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Old 12-29-2009, 02:23 PM
 
4 posts, read 14,982 times
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Looking for some good intel on towns west of Natick (20-50 miles) that have good school systems and reasonable housing cost's.
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Old 12-29-2009, 02:30 PM
 
Location: Revere, MA
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What is a reasonable housing cost to you? Depending on where you are relocating from, it could be very different.
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Old 12-29-2009, 03:37 PM
 
18,601 posts, read 33,168,447 times
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Overall, the further west you go, the cheaper the houses are and the school systems are not as good. Of course, "cheaper" and "not good" are very relative. Any reason why you're willing to live so far from work, and must it be directly west or could it be northwest? (Southwest is Connecticut, I think... Maybe people more familiar can specify).
Congratulations on your move. Are you going to re-invent the MRE?
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Old 12-29-2009, 05:09 PM
 
Location: Metrowest Boston
26 posts, read 55,224 times
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Check these links out. Not knowing where you are moving from you will have to see which town
seems a possibility. Westborough, Southborough, Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham all have the
train to Boston - Lexington, Concord, Weston $$$$$$$$$....Marlborough less $$$$, Wayland and
Sudbury high $300-480 will get you a cape/colonial older.

Good luck to you and your family as you get settled in MA in 2010. Best of luck...



Public Schools Chart - Boston Magazine (http://www.bostonmagazine.com/boston/public2009 - broken link)

www.massstats.com
www.city-data.com

Last edited by CaseyB; 01-08-2010 at 05:07 AM.. Reason: competitor site
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Old 12-29-2009, 06:58 PM
 
Location: Norfolk County
109 posts, read 322,925 times
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Bellingham and Franklin area are nice, about 25-35 minute drives via back roads to Natick. Natick is a wonderful town also. Southwest towns include Millis, Medfield, Medway and Milford (all the M towns are on Rt. 109). Plainville is a small town just a little further away. Outside the 495 belt, there's Grafton, Westboro (or Westborough, depending on what map you use). you have your choice of driving either highways (rt9 busy) or Mass Pike, or back roads. What do you prefer?
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Old 12-29-2009, 09:33 PM
 
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Armyplanner, some nice towns have been suggested, though I'm not a fan of Framingham (bland, mall-oriented large suburban town, with longtime locals who seem unfriendly to new arrivals), so I'd rank that town lower than most of the other suggestions. Also, Marlborough is a bit more rough around the edges than most of the other suggestions, though as far as I know it's a reasonably safe town. As nice as most of the places that have been suggested are, many of them are not quite as far west of Natick as you specified, and a few are east of Natick. If you want to look a bit closer to the outer limit of your 20-50 range to the west of Natick, Grafton, Westborough, Franklin, and Bellingham would be closer to that range than other suggestions. You might also check out Shrewsbury, Douglas, Dudley, and Sturbridge, if you want to check towns fairly close to the limits of the range you specified. I don't know a lot about the schools in those towns, but all of them seem to be pretty nice towns.
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Old 12-29-2009, 09:37 PM
 
Location: Revere, MA
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One place I think of is Ashland. Both Marlborough and Framingham probably seem less desirable to others probably because of their immigrant populations. Also because of the very nice towns that surround them. Aside from the downtown and poorer sections, Framingham is a very nice town and I know some families there. Their children are certainly not lacking in education. Marlborough is also still very nice in some areas, but it's appeal has declined. Because Marlborough is smaller, I believe it seems (to me) more overrun with immigrants. Marlborough is also overpriced for what you get. Not sure how far this is, but maybe Auburn?

Last edited by felicitev21; 12-29-2009 at 09:49 PM..
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Old 12-30-2009, 04:44 PM
 
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I'm just going to suggest Millis. Close to Natick (approx 15-20 minutes), good schools, small town look and feel. Depending on what you feel is reasonable, I think the housing prices are reasonable here. Been here 17 years and have enjoyed it.
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Old 12-30-2009, 05:36 PM
 
312 posts, read 864,643 times
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I will also suggest Hudson. They have a great school system if that is of concern, and is off the beaten path but not too far off. Natick Labs is about 35 minutes away on back roads. The real estate is reasonable, you get a lot for your money. The tax rate will go up a bit next year, about $13 and change per $1000 evaluation. We have close proximity to 495, the Mass Pike, 290 and all the great stores. It is about 50 minutes to get from here into Mass General, the Science Museum, Esplanade, etc. Not too shabby, 'eh?
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Old 01-06-2010, 08:45 PM
 
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Everyone...thank you all for your input!! We are looking at all the suggestions you have sent. This forum has been very helpful~!
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