I live out in Walpole and work in Back Bay. As others mentioned, driving takes an hour to an hour and 15 most days, but the commuter line gets me to the office in 40 minutes. $4k would get you a decent house out here, but the commute may be on the longer side compared to what you are looking for. That being said, I’d look at some cheaper towns close to one of the commuter lines (Dedham and Readville come to mind). That’s likely your best bet to rent a house in that price range.