Pros and Cons of Massachusetts (Boston, Worcester: real estate, house, job market)

[Jimrob1]

Pros: Definitely 4 distinct seasons for those that prefer them. Ocean, mountains, cities and scenic beauty all within easy reach. Great seafood and locally owned restaurants not just chains. Quaint towns and villages all over the state. Less sales taxes on goods and services than much of the rest of the country.

Cons: The drivers and road disrepair here are beyond horrible. There obviously is something in the general culture, or personality of people here that contributes to the poor driving here. People can seem more abrupt to the point of rudeness here at times. The area though as far as I'm concerned beats many other areas of America. The area just doesn't warrant the outrageous COL here, especially an hour out of Boston. I no longer think the Health Care is as great as it use to be here. It can be a real pain to find a doctor or get a timely appt, especially if one has to find another doctor. I've never seen that fact as bad here as it is now. The excise tax on cars needs to go. Never really understood. Just what is the state really doing with all that money all these years. The have and have nots and class divide show up so much more in a small state.

[mmyk72]

Agree roads are full of potholes, though I've noticed some improvement in the last year or 2. I hate driving in the winter when the road slush disguises where those potholes are. I killed my rim in one of those.

The street signage is extremely poor. It's as if someone wanted to cut cost by omitting street signs. You can never tell what street you are on. I think that's 1 reason there are so many 'bad' or rude drivers. People are lost all the time and when they figure out they should make a turn, they just do it regardless if another car is right next to or behind them.

I agree about the ridiculous excise tax. Why would a newer car be taxed more- it's not like it puts more burden on the roadways than an older car. They should just make the registration fee inclusive of this tax and have everyone pay the same (assuming the revenue legitimately goes toward the transportation system). I personally pay very little excise tax since my car is really old, but that's exactly the reason I resist buying a new car.

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by macalan

Pro:

As above, and:

Some of the best health care in the world
Good shopping
Pensions and SS are not taxed
Lots of culture

Cons:

RE Prices in a lot of places are out of sight
High Taxes
High crime in some parts of the state
Boston can be a bit parochial compared to other cities around the country

Groceries (aka food) is not taxed at all, nor is clothing up to a certain amount.

If I ever get seriously ill, off to Boston I go.

The world doesn't revolve around Boston, there IS life left of Worcester, and it's nice out here. The housing prices are high but nowhere near as high as east of Worcester. The Five College area of Western Mass is generally educated, environmentally aware, and into arts and culture. It's also roomier and more beautiful (not necessarily all sticks).

[western mass and love it]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

Groceries (aka food) is not taxed at all, nor is clothing up to a certain amount.

If I ever get seriously ill, off to Boston I go.

The world doesn't revolve around Boston, there IS life left of Worcester, and it's nice out here. The housing prices are high but nowhere near as high as east of Worcester. The Five College area of Western Mass is generally educated, environmentally aware, and into arts and culture. It's also roomier and more beautiful (not necessarily all sticks).

Most of Eastern Mass has no idea that Western Mass exists. Even my own parents think I live 2 days away(they live in Brookline, I live in West Springfield). I would say that 80% of Hampden county is urban with the other 20 suburban to rural.

Hampshire county is semi urban around Northampton/Amherst but gets pretty quite and rural fast.

Franklin county is kind of rundown depressing outside of the CT river valley.

The Berkshires are the Berkshires. Believe it or not a lot of people in the Pioneer Valley(Springfield area for you Eastern Mass people) treat the Berkshires like people in Eastern Mass treat Western Mass. We know it's there but it just seems so far away so not many people venture out that way.(just in my experience not saying that is true for everyone)

Funny story about the perception of some long time Eastern Mass residents. My sister in law had a baby 2 years ago at Baystate Hospital in Springfield. Her MIL from Easton kept going on and on about how amazed she was that Western Mass had a hospital this modern and up to date. Then asked dead serious if this was the hospital that everyone out here used and that is why it was so nice. She did not believe that Springfield had 2 others and that no this isn't the one that "everyone" out here used.

[TAM88]

The fact that some people think there is pretty much nothing west of Worcester besides UMass Amherst and the Basketball Hall of Fame is hardly unique to Massachusetts.

Look at New York, Washington and Oregon as other examples.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by kmanloup

The Bay state is always interesting to me especially with so much history. I would like to know what are the pros and cons of living in such a state. What are your thoughts?

Not always, but in the right towns, people are a lot less impressed by your money than by your intelligence and character. Highly educated, thoughtful people are prized in many, if not most, parts of the Commonwealth. What you can do for others is also more prized than how much you make - but again, there are plenty of exceptions. Especially with people who move in from out of state and who don't understand this value system.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by GreenGene

From Tax Tips for Seniors and Retirees, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Revenue - see: http://www.mass.gov/dor/docs/dor/taxtips/seniors12.pdf

Social Security payments received, as well as Veterans Administration disability compensation, are not taxable in Massachusetts.

and

Income from most private pensions or annuity plans is taxable in Massachusetts. However, the following is a list of some specific pensions that are exempt:

Pension income received from a contributory annuity, pension, endowment or retirement fund of the U.S. Government or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its political subdivisions.

Pensions from other states or their political subdivisions that do not tax such income from Massachusetts or its political subdivisions may be eligible to be deducted from Massachusetts taxable income.

Massachusetts was on our short list of states we were looking at when we retired, and one of the reasons was that Massachusetts doesn't tax federal pensions. Both my wife and I are federal retirees.

Very interesting.

[FCMA]

One time a lady from Boston said to me, in a sincere attempt to talk about where I live (Orange), "so you live out by Concord and the Quabbin Reservoir?" First time I have heard those mentioned in the same sentence.

I kept it to myself and said Yes, yes I do.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by cb2008

Is taxes in MA really that high? Compared to where? NJ, NY, CA all have higher taxes. The all tax clothes and shoes. In CA public school are good only in the most affluent areas. That is not true in MA.
I like living in a liberal and intellectual state, so that is not a con for me.
Drivers are rude yes. People are colder and a bit smug about Boston.

For the life of me, I can't even conceive of why people end up saying that Massachusetts people (natives) are cold, abrupt, etc. I lived as an adult in Massachusetts for 25 years and my parents grew up there. I went to college and grad school there, too. Cold? You have to be kidding me. I never experienced this.

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by FCMA

One time a lady from Boston said to me, in a sincere attempt to talk about where I live (Orange), "so you live out by Concord and the Quabbin Reservoir?" First time I have heard those mentioned in the same sentence.

I kept it to myself and said Yes, yes I do.

I had a similar experience when I told someone in Boston I lived in Acton, they thought Acton was Athol.