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I hope you don't mind that I've been playing a bit of "Devil's Advocate" with you.
Haha, not at all. I find those are the most useful posts because I tend to do a lot of my own research anyways and don't need people to tell me things that I can look up myself.
Southboro is a great town. I grew up in Sudbury, and it may seem closer, but accessibility to Boston really depends on your location in the town. The more ritzy neighborhoods (on average) are North Sudbury, and that is definitely, without question a longer commute than Southborough. The best commute from Sudbury would be south of rte 20 (on the Framingham, or Wayland lines.
Southborough is really accessible. I have a friend who moved from Framingham west to Southborough and he actually said his commute was quicker and easier because he was just west of the exit 12 exit on the pike, where there is less traffic on rte 9 east and you avoid getting tied up in Natick traffic. My husband takes the commuter rail from Southborough now (we live in Westborough) and it is terrific. About an hour commute door to door. His only gripe is the traffic getting around the train station. When he drives to Boston (from Westborough), he typically drives down to exit 12, rather than getting on 495 to the pike. It is just as quick.
There is not a lot to do in Southborough itself, but it is so close to Westborough and Framingham along rte 9, that it can easily take the advantage of everything to do in those towns. You tend to become friendly with people in all the surrounding 'boro towns for that reason. When I sit in waiting rooms for ballet or gymnastics, I am always talking to people from southborough, northborough, hopkinton, shrewsbury etc. and most of them live only 10 minutes away.
I do think that the towns along 128 have always been the ones that come to mind when people think of the Boston commute, prestigious schools etc. However, with the cost of housing and congestion, people are definitely taking advantage of the towns along 495. These towns are very affluent as well, with good schools etc. as you can see by the housing costs, tax rates, good schools and pricey car dealerships opening up here. I think we identify ourselves more with Boston than Worcester (at least my friends and I do) even though we take advantage of some really great restaurants in Worcester. It just doesn't have the same ambiance.
BTW - a lot of Southborough residents shop at Stop and Shop on Lyman in Westborough, and I think that a Price Chopper (I think?) opened up in Hopkinton? They may be closer depending on where you live in the town.
BTW - a lot of Southborough residents shop at Stop and Shop on Lyman in Westborough, and I think that a Price Chopper (I think?) opened up in Hopkinton? They may be closer depending on where you live in the town.
I believe there is a new Price Chopper in Hopkinton, but there's a pretty new looking one in Shrewsbury right off RT 9 near the town line. I drove by it on my way to sign up a listing in Shrewsbury today.
Southboro is a great town. I grew up in Sudbury, and it may seem closer, but accessibility to Boston really depends on your location in the town. The more ritzy neighborhoods (on average) are North Sudbury, and that is definitely, without question a longer commute than Southborough. The best commute from Sudbury would be south of rte 20 (on the Framingham, or Wayland lines.
Southborough is really accessible. I have a friend who moved from Framingham west to Southborough and he actually said his commute was quicker and easier because he was just west of the exit 12 exit on the pike, where there is less traffic on rte 9 east and you avoid getting tied up in Natick traffic. My husband takes the commuter rail from Southborough now (we live in Westborough) and it is terrific. About an hour commute door to door. His only gripe is the traffic getting around the train station. When he drives to Boston (from Westborough), he typically drives down to exit 12, rather than getting on 495 to the pike. It is just as quick.
There is not a lot to do in Southborough itself, but it is so close to Westborough and Framingham along rte 9, that it can easily take the advantage of everything to do in those towns. You tend to become friendly with people in all the surrounding 'boro towns for that reason. When I sit in waiting rooms for ballet or gymnastics, I am always talking to people from southborough, northborough, hopkinton, shrewsbury etc. and most of them live only 10 minutes away.
I do think that the towns along 128 have always been the ones that come to mind when people think of the Boston commute, prestigious schools etc. However, with the cost of housing and congestion, people are definitely taking advantage of the towns along 495. These towns are very affluent as well, with good schools etc. as you can see by the housing costs, tax rates, good schools and pricey car dealerships opening up here. I think we identify ourselves more with Boston than Worcester (at least my friends and I do) even though we take advantage of some really great restaurants in Worcester. It just doesn't have the same ambiance.
What a great post. In Sudbury we are looking at any houses within a mile of Rt-20. I don't want to get too far north for the same reason you mentioned in your post - it's just too far.
Does your husband take the Southboro commuter rail to save some money on the monthly pass? Maybe I'll see him later this year if/when I move!
My wife grew up in Southborough (90's) after moving from Hopkinton. Her parents both drove into Boston, and that was a much better commute. She really enjoyed living there, but did not go to school in town.
Thanks! He actually takes the Southborough commuter rail to save time - although the money is nice too. We are about equidistant to both train stops and the Southborough commuter rail comes in 10 minutes earlier (or later) in the morning!
Good luck with your search and you will have to keep us posted with what ends up working best for your family!
I just moved from sudbury to southborough because I bought a beautiful antique stone house .i paid less and discovered that the drive to Boston is shorter because I avoid rt 20 lol you see the distance is a shorter because of the quick rt to 9 then bang I'm on the pike so it's much better and faster! Having really nice private schools in town makes it all the better.
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