Help! Advice for commuter town between Cambridge and Springfield! (Boston: home, purchasing)

[sunshinesun]

My partner and I just recently relocated to Massachusetts. I will be working in Springfield and she will be working in Cambridge. I know, not an ideal situation, but it is what it is...
Can anyone offer any advice on the towns we should be focusing on for purchasing a house? Preferably something that would offer the best commute as possible for the both of us. Also, what do the commutes both ways look like on an average day? Thanks so much!

[Cato the Elder]

If you really want to split the geographic difference, Worcester is the obvious choice, but I would look at a place like Hopkinton. Not only will this put you closer to Boston and all its amenities, but traffic will be worse going east making it a more equal split of the commute. I'm guessing 60-75 minutes for a commute in either direction during rush hour.

[ogre]

Agree with Cato on living closer to Cambridge if commuting time is the top priority, as the traffic going east toward Boston and Cambridge will be much heavier. It also may depend on what you're looking for in terms of the type of community surrounding you when you step out the door. If you'd like a more or less urban setting, Worcester is the obvious choice. If you'd prefer, or be okay with, quieter, more residential areas, some of the suburban towns between Worcester and Boston, like Cato's suggestion of Hopkinton, would be good locations for equalizing the commuting time for both of you.

[sunshinesun]

Thanks for the replies. We have both agreed that if my commute to Springfield is shorter by 30 minutes or so it would be fine since I despise commuting and she doesn't mind it as much. So, with that being said do you still think we should look east of Worchester? We were originally looking in the Auburn area. Also, how long does the commuter train take to get to Boston from Worchester? Thanks for the advice!

[Cato the Elder]

Auburn definitely fits the bill for what you want. Your commute will be a bit shorter and it's less expensive since you're farther away from Boston. On the flipside, I hope your SO loves you because rush hour traffic in Boston can get nasty, and this is coming from someone who grew up in SoCal. Boston is less car dependent and there are fewer cars on the road, but the infrastructure is rooted in old wagon/carriage/native trails/roads and people generally drive like keystone cops or Benny Hill (pick your metaphor). Needless to say, you'll be less likely to participate in the social fabric of Boston, but that might be unimportant to you.

[ogre]

Given the new information, where to look still would depend in part on the kind of setting you'd prefer to live in. If you want urban living, Worcester is the place, as there is no other city--even a small city--between Springfield and Boston's inner suburbs. If you want more of a small-town or rural setting, then the area around Auburn could be a good choice for balancing your differing tolerances for commuting.

I second Cato's thoughts on the eastbound commute. It's worth taking a reality check on that. Here is the main page for the commuter rail system: MBTA.com > Commuter Rail Maps and Schedules. Check the timetable for the Framingham/Worcester line, and you'll see that the length of the ride varies, but is usually roughly between 1-1/2 hours and an hour and 45 minutes. That's just the train ride, and then there is still the trip to the workplace once the train arrives in Boston. And there is the trip to the train station in Worcester in the morning, and back home in the evening, which would add significantly to the time if you lived in one of those towns south of Worcester, like Auburn. You would also need to take into account the fares (Fare and Pass Information for Commuter Rail Service), which can get expensive even with a monthly pass, though obviously if this is compared to rising gas prices it may not be as bad as it looks. I don't want to seem negative, but do want to offer these thoughts because it's better to go into such an arrangement with your eyes open.