raising a family in Boston metro - suburb recommendation (Lowell: school rankings, incomes)

[bitesize]

Your insistence on having a 8+ school (whatever that means) will make this impossible at your budget. Combined with your desire for a like-new home and there's pretty much no house that meets your criteria.

[Lampert]

Originally Posted by rsnsmh

- suburb with diversity

Define this better. Is it 80% white american Acceptable? Is it 60% acceptable? less than 50? (I say white american just because in MA the majority is almost always going to be that).
Do you want a specific group?

Keep in mind that MA overall is still something like 70% non-Hispanic white.

[BosYuppie]

How bout like Norwood and that area?

[bugelrex]

Originally Posted by rsnsmh

based on all the feedback, i made changes to the initial requirement as follows:
- within 50 miles of Cambridge, MA - commute time ~1 hr no traffic, ~2 hours during rush hours (i will be working mostly from home though)
- school is very important, public school with ratings of 8 or higher for middle and high school
- house budget -$600K for a single house - is this possible? 3+ bed room, 2 bath, 2 car garage, built after 1980 (newer ~ post 2000 preferred), huge lot or backyard is NOT a requirement.
- suburb with diversity

If you subtract 'diversity' it might be possible since you are willing to do a 2hr commute at 9am. Personally, I'd be hesitant because you're limiting your job pool to remote only... which may be an issue during downturns.

[bugelrex]

Also take into account property taxes, lower prices in some towns might just be masking insane property tax rates

[robr2]

You can get into Burlington for $600K with most of what you want. Large Indian population with 2 grocery stores and 3 restaurants, a youth cricket team, good plus schools. The house NOT be a recent build but will have some updates and might be on a main road.

Taxes are pretty low - Under $11/$1000 which could allow you to stretch a little more. Commute to Cambridge is about an hour in normal times.

[rsnsmh]

In regards to diversity, i am thinking ~25% minority at least. I am still try to come in terms with this housing price - does it make sense for me live in Providence, RI or somewhere close to border at NH and take Amtrak / public trans? that option seems to be more reasonable at least for housing and commute.

[trevor0101]

Hopkinton. Specifically the Legacy Farms area.

[KemBro71]

Originally Posted by rsnsmh

In regards to diversity, i am thinking ~25% minority at least. I am still try to come in terms with this housing price - does it make sense for me live in Providence, RI or somewhere close to border at NH and take Amtrak / public trans? that option seems to be more reasonable at least for housing and commute.

Maybe Wilmington?!

Here's a crazy idea! Mt. Vernon area of Lawrence and private school.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by BosYuppie

How bout like Norwood and that area?

Norwood schools are fine, but they aren’t an 8. Maybe if you averaged nationally, but no one ever thinks to do that. Everyone wants to be in the top 20% of all the other people around them.

At $600k you are approaching Sharon, though. Schools are a solid 10. It’s diverse as boston suburbs go and I even have an Indian coworker that lives there and a whole bunch considered it before choosing Acton. Norwood has three Indian grocery stores so probably a healthy Indian community not that far.

Edit: Sharon has a lot under $600k. Even some under $400k. It's actually pretty easy to get into Cambridge from Sharon, too, assuming you take commuter rail.

Biggest downside would be putting yourself a little out of the way for other IT jobs.