Relocating: Burlington vs. Western MA/Pioneer Valley (Springfield, Richmond: renting, condos)

[Azmodi]

Hi,

I currently live in PA, on the border of NJ. Although not unpleasant, it is not somewhere I want to live for the rest of my life. My workplace is fine with me working remotely and the two places I'm considering most strongly are Burlington or Western MA (Easthampton, Amherst, etc. area). The liberal, artistic atmospheres of both appeal to me, along with the fact they both have universities and colleges nearby. In terms of landscape I think I would find Burlington preferable but am concerned that it might be harder to meet people/build a long-term social group simply due to the lower population.

For people familiar with both areas, could you give me your opinion about the strengths and weaknesses of each, especially compared to each other?

Thanks very much.

James

[vter]

I can't help you with Amherst/Northampton but if you have any specific questions about the Burlington I'd be happy to try and help.

[Biker53]

I used to live in Western MA in that area. Happy Valley as some call the Connecticut River Valley in Western MA is extremely liberal and dominated by the various colleges (UMass, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, Smith) and a smattering of boarding schools. Lots of arts, farmer's markets, nightlife etc. All in all a pretty high quality of life. Not as pretty as the Burlington area but it has much in common with it. Anyone comfortable there would be comfortable in Burlington and vice versa.

[Azmodi]

Thanks so much for the replies. I'm glad to hear that the two areas are rather similar culturally as that makes any potential choice between them easier.

For vter, thanks for being willing to answer questions and below are a few. Some of them were raised by various posts I've read on reddit and city-data boards (and I realize that people who tend to post on many internet forums are not necessarily prone to being overly positive), although not all (I also know that many of these questions do not have single "objective" answers and can vary from person-to-person):

How expensive are the heating bills in the winter?

How substantial are the opportunities to get involved in the community – groups, volunteering, etc.?

What role does UVM play in the community?

I have read people’s complaints about property taxes being exorbitant and possibly rising. What do you think?

How do you think the social scene is for a person in his mid-30s? I’ve read posts saying many people in the area tend to be either college-age or older and have families (as many people leave after college/grad. school since there are few job opportunities).

Do you see any major changes for the town, its culture, etc. on the horizon (positive or negative)?

I am going to be renting a place in Richmond from mid-June to early August to get a sense of the area for an extended period of time. Is there anything you recommend I do, places I go to, etc. that will help me with this?

Thanks for your time.

[vter]

Heating: We heat with propane....I'll have to go and pull out our bills to see what we paid last winter.
Community Opportunities: Tons. Whether it be being on a town board/committee, volunteer for a local organization, there are plenty of options.
UVM: Pretty big role. It seems like everyone around here has a connection to UVM (or one of hte other local colleges) whether they went there, work there, have a family member with a connection, etc.
Property taxes: Property taxes are high, but most people don't pay the full amount. There is a program in place where if you make under a certain amount (it is pretty generous too) you don't pay the full amount.
https://tax.vermont.gov/property-own...justment-claim
Social scene...wish I could help there. I'm a little older. I can say that there is lots to do around here so I don't think you'd be bored.
Check out Seven Days either online or the print version when you get here. It's the best (IMO) guide for events, music, news, etc.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/
In Richmond, be sure to check out the Farmer's Market. Home - Richmond Farmers Market

[in_newengland]

I'm from the Amherst/Northampton area and I can echo what the other person said about it. Very liberal, even TOO liberal to the point of being silly at times. The population is very transient due to the colleges so it's kind of hard to make friends--or if you do, they just move away.

It's good for retirees with a lot of money as there are expensive retiree condos where there used to be fields. I'd live in Easthampton because there's a lot going on in the Northampton area and Easthampton is a lot more down to earth. Amherst=no, too "precious" and politically correct, too many trust fund types too. Easthampton is cheaper. Winters are brutal but probably a little bit less so than in VT. There's one mountain range so the driving isn't too bad in winter, but it's bad enough.

People use gas heat if possible. There's an arts scene but I never found that much in the way of volunteer opportunities. Maybe the wives of the college professors take all of them? The downside is SO many students. FIVE colleges and one is UMass. And UMass is called Zoo Mass--nothing has ever been done about out of control student riots and drinking as far as I know. I think I'd choose Burlington, although if you can get Easthampton, it's pretty good in WMass.

[MassVt]

I grew up in Burlington, and really have only good memories. Pleasant tree-lined streets, located on Lake Champlain, the state university, and the medical college/center right next to it, and Montreal only an hour and a half away..

However, I left several decades ago, and I've noticed that the cost of housing has risen alarmingly, and it's becoming a rather pricey burg. Just keep that in mind..

Western MA is OK, although not terribly exciting, if you might be looking for that, too. The Amherst/Northhampton area is nice, but Springfield is pretty forgettable. You would be about 2-3 hrs from Boston, and 1-2 hrs from Albany, NY..