Halifax? Community & Schools? (Boston, Worcester: condos, mortgage, house prices)

[serendipity418]

I found a similar post, but it was from 2008, so I thought I would get opinions on the current state of the town.

Is Halifax good for a family with young children? How are the schools? Zillow/Great Schools only lists an elementary school, which appears to be good.

Any areas to avoid?

We are also considering Hanson and Pembroke, but our dollars seem to go much farther in Halifax.

Proximity to Route 3 is not an issue. I will be commuting to Boston either from Hanson or Halifax via commuter rail.

[n1ey]

Originally Posted by serendipity418

I found a similar post, but it was from 2008, so I thought I would get opinions on the current state of the town.

Is Halifax good for a family with young children? How are the schools? Zillow/Great Schools only lists an elementary school, which appears to be good.

Any areas to avoid?

We are also considering Hanson and Pembroke, but our dollars seem to go much farther in Halifax.

Proximity to Route 3 is not an issue. I will be commuting to Boston either from Hanson or Halifax via commuter rail.

The town is part of a regional school district.

The taxes are actually very high. Those higher taxes might actually provide a lowering pressure on the house prices. The taxes in Hanson are lower and Hanson has considerably higher house prices. I wonder if the math in calculating the monthly mortgage payment has reduced the actual accessibility of the higher tax towns.

Bill

[kvader]

I'm wondering the same thing. After being set that we are looking in Hopkinton, we decided to extend the search area. I know nothing about Halifax but hoping that someone will comment about schools and safety in the area.

[n1ey]

Originally Posted by kvader

I'm wondering the same thing. After being set that we are looking in Hopkinton, we decided to extend the search area. I know nothing about Halifax but hoping that someone will comment about schools and safety in the area.

Safety in Halifax is fine. There are only two traffic lights within the town. However, Halifax is of an entirely different region than Hopkinton.

Hopkinton has more snow and it can be used a commute to Worcester. Halifax is not a commuting town for Worcester. IT is more of a commuting town for Plymouth.

Bill

[Cape Cod Todd]

Halifax is a great little town. There are still farms and working cranberry bogs there. The commuter train to Boston goes through there but I don't know if it makes a stop but it does in Hanson. Taxes are up there just like many towns on the South Shore but not as high as neighboring Hanson. From my understanding the town of Hanson is really causing a stink about building a new elementary school. The residents have already voted it down twice but the town is still at it. School age kids are on the rise in Hanson but on the decline in Halifax. The reason why I bring up these 2 towns is that for elementary and Middle school 6-8th grade each town has their own schools but the high school is regionalised at Whitman Hanson which is a excellent school. I have heard from a friend who moved with his 2 girls from Pembroke to Whitman and he thought the school system in Whitman was superior to Pembroke.

[serendipity418]

Wow, Bill, you're right. The taxes are very high in Halifax. I hadn't even noticed that.

I wonder why? Don't they have a decent commercial tax base? (Walmart, etc.)

Thanks for your feedback about the schools, Todd. That's surprising to hear. Everything I have heard puts Pembroke schools on top.

[Cape Cod Todd]

HI again , There is a small Walmart in Halifax right next to a big Stop and Shop grocery store. Besides those 2 big stores there really isn't any other large retailers.
You will find that tax rates are high all over the South Shore and getting higher. The area used to be HUGE in manufacturing 100 years ago but farms and industry have given way to houses and condos. The South Shore is becoming a suburb of Boston. It is hard to justify the high taxes but services like schools, police and fire are top notch.
I still think Halifax is a pretty nice choice for you and for the same feel try the Bridgewaters both East and West and regular Bridgewater.

[n1ey]

Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd

Halifax is a great little town. There are still farms and working cranberry bogs there. The commuter train to Boston goes through there but I don't know if it makes a stop but it does in Hanson. Taxes are up there just like many towns on the South Shore but not as high as neighboring Hanson. From my understanding the town of Hanson is really causing a stink about building a new elementary school. The residents have already voted it down twice but the town is still at it. School age kids are on the rise in Hanson but on the decline in Halifax. The reason why I bring up these 2 towns is that for elementary and Middle school 6-8th grade each town has their own schools but the high school is regionalised at Whitman Hanson which is a excellent school. I have heard from a friend who moved with his 2 girls from Pembroke to Whitman and he thought the school system in Whitman was superior to Pembroke.

Todd.

The taxes are higher in Halifax. The actual tax bill to property valuation is much higher in Halifax than Hanson.

Whitman and Hanson have some of the lowest tax bills in the area. Only Brockton is lower.

Bill

[n1ey]

Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd

HI again , There is a small Walmart in Halifax right next to a big Stop and Shop grocery store. Besides those 2 big stores there really isn't any other large retailers.
You will find that tax rates are high all over the South Shore and getting higher. The area used to be HUGE in manufacturing 100 years ago but farms and industry have given way to houses and condos. The South Shore is becoming a suburb of Boston. It is hard to justify the high taxes but services like schools, police and fire are top notch.
I still think Halifax is a pretty nice choice for you and for the same feel try the Bridgewaters both East and West and regular Bridgewater.

I would avoid East and West Bridgewater.

West Bridgewater has very poor housing stock and high prices. It has convenience and accessibility to the highway. However, many persons would have a hard time with riding their bike to the train station. In other words you are throwing out the train. It is a car suburb.

East Bridgewater has some nice prices but overall it is not an exciting town. The school system and police department are involved in a series of scandals. Those have been published in the newspaper.
No news is good news. EB has not followed this pattern.

Bridgewater does not have stories of corrupt policemen. However, it has a tricky traffic flow. If you live on the west side of Bridgewater than you are geared for highway travel. The commuter rail is on the east side.

None of these towns have any decent restaurants.

Bill

[serendipity418]

Thanks very much for the feedback!