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Old 09-11-2014, 08:31 PM
 
243 posts, read 264,611 times
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Hi everybody,
How is the quality of life in Bristol, Cranston, Newport, Tiverton, or Warren, RI? Are they family-friendly? Do they have good reliable public transit? Are they walkable? Are the elementary, middle, and high schools good? Do the towns have cultural offerings? How are real estate prices? Who are the biggest local employers? (We are thinking of relocating). Thanks!
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Old 09-11-2014, 09:29 PM
 
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First, Bristol/Warren is a combined district. That being said, no one would move to any of those towns/cities because of their respective school district.


Prices range from 200's to multi million dollars. Generally speaking, you're looking at mid 400's+ for something updated that's has a little dirt around the house. Cranston, a little lower priced, but lots of old, ugly homes unless you head farther west, but then the prices increase.

Reliable public transporation? No.

Walkable..well..........maybe, but not to things you'd really need, like a grocery store.

Local/state/Federal governments would be the largest employers in the burbs.


Culture? With the exception of Newport........no. We're talking the suburbs here. And most of Tiverton is quite rural.
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Old 09-12-2014, 04:59 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrooklineBiker View Post
Hi everybody,
How is the quality of life in Bristol, Cranston, Newport, Tiverton, or Warren, RI? Are they family-friendly? Do they have good reliable public transit? Are they walkable? Are the elementary, middle, and high schools good? Do the towns have cultural offerings? How are real estate prices? Who are the biggest local employers? (We are thinking of relocating). Thanks!
Bristol/Newport/Tiverton/Warren are some of the most lovely communities in Rhode Island. They all have waterfront.

Reliable public transit, No. Walkable, Yes, for recreation. Schools, Ok - not great. Culture, Newport only. Real Estate prices (except for Newport), $3-400 inland, much more closer to the water. Newport: add another $100k away from the water. Few major employers. Tiverton is more rural.

Cranston is entirely different. Edgewood/Pawtuxet is near the water, village-like, charming and made up of beautiful old houses and cottages. It's walkable and convenient to Providence and its culture. Schools are mediocre. Western Cranston is newer, more typically suburban to rural, having less of all of the above. Schools the same. Pawtuxet is one of the hottest real estate markets in the state. If you can find one, a house will run from $300k to $500 depending on how close to the water and the work it needs. Edgewood is a little less expensive, and the house will be a bit larger. Waterfront runs from $600k+ to $1m+.

Best to have a job before relocating to any of these areas. Good luck!
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Old 09-14-2014, 07:09 PM
 
23 posts, read 35,950 times
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No one in their right mind would move to Bristol or Warren. The State is dismantling the school aid received there to the tune of about $800k a year till $8 million a year has been cut. I believe the cuts are only in year three so far. Just to expand on this it's $800k, $1.6 million, $2.4 million etc till its $8 million every year.

The school system was over spending for over a decade and now they want the money to come from locals rather than loosen their grip on funds they should never have received in the first place.

On top of everything else Warren gets its funding calculated on an even keel with Bristol despite the fact that they should be receiving more per student under the new school funding formula. Warren has debated bankruptcy because of this. If Warren backs out of the regional deal Bristol will take a bigger hit so its a crap shoot who looks better throughout this.

Regardless of your take on why this is happening what is not debatable is that taxes in the area will be going through the roof.

Last edited by EastBayRI; 09-14-2014 at 08:28 PM..
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Old 09-14-2014, 07:45 PM
 
243 posts, read 264,611 times
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Originally Posted by EastBayRI View Post
No one in their right mind would move to Bristol or Warren. The State is dismantling the school aid received there to the tune of about $800k a year till $8 million a year has been cut. I believe the cuts are only in year three so far.

The school system was over spending for over a decade and now they want the money to come from locals rather than loosen their grip on funds they should never have received in the first place.

On top of everything else Warren gets its funding calculated on an even keel with Bristol despite the fact that they should be receiving more per student under the new school funding formula. Warren has debated bankruptcy because of this. If Warren backs out of the regional deal Bristol will take a bigger hit so its a crap shoot who looks better throughout this.

Regardless of your take on why this is happening what is not debatable is that taxes in the area will be going through the roof.
Hi EastBay,
Thanks for responding. I am sorry to hear these two communities are about to become much more expensive to live in. What towns and cities around eastern Rhode Island have good schools and good walkability?
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Old 09-14-2014, 07:54 PM
 
23,565 posts, read 18,707,417 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrooklineBiker View Post
Hi EastBay,
Thanks for responding. I am sorry to hear these two communities are about to become much more expensive to live in. What towns and cities around eastern Rhode Island have good schools and good walkability?
None really. Warren, Bristol, Newport, and parts of E. Providence have walkability but poor schools. Barrington and Portsmouth (both very different places btw.) have good schools but not much for walkability. Middletown, not walkable either. Know nothing about their schools.
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Old 09-14-2014, 08:45 PM
 
Location: Beautiful Rhode Island
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Barrington has good schools and is walkable if you are somewhat close to the town center.

I know you asked for the east bay but if walkability is a major consideration, you could look at the east side of Providence. The public schools are not fabulous but many consider them good enough.
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Old 09-15-2014, 03:57 AM
 
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If you want East Bay and insist on good public schools all indicators point to Barrington with walkability near the center. Be prepared to pay.
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Old 09-15-2014, 06:18 AM
 
Location: Beautiful Rhode Island
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Affordability varies in Barrington-homes in the nicer sections near the water can be a lot but it is possible to pick up modest houses in the 200s. I know people who have done that just to get into the public school system.
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Old 09-15-2014, 06:28 AM
 
8,031 posts, read 4,698,379 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollytree View Post
Affordability varies in Barrington-homes in the nicer sections near the water can be a lot but it is possible to pick up modest houses in the 200s. I know people who have done that just to get into the public school system.
Lots of people do that to get into one of the top 3 public school districts in the state. Prepare to live very small, but for those with a small family well worth it. You can even get small cottages a few blocks from water for under $300,000!
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