Relocating from NJ????

[LovelyBoston]

Pixie, Sturbridge is really a suburb of Worcester, not Boston, so you'd probably need to find work in Worcester if you lived there. And Worcester is really not exactly a lovely city. Rather run down (although it has some nice parts). I think I understand what kind of city you are trying to avoid: stay away from Lowell, Lawrence, Brockton, Fall River, and New Bedford. These are hardly cities the way you're used to -- they are tiny in comparison to Newark, for example -- but the crime and the schools, are not good.

The metro-west area of the state -- Acton, Boxborough, Concord, Lincoln, Sudbury: fantastic schools. Acton-Boxborough is one of the top rated districts in the state. Concord is lovely and historic, and a bit shorter a commute into Boston.

South Shore: Hingham, Norwell, Duxbury, Plymouth.

Then there are the W towns others have mentioned: Weston, Wellesley and Wayland, all great schools, but busier and more city-like than the others I've mentioned. So if you want a small-town feel, don't go there.

If you can afford it, Dover-Sherborn area is really nice, too. Pricey (nothing in Dover under $600k) but worth it for the school district, and pretty close to Boston.