North Reading today - the good and the bad (Boston: renting, low crime)

[camis1980]

We're relocating from out of state (currently renting in Lexington) and we are targeting Andover (we plan to have our son attend private schools). However since there has been not one house on the market fitting our requirements in the last months, we've started looking at North Reading. Is North Reading a nice place to live with kids? (we're a European couple in our late 40s with an elementary kid ; we are looking for a tight-knit community as our neighbors are our village .... ). Since our son will probably / hopefully befriend neighbors, I am interested in feed-back about the schools, too (though we don't plan to attend them). Tell me about North Reading - the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly ... Thank you.

[OutdoorLover]

I don't frequent it, but I don't think there can be too much that's ugly about North Reading. It's a relatively affluent Boston suburb with low crime. It doesn't have the quaint walkable "main street" town center with 19th century shops that some towns have, but that's not the end of the world.

[BostonMike7]

North reading is a nice town. I really can’t think much to say about it in a negative way.


Depending on where you live though, you can find yourself rather isolated as a lot of homes have quite a bit of forest as buffers.

[alidmc]

There is nothing wrong with the town- it checks off the boxes for good schools, low crime etc. North Reading just lacks a cohesiveness and overall aesthetic charm that some of its neighbors possess, due to lack of a town center and the lack of parks and open space.

I have noticed that prices have spiked in N. Reading recently and imagine it is because the town has a pretty good stock of larger, newer homes. The same is happening in its neighbor, Middleton, which I place in the same bucket as North Reading.

Have you considered North Andover? North Andover and North Reading were both former rural communities that were largely developed in the 90s-00s. Both have a good amount of newer housing stock. I find N. Andover offers a nicer town center and more traditional neighborhoods than N. Reading.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by camis1980

We're relocating from out of state (currently renting in Lexington) and we are targeting Andover (we plan to have our son attend private schools). However since there has been not one house on the market fitting our requirements in the last months, we've started looking at North Reading. Is North Reading a nice place to live with kids? (we're a European couple in our late 40s with an elementary kid ; we are looking for a tight-knit community as our neighbors are our village .... ). Since our son will probably / hopefully befriend neighbors, I am interested in feed-back about the schools, too (though we don't plan to attend them). Tell me about North Reading - the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly ... Thank you.

I think that North Reading, as well as Reading and Andover, are charming. But, since you are sending your son to private schools, at least check out the libraries and see if they are well stocked and up to date. That might tell you something about the priorities of the town. It's great to have a town center but I don't think it's the end of the world in such a lovely town as N Reading. What are the requirements that are not being met, for a house? I think you will be living in a wonderful part of metro Boston/eastern Massachusetts. Quality of life there.

[camis1980]

Originally Posted by alidmc

Have you considered North Andover? North Andover and North Reading were both former rural communities that were largely developed in the 90s-00s. Both have a good amount of newer housing stock. I find N. Andover offers a nicer town center and more traditional neighborhoods than N. Reading.

My husband's office is in Burlington (mall) and North Reading makes more sense for his commute than North Andover.

[cb2008]

Originally Posted by camis1980

My husband's office is in Burlington (mall) and North Reading makes more sense for his commute than North Andover.

I agree. North Andover is beautiful but it is also more rural. But so it North reading somewhat. Anyway you cannot go wrong with any of the towns. Good luck.

[Jacconn]

Honestly - your kid may have trouble befriending neighborhood kids if he’s not in the schools. His social scene will likely revolve around the private school, which you haven’t mentioned yet. I’d rather live where most of the kids who attend the school live (there’s likely a handful of feeder communities). Also, commute to school should be considered.

[camis1980]

Originally Posted by Martha Anne

I think that North Reading, as well as Reading and Andover, are charming. But, since you are sending your son to private schools, at least check out the libraries and see if they are well stocked and up to date. That might tell you something about the priorities of the town. It's great to have a town center but I don't think it's the end of the world in such a lovely town as N Reading. What are the requirements that are not being met, for a house? I think you will be living in a wonderful part of metro Boston/eastern Massachusetts. Quality of life there.

We want a 4500+ sq ft with 0.5 + acres of flat land that can accomodate a pool, newer than 2000 (ok, I'd take a house from the 90s if needs be...) and with as many town utilities as possible, in a cul de sac or circle neighborhood with sidewalks (the equivalent of "gated neighborhoods" in other states - a foreign concept here, as I've found). Would pay 3-4 mil for the right house (more like 2 if I have to redo everything inside). The type of neighborhood is very important to us - I'll take a septic tank before taking a street with traffic...

[camis1980]

Originally Posted by Jacconn

Honestly - your kid may have trouble befriending neighborhood kids if he’s not in the schools. His social scene will likely revolve around the private school, which you haven’t mentioned yet. I’d rather live where most of the kids who attend the school live (there’s likely a handful of feeder communities). Also, commute to school should be considered.

That's why I am looking at North Reading - many neighborhoods we look at have a 10 min commute to the school (which is in the southern part of Andover). I don't know about the handful of feeder communities - we're now in a private school in the south of Lexington and we have kids coming all the way from Acton, Stoneham, Melrose... (for me commuting more than 10-15 min for elementary/middle is out of the question... but people seem to do it).