Population slightly down in MA 2022 (Boston, Quincy: buyers, cost of living, housing)

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

I'm not sure what 80% of the area median income is for Duxbury...is it $80K/year, $90K per year? Either way, some hardworking folks will have a chance to own a home in a nice seaside town so congrats to them. Multimillionaire snob NIMBY's beware, the affordables are coming lol

it's more than that. Developments like this create more traffic, more crowding in the schools

There's plenty of more affordable seaside towns around as well.

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by msRB311

it's more than that. Developments like this create more traffic, more crowding in the schools

There's plenty of more affordable seaside towns around as well.

I get that this is a polarizing topic and folks have some very differing views....no offense but you seem like you'd fit into the category of a snob NIMBY. Folks wrongly think these affordable houses are going to be built to look differently than neighboring houses or that the people who move in will not take care of the place and degrade their posh little town. I think the exact opposite in many cases....someone working hard who has a chance to get into a great seaside community will probably work their fanny off to keep their house looking good and will be so grateful to finally be able to realize their dream of home ownership.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

I guess I mean... I see what you're saying.

But someone making $90k who may be receiving a "public benefit" in the form of income-restricted housing, is still middle class. That's still economic diversity.

Living independently, I mean a choice. When you're living with your significant other- that's not 'shacking up with 6 other people' or a roommate

My point is that if you're middle class with a decent salary, living independently and not currently in, you're unlikely to be coming in now nor were you more likely than not to have come in over the last 10 years. Independent living can be a choice, but it's not always. Some people may be living as a couple because they feel compelled due to other needs to live in the area. If you enjoy being single I would call that a preference to live on their own. Many people have this preference. Many other people may have not met a person they want to share their lives with. This is basic knowledge stuff. Whatever the reasons, many cannot do it here on their own. There's no norm that says people should live with a partner or else that means they are making some detrimental choice in their lives. I get they have the choice not to live here and to look somewhere else. That' a given. But I wouldn't call a city where single middle class relatively high functioning people can't live independently, socioeconomically diverse. That group (across the full demographic spectrum) have a lot to contribute that the city is missing.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

Prices of existing condos in Bridgewater (for instance) are already way below 700k that new 700k wouldn't really have an impact.

Here's one, 229k. Short walk to the CR stop.

https://www.redfin.com/MA/Bridgewate.../home/16314157

The problem is that the vast majority of people who would be interested in something like this aren't living in Bridgewater. They are living in Boston.

People native to both are getting prices out to places all over the south shore- Bridgewater is one of them. A Recent grad or a Boston native will probably end up buying it. Plenty of people with social connections in this area just need a place, any place, to live.

[msRB311]

I think there are towns should be able to keep their green spaces, natural beauty and not be littered with apartments/townhouses just because someone wants to say they live in said town. I'm far from snobby, that has nothing to do with a place being 'posh'. If someone really wants posh go to beacon hill not a south shore suburb.

I also think it's stupid that people buy 3-5M homes that they are never in because they live full time somewhere else. That's their business though...tearing down forests to pack in apts and people is my business.

[wolfgang239]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

..no offense but you seem like you'd fit into the category of a snob NIMBY.

Originally Posted by msRB311

not be littered with apartments/townhouses just because someone wants to say they live in said town.

Yep, sounds about right. Nobody wants to say they live somewhere, they just want to live there.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

My point is that if you're middle class with a decent salary, living independently and not currently in, you're unlikely to be coming in now nor were you more likely than not to have come in over the last 10 years. Independent living can be a choice, but it's not always. Some people may be living as a couple because they feel compelled due to other needs to live in the area. If you enjoy being single I would call that a preference. Many people may have not met a person they want to share their life with. This is basic knowledge stuff. Whatever the reasons, many cannot do it here on their own.

Yea unlikely to choose Boston over a bunch of other cities in the US, but it still happens. These affordable housing lists are snapped up instantaneously... and much of the time if not most of the time you need a professional salary to live in them. Even if its may be on the lower end of the salary scale. its more than just one persons hourly wage to afford most of these units.

You've got all type of workers and salaries in Boston from Fast food workers, non-profit workers, bus drivers, lab technicians, iron workersin a union, paralegals, RNs hedge fund managers, client/sales managers, to professors. Boston is not as socioeconomically diverse as it was at its modern peak but it's still socioeconomically diverse.

Many cant do it here on their own but many can and do hence all the new 1 bedroom units, studio units and micro units being built. Well before they stopped building housing and just focus don building labs.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Yea unlikely to choose Boston over a bunch of other cities in the US, but it still happens. These affordable housing lists are snapped up instantaneously... and much of the time if not most of the time you need a professional salary to live in them. Even if its may be on the lower end of the salary scale. its more than just one persons hourly wage to afford most of these units.

You've got all type of workers and salaries in Boston from Fast food workers, non-profit workers, bus drivers, lab technicians, iron workersin a union, paralegals, RNs hedge fund managers, client/sales managers, to professors. Boston is not as socioeconomically diverse as it was at its modern peak but it's still socioeconomically diverse.

Many cant do it here on their own but many can and do hence all the new 1 bedroom units, studio units and micro units being built. Well before they stopped building housing and just focus don building labs.

Not so sure that most of the non-professional people are living in or even bordering Boston. I know or am acquainted with a ton of people in the trades and service industries who commute. I would also bet most of those who do are not living independently. Including the paralegals and lab techs and the like who don't make squat.

[msRB311]

I get that there are people of different salary levels working in Boston, they just aren't all able to afford to live in Boston. That's what i meant.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I'm far from snobby,

Anyways.. people want to live in nice towns because they're safer, have cleaner air, better parks, better schools, and better roads (generally)