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I'd second the vote for Hingham based on its very well regarded schools, good commuting options& great little town center. I think it has a lot of character and charm compared to some other burbs.
And re: Hingham I'd also add it's home to World's End, one of the most beautiful parks in the area overlooking the ocean. You can go to YouTube - Discover Hingham! to see some views of the town. It's a little too centered on the shops in town but it gives you some pretty glimpses of the area nonetheless.
I'm not terribly familiar with towns in the South Shore, but I wanted to echo the recommendations of Belmont and Arlington. These are both very Brookline-y areas, inhabited by families who've been priced out of Brookline or Cambridge.
As far as living up to the expectations set by your youth, well; I too grew up in a large home, went to private schools and the country club, the whole 9 yards. But guess what...I don't WANT to live where I grew up. I could have that kind of life if I chose to by living there; but I'd rather live in the (much pricier!) greater Boston area and have access to all that it has to offer. Heck, I think my son will benefit more from our frequent trips to the Museum of Science, aquarium, and Children's Museum than he would from an extra 1000 square feet of living area. Think of it in those terms, and remember that your kids don't have this basis of comparison--just you do.
Hingham is beautiful, excellent schools and great for commute. Great community programs. Nice old homes but also some ostentatious new construction (the Conservatory area comes to mind) The drawback is it is one of the most expensive towns on the south shore and your dollar will not go as far as in other areas (600k is a step up from a starter house). It's a very well heeled town and even though the public schools are top notch, many kids attend elite private schools for high school. Very white collar professional. Train station in town.
Norwell, great schools, beautiful old farming town. Great community programs. Nice mix of old and new homes. Most parts of Norwell make for an easy commute. More economically diverse than Hingham. Professionals, and blue collar business owners live side by side. Train station close. More down to earth than Hingham.
Scituate. My favorite town on the immediate south shore. Schools are very good. Economically eclectic population. Traditionally a very Irish town. Lots of hometown pride and tradition. Hard to put a handle on- not the preppy seaside town that Cohasset is but also not the rough around the edges Hull. The negative is getting to the highway. There is no easy way to get from Scituate to route 3. There is the Greenbush Line for commute to Boston though.
I'm not terribly familiar with towns in the South Shore, but I wanted to echo the recommendations of Belmont and Arlington. These are both very Brookline-y areas, inhabited by families who've been priced out of Brookline or Cambridge.
As far as living up to the expectations set by your youth, well; I too grew up in a large home, went to private schools and the country club, the whole 9 yards. But guess what...I don't WANT to live where I grew up. I could have that kind of life if I chose to by living there; but I'd rather live in the (much pricier!) greater Boston area and have access to all that it has to offer. Heck, I think my son will benefit more from our frequent trips to the Museum of Science, aquarium, and Children's Museum than he would from an extra 1000 square feet of living area. Think of it in those terms, and remember that your kids don't have this basis of comparison--just you do.
Hingham is beautiful, excellent schools and great for commute. Great community programs. Nice old homes but also some ostentatious new construction (the Conservatory area comes to mind) The drawback is it is one of the most expensive towns on the south shore and your dollar will not go as far as in other areas (600k is a step up from a starter house). It's a very well heeled town and even though the public schools are top notch, many kids attend elite private schools for high school. Very white collar professional. Train station in town.
Norwell, great schools, beautiful old farming town. Great community programs. Nice mix of old and new homes. Most parts of Norwell make for an easy commute. More economically diverse than Hingham. Professionals, and blue collar business owners live side by side. Train station close. More down to earth than Hingham.
Scituate. My favorite town on the immediate south shore. Schools are very good. Economically eclectic population. Traditionally a very Irish town. Lots of hometown pride and tradition. Hard to put a handle on- not the preppy seaside town that Cohasset is but also not the rough around the edges Hull. The negative is getting to the highway. There is no easy way to get from Scituate to route 3. There is the Greenbush Line for commute to Boston though.
Thanks! That is very helpful.
BTW, I knew there was a commuter rails stop in Scituate but am unaware of the Greenbush Line until just now when you mentioned it and I read the wikipedia site on it... Any downside to being on that line vs. one of the commuter rail lines in Hingham etc?
BTW, I knew there was a commuter rails stop in Scituate but am unaware of the Greenbush Line until just now when you mentioned it and I read the wikipedia site on it... Any downside to being on that line vs. one of the commuter rail lines in Hingham etc?
Thx again!
You're very welcome. I can't be of any help with the train lines. My husband's business was based out of the South Shore and my trips into Boston were social or educational with kids. We would either use the T, one of the commuter boats or drive in. My kids loved Saturday trips in town and the boat ride was part of the adventure. On that note, the commuter boats are a very enjoyable way to commute. They run out of Hingham, Hull and Quincy.
Any downside to being on that line vs. one of the commuter rail lines in Hingham etc?
Thx again!
It's the same line that goes to Hingham. The downside from my perspective is that it's slow (takes a long time to Scituate) and does not run anywhere near often enough. Much less than some other lines. Check the MBTA schedules out.
It's the same line that goes to Hingham. The downside from my perspective is that it's slow (takes a long time to Scituate) and does not run anywhere near often enough. Much less than some other lines. Check the MBTA schedules out.
Typical Mass... But 5 trains before 9 am isn't too bad I suppose...
Typical Mass... But 5 trains before 9 am isn't too bad I suppose...
My issue is that, if you miss the 5:45 PM, you're stuck at South Station for almost an hour. If you miss the 6:38 PM, you're stuck in town until 8:25. If you go to the Red Sox game, you're stuck overnight.
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Welcome to City-Data.com forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with 700,000 other registered members. User profiles and some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your free account you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 15,000 posts/day about local topics and you will see fewer ads. 
Think of it in those terms, and remember that your kids don't have this basis of comparison--just you do.
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