Newton vs. Needham? (Boston, Cambridge: real estate, rentals, condos)

[tcbb27]

I got some great replies a few weeks back when I asked about what people thought were good areas in Newton for a young family (We are hoping to move back east to the Boston area this fall) Now it seems Needham may make more sense for my husband's work commute. Can anyone give me a comparison between Newton and Needham? Pros and cons of each?

From what I can see they both have great school systems and similarly priced housing. I know that Newton is much larger than Needham and seems to have a slightly more urban feel. Does this seem right?

Please let me know the other major similarities or differences.

Thanks!

[miu]

Both Newton and Needham are great places to live. Why not just look at houses in both areas and pick the house that appeals the most to your family and your husband's work commute?

[tcbb27]

Thanks for the reply, miu. Initially, we wanted to be in a town with easy access to public transportation into Boston. That's why Newton was appealing. Now, public transportation isn't as important. So we really have the option of either Newton or Needham. We aren't buying a house yet because we don't want to commit to a mortgage until we are sure we like the area. Since we are just renting and not looking for a perfect house yet, it really is the town that matters at this point. So I'd still love to hear anyone's thoughts on the differences between these 2 towns.

[beth98]

I think you would probably be happy in either and if you are buying I would consider looking in both towns and keeping an open mind. I'll try to offer the best comparison I can.

Commute: Newton has access to 95/128, the Mass Pike, Rt. 9 and the Green line for public transit, which runs frequently but is known for being slow/having a lot of stops. Needham has access to 95/128, reasonably quick access to rt. 9 and the commuter rail for transit. The commuter rail may be easier depending on where your husband works, but isn't good for going in town on the weekends as it doesn't run frequently. Which is better for your husband's commute will depend on where he works.

Schools: Both places have good schools. Newton has two high schools compared to Needham's one and both of Newton's high schools are larger than Needham's. I believe the elementary schools and class sizes are similar. I would put Newton's schools ahead of Needham's. I think Needham's reputation is based largely on how good it used to be. Of course, this may be because I know more about Needham's school system so it's easier to find flaws with it.

Community: Newton is significantly larger and just has more going on than Needham. There are more stores, more restaurants, and more events. Though Needham has a growing restaurant scene with 10 - 12 fairly good restaurants in town, most near the center. Needham is also a semi-dry town, meaning there are no liquor/wine/beer stores or bars (unless it's in a restaurant). I would suspect there are more young families in Newton both because it's larger and because Newton has a larger amount of rentals and condos whereas Needham is mostly SFHs. Newton has the ability to live tucked away in a neighborhood that feels suburban but still have a lot nearby, whereas most places in Needham are just suburban and you won't be able to walk anywhere, but that's fine for plenty of people.

[breezy1]

The above poster gave a good summary that I'll just add a bit to. My husband and I moved to the Boston area about a year ago and are currently renting in Newton. We'll probably buy next year and have narrowed it down to Newton or Needam. My preference would be to stay in Newton for everything that it offers (nicely detailed in the note above). I mainly prefer the proximity of Newton to just about everything. We both have easy commutes from there to our jobs - Cambridge and Boston. I would prefer not to deal with any commuting on Rt 128/95 if possible, which we would have to do with Needam. (Even going short distances can be bogged down in prime hours.) However, housing in Newton is very expensive and often in need of significant upgrading. So we'll probably expand our search into Needam if we can't find what we want in our price range in Newton.

[tcbb27]

Thanks to everyone for these great replies! My gut says that Newton might still be the place for us. But we're heading there next week and will get a better feel for both places.

breezy1, did you use a broker to find your rental in Newton? Or did you just call management companies directly?

Thanks again!

[MikePRU]

I lived in Newton for about 10 years and now I've lived in Needham for the last 4-5 years. I also work as a real estate agent so I know both places quite well.

As several people have already pointed out, Needham is much smaller than Newton. Newton is a city and Needham is a town. This naturally results in a few differences in Needham vs Newton:

-slightly fewer public transportation choices
-fewer/smaller schools
-fewer restaurants & stores

Having lived both places, I can honestly say I have a strong preference for Needham. I just found Newton to be big, impersonal, and congested. Newton can also be significantly more expensive as well. Needham on the other hand has a little feel of small town america. There's a very lovely although not huge town center with many wonderful restaurants and shops. Also, an overwhelming sense of community. Neighborhoods often have block parties during the summer and some even have their own email newsletters. I know plenty of people love Newton, but for me I prefer the more friendly feel of Needham.

[LMFAO_girl]

Pick Needham cause its my last name. no seriously my last name REALLY IS Needham :P

[aa0406]

Needham's schools are far worse than Newton's. I am curious why everyone is praising Needham schools when their ranking is so low.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by aa0406

Needham's schools are far worse than Newton's. I am curious why everyone is praising Needham schools when their ranking is so low.

Far worse as in Boston Magazine ranks them much lower? I don't trust anything Boston Magazine writes. Look a little closer at the metrics Boston Magazine uses and you'll find in the important categories (i.e. categories other than number of sports teams in town) and you'll find the two school systems are actually pretty comparable.