Urgent, Need good and helpful opinions (Boston, Newton: middle-class, ski resort, house)

[puffle]

I know I am asking questions that have been asked before, but my head is swimming with information and I need to review my choices with you guys. My son is very interested in going to Westford Academy and living in Westford without us ever visiting there except on the way to snowboard. How does Westford compare as a livable city to Acton or Reading. We are looking for convenience of shopping and commute to Boston along with affordability that Newton does not offer. Would like a town center to walk around and do basic shopping if possible and don't care for a snotty feel especially by the local kids. When I read what the kids have to say on Urbandictionary, it makes me want to home school! Thanks....we have four months to make up our minds and may not be able to visit first!

[CaseyB]

Westford has a town website www.westford.com. It looks like they have forums so you could probably get some good information there. I know someone who used to work in Westford and she drove around the town a lot and said it was lovely. I got the impression that it was rather rural. I know they have a ski resort.

[Steve W]

Hi, Puffle. Steve again.

Westford is not considered very affordable. I think the average house price is still over $450k even after the market corrected itself.

It is a nice town and there was a lot to like about it. There is really no shopping in the town centre but there are strip malls along Rte 110, next to 495. Better yet is tax-free shopping only 6 miles away in Nashua, NH -- including a snowboard place if memory serves that was right on the DW Highway!

There's really no problem with kids from "outside" as the town is pretty much full of folks from everywhere anyway (the REAL locals call them "Blow-ins").

Westford is no longer really "rural" except by definition by folks who grew up in cities. The population has been over 20000 for some time. There are some things that are "different" about Westford - such as no town sewer - that may put some off. It is being developed at a fast rate FOR THE AREA and the growth is considered to be a problem rather than an opportunity due to a lot of the various regulations and such in the state.

If I was you, I would go to City-data's statistical pages and do work-ups of target towns to see how you match up against the demographics. Pay attention to the average income for each community. We were considered upper-middle-class by national standards but we were below the average in Westford and that meant that we were always struggling with affordability issues (such as property taxes - which are high).

I wish you the best of luck with choosing a new place! We have found (even though we were MA natives) that we are very happy with our decision to move to NC. I worry less.