Commute from N. Sudbury/West Concord to Cambridge (Boston, Auburn: big house, neighborhoods)

[homeagainmass]

Hello Mass people!
We are moving up to Massachusetts and are really happy to get back up there
Anyone have any idea on the morning commute from North Sudbury or West Concord to Cambridge (Mount Auburn Hosp)? How long and how ugly?
Also we are on the fence about which town to choose as well. Can anyone weigh in on Sudbury vs. Concord? Both towns seem great, but Sudbury is a tad bit more affordable.
Thanks!

[ogre]

Not sure about the lengths of the commutes. Partly it depends on the time you leave. After 7:00AM or so, the traffic will pick up significantly. You will encounter plenty of traffic during rush hours, so I can tell you that the commute will take significantly longer than the time estimates on the mapping websites, but I'm not sure exactly the time during the hours of peak traffic.

In answer to your question about how these towns compare, both are nice towns located far enough out from Boston that the landscape begins to be a bit rural. Both are affluent towns that have well regarded schools.

In terms of the general look and feel, one of the main differences is that Concord has a fairly substantial downtown area for a town its size, and some population density of a typical suburban character around the town center, while Sudbury is more semi-rural all across town, without any business district as substantial as the one in Concord Center. Another difference is that all around town Concord has reminders of its history as the site of the first major Revolutionary War battle and as an early center of American literature and philosophy. The town today has some artsy, literary, and earthy types around, while Sudbury seems to have more of a typical professional suburbanite kind of populace, and overall has more of a nice, pleasant, but standard, affluent exurban look, without as much distinct character of any sort as Concord with its historical feel.

[kmann-sherborn]

They're two of my favorite suburbs. They both have a lot to like - highly regarded schools, lots of community activities, plenty of green space, shops & more.

Commuting to Cambridge will be slow going unless you go very early or late. I've lived in Sudbury & my husband has lived in Concord and we have several clients who live there so here's my two cents on those from that perspective:

Concord is one of the few towns that has a real cohesive walkable town center. With all its historical significance it is a bit of a tourist destination so can get somewhat jammed on nicer days. I agree that it's a bit on the pricier side than Sudbury & it has better city access (train service, which Sudbury doesn't). There are two places of town to avoid - near the prison & near the superfund site. Otherwise, it's a lovely place with handsome old homes & lots to do - biking, swimming, trails, great library, shops, little arts centers, etc. There used to be a big list of community organizations on the town's website but I don't see it there now.

Sudbury is really quiet but with lots of community activities. I have friends & clients who moved there knowing no one & quickly felt at home there. When we lived there it was a very sleepy suburb but there are more restaurants & cute shops there than there used to be, which is quite nice, but it's still maintained it's nice suburban feel (although there are certainly neighborhoods where there are huge houses being built). One of my closest friends has children who go to Lincoln-Sudbury HS and she felt it was a great place for her children to really prepare them for college life, independence, civic responsibility & so forth. Like Concord, there are tons of family activities & community events. There are lots of nice trails as well. Here are a few pictures of the town:
Sudbury's Seasonal Album (This isn't my website, it's just a photographer I like.) :-)

I also have relatives with children at Alcott School in Concord & they've been pleased. They like that it's more diverse than the community they moved from.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by ogre

Another difference is that all around town Concord has reminders of its history as the site of the first major Revolutionary War battle and as an early center of American literature and philosophy. The town today has some artsy, literary, and earthy types around, while Sudbury seems to have more of a typical professional suburbanite kind of populace, and overall has more of a nice, pleasant, but standard, affluent exurban look, without as much distinct character of any sort as Concord with its historical feel.

I think this might be overstating it. it's true that Sudbury has more newer, McMansion-type homes, but its small center, by Town Hall, has a very attractive collection of historic buildings. Down near Route 20 there's the Wayside Inn, Grist Mill, Martha-Mary Chapel, and a number of old mileage markers and road signs. It doesn't feel to me like a completely bland exurb. It feels more like a Dover/Sherborn type place, an old New England town that was largely rural and recently has been filled in with some big houses on big lots.

[ogre]

Yeah, it's true that this area in general has a lot of history, and sort of a classic appearance to the landscape and architecture. Sudbury has its share of this, and is certainly not bland suburbia/exurbia of the sort seen in the land of McMansion subdivisions in some fast-growing Sun Belt areas. Compared to Concord, though, Sudbury comes closer to being typical affluent exurbia in the Boston area, even with all the bits of history found around many corners which are a feature of the area.

[Cato the Elder]

Originally Posted by kmann-sherborn

There are two places of town to avoid - near the prison & near the superfund site.

This is overstating the prison's impact a bit. I'm not sure why one should avoid the part of Concord near the prison. The prison is less than half a mile from the center of West Concord, which has less of a tourist/boutique feel than Concord Center (my preference). I have a friend who moved into a beautiful home on Commonwealth Ave literally 4-5 houses from the prison and you would never know it's there unless you happened to drive past it like thousands of other people daily. Soon the Bruce Freeman trail will go right past the prison and Warners Pond with the rotary removed, which is the real reason to avoid that area now.