Safe, fun, family-friendly towns near North Attleboro?

Submitted by InfiniteDay6607 t3_11f3x2n in massachusetts

Hi all! My fiance and I currently live in a small 2-bedroom in Boston but want to have a kid or 2 in the next couple years so are looking to size up and move to the 'burbs. Problem is, we have to stay close to his job in North Attleboro, which limits our range a bit. Any suggestions for safe, walkable towns in MA that are good for young families, have a somewhat lively downtown area, tight-knit community, and are within a 45-50 minute drive of North Attleboro?

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particular-potatoe t1_jahjmx5 wrote

Why not North Attleboro? I grew up in Attleboro and both cities are decent places to live. Just a bit boring. They are about 20 minutes to Providence, which is very lively, and about an hour to Boston.

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InfiniteDay6607 OP t1_jahnr5l wrote

Thanks! We're trying to avoid boring if possible :)

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particular-potatoe t1_jahs1eo wrote

Most of the area within that drive is similarly as boring. If you are amenable to leaving MA, Providence is really a great little city. I find it more exciting than Boston honestly.

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JSchecter11 t1_jaigupq wrote

If you think North Attleboro is boring, you're not going to want any of the surrounding towns. Look at Providence.

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PurpleTurle711 t1_jahr3jl wrote

Attleboro is everything you’re looking for. It’s a quick trip into Providence if you want big time night life. Otherwise, the downtown area has had a really solid facelift in the last 5 years. It’s also fairly affordable. You aren’t going to get much better unless you move right outside Boston, or to Fall River or New Bedford.

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[deleted] t1_jahz5g1 wrote

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rammallamadingdongs t1_jaifn9e wrote

What's wrong with Fall River and New Bedford. I have lived in New Bedford for over 25 years and I love my neighborhood.

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[deleted] t1_jaigwkt wrote

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rammallamadingdongs t1_jaikb6q wrote

People generalize Fall River and New Bedford because they are cities with more affordable housing. I think people just like to look down on poor people.

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ConceptualEconomist t1_jb2abh9 wrote

100%. I’m by no means poor but man, every time I told someone I live in New Bedford, they immediately oh shocked or gasp and say something along the lines of “I’d never live there because x y z”. So annoying 🙄

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rammallamadingdongs t1_jb5913v wrote

I feel you, I get the same thing. I work in Wareham for UMass and most of my coworkers live on the cape. I have to defend New Bedford on the weekly from their shit attitudes about it.

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ConceptualEconomist t1_jb5ai6z wrote

Don’t even get me started on people from the cape lol, anything over the bridge for them is a downgrade 😒 Wareham and Plymouth are probably the furthest they’ll go without being snobby about it. That’s just a generalization, but definitely one kind of rooted in reality lol

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Quincyperson t1_jaide97 wrote

And what makes you think any of the other surrounding towns will be any more lively?

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EtonRd t1_jahouwe wrote

All family friendly suburbs are inherently boring, if you are coming from Boston. I don’t know if you have an unlimited budget but it’s always best to start from budget. The options for towns change if your budget is $500k or $700k. Norton has a nice little downtown area and good schools. Not sure about the housing prices. Medfield as well.

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sodabubbles1281 t1_jaifilh wrote

Heard good things about Mansfield, Easton, Sharon. Walpole probably fits but likely highest $$$. Also maybe Norfolk

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mynameisnoteliza t1_jaikuk9 wrote

It’s all suburbs around that area really unless you want to consider Providence. Sounds like you’re looking for livelier than a suburb. But Easton, Plainville, Sharon, Mansfield, Foxboro all have tight knit communities with cute little main streets. I think maybe Mansfield and Foxboro would be the liveliest.

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JasJoeGo t1_jaifbqr wrote

In projects, you can have two of the three: cheap, quick, or high-quality. Any two but not all three. I fear in Massachusetts you can have two of safe, cheap, and fun, but not all three. I wish it weren’t the case.

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Unique-Public-8594 t1_jahts4f wrote

I would lean towards a town with a beach and swimming. Foxboro?

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Icy-Neck-2422 t1_jajua2r wrote

If you want to be in that area you'd be sacrificing safety for excitement. North Attleboro is perfectly safe. Pawtucket, Fall River, New Befah, Woonsocket are arguably more exciting but not as safe.

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bobmcrobber t1_jakbt32 wrote

I hear gunshots coming from woonsocket a few times every week from South Bellingham

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Just_Assignment9246 t1_jako9ga wrote

I don’t if unsafe means exciting. A lot of the small cities you mentioned are not that exciting. If he is looking for excitement maybe a place that has naturally beauty yet still stuff to do or has decent public transit to Boston yet is still in a pretty area.

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Just_Assignment9246 t1_jakut5e wrote

I’d look at rush hour times but I was doing a little digging within 50 mins of N Attleboro during non-rush hour is a huge area. If it was me and I had over 1 mil to budget I’d consider a number of places, first if I was still trying to be sort close to the city then: Arlington (I’m in Arlington now), Cambridge, Belmont, Brookline, Newton, Lexington, Wayland, Brighton, Hingham, Brookline, Bedford, Weston, Cochituate, Westwood, Milton, and Shrewsbury, Westborough, and Sharon (no specific order). I’d map out all those during rush that would can eliminate some of them right out the bat if your looking to be near the city. If doable, I think Milton and Hingham have the most pristine beauty out of those spots and it’s not too much pain in the ass to get into the city.
If you are sick of Boston, and had your fill then maybe it’s time to look into Rhode Island. If you’re looking for safety but a place that is not too boring with good schools maybe Barrington, Bristol, Kingston, Tiverton/Portsmouth, East Greenwich, Jamestown, Narragansett, Newport (not great schools), Middletown, Portsmouth or Tiverton. Honestly N Attleboro is a fairly nice, nothing remarkable but it has some charm. You could get into MTB there are some pretty good trails nearby there. If it was me and I wasn’t glued to my job I’d go for Middletown/Bristol area as I love to surf and I love the beach and it’s really pretty there with decent nightlife and pretty safe with better schools than Newport and closer to your job but easily accessible to Newport. Hope this helps narrow your search down a little bit

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