Family-friendly city near Boston (Holden: how much, house, to live)

[bw52]

Hi,

We're considering moving out near Boston and wondered if anyone could suggest any family-friendly areas just outside of Boston. I've lived in the West my whole life (grew up in CA) and have always wanted to move back east for a little while, just for the experience. I've heard varying things about the East and am not sure what to believe/or what to expect. Any insights would be helpful. Also, I'm looking for a family, friendly safe town outside of Boston. We are just starting our family so will have very young children. I want to be able to go on walks with my children without having to worry about safety. Also, is there public transportation that connects to towns outside of the city? We think it would be fun to live near a big city, but definetly not in it and would prefer to use public transportation when we do go in for the day. Is this possible? Thanks for any help!

[holden125]

There are plenty of places that would qualify as family-friendly and would be safe to walk around with kids. It would help to have more info before getting specific. For example, I know housing is expensive in many parts of California, and it can also be expensive near Boston. So there are questions like, how much is your potential budget, how big a house are you interested in, how much yard, how close to the city, what kind of area (i.e. almost urban, straight suburban, rural)? Do you plan to work in the city?

Many towns outside Boston have commuter rail trains that connect to the city. The network is pretty extensive and to come in for the day on the weekend is really quite easy. Compared to many US cities it's really good, though I think they could run more trains. If you use it to commute each day it can also be tough to park at many stations as the small lots fill up early (though other stations have very large lots and no problem). Here's the map: MBTA.com > Commuter Rail Maps and Schedules

[ogre]

Speaking of the commuter trains, besides the additional information Holden suggested would be useful, it would also help narrow down the possibilities to know whether you would need to commute, and, for either a commute or fun trips to the city, how long a ride would be comfortable for you.