help needed! is brookline worth it? newton too suburb like? where else to look or maybe not??? (Boston: fit in)

[Bisso]

Hi. We need help! Here is some more information:

Being relocated to Boston area. Job is in Brookline. Have a third grader and a preschooler. Like urban feel but not when it is too sketchy. Like neighborhoods but not too fancy/snobby. Want to be able to commute into Boston easily. Want a nice community and one that will be accepting of new people. Want to feel safe in our neighborhood so kids can play freely.

Brookline seems SO expensive. Is it worth it? Newton feels expensive but very suburb like. Any other neighborhoods/towns we should be thinking about?

Know the schools in Brookline and Newton are fantastic but are they SO good that you would not even think about private schools especially if you have kids who are advanced learners and challenged learners (one kid on each side of the spectrum)?

We have lived previously in Chicago (in the city), Manhattan and Portland, OR. so like the urban feel but appreciate being able to live nicely in an urban setting.

Thanks for all of your help!!

[kmann-sherborn]

They're rated some of the best public school systems in the state & I think are two of the best places based on your criteria.

[lambchop1010]

Yes, very much worth it. If you can swing living in Brookline, do it. Great schools, great community, Boston is right at your finger tips. Newton is awesome too, but way more suburban feeling.

[NotAPrincess]

Only you can answer whether Brookline is worth it or not for you. I would say that it is. Newton is significantly more suburban, but does have great access to the city through the T (green line), the commuter rail, and various express busses. You just want to be sure that you have enough $ left over after paying rent/mortgage to actually be able to enjoy yourself.

[shiver]

Know the schools in Brookline and Newton are fantastic but are they SO good that you would not even think about private schools especially if you have kids who are advanced learners and challenged learners (one kid on each side of the spectrum)?

Newton and Brookline are two of the best public school districts in MA. If you are going to go the public school route, you'd be hard pressed to do much better other than personal preference. There are always reasons why people send their kids to private schools even in the best districts (want a small school or all female/all male environment, religious based education, legacy or just because they can afford it). If parents have a lot of money (and there's a lot of money in in both those towns), they may send their kids to one of the elite day schools or even one of the boarding schools in the area. You're talking 25K+ a year per child though.

I don't know about the districts' learning disability/challenged learner services.

Some people just have a real preference for private schools. But, if you are talking public school districts, you really don't get much better. The only public schools that would be better regarded are the individual exam based/specialty charter/magnet schools like a Boston Latin School or Bronx Science or Stuyvesant in NYC. But those are individual schools.

Newton is more suburban feeling, but if you can get a house not too far from one of the T stops, you can be in Boston in 20 min or live near one of town centers (like Newton Center).

[beth98]

Brookline has great schools (so does Newton) and keep in mind Massachusetts in general has some of the best public schools in the country. Sketchy, snobby, and fancy are all pretty subjective. Brookline is decidedly not sketchy, but depending on your views could be seen as snobby or fancy.
Depending on how much urban you need Newton near the center could be a good fit for you. It's certainly not a large center but there is coffee, a number of restaurants and a few stores. You could hop on the T to get to Boston pretty easily.

Would you be driving to Brookline for work or taking public transit?

[ice_cream_eyes]

I live in Brookline. The schools here are so good, you would not need to consider private school. They are outstanding. I have one child (6th grade) who is far above grade level and they are totally able to challenge him. He's in a "stock market" program right now with some other kids where they are learning about the stock market, creating their own companies, and more. My 4th grader already knows all the parts of the heart and the bones of the body. They have Spanish starting in kindergarten, great music and art programs, and almost all of the students love to read. There is also tons of support for kids that are struggling or have special needs, behavioral or social challenges, and more. Even though they are learning a lot, I don't feel they are under a ton of pressure - it's a great environment.

I'm in Brookline Village and I am not wealthy. When I moved here I worried that people would be very rich and snobby and that I wouldn't fit in. But most people (at least in this neighborhood) are very down to earth and friendly. And there's definitely a mix of backgrounds and races. I have a smaller place than I could have elsewhere. I don't have a yard. But the trade-off it totally worth it. There are so many great parks and all of the kids run around playing cops and robbers, basketball, going in the sprinklers, and more. And we can walk, ride bikes, or take the T to anywhere in Boston really fast- Fenway, Boston Commons, Jamaica Pond, and more.

Hope this helps!

[ice_cream_eyes]

Another option for you that has an urban feel but comfortable living situation would be Jamaica Plain. Its more affordable, you'd get more space, but it's still really close to the city. There are some really nice neighborhoods and beautiful houses! But if you go that route, I'd strongly recommend considering private schools as it is actually within the "Boston Public Schools."

[ednastvincent]

I was also going to suggest Jamaica Plain. It has more of an urban feel and is more economically diverse than Brookline. Brookline is ethnically diverse, but not economically diverse. If you can afford Brookline, you'll get a lot more for your money in JP. Roslindale is the next neighborhood over from JP and is similiar but a bit further from the city -- on the commuter rail instead of the subway. But many people do pay for private schools in JP and Rosi. Newton is a very big suburb and if you live close to one of the town centers, it starts to have more of the urban feel and walkability of Brookline. West Newton is relatively affordable and it has a coffeeshop, art house theatre, etc. If you live walking distance to Newton Centre it will feel very different than living right off Route 9. Arlington is another suburb with some walkability and urban-ness to it. I've lately become rather fond of Belmont, which has excellent schools and lots of green space. It's not at all urban but it has town centers and the commuter rail and bus lines.

Most Boston suburbs have an actual town center of some kind. It's hard to beat Brookline for that urban-yet-upscale feeling but the many little town centers in MA offer a unique New England take on that vibe.

[evergrn]

While Jamaica Plains is fantastic for some, it's not for everyone and I would not suggest it for the OP. She's going to be working in Brookline. There's no good way to get from JP to Brookline by T, although there could be a bus line that I'm not familiar with. The school situation is going to be infinitely better in Brookline. Some parts of JP border sketchy areas, esp as you head east to go catch the Orange line to get into the city (eg, Green station). On the other hand, I can't think of any area within Brookline that has safety concerns.

Although Brookline is very expensive, I would just go with Brookline as long as you can afford it.

If your work is near Brookline Village and you'd like to commute by T, then Newton Center or Newton Highlands are also solid options as they're both one-shot T ride away from Brookline Village, feature commercial area (shops, cafes, restaurants), and are in a great school district.