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My family and I are hoping to purchase a home within the next year or so, and we've been reading, visiting, and trying to find out more on specific towns and what it's like to live there (this is how I found this forum).
I've listed the towns below along with my personal thoughts on them (warning: kinda candid ). Please share your thoughts on any of this, it would be greatly appreciated. I would love to hear from folks who grew up or live in this town and are raising kids. I tried to find more information of Niche, but it seems like the sentences are auto generated...a lot of the towns descriptions sound the same to me.
Westford: most homes have a lot of land around them, cost of living seems to be the most expensive from this list, has a great public school system, feels like a very family friendly town, lakes and very scenic.
Not sure how the community is and how accepting they are of others especially as a hispanic person... feels like a lot of conservative/pro gun folks. It seems like everyone there owns a pick up truck...we are kind of city folk so not sure how much we'd fit in... Did a search online on another forum someone who was a Westford native said the high school has a huge drug problem . Seems like most homes rely on a septic tank?
Groton: Very similar to Westford, good public school system, very scenic, not sure how it would be to raise a kid here... feels very "farm-y". Feels conservative? I would love to hear some insight on Groton.
Topsfield: I don't know a lot about this town other than the Topsfield Fair, would love to hear more about it.
Harvard: Very interesting looking homes, pricey, rural as well. Would love to hear more about raising a family here.
Littleton: Has a wonderful high school, not sure about the other grades. Would love to hear more about it. Is there a huge difference between Ayer and Littleton? I used to live in Ayer when I was a child and I don't have very fond memories of Ayer... would hate to move there and feel like I've gone back in time.
My family and I are hoping to purchase a home within the next year or so, and we've been reading, visiting, and trying to find out more on specific towns and what it's like to live there (this is how I found this forum).
I've listed the towns below along with my personal thoughts on them (warning: kinda candid ). Please share your thoughts on any of this, it would be greatly appreciated. I would love to hear from folks who grew up or live in this town and are raising kids. I tried to find more information of Niche, but it seems like the sentences are auto generated...a lot of the towns descriptions sound the same to me.
Westford: most homes have a lot of land around them, cost of living seems to be the most expensive from this list, has a great public school system, feels like a very family friendly town, lakes and very scenic.
Not sure how the community is and how accepting they are of others especially as a hispanic person... feels like a lot of conservative/pro gun folks. It seems like everyone there owns a pick up truck...we are kind of city folk so not sure how much we'd fit in... Did a search online on another forum someone who was a Westford native said the high school has a huge drug problem . Seems like most homes rely on a septic tank?
Groton: Very similar to Westford, good public school system, very scenic, not sure how it would be to raise a kid here... feels very "farm-y". Feels conservative? I would love to hear some insight on Groton.
Topsfield: I don't know a lot about this town other than the Topsfield Fair, would love to hear more about it.
Harvard: Very interesting looking homes, pricey, rural as well. Would love to hear more about raising a family here.
Littleton: Has a wonderful high school, not sure about the other grades. Would love to hear more about it. Is there a huge difference between Ayer and Littleton? I used to live in Ayer when I was a child and I don't have very fond memories of Ayer... would hate to move there and feel like I've gone back in time.
1. Groton. The town, whether because of the two elite prep schools or the excellent public school system, draws highly educated families and, as a result, maintains a largely progressive mindset. It's not a terribly diverse town ... and the WASP culture persists (as seen at Gibbet on any given day) ... but I also don't think you'd encounter much friction being Hispanic. I've spent a good amount of time in Groton and the people in town are general pleasant and rational.
2. Harvard. Super progressive town. Excellent schools and housing stock ... particularly if you prefer modernist homes. The sheer amount of BLM signs in town right now speak to the racial/political attitudes within ... it's very left whether an old or young resident. As you state, it's a rather high COL town and this is tied to the school system, excellent housing stock, and the general opinion that it's one of the more "bucolic" towns within eastern MA. It has intangibles ... personally, I adore the town.
3. Westford/Littleton. These two a more suburban than Groton/Harvard and have more commercial activity. Both are good towns which have a ton of younger families. Westford has a notable Asian population, where as Littleton is more white. Some of the older residents in town are going to skew more conservative than, say Harvard, but the younger residents in town will skew more progressive. I'd ignore the rhetoric around Westford high having serious drug issues ... it's a top ranked school and the student body will reflect this.
Also, as former resident of Ayer I understand your hesitation regarding Littleton, but I assure you, they are nothing a like. Ayer is a odd anomaly within an otherwise desirable cluster of towns.
If your fear is every truck in town is owned by a gun toting bigot ... fear not. All of these towns skew very progressive and the handful of gun owners I know in these towns remain social progressives even if staunchly 2a. FYI, this is not the case as you move west into northern Worcester county or parts of the north shore. These towns have a much more entrenched blue collar pro-Trump crowd.
Last edited by Shrewsburried; 08-17-2020 at 11:05 PM..
Westford: most homes have a lot of land around them, cost of living seems to be the most expensive from this list, has a great public school system, feels like a very family friendly town, lakes and very scenic.
Not sure how the community is and how accepting they are of others especially as a hispanic person... feels like a lot of conservative/pro gun folks. It seems like everyone there owns a pick up truck...we are kind of city folk so not sure how much we'd fit in... Did a search online on another forum someone who was a Westford native said the high school has a huge drug problem
We looked at some of the towns mentioned here, ended up in Westford. So I'll give you our thoughts.
For us, it was the best mix of schools, housing stock, community feel, commercial activity, and offerings for families. Nab lake is a great place to spend the day in the summer, East Boston camps is really pretty, there are a few apple orchards (Hill Orchard is a really nice neighborhood orchard, love that area in general), tons of trails, two golf courses, etc. The Mill Works is a top tier athletic facility (though, kind of weird from the outside as it's a converted factory). Multiple turf fields, basketball courts, a theatre, a full gym. The Roudenbush Community Center, right in the center of town, is set to be leveraged/converted into something more family functional once 2021 hits. It's currently privately owned/funded, but the town is planning to take it over. So i'd expect that to be a major facelift in town too.
The northern/western ring of town is more middle or middle-upper class. Generally more ranch and cottage style homes that served as a lake getaway for Bostonians going back to the 40s and 50s. You'll see a lot of young families in those parts, who want to take advantage of the schools and the towns offerings but don't have the $600k-$1.4M+ budget.
Westford is far, far from conservative. You may see some pickup trucks in the same neighborhoods listed above, but they are likely for practical use. The rest of the town is the standard SUV, Prius, and luxury cars.
There are almost 6,000 students in the school system. A pretty large number for 24k residents. We have seen some info out there that there are more students/families p/capita in Westford than any town in Eastern Massachusetts. As for us, we love the larger school feel, as it gives the kids a lot of opportunity to meet folks from all backgrounds and interests. And if you subscribe to rankings, Westford will always be at/toward the top of the list of districts. Really, really good system, which ties back to the higher ed attainment levels of the parents.
There is a small Hispanic population, but the town is growingly diverse. Large Asian population most notably. As compared to the rest of the towns on this list, I'd probably bet that you'll feel the most comfortable here if diversity and inclusion is a top consideration. The other towns listed are exceedingly white, with even larger lots and more seclusion than Westford. Not at all saying they will be less welcoming, but just a thought.
And, the whole drug thing... Any town has them. White collar towns in Eastern Massachusetts are no exception. But, it's not known to be a hot spot for heroin or anything that extreme like some other towns around MA. From my anecdotal experience, high school kids smoke and drink.
As an aside, have you looked in Acton? Similar to Westford, but should have a slightly higher % of Hispanic residents. Cost is about the same, maybe slightly more as an average.
Groton's PD had a notorious reputation for years in terms of racial profiling.
I've heard the same said about every sleepy majority white town in Worcester county. I tend to think it's reflective of a policing culture 'issue', rather than a town issue.
I've heard the same said about every sleepy majority white town in Worcester county. I tend to think it's reflective of a policing culture 'issue', rather than a town issue.
Groton has a history with the KKK and was supposedly a 'sundown' town.
The 'Rotten in Groton' people can be quite disgusting. The website is tame, but the FB group is toxic garbage.
Groton has a history with the KKK and was supposedly a 'sundown' town.
The 'Rotten in Groton' people can be quite disgusting. The website is tame, but the FB group is toxic garbage.
Groton had, and to some degree, still has a deeply entrenched WASP culture, but to call it a 'sun down' town is rather extreme hyperbole and, frankly, unwarranted fear mongering.
There was an active charter of the KKK in Nashoba Valley during the turn of the century which ceased to exist by the early '30s. This group was largely a political entity attempting to push out Groton town officials, not through violent terror mind you, who they accused (accurately) of running a bootlegging scheme. This KKK group was essentially a bunch of Protestant zealots who disliked the influx of Catholic French Canadians and Irish, disliked "impure" Protestants (i.e., corrupt bootleggers), etc.
Other than name, there was little overlap with the terrorist groups in southern states who were actively killing black Americans. Not defending either entity here, but there is a fundamental difference in both scale and intent. Groton was still largely abolitionist at the time.
As for the 'Rotten in Groton' folks, welcome to a polarized modern America. My town's FB page is also toxic garbage despite near constant moderation, and yet my neighbors are overwhelmingly rational center-right and center-left people who can maintain nuanced conversations of the issues at hand. Facebook is an echo chamber for those who have burned their own social network with with their constant irrational rantings ... shame as when it was college invite only it was a superb platform for locating the local underground music/arts scene.
My wife isn't white, grew up in Groton when they were one of the very VERY few non-white families in town and absolutely loved it. Granted this was decades ago....still less than 100 years ago when the KKK was open
feels like a lot of conservative/pro gun folks. It seems like everyone there owns a pick up truck...we are kind of city folk so not sure how much we'd fit in...
I am sure there are more conservatives than in Boston but I feel like you are picturing a different type of rural America. Just because someone has a pick-up isn't necessarily a "conservative/pro gun"
2016 share of votes for Trump (rounded):
Westford 35%
Harvard 25%
Groton 33%
Littleton 33%
Topsfield 40%
Statewide 34%
So if you are afraid to end up in rural Mississippi rest assured is not the same.
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). Please share your thoughts on any of this, it would be greatly appreciated. I would love to hear from folks who grew up or live in this town and are raising kids. I tried to find more information of Niche, but it seems like the sentences are auto generated...a lot of the towns descriptions sound the same to me.
. Seems like most homes rely on a septic tank?
