville, Western MA, and Fitchburg. These areas are all known to be drug infested, some have violent crime, and they're not good places to raise kids. There are plenty of other more respectable and beautiful towns in MA, that are "affordable" and have better public schools than these areas. I'd highly recommend you continue your search out of the North Shore and certain parts of the South Shore.

[Katezli]

CaseyB-- you are a good researcher-- this does put the comments in perspective, though it is a confusing perspective since they are such contradictory points of view. Thanks!

Howsitgoing-- you mention that there are other towns that you consider affordable and good places to raise kids. Could you please list which ones you think are the best? Thanks so much for your help!

[howsitgoingdude3]

Originally Posted by Katezli

CaseyB-- you are a good researcher-- this does put the comments in perspective, though it is a confusing perspective since they are such contradictory points of view. Thanks!

Howsitgoing-- you mention that there are other towns that you consider affordable and good places to raise kids. Could you please list which ones you think are the best? Thanks so much for your help!

Hi Katezli,

I'd consider the following towns affordable and good places to live in MA based on what i've heard from people that live there and or others that admire those towns.

Acton (a lot cheaper than its more expensive neighbor Lexington)
Andover
Belmont
Burlington
Canton (some parts are very affordable)
Concord
Dedham *(i've heard mixed responses but nothing extremely horrible and it boarders Westwood which is very nice)
Framingham * (again certain parts are nice, but overall probably not the greatest place)
Needham
Reading
Norwood
Sharon * very nice might be a bit on the high end
Westford * 40 minutes from Boston
Wayland *great location boarders both Newton and Wellesley great school system and very rural living

Hope this helps. Again I have not lived in any of these towns, but I've only heard good things about them. The people i've meet from there always have good things to say about their town. On the other hand the one's a put on my not good list when i meet people from there they typically in most cases do not have many nice things to say about their town. Although people in the Northeast all think their little towns are the best even if they're total crap holes, so you have to take some opinions with a grain of salt. Anyway happy huntings!

Also contrary to the diversity police on the board most of the towns rich, middle class, or poor in MA are majority white and this just in from the news desk. MOST TOWNS IN AMERICA AS WELL AS NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PREDOMINITELY WHITE. Hello whites are the majority. That is not to say there are not some towns here with a sprinkle more of diversity, but the overwhelming majority of towns in MA are not and further more what does it matter if it is an all white town or not?

PS it seems that "townie" is just a polite way of saying white tr*sh

[CityGirl52]

Melrose was always a very nice community. You will find in New England, a lot of towns that have people born and raised in that town. Are they clicky? Probably. Are they clannish? Most likely. Are they white trash? Absolutely not. That's a statement that's pretty unfair, it's gross and it's uncalled for. They're people. People that you grew up with yourself that others have grown up with that mean a lot to their families. If there's issues with people born and raised in the town? Then you need to look some where else to live, because that's part of life for all of us and it's right in a nutshell like that
every where. May be you guys out there that can't deal with this should
have a big big fence wrapped around your house with no neighbors around you for miles! Would you want that in the end? Would you be happier! I doubt it!

Melrose to me was always much much nicer than Malden or Medford, all through the years, it always had that about it and it doesn't look like it's going away any time soon. If you can afford to live there? Then I say, GO for it because it certainly has beautiful areas with charming, older unique homes that have a ton of character to them. They're real New Englanders. In fact we have family members that live right near the lovely Lincoln St. in Melrose and a lot of those homes are worth a fortune; in my book! There's so much charm and character to those homes through there. Melrose was always a lovely community; with townies, without townies, with the yuppies moving in, with the yuppies moving out, that's happening everywhere, not just in that area. Melrose will always have that charm to it, always, with or without people moving in to the town. It's got a wonderful downtown area with cute shops and funky little restaurants like Turner's. It's got a great school system from what we're hearing these days. It's got quite a lot going for it these days and you'd be a fool not to consider living there. If I had my way? I'd be living there in a heart beat, there's no question about it, I wouldn't hesitate one bit.