Towns Around Boston

[yearbook50]

I recently accepted a job offer in South Boston and I'm trying to figure out where I should move to. I live in Worcester now and I know I do not want that commute everyday, plus I want a safer town within 30 minutes of Boston in non-traffic hours that has affordable apartments/townhouses.

I've been looking here to see the towns in the area:
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cispdf/ma_city_town.pdf

How are:
Avon
Stoughton
Walpole

or should I stick to some place like Framingham/Natick?

 

[nephthys43]

i don't know about towns around south boston. but i can tell you about the north ones. stay away from Lynn. scary town. my friend lived in swampscott. very pretty. and right on a train line into boston

 

[Virgo10]

Avon's a nice little town. Never thought the schools were that good but if that's not a concern you may want to take a look. It does border Brockton which can be a concern and also Randolph... another concern but I suppose it's a safe as you can get in this day and age. BTW, I lived in Brockton and never had any problems with crime.

Another plus with Avon is you're near the commuter rail in Brockton or the T in Braintree. One thing I miss here in Florida... PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION !!!

 

[miss missy]

Holbrook is closer and boarders Avon and Braintree. both nice towns, both have the T!! Holbrook boarders Brockton on one side, just avoid that end. If you can get Avon/Braintree line, it is perfect! Weymouth too is good if you get the right area. I dont know much about Stoughton
or Walpole. South shore is nice tho

 

[Virgo10]

Holbrook is closer and boarders Avon and Braintree. both nice towns, both have the T!! Holbrook boarders Brockton on one side, just avoid that end. If you can get Avon/Braintree line, it is perfect! Weymouth too is good if you get the right area. I dont know much about Stoughton
or Walpole. South shore is nice tho

Hate to pop your balloon but I lived in Brockton right near Holbrook. Wonderful neighbors and no crime. Every town has problems and I hate seeing Brockton always getting a bum rap even though I'm now 1200 miles away.

Holbrook has it's own woes. Sky high taxes, water bills through the roof and the pay as you throw trash bags. Last I heard they were $3 a bag? That's something I DON'T miss in Florida.

Oh and let's not forget the almost weekly bomb threats at the high school with its accreditation on probation.

I use to live in Holbrook and still have friends up there. Some of the stories they tell me would make your hair stand on end!

 

[yearbook50]

Holbrook has it's own woes. Sky high taxes, water bills through the roof and the pay as you throw trash bags. Last I heard they were $3 a bag? That's something I DON'T miss in Florida.

Oh and let's not forget the almost weekly bomb threats at the high school with its accreditation on probation.

Thanks. Thats the type of information I want to know about. I was in a bit of a shock here when I got to my apartment after having lived in Florida and having to do the pay as you throw trash bags. I hate them with a passion.

I don't have to worry about schools yet, my fiance & I aren't planning on kids for at least 5 years and hopefully by the time they reach school I will have moved to a different position in the company so that I'm in the south/midwest as it is a principle there that they don't like you staying stagnant.

All this information is good!

 

[Lynn CC]

I grew up in South Boston, we lived on 5th Street.

My son goes to college in Boston and we rent an apartment for him on Beacon Hill, he commutes over to Cambridge using the T.

If you want an apartment in the $1200 range Beacon Hill is in the center of everything and a very safe neighborhood. You can commute to work on the red line in approximately 15 minutes. He loves it on Beacon Hill, it's a great place to live with a lot going on, your near The North End, Newbury Street, Charles Street, Chinatown, Downtown, Cambridge etc.

Have fun searching, Did you try Craigslist? a lot of people list apartments for rent on www.craigslist.com , just click on Boston and type in Beacon Hill and highlight apartment search.

Braintree is another nice area, but it may have higher rents than BH.

 

[crjack]

Most of the towns you listed are still going to give you a pretty long commute and if you use the T the parking lots fill up very early. I would check out Milton, Braintree and Canton.

 

[JESW]

Would you consider taking the train to work? Franklin is on the route that goes right to south station.

Jill

 

[DisneyForLife]

Walpole is a nice town but can be expensive. But what isn't these days? It would be a commuters nightmare to get into Southie in the am so I would skip it.
I grew up in South Boston, it is still nice there with the ocean right down the street. Why not check out an apartment there and be very close to work. It is mostly two and three family houses there so there are a lot of apartments for rent. Quite a few have been turned into condos also if you are interested in buying. It is close to downtown boston also if your looking for a night life. Of course you would have to want to live in a city. I know a few people who still live there and they feel safe there.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[liamsaunt]

Walpole is probably too far to have a reasonable commute, if you want that area look at Dedham, Norwood, or getting closer, West Roxbury or Roslindale instead.

Are you planning on driving or using public transportation? Have you looked at Quincy? It's quite close, esp. for getting into Southie. I assume you know traffic is going to be really bad no matter what town you choose.

 

[yearbook50]

The reason I wasn't looking in Boston/South Boston is because of my fiance. He knows he is going to have to transfer stores (he works in retail) and that means he will go to the store in Mansfield, Taunton or Wareham. So I'm trying to make it fair to him too, but we won't know where he is going until we get closer to moving out of Worcester.

I wouldn't mind using public transportation sometimes, but I like having the freedom of my own vehicle. My employer has free parking on employees so that is why I don't mind driving. I know I'm looking at a commute. My hours will more than likely be either 6:00 to 2:30/3 or 7:00 to 3:30/4 so I miss some of the major traffic luckily.

 

[miss missy]

Hate to pop your balloon but I lived in Brockton right near Holbrook. Wonderful neighbors and no crime. Every town has problems and I hate seeing Brockton always getting a bum rap even though I'm now 1200 miles away.

Holbrook has it's own woes. Sky high taxes, water bills through the roof and the pay as you throw trash bags. Last I heard they were $3 a bag? That's something I DON'T miss in Florida.

Oh and let's not forget the almost weekly bomb threats at the high school with its accreditation on probation.

I use to live in Holbrook and still have friends up there. Some of the stories they tell me would make your hair stand on end!

The trash thing hit my rural town too, but not per bag. I don't know if you can avoid that. Its all a matter of oppinion. Holbrook schools do not have a good rep, lots of schools are not doing well these days. With no kids, the OP has more options. I can only speak on what I know about. If she wants closer to Southie, it kind of is what it is for choices.

Quincy has problems too, they all do you just need to pick what ones are ok with you, ya know.

 

[Jillpie]

I will tell you the towns to definitely avoid right now...Brockton (never have a day without reading in the paper of a shooting), Taunton, Bridgewater (town in a financial crisis right now) and Randolph.
We live 30 minutes south of Boston, and love it. My DH takes the T into Boston every morning, and it takes only 35 minutes of sheer relaxation, he loves it.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Holbrook (we sold some property there, and know a great real estate agent), I also liked Randolph, and Braintree!! All nice communities. (Also they have friendlys restaurants!!)

 

[aprincessmom]

The reason I wasn't looking in Boston/South Boston is because of my fiance. He knows he is going to have to transfer stores (he works in retail) and that means he will go to the store in Mansfield, Taunton or Wareham. So I'm trying to make it fair to him too, but we won't know where he is going until we get closer to moving out of Worcester.

If you think he will be in the Mansfield/Taunton/Wareham area why not look in Mansfield? The commuter rail there has many express trains into South Station that take less than 30 minutes to get there from Mansfield. It might be a good alternative. Especially if he may be going to Wareham...that might be a bit of a haul from the towns you are talking about.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

I am from Westport and Dartmouth, MA. There are alot of nice areas. My sister is in Assonet.

 

[lemondog]

Don't know if you have considered this area but my inlaws are in Norwood (DH grew up there) and it seems to be nice. It borders Westwood on one side, and I think it's near Dedham too. The nearest malls are South Shore Plaza in one direction, and Chestnut Hill in another. At least, that's where I usually shop when up there, lol. It's about 20 mins. into town on the T. Not sure about the taxes/costs, though. Everything up there is expensive compared to down here!

 

[burberryplaid]

I live in Quincy, which I think is a great city. (Just avoid Germantown) They offer a lot of progams in the city. We don't have a problem with trash (yet) and I honestly feel perfectly safe here. However, based on what you said about your fiance, it may not be convenient for him.

My friend lives in Foxboro, and that sounds like it might be a good choice for you. (It's not far from Taunton and Mansfield)

Braintree is nice, but I think it's a bit hard to find an apartment there, a lot of condos are going in there though.