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I am considering moving to the southern New England area, and am trying to gather info on great cities in the region. I would like to be in:
a very safe area
very family-oriented with lots of culture and activities - farms/orchards, fun attractions, theater & music, museums, sports, you know...
a city/town with a very distinct "character"
will consider metro or small village, or anything in between, as long as the "vibe" is right
decent economy, available jobs, services
sunny (by New England standards would be a bonus)
I am looking between Providence and Boston as nearby metro areas - so looking in a general 2 hour area around and between these areas.
If it helps, my husband is an IT guy, I'm a stay at home mom/homeschooler. We have two daughters, 4 and 3.
The most important thing for me is atmosphere - you know, that unnameable "feel" that a city has, something in the air - how do I describe it? Ambiance? I hope you know what I mean, and thanks for the help!
PS - I like Connecticut as some areas kind of cut the distance between Boston, Providence, New York - kind of a central location in great surroundings, but I can't really find towns with a distinctive feel that are safe and nice. I'm sure there are many, but I don't know much about it. I didn't like Hartford when I looked it up a bit. Didn't do much for me.
Actually, we are really tired of letting life move us wherever, and would really like to find a place that makes us happy, then focus job hunting specifically to that goal. For several years, we have just tried to make out with whatever life hands us, and although that's fine to do, I suppose, I really would like to try and live more purposefully and go after what I want out of life. If no job offers go through in our desired area, then we can reconsider later. But for now, we don't *need* to move, we want to. So, picking where we want to move TO is the prime consideration for us. But I know what you mean, and it's definitely the most practical advice. I am just tired of being practical lol ;D
I think I have really fallen in love with the idea of Boston since writing my original post, and I really am getting excited about the prospect of living there. I still adore Providence but I think it would be better as a place to visit for us rather than to live.
Thanks for the help! And if you think of anything else, please let me know!
Boston is a very expensive city to live in. Have you checked out Stonington CT? We visited there once on our way to Mystic and I fell in love with it. A bonus of it is it's right on the water and there is a train to NYC.
I agree with the previous poster who said your husband should find the job first.
That's because there are so many communities which fit your needs here, in all
three states.. but which one you move to is going to depend on the location of
his job. Wouldn't he rather drive 20-40 minutes to work (or commute, see Amtrak)
than have to drive 1-2 hours each way to work ?
Boston and basically all of Eastern Mass is a very high COL. It gets cheaper but still a higher COL as one travels into Central and on thru Western Mass. Rhode Island use to be a good buy as far as New England is concerned, Not so much any more. Depending on one's housing needs, a house might be cheaper in some areas of RI. Rent can be cheaper. Certainly not the entire state. RI has some very expensive areas. However other than some lower housing costs in some areas of RI. Taxes and overall cost are not that much lower anymore. In some ways RI seems to have some higher taxes. Conn has always been on the expensive side, and I am not completely familiar with the state. People tell me there are some areas of the state where it isn't all that bad. How ever you look at it though. New England has a very high COL. You can only get it down some by moving way out away from cities. Perhaps Northern New England out in the rural areas.
I am considering moving to the southern New England area, and am trying to gather info on great cities in the region. I would like to be in:
a very safe area
very family-oriented with lots of culture and activities - farms/orchards, fun attractions, theater & music, museums, sports, you know...
a city/town with a very distinct "character"
will consider metro or small village, or anything in between, as long as the "vibe" is right
decent economy, available jobs, services
sunny (by New England standards would be a bonus)
The most important thing for me is atmosphere - you know, that unnameable "feel" that a city has, something in the air - how do I describe it? Ambiance? I hope you know what I mean, and thanks for the help!
Hmm, so you want to live in a Norman Rockwell painting, haha.
As a lifelong Rhode Islander, i'd strongly advise against moving here if that's the sort of vibe you're looking for...slower pace of life, community, 'charm'.
My perception of Western Massachusetts (From Chicoppee, MA to the Berkshire Mountains) is that it truly has some of this charm.
However, this kind of New Englandy charm/small town feel is...not antithetical, but almost antithetical to a "vibe" which implies energy, dense population, lots of people doing things/going places.
The only place that i can think of that would have most of the things on your checklist is Northampton, MA. It would also help to know where you're coming from as i read one post from someone from San Francisco who seemed to be looking to be swept off their feet by the New England charm of Southern RI.
I.e. If you're coming from a major metro area of the US and want to have Norman Rockwell-yness but would be disappointed if there were only 3-4 Thai restaurants within a 20 minute drive, you might need to pare down your search.
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