Moving from Texas to the New England area, where would I fit in? (apartment, neighborhoods)

[thehaus]

Hello,
I've been reading this forum for years as I've always been fascinated with different parts of the U.S., and now I find myself in the unique position of needing help myself.

My wife and I are in our mid 30's. I've been in Dallas for my entire life, short of a year in Boulder Colorado and Wellington New Zealand. My wife is from all over, she moved every year as a kid. I have a really close friend who is going to be in Providence for a year (navy), and we've decided to move to New England to be able to visit them. My wife has always wanted to leave Texas and she is very excited about it, I am excited also but a bit nervous as I've had some bad experiences moving to new places.

Here's what I'm hoping you all in this forum can help me with. The most important thing to us is to be around other people like us and to make friends so we can set down roots. We are looking to start a family in the next few years and I am hoping we have a good experience in New England so we don't have to move.

Here is a little about us:

1. Mid 30's, looking for people our age, with or without kids.
2. She's very liberal, I'm left leaning centrist.
3. I make 120k per year remotely in software, she is getting her associates degree before we move and then going to a university for Accounting.
4. We have a dog and walk 3-5 miles per day.
5. We like to walk and bike to bars and restaurants.
6. We both play a lot of video games.
7. We really like to play dungeons and dragons.
8. We are both well educated.
9. She likes to knit and sew.
10. I like to drink and talk.

Since I work remotely, we can be anywhere. I only have a few things I care about in where we live.

1. I would like to be able to get a 2 bedroom apartment for less than 2,000 per month.
2. I would like the area to be safe enough to walk to stores/restaurants for women and children without worry.
3. I would like to be close enough to public transport to take day trips to Providence to visit my friend, and either Boston or NYC for going to museums / art / sports / culture.

I somewhat enjoy living in Dallas now, but it's too hot and very pedestrian unfriendly. Access to restaurants and museums is what I love most. It would be cool to be able to be in Boston but I don't think that a two-bedroom is affordable for me without getting a much better job.

That about sums it up. I tried to balance between providing too much info and keeping it succinct, so I'll be checking and responding to any questions.

[BostonBornMassMade]

What’s wrong with Providence?

[thehaus]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

What’s wrong with Providence?

There's nothing wrong with Providence! In fact, I was considering it strongly since my friend is living there and it has a train directly to Boston.

I just want to make sure I'm in an area where we fit in. I don't mind having to drive or take the train to visit my friend if it means we are in an area that we fit in better.

I just have no idea what to expect. I don't consider myself a 'typical Texan', I've always lived in the city, but I know there will be some culture shock.

[BostonBornMassMade]

This is one of a few I want to live I New England but can’t afford Boston posts. The best bets are always Providence and New Haven. Followed by Worcester then Hartford. Hartford is too bkribg and the city too blighted despite the strong economy. Worcester is somewhat difficult to walk due to hills and it has fewer cultural institutions than new Haven or Providence.

The problem all these cities run into is they’re not Boston or someplace as quaint as northern New England. I think the poverty present in these cities combined with the Smal size prevents middle class folks from other parts of the country such as yourself from settling there.

As for culture shock yea- up that way it’s very far from mainstream America. All the ethnicities are different than most places and culture doesn’t include many chains, college football, barbecue, no subdivisions, no county government etc etc. it’s just very different form most of America in numerous ways.

[thehaus]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

This is one of a few I want to live I New England but can’t afford Boston posts. The best bets are always Providence and New Haven. Followed by Worcester then Hartford. Hartford is too bkribg and the city too blighted despite the strong economy. Worcester is somewhat difficult to walk due to hills and it has fewer cultural institutions than new Haven or Providence.

The problem all these cities run into is they’re not Boston or someplace as quaint as northern New England. I think the poverty present in these cities combined with the Smal size prevents middle class folks from other parts of the country such as yourself from settling there.

I can see that. One thing I was hoping is that since I work remotely and she will go to whatever local university is around, we are not tied down to having to be in a city for work. I like being in a city, but I wouldn't mind a smaller town or more rural area, either.

My main concern with NOT being in a city is a lack of people with nerd hobbies. If I can't find anyone to play Dungeons and Dragons with I'm going to have a bad time.

I guess if I was creating the ideal place, it would be a small to midsize walkable town with a nearby college, with a strong adult working population fitting our demographics and a train station into a bigger city when the need for culture arises.

Of course imagination rarely matches with reality, but I figured someone with some experience in New England would know.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by thehaus

I can see that. One thing I was hoping is that since I work remotely and she will go to whatever local university is around, we are not tied down to having to be in a city for work. I like being in a city, but I wouldn't mind a smaller town or more rural area, either.

My main concern with NOT being in a city is a lack of people with nerd hobbies. If I can't find anyone to play Dungeons and Dragons with I'm going to have a bad time.

I guess if I was creating the ideal place, it would be a small to midsize walkable town with a nearby college, with a strong adult working population fitting our demographics and a train station into a bigger city when the need for culture arises.

Of course imagination rarely matches with reality, but I figured someone with some experience in New England would know.

Framingham MA or West Hartford CT.

Possibly Stamford, Middletown or Norwalk CT. All except Norwalk contain a lot of more suburban sparsely populated neighborhoods-especially Framingham. All are more solidly middle class than New Haven or Providence.

Haverhill MA or Lowell MA would be the next tier of options but Lowell is more inline with a Providence or Worcester but smaller.

The problem with not living in a city and not living inside of I-95 in MA is most towns in New England are inhabited by old townies and don’t offer much in the way of entertainment/bars. Suburbs are more preserved up there than in TX. So all that stimulation is mostly confined to the many cities. Especially if you want to find nerdy professionals.

[GeoffD]

I think you’ll find that Providence is the answer. Housing prices are lower than metro Boston. Around Brown University/College Hill is gentrified so you can be on the fringe of that walkable to the Amtrak station for your $2k. Be aware that lots of Providence is ghetto so you need to understand where the good neighborhoods are. You have commuter rail to Boston for your excursions. Be aware that Amtrak to New York Penn uses the pathetic rail infrastructure in Connecticut and then Metro North in NY so it’s a pretty slow ride. On weekends, a bus is likely quicker and cheaper.

[Boston Shudra]

Providence meets a lot of your criteria, but it’s public schools aren’t exactly to die for and it’s suburbs get fairly townie-ish fairly quickly. Worcester, Lowell, and Haverhill are cool cities too, but they also don’t have great schools and lack and nicer, urban suburbs.

I’d personally prefer a Boston-area town. I think Waltham, Cambridge, or Arlington if you can swing them price-wise. Your salary is good, but prices in the area have been ridiculous lately.

Beverly, Amesbury, Ipswich, and Newburyport are towns that are varying degrees walkable/bikeable AND have at least decent schools (I think). Some great breweries in the latter 3 too: Silvaticus, Bear Wolf, Riverwalk, NBPT, and True North. Looks like Beverly has some around downtown too. They might be cheaper for being further from Boston, but anything north of Boston will make Providence a bit of a trip.

Speaking of which, how close to Providence do you need to be? Would you consider Western MA or Central CT?

Originally Posted by thehaus

If I can't find anyone to play Dungeons and Dragons with I'm going to have a bad time.

I actually have a decent amount of experience playing D&D with strangers, and I’ve personally had more luck finding games at local comic shops in small towns and suburban strip malls than I did in the city. Just my experience, though!

[masssachoicetts]

I'll third Providence. It's a fantastic city. My cousin goes to Brown and still lives there, found a job right out of her MS program. A lot of my family/cousins went to Providence College and URI.. they love it.

Also some fantastic/good/ok 'cheaper' alternatives to Boston that provide similar QOL and access to great POI.
1. Haverhill, MA
2. Downtown Lowell, MA
3. West Hartford, CT
4. Nashua, NH
5. Worcester, MA

[EckyX]

I wouldn't rule out New Hampshire. You have several great choices there.

Even in northern Vermont there are plenty of nerds who play D&D. I expect if you live in an area with at least 40,000 people, you should be fine.