New job in Worcester - recommended towns to commute? (Shrewsbury: school, tax rates)

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by H2ohLibrary

What about Grafton/N. Grafton?

Don't know by your post how close or far out North you are from Chicago? Are you looking for a suburban or city-like place to live? Grafton is famous for Tufts Veterinary School. It has some small local farms, a nice old Inn at the town common, a great brick oven pizza place Anzio's, many hills and twisting and narrow roads on the West side. It's a very quiet town, if that is what you are looking for. I have a feeling you are looking for a bit more populated place.

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by H2ohLibrary

Is there cross country skiing in the winter?

Great Brook Farms in Carlisle and Weston Ski Track are popular local cross country tracks near Boston. Great Brook Farms is very scenic and New Englandy. Weston Ski Track is just sort of a big open space, next to the intersection of two major highways and a subway line. I know folks who X-country ski in very remote places on ungroomed trails deep in the woods. Not recommending that.

[magicshark]

Originally Posted by H2ohLibrary

Wow, thanks for all the feedback. I can live with BJs instead of Costco. Budget- between $300,000 and a mill? Time for commute - no more than 30 minutes driving. Is there a shuttle from Union Station (in Worcester?) to UMass Med?

Is there cross country skiing in the winter?

That is quite a price range! $300,000 is not feasible in this area though. I live in the Tatnuck area of Worcester and there is nothing here for under maybe $350,00ish. It will be small and need work at that price. Now on the realtor sites you will see houses for less then that. Don't be fooled! Those all end up in bidding wars and go for much more then listed. I am going to guess The Salisbury Street area of Worcester as well as some of the nicer towns around here are the same.

[MikePRU]

Does the Lifetime fitness in Framingham have a pool and/or indoor track?

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by H2ohLibrary

What about Grafton/N. Grafton?

Nice if very white place. There are no ethnic restaurants or anything in town - there are very few restaurants at all in town , but you'd be going into Worcester for most things anyway.

Market 32 in Sutton is right outside the south end of Grafton (even from there, you're only looking 15-20 minute commute) and IMHO a very nice grocery store. There is a Stop & Shop next to the lake in the middle of Grafton. That lake hosts a lot of ice fishers when it's actually cold enough in the winter.

Wyman-Gordon on MA-122 in North Grafton almost in Millbury is a large factory with a cold-war era giant 50,000 ton hammer forge. I have no idea if it's noisy or not.

[Lampert]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

Nice if very white place. There are no ethnic restaurants

What about king Jade II and Cancun

Jokes aside, if OP wants some sort of city amenities is going to be Worcester or east of Worcester.
South is kind of suburban, west and north are rural (MA rural, not WY rural of course).

Grafton is very well located in term of transportation with the commuter line to Boston and the Pike.
There is Tufts veterinary school in town but don't think it's a college town, there is no college town vibe at all in Grafton.
Ultimately Grafton a quite place well connected to the surroundings that allows you to go grocery shopping in town and pretty much nothing else to do.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

Wyman-Gordon on MA-122 in North Grafton almost in Millbury is a large factory with a cold-war era giant 50,000 ton hammer forge. I have no idea if it's noisy or not.

It's only really noticeable if on site, but my larger concern is it is effectively an operational brownfield like their former Worcester site. The site maintains some rather precious military contracts so I'm doubtful the EPA has full teeth when it comes to addressing past sins.

This said, I don't know why OP, given their price range, would choose Grafton over Flagg/Salisbury Worcester or the north side of Shrewsbury (tax/services advantage), or if looking for something a bit more 'woodsy' Boylston or even Holden.

IMO, Grafton's appeal starts and stops with it's 90 access. It's no Shrewsbury despite transplants conflating the two. I'm being a bit harsh here, but there are better neighborhoods within OPs budget which place them closer to diverse dining options and retail.

I'd personally choose Flagg St. area if I could tolerate the tax rate. Great bang for your buck if schools are a non-issue.

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by Shrewsburried

This said, I don't know why OP, given their price range, would choose Grafton over Flagg/Salisbury Worcester or the north side of Shrewsbury (tax/services advantage), or if looking for something a bit more 'woodsy' Boylston or even Holden.

Something I totally forgot about!

A house assessed at $340k.
In Worcester, it's tax bill is $5700
In Shrewsbury, tax is $4200
In Grafton, $5700

All those numbers are probably pretty low for someone used to Chicagoland

[Louisville Slugger]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

Something I totally forgot about!

A house assessed at $340k.
In Worcester, it's tax bill is $5700
In Shrewsbury, tax is $4200
In Grafton, $5700

All those numbers are probably pretty low for someone used to Chicagoland

Yeah, and in Westborough that house would run you $6,200 in property taxes.

And at an annual average usage of 10,972 kWh that would be around $1,300 for the year in electricity for Shrewsbury.

Not sure who Grafton or Worcester uses for a utility company, probably National Grid or some other one which is definitely more expensive than a town with it's own electric company, like Shrewsbury.

If you're spending $0.23 per kWh after adding in delivery and supply/any other fees that same house could cost you $2,500 per year in electricity in Grafton/Worcester.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

Something I totally forgot about!

A house assessed at $340k.
In Worcester, it's tax bill is $5700
In Shrewsbury, tax is $4200
In Grafton, $5700

All those numbers are probably pretty low for someone used to Chicagoland

It's not just tax rate. Shrewsbury and Grafton have their own CO-OP light/power Co's and internet services ... at least Shewsbury provides the latter, both provide the former. The services are superior to Worcester (i.e., more responsive management and far cheaper rates), but it's a rather under appreciated aspect to these towns and might not drive decision making.

For example, if you're someone who wishes to heat/cool via heat pump, you can do so cost effectively in Shrewsbury or Grafton without the capital outlay for solar. Not so in Worcester given N-Grid's rates. Depends on one's priorities.