Agree - these (and other similar towns like Ayer and Harvard) are great towns west of Boston. The towns themselves are pretty quiet. If you would like someplace with more happening, look into Lowell and Lawrence towards the north. (Also Haverhill and Amesbury). Worcester is a little further beyond 495, but there is a LOT going on without heading to Boston. Also the bigger cities provide a wider range of housing options - modern apartment complexes are fine, but the real New England rental experience would be the top floor of a triple decker in a neighborhood with restaurants, cafes and shopping within walking distance.

As someone else noted, distances are nothing here compared to East Texas. But there are great places here where you don't even need a car - you might pay more for housing, but you can lose the car payments, insurance and gasoline.

If you are already planning to rent at first you might want to splurge on being closer to things that interest you... Nightlife, the ocean, museums... so that you aren't isolated in a small bedroom community that rolls up its streets at night.