Help! Is it worth commuting from Framingham to the North or South Shores? (Waltham: living)

[jdicam]

My husband works in Framingham (junction of routes 90 & 9) and we would like to relocate to a coastal town. After much research, it is apparent that the commute from Framingham to those areas is nearly impossible. Are there any towns we can consider without having a bear of a commute? I want to make sure we don't overlook something before making a final decision on staying in the Metro West area. Thanks in advance for any advice!

[jeep15603]

I happen to be doing that commute right now, from Beverly. It's not too bad, generally 75 - 90 min each way. Of course, I'm now looking to move myself closer to Framingham!
But there is a lot to be said for this area. Beverly, Salem, Swampscott, and even parts of Lyinn are near the water and are wonderful in the summer. But your fortunes are entirely hooked into Rt. 128. While I would love to be near the north shore (you can forget the south shore ), I am now looking at Waltham and west mostly. .

[gf2020]

My brother-in-law works at Bose in Framingham and lives in Marblehead. He's been doing that commute for over 5 years now, I think. It's certainly not ideal but it is possible.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by jeep15603

I happen to be doing that commute right now, from Beverly. It's not too bad, generally 75 - 90 min each way. Of course, I'm now looking to move myself closer to Framingham!
But there is a lot to be said for this area. Beverly, Salem, Swampscott, and even parts of Lyinn are near the water and are wonderful in the summer. But your fortunes are entirely hooked into Rt. 128. While I would love to be near the north shore (you can forget the south shore ), I am now looking at Waltham and west mostly. .

Originally Posted by gf2020

My brother-in-law works at Bose in Framingham and lives in Marblehead. He's been doing that commute for over 5 years now, I think. It's certainly not ideal but it is possible.

A "manageable" commute time is certainly something left up to individual interpretation. To some, 90 minutes is reasonable while others would find that time totally unreasonable. The most common commute time that people mention to me as their target window is typically 30 minutes each way. It really comes down to: what's more important to you? Living near the ocean (which you can probably enjoy for 3-4 months of the year in New England) or sitting in your car for an extra 2 hours every day. Another concern is how many extra hours will be added to that commute on a day when it snows? I'm not a commuter, but I've heard of 30 minute commutes turning into 3 hours when it snows. The decision is yours about how important ocean living is, but there are certainly plenty of nice places to live here in the Metrowest area.

[brightdoglover]

Offhand, I'd say no way, and would listen to those who have been there, done that.