Best coastal town in Mass for young retirees (Boston, Plymouth: live, price)

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by G-fused

What are Foxboro and Canton? Not South Shore, not Metro West or Western MA.

Neponset Valley. The source of the Neponset is behind Patriot Place in Foxborough.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by katherine4

My husband and I are looking to relocate in the next 5 years to a coastal town in MA (not including Cape Cod.) We are in our 50s. Schools will not be a factor, but we’re looking for an otherwise very nice, very pretty town. Our budget will probably be 500 to 800k. We love Portsmouth and Kittery, so those will be in the running, but I’d love to hear the names of MA towns that we should look into.

Thank you!

Being retired, commuting is not a concern, and it sounds like you still want things to do. On the North Shore, I would recommend Newburyport. Outdoors-wise, you have the Merrimack River, plus it's flanked by two beautiful parks - Maudslay State Park and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge... great area for walking, biking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, kayaking, fishing, birding... there is a restored 19th commercial district downtown adjacent to an attractive harbor with a boardwalk. There are local music and theater performances, various summer events, and numerous restaurants. There is decent local shopping, a community hospital and a stop on the Boston Commuter Rail. It's just off I-95 and the location is also a good jumping off point for daytrips into seacoast New Hampshire and southern Maine, as well as longer trips into the White Mountains and further up into Maine.

[xo_kizzy_xo]

Originally Posted by msRB311

actually milton is considered south shore also.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_...(Massachusetts)

Just barely, though. Milton's in that gray area between South Shore and Boston. I worked for [local newspaper] back in the day. Back then they considered anything between Quincy and Plymouth as South Shore. They included Milton and the Canton/Norwood/Westwood areas when the paper became more regional even though those towns are definitely NOT part of the South Shore.

[msRB311]

I guess I was lied to my whole life about Milton being part of the south shore lol. It’s the closest suburb south of Boston so I think for many it was just a given that it was part of the south shore.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

Being retired, commuting is not a concern, and it sounds like you still want things to do. On the North Shore, I would recommend Newburyport. Outdoors-wise, you have the Merrimack River, plus it's flanked by two beautiful parks - Maudslay State Park and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge... great area for walking, biking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, kayaking, fishing, birding... there is a restored 19th commercial district downtown adjacent to an attractive harbor with a boardwalk. There are local music and theater performances, various summer events, and numerous restaurants. There is decent local shopping, a community hospital and a stop on the Boston Commuter Rail. It's just off I-95 and the location is also a good jumping off point for daytrips into seacoast New Hampshire and southern Maine, as well as longer trips into the White Mountains and further up into Maine.

I presume you read the first post with the housing budget?

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

I presume you read the first post with the housing budget?

It would be tight, but I saw they are looking at Portsmouth as well, which isn't any cheaper. A condo can easily be found in Newburyport in this price range. Single family homes will indeed be tougher, but there are some in the $650K-$800K range.

https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/.../pid_46665203/

If they like the area, the OP should also consider Amesbury, which is right across the river - so, very similar as far as proximity to everything, and also nice.

[GeoffD]

^^^
$700k for half of a duplex with no land and street parking in a neighborhood with very limited parking? 1 bathroom on the 2nd floor and a finished attic “bedroom & family room”. So the ground floor living space is less than 500 square feet. You’re in _really_ close proximity to all your neighbors.

That’s why I did the retirement math and bailed out of Portsmouth for West Portugal. I certainly liked the amenities of Portsmouth but I have beach/boat/bicycle with all the green space for half the housing cost. Life is a trade off. I wasn’t wealthy enough to retire in Portsmouth.

[Southshorebound]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

My North Shore as a teen was regattas in Marblehead. When I was house shopping and ended up in Winchester, I looked at some things in Manchester by the Sea. I’ve always had friends in Newburyport. Other than 1A to Logan when I lived in Portsmouth, Revere has never been on my radar screen.


From Boston, you drive north or south until you hit a nuke plant, right? That’s North Shore and South Shore. If you can buy fireworks, you went too far north. If you take a bridge over a canal, you went too far south.

The last part is hilarious Geoff. I’m stealing this as my definition of South v. North Shore.

We closed on our house in Cohasset 5 days ago. I’m not from Massachusetts originally, but my wife is from Hingham. I find the “rivalry” pretty funny considering how close the two areas are. You can see the North Shore from the South Shore and vice versa!

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

^^^
$700k for half of a duplex with no land and street parking in a neighborhood with very limited parking? 1 bathroom on the 2nd floor and a finished attic “bedroom & family room”. So the ground floor living space is less than 500 square feet. You’re in _really_ close proximity to all your neighbors.

That’s why I did the retirement math and bailed out of Portsmouth for West Portugal. I certainly liked the amenities of Portsmouth but I have beach/boat/bicycle with all the green space for half the housing cost. Life is a trade off. I wasn’t wealthy enough to retire in Portsmouth.

Ahhh, whoops, was a little too fast reviewing that listing - I thought that was a single family.

[xo_kizzy_xo]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I guess I was lied to my whole life about Milton being part of the south shore lol. It’s the closest suburb south of Boston so I think for many it was just a given that it was part of the south shore.

Back when our parents or grandparents could finally afford to move out of Boston, they automatically settled in Milton or Quincy because of proximity. When they could finally afford to move out of those areas, they went further south, which we know now as the South Shore.

I remember Milton being called "South Shore" as a kid too but geographically it really isn't. If the Neponset River didn't exist it'd still be part of Dorchester.