Living in Mattapoisett or Marion, MA (Boston, Wareham: fit in, houses, employment)

[tphjnh]

Could anyone give me some informatin on what it is like to live in Mattapoisett and/or Marion, MA. For exmple, family events, culture, safety etc. etc. Thank you!

[bigfatturkey]

both are very safe places....sometimes we'd leave the front/car doors unlocked and we don't really worry too much about it. lots of people do that too...some will tell you that they never had to lock a door all these years that they've stayed in matta/marion.

some parts of matta and marion get very slow/quiet during the winter. people will only start returning after memorial day. then it gets overcrowded during summer. the population essentially quadruple in size during summer

marion has a reputation of being a little snotty...which is not totally untrue. neighbours on the same street rarely talk....but are polite enough if you initiate by saying "hello" or just wave....but they tend to keep their distance....and they take a looooong time to warm up to you...especially if you are new to the town.

the marion people don't like the big establishments and would frown on franchises like dunkin donuts (which finally opened in marion early this yr)...and i don't think you'd ever find a burger chain around here.

being very small towns...there aren't many shops, eateries around. i've to go to fairhaven/wareham for my grocery shopping. the people in matta/marion aren't a diverse bunch and they tend to be more affluent - a lot of old money floating around...while they might not discriminate against you if you are from middle/working class but it won't be an easy task fitting in with them too.

schools are quite good or so i heard - sippican elementary & old rochester regional.

property taxes are higher than most places on cape cod. marion has very high water tax too. 'cos of the high water table...many of the houses would have wet basements during the rainy seasons...yikes! properties are expensive in matta/marion. it's very hard to find a nice decent 3 bedroom house for under $500K around marion village/south of rte 6.

[tphjnh]

thank you very much for the information!

[bcfarmlady]

I grew up in Mattapoisett. Lived there 35 years. One of my sister's still lives there as do her children and grandchildren. What BigFatTurkey says is true.

Marion is the more affluent town, with it's private school, Tabor Academy, and it's nice harbor full of very large sailing vessels. It has it's seedier side as well.

My family was from the "Northern" side of I-95. We didn't live on the beach, we lived "out in the country" !! As kids we played outside till after dark, and came home "when the street lights went on". The neighbor would watch as we walked home to make sure we got there OK. We rode bikes, played football, rode horses, flew kites, ice skated on cranberry bogs, rode dirt bikes in the sand pits and much more ALL within a mile of our house. We helped the neighbor kid deliver the newspaper..... along a 10 mile route !!! Everyone knew us, one neighbor was a bus driver, one was a cop, one worked at the local grocery ( last one they had in Mattapoisett, A&P ). My mother worked for a dentist in town for many years and she also worked part time for the local contractor.

I attended all the schools there beginning in Center School and graduated from ORRHS. The only school I never attended was the Jr. High... it was built while I was in High School.

As in many small towns, new people don't fit in quite right at first... but you can become "one of them". The town governments have their problems as in most places. Mattapoisett, just like Marion, is not very accepting of Large Chain Stores, Malls or burger joints. But you won't find better seafood, ice cream or sweet treats. The mom and pop places are the best !

Only reason I left was because of my work, which took me to Orlando. Finally after 17 years there I've become a 1/2 back and I am very happily located now in South Central Kentucky. About 8 miles west of a small peaceful quiet town.... I've got lots of acreage and no tourists, loud noisy neighbors or over priced places. It's my private little heaven on earth.
I have to drive 25 miles to the nearest Walmart... and that's about the only thing when I get there... although some places do have Lowes or Tractor Supply.

I do miss the seafood though !

[kmmod]

My husband is considering employment with a company based out of Fairhaven, MA. We would be relocating with our two children 10 and 8 years old. We are looking for a safe, quaint, quintessential New England town with great schools and fun things to do with the kids. We don't need to reside right in the town, but a quick car ride or bike ride to get to a coffee house/cafe/store front downtown area. I need to be in close proximity to grocery stores, maybe a WalMart, Target, and or Dunkin Donuts ???? My husband would like to be within a 15 minute commute to Fairhaven. I researched Old Rochester High School and Fairhaven High School and still can't decide which will be more suited for our kids when they reach that age......the elementary schools and middle schools in both districts seem to be comparible, so that is why I am using the high schools as the measuring stick for school districts. I would like to find employment in a school district, since I am a Special Ed. teacher. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide to make our possible move a great one!

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by kmmod

We are looking for a safe, quaint, quintessential New England town with great schools and fun things to do with the kids.

Mattapoisett is definitely smaller at 6500 people and looks more typically like Cape Cod. Fairhaven is slightly larger at 16,000 people and has more Victorian buildings, and a few industrial looking sites.

Fairhaven has the Walmart, and Target is further away in Wareham. Despite New England's dislike of chain stores, there is an exception for Dunkin Donuts, and they seem to be everywhere.

I think you would fine in either town.

[uncle ricky]

There's a very sea-faring feel to these towns which I liked when I lived there, which was a short 4 months. Lots of sun compared to more northern parts of New England, probably because they're so close to the ocean, and it seems like there's a good breeze most of the time as well. Lots of good seafood restaurants and pretty relaxed way of life compared to living closer to Boston.

[izzy508]

Of the four you mention, I like Mattapoisett best. There's a friendlier kind of feel there. Marion does have a bit of a snotty reputation but I go to a dentist there whom I absolutely love. Fair Haven is ok, Rochester has larger lots, more open space. Mattapoisett just has a friendlier community feel to me. Visit all four off season if you can.
Best of luck to you.
-izzy