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We are looking at a couple of towns for homes namely Milton and Stoughton. So far we've seen that Stoughton has bigger houses for less money. Is there something wrong with that town? We are looking at the Atkinson Ave Extension area of Stoughton.
I'm interested in getting feedback from people familiar with Stoughton. Is it a safe town? We currently rent in Milton so we are very familiar with it.
I think Stoughton isn't a bad place to raise a family. If you can get a home there at a decent price, do it. Stoughton is not too bad of a commute if you work closer to Boston. There are other towns further out on 24 (around 495) with better public schools and homes with land at cheaper prices. Stoughton in my opinion is a decent town, especially compared to some of its neighbors: Randolph and Brockton.
Nikki, I grew up in Stoughton and loved it, including the public schools there, which I attended through grade 5. But as I think about retiring and moving back, I am discouraged by the crime statistics for the part of Stoughton (near the center of town) that I know, having grown up there on Walnut Street. Look at Trulia and sift the addresses of your favored houses through their "Crime" statistics. There is a very cute house, and affordable, on the market right now, but with 385 crimes reported nearby, most of them traffic related.
A lot of trucks and cars zoom through Stoughton; it must be some kind of bypass to a clogged highway somewhere nearby.
Walnut Street, where I grew up, used to be called Banker's Row. It was leafy with walnut trees, now all cut down. And it is now a truck route. There is a lot of truck traffic in Stoughton on what used to be residential streets. The downtown is also in need of renewal. There is a drug problem (heroin) often reported on by the Globe.
I am still looking, for I love my hometown. There's always been a bit of a crime problem there, and a lousy police department, at least in my day. Do a little more research and see what you think. It certainly isn't perfect, but personally I would prefer it to some of the communities highly touted on here. Stoughton isn't full of rich people. It's no place for a social climber. I still have friends there who still love the place, but they didn't raise kids there, so there I can't help you.
I would choose Stoughton over Brockton (where I attended Cardinal Spellman High); Stoughton has slipped but Brockton has crashed, in terms of how it was when I knew it--a really nice small city. I toured it last summer and so many neighborhoods are just in ashes. Still some bright spots there, though. Randolph gets a bad rap here for the schools (valid point) and also for being home to Asians and Haitians (not imo a valid point).
Milton and Stoughton are in different economic brackets. Milton is a rich town with strict zoning, good schools, good policing and a great historic past. Compared to the other wealthy towns around Boston, Milton is very diverse. However while diverse (racially, socially); it is also economically segregated with the cheaper houses located near Blue Hill Ave. Despite this, that part of town doesn't necessarily get spill over crime from the city like most MA old timers would assume.
Stoughton is a middle of the road town with ok/good schools. Stoughton is rapidly becoming a diverse town though (which will be rough at first). Stoughton seems to have a burgeoning drug problem but if you're a vigilant parent, that won't be a problem. The police are the same as every town. They come when called and harass some teens but what can you do. Stoughton is a bit rough around the edges in the center of town (higher density housing/commerical). That being said; the schools are good, the HS has a great athletics program and sends kids to college for academics as well. They are building up the area close to the Randolph line with apartments and businesses; so the tax base is increasing too (Future Services). Basically, if you want more bang for your buck; go with Stoughton.
Atkinson Ave is near Brockton though. I don't know much about how that would affect the neighborhood, but you'll be near a Mall (Westgate) which is in the nicer part of Brockton as well.
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