Which town would you say is the best choice to live in for newly married couple?

Submitted by Cbos15111 t3_116tni3 in massachusetts

  • Newly married ~35 y/o’s
  • Looking to start and raise a family
  • While enjoying quiet towns with rural (hills, farms or mountain views) vibes with well maintained properties
  • We are liberal
  • One of us is introverted looking for hiking paths, the other looking for young family community and dog parks.
  • Prefer residential eighborhoods
  • Both work from home but one may commute into Cambridge once in a while
  • 700-1m$ homes that are updated or new

We’re torn and unable to get to know all parts of these towns (as we’ve spent time driving and exploring easily 1/5 of the towns in this state that seem to meet our criteria, but still can’t know it all! Below are our top contenders this far

Thanks everyone!

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Mary55330 t1_j98lp4g wrote

If you have to commute to Cambridge once in a while would any of these actually work? South Hadley to Cambridge is almost 2 hours in moving traffic. Gosh- even from Framingham it’s impossible to get to the city (or an absolute time consuming pita driving)

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kob424 t1_j9adewq wrote

I look at it as if you are doing it once in a while like OP said, it's not a big deal. You could almost make a little trip around it where SO meets them for dinner after work. If you did it 5x a week, then sure. I would just pick better towns.

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nkdeck07 t1_j9ar51t wrote

My husband actually makes very close to that commute a couple of days of the week. Not fun but it's not horrific. If it was like one day a week or less I'd call that very doable.

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EtonRd t1_j993m0h wrote

I’m curious about people who are moving away from Boston because they have jobs that are remote. Is the expectation that when/if you have to get a new job or want to get a new job, you will only look at jobs that are remote? And is that realistic? I’m genuinely asking because I don’t know, I don’t work. Is it reasonable to rely on all future jobs you take being fully remote?

If the location truly doesn’t matter and a 2 1/2 hour drive to Cambridge on the days, the person has to be in the office is fine, then your money is going to go farthest in South Hadley. And western Mass has a lot to offer.

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nkdeck07 t1_j9aracn wrote

> Is the expectation that when/if you have to get a new job or want to get a new job, you will only look at jobs that are remote? And is that realistic?

Yep, the cat is out of the bag with the tech industry. I might need to take a small hit in pay but it's worth it long term.

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Cbos15111 OP t1_j9a0m5y wrote

Yes, my hope is to find other remote jobs and/or get out of the rat race of corporate America, particularly if we can get a cheaper house out in Western MA!

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SketchAinsworth t1_j99vf35 wrote

I’d go with Grafton, it’s 45-1hr from the city if you’re driving at off hours and there’s tons of new “cool” restaurants popping up with Worcester right around the corner for night life

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AuntGayle t1_j98fo5t wrote

Easthampton over Southampton or South Hadley. Still somewhat rural but tons of restaurants, parks, shops. Southampton is beautiful but not that liberal honestly. Easthampton is quickly becoming more liberal as people are starting to branch out from Northampton. South Hadley is fine, will have what you need. But I also feel like it’s nothing special.

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billyrayvalentine1 t1_j98lzmr wrote

Love me some Easthampton. Live there myself, and I am perfectly willing to sell OP my house for $1mm

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fadetoblack237 t1_j98sdox wrote

I'm gonna be honest. Everyone of those towns are boring as fuck with meh school systems. Also if you need to commute at all to Cambridge, these are all going to be super long drives that will make you hate yourself. Seriously. I'm talking over an hour one way.

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TheTr7nity t1_j98sysx wrote

I think Grafton is the best place on that list.

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yyzda32 t1_j98h79w wrote

I never thought I’d see G-Town mentioned on reddit

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Cbos15111 OP t1_j98ir1y wrote

Is that a bad thing ha? Do share.

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yyzda32 t1_j98wl14 wrote

Naw spent most of my life here, even after living in the Bay Area, Boston, pioneer valley. It used to be a great place for a starter home and the commuter rail is a great transit option, but it’s gotten so much more expensive in the last 4 years. There’s a lot of the town that’s finally under development. Blackstone valley shoppes and Sutton are close by, we’ve got a mass pike entrance, 146 nearby, 140, 122, and 30. Totally comfortable small town feel but we do have townies pretty active in the local politics.

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yyzda32 t1_j98wz3g wrote

Also I’ve lived in South Hadley. It’s nice and a cheaper option, but it’s in the PV and that’s a long hike to Boston where most of the job market is. Closest airport is Bradley.

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potus1001 t1_j98osrk wrote

Upton. I grew up in Upton, it is quiet and peaceful, and dare I say boring, if that’s what you’re looking for!

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SharpCookie232 t1_j98s884 wrote

Upton and Mendon are great towns to raise kids in. They are rural, but not remote - you can be in Worcester or Providence in a half hour and Boston in less than an hour (take Rt 16 to 109). They have good schools and lots of outdoorsy stuff within a short drive - Southwick Zoo, Breezy waterslides, Purgatory Chasm, and lots more. Houses are very nice, with a mix of older and newer and you will find others who commute to the city, so you can commiserate about how much of a hassle it is.

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No-Shock t1_j98imqc wrote

I would also recommend Amherst, Belchertown, and Northampton.

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Mary55330 t1_j98lvrg wrote

With an occasional commute to Cambridge?? That’s nuts

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biddily t1_j993h6h wrote

I commuted back and forth, weekly, for about 10 years.

Some of us be nuts.

My job was in Hatfield, then amherst, then Springfield. I live in Boston. I HATE western MA. I could only stand being out there a few days a week.

So I'd be in the valley mon/tue maybe wed - then back in boston the rest of the time and work remotely.

Whats even more DUMB is the first few years I didnt have a drivers license. So I took the fucking peter pan bus back and forth from amherst every single week. For YEARS.

No regrets.

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fadetoblack237 t1_j98s4s0 wrote

it's an hour and a half minimum. I can't even begin to imagine what that would be like with traffic.

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biddily t1_j994f85 wrote

I did in reverse (lived in boston/ worked in the valley) for about 10 years. Its not bad. You just sort of do it. Its kind of relaxing. Pop on a podcast or an audiobook, good music, and just drive. It becomes very rote after a while. Traffic happens in the same spots at regular times you can predict - so if you time it right you can miss it.

The problem happens when you take the bus. Don't take the bus.

Honestly - doing Hanover to Boston during rush hour was worse than the boston/springfield drive. The problem with the hanover drive is its slow bumper to bumper traffic THE WHOLE WAY. It made me want to kill myself. And it took an hour+. With the springfield drive, once it opens up, you just fly. 80/90 bada bing badda boom.

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nkdeck07 t1_j9arldt wrote

My husband does close to the Belchertown to Cambridge commute a few times a week and it really isn't that bad. If it dropped to once a week we'd be sitting pretty. Honestly commuting around Boston is such a shit show you don't actually loose that much more time, he's only getting home like 30 min later then he was when we lived in Acton and our money is going siginificantly further. The biggest thing is having a workplace that is flexible on when you arrive/leave to avoid the worst of the traffic.

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A_Man_Who_Writes t1_j9b4tx6 wrote

“Occasional.” People have different tolerance levels with driving. I don’t mind “occasionally” driving several hours, even with traffic.

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AnyRound5042 t1_j9c2i6p wrote

Idk probably San Francisco or something

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CrackityJones33 t1_j98nhlu wrote

South Hadley (top vote when responding) is great for what you are looking for. Good school district with lots of nature and hiking trails (relative to MA). The downside is when you want to travel. BDL is a tiny airport so you get very limited flights and pay through the roof and you should expect 90 to 120 minutes to get to Cambridge or even more if it’s during rush hour. Grafton may be the most well rounded option on your list.

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Spicyginger85 t1_j9aji9t wrote

Sutton is an hour from Boston. It’s quiet but easy access to Providence (45 min) and Worcester (15-20 min) property taxes in Sutton are obscene but the houses are only going up in value. School system is great. Residents are 50/50 on the political scale. Trump only lost the town by one vote but you don’t see it on the lawns like you do in grafton or Upton. Grafton, Sutton, & Upton are going to give you basically the same living experience IMO as some one who grew up and currently lives in the area again after 20 years in Boston.

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bobjob_ t1_j9apqmb wrote

As someone who grew up in south Hadley, lived in upton after college, I’d say south Hadley was a little better. I didn’t really care for upton and found it boring. But that’s my preference

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Dizzy_De_De t1_j98lf3z wrote

West of 495 is much more politically conservative until you hit the Berkshires, which is a long commute to Cambridge.

Have you excluded North of Boston communities like Wenham, South Hamilton, & West Newbury?

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Dilly_Carrot t1_j9a5zgl wrote

I feel like there are spots of less conservative towns like Amherst, south hadley, Northampton, and Easthampton as well before you hit the Berkshires.

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Dizzy_De_De t1_j9codg1 wrote

Sure, there are always exceptions. None of those communities are on their list - so have probably been excluded for other reasons - like a hellish commute or living on an island deep in a sea of red.

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TheTr7nity t1_j98t1ey wrote

Politically conservative but a lot more affordable

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Dizzy_De_De t1_j99ak7o wrote

They have a $1 Million dollar budget, are working in Cambridge and are self described liberals. They have the resources to choose a community based on things other than affordability.

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heklakatla t1_j9a2r69 wrote

And there is a chance they might have to start commuting to Cambridge again. OP doesn't say it but the employment pendulum could be swinging back towards employers.

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nkdeck07 t1_j9arshb wrote

>West of 495 is much more politically conservative until you hit the Berkshire

Someone should tell Northhampton/Amherst etc. It's LGBT mecca. I'm a stay a home mom and meet more lesbian couples out here than I did in Boston.

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Training_Sail_5996 t1_j98rhvb wrote

Longmeadow, East Longmeadow or Wilbraham. For ease of getting onto the highway and pike I'd say Longmeadow. Great school system. Not sure to Cambridge but I can go from my house to Fenway Park/Ipswich St. In 90 minutes without traffic.

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EtonRd t1_j992dt6 wrote

It’s not easy to get on the pike from Longmeadow.

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SpyCats t1_j9b8saw wrote

And Longmeadow has the highest tax rate in MA.

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chunkydrunkymonkey t1_j9agpv8 wrote

I think a combination of access to the pike and new or redone houses in their price range probably knock these communities out.

All of what you said about Longmeadow is true but the houses are mostly on the older side since the town was built out by the 1970s. Getting an updated or new house in that price range might be difficult.

East Longmeadow and Wilbraham have newer houses but highway access can be difficult. They are also less walkable compared to Longmeadow but have more of the farm feel. That being said, they are also more politically conservative.

Based on the experience of family members OP’s age, I think Grafton is probably their best bet.

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nkdeck07 t1_j9as8dz wrote

Ehhhh Wilbraham has a lot of "Well I went to high school here and am still here in my 30's" vibe. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice area but as someone starting a family around here I feel like a kind of permanent outsider in a way that I don't in the towns further north.

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chancimus33 t1_j98rq2k wrote

Nah kid you want Brockton, Taunton, or Swampscott.

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goodforpinky t1_j99027g wrote

I would not do south Hadley I can’t speak to the others because I’m not there often. If I were you guys I would do a day trip to each of these places and explore the towns.

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Foxcecil t1_j999kqt wrote

Better than South Hadley, get a house in Fairview Chicopee for half the price and half the heating/electricity costs and school choice your kid into South Hadley schools.

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Dialaninja t1_j99cv8i wrote

How about somewhere in the acton/boxborough area, or Harvard/littleton? Closer to cambridge than the other suggestions.

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p53lifraumeni t1_j9avxxu wrote

Amherst, NoHo, and Easthampton are pretty sick too. Your budget is just fine in these locations, and there’s tons to do out there.

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poppinfresco t1_j9bbevd wrote

I just want to know how South Hadley made the list? If you want boondocks Western MA next to UM ASS (my beloved alma mater) regular Hadley is kinda much better. Though I live in neither and am quite happy. Amherst is nice but too expensive, Hadley is right next door. Little more farmy but less trashy the S Hadley, especially the falls. Yeesh

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Cbos15111 OP t1_j9bx6sc wrote

So staying along the river in South Hadley only, has beautiful views and homes. Agreed that other parts aren’t the same.

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ballerinablonde4 t1_j9bclyo wrote

If you have a million dollar budget I’d def look at Shrewsbury or Westborough over Grafton and Upton. Wicked nice towns and the school systems are way better, but also pretty close to the pike.

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Icy-Neck-2422 t1_j98evz8 wrote

I’d add Chicopee and Holyoke to the list.

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EtonRd t1_j992c9v wrote

Well, now you’re just being silly.

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