Best Boston Commuter Town for Outdoors-Loving Kids? (Cambridge, Medford: homes, schools)

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by flytyer

Does anyone have thoughts on options in the North Shore area? We listed a few that looked lovely based on some initial research, but i hear the commute can be a challenge.

It depends on where in Kendall you're working. The north shore commuter rail goes to north station which isn't on the red line, which Kendall station is. If you're closer to lechmere side of Kendall that might work. Lechmere is green line which connects with north station.

[Beantown_mama]

My favorite town on the North Shore is definitely Manchester by the Sea. I would not drive it, but if you are willing to take the commuter rail into North Station, you can take the EZ Ride shuttle over to Cambridge (Charles River TMA - EZRide Shuttle). It is right on the water and there are some beautiful areas in Cape Anne.

It will be hard to find an acre of land anywhere within commuting distance of Cambridge! The lots tend to be small in Boston!

[PrincessoftheCape]

Does Newburyport count? I've always loved that town -- it's quiet, on the water, has a charming downtown, and a direct rail connection to North Station. Okay, yes, it's a long commute, but it is doable. I mean, good lord, there are people who commute into Boston from Maine. I am certain Newburyport could work.

[flytyer]

Originally Posted by Beantown_mama

My favorite town on the North Shore is definitely Manchester by the Sea. I would not drive it, but if you are willing to take the commuter rail into North Station, you can take the EZ Ride shuttle over to Cambridge (Charles River TMA - EZRide Shuttle). It is right on the water and there are some beautiful areas in Cape Anne.

It will be hard to find an acre of land anywhere within commuting distance of Cambridge! The lots tend to be small in Boston!

Thanks Beantown_mama! I will take a close look at Manchester by the Sea. Would love to live by the ocean again!!

[flytyer]

Originally Posted by PrincessoftheCape

Does Newburyport count? I've always loved that town -- it's quiet, on the water, has a charming downtown, and a direct rail connection to North Station. Okay, yes, it's a long commute, but it is doable. I mean, good lord, there are people who commute into Boston from Maine. I am certain Newburyport could work.

Newburyport looks like a great town. Im guessing the commute would probably take about an hour and a half. Will have to give that some serious thought.

[flytyer]

Thanks so much for all of your time and help everybody!

[dravogadro]

Originally Posted by flytyer

It appears we will be moving our family (2 children who are 5 and 9) to the Boston area for a job in Cambridge. I'm hoping to commute in from a smaller town. Looking for help finding a town with a laid-back family friendly vibe (think artsy and fun, but not uptight) that is close to nature, with good schools. Prefer more rural with larger lots (>1 acre) over the more urban areas (0.25 acre) and a maximum of 800K.

Must Haves:
-Good Schools (but not pretentious)
-Commutable to Cambridge (about an hour, ideally by train if possible)
-Near Nature (Ocean, river, or large park systems)

For an easy commute to Cambridge, you can't go wrong with Waltham. You would be surprised at some of the larger lots you can find in the north side of town. Plus you can get brand new construction for way under your max budget with the land size you seek (not 1 acre but...).

The Land Trust has done some terrific things to preserve open space in the city and you have several terrific outdoor choices. You have one of the few urban hikes around with views of downtown Boston as well as easy access to the Charles River.

There have been plenty of families moving into town because it is the best kept secret. It is not overrun with foo foo handcraft stores and yogurt shops.

I do not have children in the school system but I would not hesitate to send my kids there. I have met many smart young people in the high school through volunteer work in the community and they have lots of extracurricular options in addition to their academic programs.

Waltham is changing and getting younger and I would say the 'uptight' faction is mostly the long-time residents who were born, raised there and have lived there their whole lives.

If you are uncomfortable around mixed economic classes, then I would not check it out. We have enough of those folks!

[masshawk]

Originally Posted by dravogadro

There have been plenty of families moving into town... I do not have children in the school system but I would not hesitate to send my kids there. I have met many smart young people in the high school through volunteer work in the community and they have lots of extracurricular options in addition to their academic programs.

This is so nice to hear. We recently bought a house here and plan to stay long term, but every once in a while I second-guess myself. I see the school rankings and graduation rate (70-something %) and even though I know test scores and numbers aren't a great indication of school quality, and that large numbers of ESL students will have an impact on test scores, it still worries me sometimes. Then again, the scores go up relative to state averages the higher in grades you go (3rd to 10th grade), suggesting improvement as the kids go through the system. The high schoolers who do take AP classes seem to do very well at them. I also see all the cleanup and development that has been happening... business booming along 128/Main St., bringing money into the city... our neighborhood is quiet and full of families with polite, well-behaved kids... and you can't beat the location... so... I'm crossing my fingers we made a good choice. It's hard to judge how any community will be in 15-20 years anyway.

Back on topic, while Waltham has some fantastic resources for nature lovers (Beaver Brook, Rock Meadow, Prospect Hill Park, bike paths along the river), it's not a particularly nature-oriented community. It's laid back in the sense that it's not snobby or super competitive, but it is still technically a city, with city traffic, pace, and attitudes somewhat. The "Lanes" (Greenwood, Clark, Worcester) or the far northwest side are a little quieter... but I think OP would still be hard pressed to find a > 1 acre lot. "Large" lots in Waltham are more like .3-.5 of an acre. And on the back side of that lot will usually be another house rather than trees or conservation land (except for houses that back right up to Prospect Hill or some of the conservation land between Trapelo and Concord). I would agree with other posters that Acton, Carlisle, Concord are good bets, and add Bedford.

[superleggera]

Originally Posted by flytyer

Does anyone have thoughts on options in the North Shore area? We listed a few that looked lovely based on some initial research, but i hear the commute can be a challenge.

With 800k, you are not going to get much in Manchester by the sea. Try look into Hamilton, Wenham which is really close to the infamous Cranes Beach (one if the prettiest beach in Massachusetts) and it is a bonus if you like horseback riding. Essex is also really cool with all the antique stores. Beverly farm is also nice but the school system is pretty bad. If you like bigger pproperties then Boxford has a minimum of 2 acres and lots of trails for horseback riding. North Shore is really laid back and pretty year-round and much less congested than South Shore. You might want to also look into Bedford if you want to be in the Metro-West area. You dollar will stretch further if you choose North Shore communities. Good luck!

[kingeorge]

I would put Lincoln on your list. It is expensive town, your budget would be on the lower side, but it is very doable if you can live with older/simpler home.
Great schools, community, with tons of places to be out and about.
Good luck!