Living in Boston and Commuting to Woonsocket RI (CVS HQ) (Newton: apartment, rentals)

[Coonies]

My wife and I will be moving to Boston early next year and we are looking for places to live that will enable the both of us to have reasonable commute times. She will be working in the Longwood Medical area and I will likely be working Woonsocket, RI. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best place to live in the Boston Metro area. Budget would be around $3K/mo

We're both professionals (she's in Residency and I'm in Marketing) in our early 30's and expecting are first child in January so access to daycare will also be an important consideration. Lastly we're looking to rent a 2bdr apartment or condo for 2-3 years before purchasing in the area. Given the demands of her job it would probably be best to live slightly closer to her job in Longwood.

If anyone has any advice on where we should start looking it would be greatly appreciated.

[lrfox]

I would also suggest living closer to Longwood, simply because your commute will be more of a reverse commute while hers would be with the flow of traffic which would make it quite a bit slower. Still, if you're anywhere in the Boston area, the commute to Woonsocket will be an hour+ each way on a good day.

Without knowing your budget, Framingham comes to mind as maybe the best option. From Framingham, your wife has the option of driving all the way in, taking the commuter rail, or driving a little ways to Newton and taking the Green Line (light rail) into the Longwood area. You would also be a bit closer (50 minutes or so) to Woonsocket for your drive (I'm unaware of any Public Transit option to Woonsocket aside from RIPTA within Rhode Island). Framingham also has a good number of reasonably priced rentals and a decent selection of restaurants and activities. I can't attest to daycares, but given that it's a suburb of Boston with 70,000 people, I'd assume there are options.

Norwood also comes to mind. It's a 45 minute drive to Woonsocket. It would also give your wife the option of driving, taking the commuter rail (she would need to switch to a Green Line train for a few stops at Copley which is next to Back Bay station) or driving to the Green Line. Norwood has a decent town center with some shopping and dining as well. Again, I can't really speak to the daycare situation in Norwood, but I'd assume there are options.

Dedham, Natick, Newton and Waltham may also be worth researching as well although they're all a little bit further from Woonsocket.

Congratulations on your first child!

[massnative71]

Will she have parking available at Longwood? And what shifts will you both be working?

[Jimrob1]

I'm from the towns that border Woonsocket on the Mass side. No matter how you work this situation. This is going to be a commute to say the least. Two totally different directions in two states. Woonsocket does not have good road access. Nor does it have any transit that is going to benefit you. Ripta the RI transit travels from Providence to Woonsocket. There is nothing else for transit. I have always wondered why CVS has thier operation there. Probably its lower cost to operate in Woonsocket since New England is a high COL area. Anyway I'm going to go with Framingham also. I could recommend my area. The Attleboro/No Attleboro Mass area for closeness to Woonsocket, and the commuter rail into Boston. However I think that would be to much of a commute for your wife. So I am as the previous poster recommended Framingham.

When you add it all up I think it would be a sensible location. Sort of a half way point. With good acces to commuter rail and fwys. You would be near 495 to get down to Franklin, Mass and then down to Woonsocket. I believe the Mass Pike runs thru Framingham or thereabouts. I live in Arizona now and just realized I'm forgetting the roads in my homestate Mass. She would have the commuter rail with connections to the Green Line and buses to Longwood. So take alook at the Framingham Natick area. Or she could drive if she had to.

Now if you could just get CVS to move their operation closer to Boston, then you would both be going in the same direction. So hope this helps and good luck with everything and your new baby.

[Coonies]

Thanks everyone for the comments and for the congrats on the baby. We are both very excited. I also wanted to add a few details to respond to a few of the questions.

Regarding budget we’re looking at $3K/mo for housing and probably another $2-2.5K/mo for daycare.

Given the long commute many of you described and since I will be the parent responsible for daycare pick up and drop off for the next two years, I am seriously beginning to re-evaluate working at CVS. Since many of you mentioned Framingham I am going to determine if there’s opportunities at Staples HQ or maybe even TJX.

So if I worked in Framingham and my wife was in Longwood, I would have to imagine that that would open up a broader set of possibilities.

Does anyone have suggestions on the best areas for us to live given that scenario? Would you suggest Longwood or Framingham? Or someone in between?

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Coonies

Thanks everyone for the comments and for the congrats on the baby. We are both very excited. I also wanted to add a few details to respond to a few of the questions.

Regarding budget we’re looking at $3K/mo for housing and probably another $2-2.5K/mo for daycare.

Given the long commute many of you described and since I will be the parent responsible for daycare pick up and drop off for the next two years, I am seriously beginning to re-evaluate working at CVS. Since many of you mentioned Framingham I am going to determine if there’s opportunities at Staples HQ or maybe even TJX.

So if I worked in Framingham and my wife was in Longwood, I would have to imagine that that would open up a broader set of possibilities.

Does anyone have suggestions on the best areas for us to live given that scenario? Would you suggest Longwood or Framingham? Or someone in between?

Longwood itself does not really have much for housing, that would be in the adjacent neighborhoods of Mission Hill and Fenway as well as in the town of Brookline (from Brookline Village she could walk). If you really think you could secure a job in Framingham, that is what I would do especially since you have some flexibility in your housing budget. I would also look in Newton along the Green Line D branch (for direct service to Longwood).

If you are stuck working at CVS, then Framingham is actually closer to Woonsocket than most people realize. I would just take 126 all the way through Holliston and Bellingham (not even get on the highway), I don't think it would be any more than 45 minutes.

Again, I could offer better advice if I knew your work schedules and whether she would have parking available or not.

[Coonies]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Longwood itself does not really have much for housing, that would be in the adjacent neighborhoods of Mission Hill and Fenway as well as in the town of Brookline (from Brookline Village she could walk). If you really think you could secure a job in Framingham, that is what I would do especially since you have some flexibility in your housing budget. I would also look in Newton along the Green Line D branch (for direct service to Longwood).

If you are stuck working at CVS, then Framingham is actually closer to Woonsocket than most people realize. I would just take 126 all the way through Holliston and Bellingham (not even get on the highway), I don't think it would be any more than 45 minutes.

Again, I could offer better advice if I knew your work schedules and whether she would have parking available or not.

Massnative, thanks for your thoughts and assistance. My work schedule will likely be a normal 8-5 job in a corporate setting and my wife's will be a hectic schedule with the average day being 5:30a-6PM. As a resident she'll periodically take night call which means she could be paged and would have to return to the hospital in the middle of the night for surgery. I am not certain but I think she will have parking at work. Lastly since she will be working the occasional odd hours train access is probably not a huge priority since I would prefer she drive to avoid taking the train late at night. If I dont take the CVS job I'll need easy access to the train.

One of the neighborhoods you mentioned was Fenway, I'm assuming this is area where the stadium is located? If so does that basically mean that during the season the neighborhood is crazy for 80+ games?

Hopefully all of this info gives you a bit more background and context. Thanks again and keep the advice coming.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Coonies

Massnative, thanks for your thoughts and assistance. My work schedule will likely be a normal 8-5 job in a corporate setting and my wife's will be a hectic schedule with the average day being 5:30a-6PM. As a resident she'll periodically take night call which means she could be paged and would have to return to the hospital in the middle of the night for surgery. I am not certain but I think she will have parking at work. Lastly since she will be working the occasional odd hours train access is probably not a huge priority since I would prefer she drive to avoid taking the train late at night. If I dont take the CVS job I'll need easy access to the train.

One of the neighborhoods you mentioned was Fenway, I'm assuming this is area where the stadium is located? If so does that basically mean that during the season the neighborhood is crazy for 80+ games?

Hopefully all of this info gives you a bit more background and context. Thanks again and keep the advice coming.

Well if she will be relying on her car (and you take the job at CVS), then I might look around Dedham. The drive will be easy enough on her and at those hours I don't think she will have much difficulty as there are many local shortcuts available through that area. If she was coming from Framingham, her only option will really be Rte. 9. In the morning it will be fine, but going home at 6 PM could be problematic and will seem like forever. Whatever you do you want to avoid Rte. 128 in either direction. From Dedham you are only 1 or 2 exits to 95S to RI, and you always have Rte. 1 as an alternative.

If you end up with a job in Framingham, then that totally changes. In that case I would consider Brookline, Newton, or maybe the West Roxbury and Roslindale sections of Boston. Fenway would be very convenient for her to Longwood, but I would not live there as a family. It is very congested with a large student/transient population. I don't think you will notice much of a difference on game nights, it is just very busy all of the time. It would also make a longer commute for you to both potential work locations.