Where to live/teach in Plymouth County, MA (Boston, Quincy: apartment complex, rent)

[AZtoMA]

Hi, this summer I'll be moving from AZ to MA. I'm a teacher, so I'm looking for a town I can affordably live in, with a school district nearby that treats teachers well. I'm looking at somewhere between Raynham and Boston (I know I can't afford Boston). I'm not able to visit until this summer, and then I'll have to make a very fast decision to ensure I have a job for the upcoming school year. So I'm trying to get some research done online. Things I've been thinking about:

- I know nothing about the local school districts, but there's usually some local drama that you don't know about until you move there. I'd like to know about stuff like this

- My parents will be living in Taunton or Raynham and I prefer to be within 30 min of them. I will also be driving to Boston regularly for medical appts, so I need to be between Raynham and Boston

- I am single and would like to live near other singles in their mid-to-late twenties, not just young families

- I have a large dog and need to live in a home/apartment with a yard or town with a dog park (currently my apartment complex has a dog park)

- I'm used to being near all the social activities and nightlife in the Phoenix area, and I want to have access to that in MA if possible. Do the towns outside Boston have nightlife?

- I currently pay $1000/month for my 1 bedroom apartment in Phoenix, not including taxes or utilities. I should be able to increase my rent a bit since my salary will be higher in MA. I don't know my exact budget since I don't have a job/salary yet.

- Does anyone know how much higher the cost of living is in Plymouth County compared to Phoenix?

- Are there any major differences between Phoenix and Boston/Plymouth County other than weather and the public education system?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Sorry for the long post, I just have so many questions and not much time to get it all figured out!

[Dadschum]

you may not need to drive all the way into Boston for your medical appointments. Beth Israel Medical Center has a hospital in Plymouth- Beth Israel Plymouth and many other of the Boston hospitals have outposts in the suburbs.

[gf2020]

Are you already certified as a teacher in MA?

I suggest you start applying to any vacancies listed on schoolspring.com immediately. I suspect most school districts have already filled their full time openings for the fall.

[tysmith95]

Get a job first, then look at where to live. You can easily look up teacher salaries by town online.

I have friends applying for teaching jobs, it's not the easiest thing in Massachusetts. Any of the higher paying districts have tons of people applying for open positions. Depends on where you want to teach though, early childhood is competitive but I believe it's easier at the high school level (especially math and science).

[495neighbor]

The only interesting place to live anywhere near Taunton for a person in their 20s would be Providence, RI, relatively affordable if you can find a decent teaching position, I think.

[tysmith95]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

The only interesting place to live anywhere near Taunton for a person in their 20s would be Providence, RI, relatively affordable if you can find a decent teaching position, I think.

Quincy could be an option, a little bit more expensive then Boston but school districts in Mass do pay better.

[AZtoMA]

Originally Posted by gf2020

Are you already certified as a teacher in MA?

I suggest you start applying to any vacancies listed on schoolspring.com immediately. I suspect most school districts have already filled their full time openings for the fall.

Thanks for the schoolspring.com info, my state uses a different site.

Do you have reason to believe they would have already filled positions? In AZ, contracts are signed in April so I would guess that MA signs them later, and school districts shouldn't be able to post jobs before teachers sign contracts.

[AZtoMA]

Originally Posted by tysmith95

Get a job first, then look at where to live. You can easily look up teacher salaries by town online.

I have friends applying for teaching jobs, it's not the easiest thing in Massachusetts. Any of the higher paying districts have tons of people applying for open positions. Depends on where you want to teach though, early childhood is competitive but I believe it's easier at the high school level (especially math and science).

My experience and preferred area is middle school special ed, which is one of the highest need areas and therefore easiest to employ.

However, I'm also certified K-12 cross categorical Special Ed, 1-8 elementary ed, 6-8 ELA, 6-8 mathematics, 1-8 reading specialist/coach/interventionist (whatever MA would call it), and I have my SEI endorsement. These are all AZ certificates, but there is reciprocity in MA.

[gf2020]

Originally Posted by AZtoMA

Do you have reason to believe they would have already filled positions?

Yes, my wife is an elementary school teacher and anticipated changes in staffing for the 2018-2019 school year at her school have already been filled and communicated.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by gf2020

Yes, my wife is an elementary school teacher and anticipated changes in staffing for the 2018-2019 school year at her school have already been filled and communicated.

Must differ between schools as my wife is still doing interviews for a replacement teacher for one retiring at the end of this school year.

I'll have to double check this tonight as this was about 2 weeks ago and a conversation I may/may not have zoned out on.