Commute questions to Medford (Boston, Lowell: to rent, homes, school)

[croar]

I am close to accepting a job in Medford/Somerville. My girlfriend is going to school in Manchester, NH. We are looking to rent in the Andover, Tewksbury, Lowell, etc area. Does anyone know what the commute times would be for each of us? Also, if you have a recommendation for a different town, it would be much appreciated.

[495neighbor]

Andover and parts of Lowell are better than Tewksbury for your place in life. Andover if quiet and safety is higher priority, Lowell for more fun. I'm guessing 45 minute ride each way from there. Tewksbury is isolated for a young couple without children. Tewksbury pretty much consists of several long long roads with an assorted of older country homes and mega-mansions, some bogs and trees, with no cross roads or businesses. Nashua could be good if you can stand an hour or more commute to Medford. I've heard Middleton and North Andover can be nice if you are seeking small town life.

[SoFresh99]

What will your hours be? Medford/Somerville is accessed from the north by 93. Every single person will also be on 93 with you as you wait to inch southward each morning.

[charolastra00]

It makes more sense to me to live as close to Medford as possible. Andover and Lowell might only be 20 miles from Medford, but that's easily an hour and a half in rush hour (based on what it looks like while traveling the other direction - the backup is insane!). I have no idea what the traffic looks like in Manchester, but your girlfriend probably has more flexibility as a student to not need to be there 9-5. Consider Stoneham.

[croar]

My hours will be pretty normal...most likely 8:30/9 - 5/5:30. I could do 45 minutes each way...even 60 minutes would be okay, but definitely wouldn't survive 1.5 hours each way. Would Chelmsford be a better choice as you would take rt 3 for at least part of it?

[charolastra00]

The fewer interchanges you have to do, the better. I would shoot to be right off of 93 or else in a location where you could avoid the highway entirely. Unfortunately, Medford is smack dab in the middle of all the traffic headed toward Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford itself. From Chelmsford you'd have to interchange at 3 and 95 and again at 95 and 93. You could be sitting for 15-20 minutes at EACH of those interchanges, so pick the straightest shoot.

Note: it's not always that bad, but I always think in terms of worst-case scenarios. When I take 93N to 128W (less slammed than getting onto 93S), it takes me a bare minimum of 15 minutes just to get onto 95. That's at around 7:45 in the morning. I refuse to go that way at all if I am on the road any later than that.

NOTE: I live in Medford, work in Waltham, and spend a few nights a week at my boyfriend's place in Malden. I only take 93N when coming from Malden or at off hours because it tends to be miserable even in the reverse commute.