Can you tell me about the following towns? (Boston, Worcester: middle-class, transplants)

[Puggle_power]

My husband and I are researching for a possible move to Ma in a couple years. We are looking into RI, MA, and NH. We have a few towns in Ma that we would like some info on if you all could help..

My husband is in law enforcement and I will be in medical. Safety obviously is a must as well as decent schools as we will have a preschooler. We don't mind snow but don't want TOO far western Mass. We're okay mid Mass. We plan to rent and eventually buy if happy where we are. We'd be first time homebuyers but will prefer a condo/townhouse as our budget will be $200,000 maybe a touch more. We'd like to have a hospital close by, defintely shopping (Target, Walmart, foodstore) etc. in town. Decent access to a T station would be a plus but wouldn't make us overlook a town if it didn't have one. We don't like the isolated feeling of a very small town .We're in our late 20's.

So with all that being said can you tell me about.

Attleboro
Franklin
Danvers
Marlborough

Thank you!

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Puggle_power

My husband and I are researching for a possible move to Ma in a couple years. We are looking into RI, MA, and NH. We have a few towns in Ma that we would like some info on if you all could help..

My husband is in law enforcement and I will be in medical. Safety obviously is a must as well as decent schools as we will have a preschooler. We don't mind snow but don't want TOO far western Mass. We're okay mid Mass. We plan to rent and eventually buy if happy where we are. We'd be first time homebuyers but will prefer a condo/townhouse as our budget will be $200,000 maybe a touch more. We'd like to have a hospital close by, defintely shopping (Target, Walmart, foodstore) etc. in town. Decent access to a T station would be a plus but wouldn't make us overlook a town if it didn't have one. We don't like the isolated feeling of a very small town .We're in our late 20's.

So with all that being said can you tell me about.

Attleboro

Mostly safe except for some areas near downtown, even there nothing like a large city. Schools can be hit or miss. Shopping, plenty. 2 commuter rail stations. Local hospital (Sturdy). Out of the 4 towns probably the most for your money.

Franklin

Very clean, safe and affluent. Very good schools. Walmart next door in Bellingham, Target a 10 minute drive to either Milford or Plainville. Large outlet mall in nearby Wrentham. Several other stores right in town. Closest hospital in Milford. 2 commuter rail stops.

Danvers

Know the least about but that it is affluent, lots of shopping. My guess is schools are very good. Never heard of any unsafe areas. Has at least 1 commuter rail stop.

Marlborough

Generally safe, some more marginal areas near downtown but I wouldn't really call them unsafe. Has Target and a mall. Walmart right over the line in Hudson. Has local hospital (Marlborough Hospital). Commuter rail in neighboring Southboro. Schools middle of the pack.

Thank you!

All places you should find something in your range. All are good sized towns and certainly not isolated. Danvers and Franklin are mostly all suburban while Attleboro and Marlborough are a mix of suburban/urban with more diversity. It all depends on exactly what you are looking for. Any more questions feel free to ask.

[goyguy]

Danvers is more middle-class than "affluent" IMHO, despite what the presence of the Danversport Yacht Club would imply. There's also no commuter rail station within its boundaries - the closest would be in adjoining Beverly.
Speaking of which - Beverly would be another place worth considering. Folks from a wide range of income levels call it home. Nearby Peabody might also work well. It's at the crossroads of 128/I-95 and Route 1, a shopping "hub" for the area along with Danvers next door and Saugus "down the road a piece." Slightly north of these communities is Ipswich, also with an overstated reputation for affluence but in reality pretty easily affordable. Its "crown jewels" are the Crane's Beach nature preserve and Appleton Farm. There's a train station at the center of town, as well as bus service on summer weekends.
Marlborough, along with what's already been mentioned, is home to the Solomon Pond Mall on the Hudson line. Like all malls, you can while away an afternoon there between shopping and taking in a movie and grabbing a food-court snack. I have friends in Marlborough who fled the high property taxes closer in to Boston and love their big house in a '90s subdivision, where they can live in tranquility yet be "close to everything." Grown children meant no concerns about the schools, but the public system is respectable enough although not top tier. Hudson and Maynard boast a similar mix of housing styles but are more exclusively blue-collar to middle-class while offering somewhat more of a small-town feel.
I'm less familiar with the towns closer to Rhode Island, but have a hunch that Norton, Middleborough (which has a commuter-rail terminal), Wrentham, Mansfield or Norfolk might be a good fit. Franklin to me has too much sprawl going on.
OP, let us know where you're located now. I and many other C-D'ers are transplants, or have lived elsewhere, so could help out even more by drawing comparisons.

[AandD]

I second the vote for Wrentham. Hindsight being what it is, I wish I had considered Wrentham more closely before settling in Sharon. Great schools, close to shopping, low crime, and more rentals, and more affordable homes.

Originally Posted by goyguy

Danvers is more middle-class than "affluent" IMHO, despite what the presence of the Danversport Yacht Club would imply. There's also no commuter rail station within its boundaries - the closest would be in adjoining Beverly.
Speaking of which - Beverly would be another place worth considering. Folks from a wide range of income levels call it home. Nearby Peabody might also work well. It's at the crossroads of 128/I-95 and Route 1, a shopping "hub" for the area along with Danvers next door and Saugus "down the road a piece." Slightly north of these communities is Ipswich, also with an overstated reputation for affluence but in reality pretty easily affordable. Its "crown jewels" are the Crane's Beach nature preserve and Appleton Farm. There's a train station at the center of town, as well as bus service on summer weekends.
Marlborough, along with what's already been mentioned, is home to the Solomon Pond Mall on the Hudson line. Like all malls, you can while away an afternoon there between shopping and taking in a movie and grabbing a food-court snack. I have friends in Marlborough who fled the high property taxes closer in to Boston and love their big house in a '90s subdivision, where they can live in tranquility yet be "close to everything." Grown children meant no concerns about the schools, but the public system is respectable enough although not top tier. Hudson and Maynard boast a similar mix of housing styles but are more exclusively blue-collar to middle-class while offering somewhat more of a small-town feel.
I'm less familiar with the towns closer to Rhode Island, but have a hunch that Norton, Middleborough (which has a commuter-rail terminal), Wrentham, Mansfield or Norfolk might be a good fit. Franklin to me has too much sprawl going on.
OP, let us know where you're located now. I and many other C-D'ers are transplants, or have lived elsewhere, so could help out even more by drawing comparisons.

[brightdoglover]

If working in "medical" and open to mid-Mass, commuting distance to Worcester would make sense. The discussion about nice towns north of Danvers are accurate, but I'm not sure about work, and no way would one commute from North Shore to mid-Mass at all.
Where is the work? Does your law enforcement husband have an offer in hand?
Best wishes on your move.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by goyguy

Danvers is more middle-class than "affluent" There's also no commuter rail station within its boundaries - the closest would be in adjoining Beverly.

Oops, that's correct Danvers has no MBTA stop. I was thinking of Beverly. I meant "affluent" meaning solid middle to upper-middle class, as opposed to places like Peabody, Salem and Beverly which all have a sizable blue-collar presence alongside the middle class. Is Danvers exclusive like Hamilton/Wenham definitely not.

Originally Posted by goyguy

I'm less familiar with the towns closer to Rhode Island, but have a hunch that Norton, Middleborough (which has a commuter-rail terminal), Wrentham, Mansfield or Norfolk might be a good fit. Franklin to me has too much sprawl going on.

Sounds to me like these towns (maybe not Mansfield) might be too quiet/rural for the OP. You would have to drive for most things beyond basic necessities. Wrentham and Norfolk probably have little in the OP's price range as well.

[gf2020]

I don't think you can buy a decent house in any of those towns for $200,000. Maybe you can find a condo, even that may be a stretch. How did you come up with those towns?

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by gf2020

I don't think you can buy a decent house in any of those towns for $200,000. Maybe you can find a condo, even that may be a stretch. How did you come up with those towns?

That's what she said she is looking for, there should be plenty available in that range in those towns.

[gf2020]

Originally Posted by massnative71

That's what she said she is looking for, there should be plenty available in that range in those towns.

Oops, missed that line. I still think $200K is a tough price point, even for a condo.

[AandD]

Originally Posted by gf2020

Oops, missed that line. I still think $200K is a tough price point, even for a condo.

I've been looking around recently, just out of couriosity. I'm in the 200-270 price range as well. I was shocked, but there are condos/townhomes and even a few homes requiring a bit of sweat equity available in that price range right now. The lower end of the market has dropped quite a bit.