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My husband is going to be working in No. Billerica, MA and we're looking to settle somewhere that's:
Within a 20-30 min drive to No Billerica
Either South, West, or Southwest of No Billerica (since we'd like to keep a relatively close distance to Hartford and RI for family)
We really liked the town of Franklin (too far to No Billerica) and really liked the town of Westborough (but perhaps just a bit too far for a daily commute.)
Both towns seemed to have:
a "defined" town center, walkable from many neighborhoods (love sidewalks!)
local shopping and amenities
good rated schools
a nostalgic New England feel
some progressive elements (like Dean college in Franklin and the Commons in Westborough, etc.)
Anyone have any thoughts they'd like to share? We'd certainly appreciate them...
None of the towns mentioned has everything Westborough and Franklin do, most have some of the things you are looking for. I would look along I-495 south of Billerica. You might like Northborough. It's a few minutes closer than Westboro and has access to many of the same things. They are currently building a large multi-use shopping/living etc. center that will have New England's first Wegmans sp???. super food store. Further north Chelmsford is a nice town but due to being so close to NH it kills the local retail economy so there's little in shopping, etc. for a town its size. I also think it's too close to Lowell. Places in between like Littleton, Acton, Westford and Groton are all nice classic N.E. towns but are lagel rural/suburban with little of their own ammenities and are limited in walkable areas. Maybe a supermarket, CVS, a few restaurants but nothing else. Looks like some compromising is in place.
Agree with Massnative that many towns suggested earlier are nice, but lack either an abundance of local amenities or a well defined, good-sized town center, though Concord was a suggestion that might fit. What's your housing budget? Lexington is expensive, but if it's in your price range it may be a possibility. Not sure Lex. fits my picture of a town with a particularly "New England" feel, but it could be worth a look, because everyone's notion of something subjective like that will be different.
^For Concord/Lexington and Wakefield I'm not sure the location would be best for the OP since they would be frequently going to Hartford and RI. That's why I suggested the I-495 corridor, dealing with 128 and all that might be too much of a hassle. But if that part isn't a huge deal, then ik would be good to consider those options as well.
Good point, MassNative. Wakefield, Lexington and Concord would not be the best locations for a rush-hour commute to the south. W'field and Lex. would be especially bad, because of traffic on 128. From Concord you might avoid the worst traffic by taking back roads to 495, but then you'd have the inconvenience of taking winding back roads part of the way. Not bad locations for getting to Billerica, though, if the commutes toward the south would take place outside of rush hours.
Yes -- it does seem that compromise will be necessary
Northborough is a touch closer to No Billerica, but didn't seem to make it closer enough to give up what Westborough offered.
Of Littleton, Acton, Westford and Groton which in your opinion comes closest to what we're looking for? Of course, we'll check them out... but very helpful to get native opinions.
Any thoughts on Stow, Hudson, Maynard, Berlin, Bolton? We haven't been to look at those yet.
Our budget is frighteningly low for the area. We're looking at about 300k... so a smallish house that has good bones but could use some tlc is what we're likely to be looking at.
Concord/Lexington/Wakefield are indeed going further away from Hartford and RI so we were focusing as you suggested on 495 south from No Billerica. Although, we would be travelling the 128 from the previously mentioned towns on weekends primarily, so wouldn't deal with traffic... mostly just trying to keep the travel time down. So, I'll take a second look at those.
I adore Berlin & Bolton - sweet small towns with rolling hills, horse farms & apple orchards - though they don't have much in their town centers in terms of shopping. There's a big mall in Berlin but no grocery store right in town. It's not far to shopping in nearby towns but if you're looking for walkability, Berlin & Bolton aren't really it. Maynard does have a walkable town center with some restaurants and shops though the schools aren't rated like the Westboros and Northboros.
Of Littleton, Acton, Westford and Groton which in your opinion comes closest to what we're looking for?
Probably Acton and Westford.
Personally I really like Groton from my experience with the town, I would move there in a heartbeat if the location worked for me and I had the money. That's just me though, I'm not really into shopping or any of that.
Any thoughts on Stow similar to the previous towns, one supermarket, no real town center, schools good, family friendly , Hudson slowly genrifying former blue-collar town, has decent little downtown though more mill townish than rural N.E., schools I've heard are surprisingly decent, has some shopping with more stores on the way planned (eventually will be a new "lifestyle center"), I think it's a fine town but the atmosphere might be a little off from what you are looking , Maynard similar to Hudson, probably a bit more progressive but less shopping/services nearby and no direct highway access, schools don't really know, Berlin, Bolton both very rural, Bolton very pricy.
Stow is probably the one place I'd scratch off the list, it doesn't offer anything the others don't.
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