Anyone commute from Leominster to Boston? (Worcester, Cambridge: house, neighborhood, property taxes)

[Bellachick12]

My fiancé and I are looking to commit to a home purchase, and narrowing down towns that will work for our situation has been daunting. He owns his own business based out of Worcester and I work in Charlestown which is a neighborhood above the financial district and North End. We are not changing ours jobs as we both make good money and wouldn't be as fortunate as we are in other locations. We have needed to find something in the middle understanding I will bear the brunt of suffering with a commute. We are looking in Framingham, Northborough, Westborough, and Marlborough. We are looking to stay around 400K as this will be our first home together and we do not have children, yet. We are seeing some very nice 5-7 yr homes, but at that price what we can get in Leominster is on an entirely different level. I do not have to be in my office from 9-5 and can alter my hours to begin my day at 8 or 10 and end at 4 or 6-7. When timing the commute for route 2 to Leominster vs the pike to the other above towns using Google maps during the times I would actually be commuting the time is the same, and sometimes 5-15 minutes less to Leominster. Mileage doesn't concern me as much as the time I'll be sitting in my vehicle which appears to be at an hour at those times. My fiancé and family's concern is that route 2 is unsafe compared to the pike and that even though I've been tracking the commute with traffic include d for a couple months now, it might not be accurate. Clearly if it snows badly I will not be having to drive into work . I'm trying to get confirmation or opinions regarding this commute from someone who actually does it. My struggle since I've actually done the commute from my office to the other towns is getting from Charlestown to the pike/95 intersection where rt 2 is much easier to get to. Is the difference in "bang for your buck" worth the commute to Leominster? Is the commute on route 2 worse than I'm thinking?

[stevo75]

That's a terrible commute to Charlestown. If you commute at 8 it's still pretty bad. With no traffic maybe an hour. With regular traffic 90 minutes each way on good days. It has taken me up to 2:30 hours if there's accidents.

Route 2 can be a nightmare (especially once you hit concord). Solar glare seems to be the cause for most of it because you drive in and out when the sun is in front of you.

I use to work in the field and Charlestown was one of the areas I would work at frequently.

But if you alter for 10 it would be around that hour mark. Good luck

I can't tell you if Rt 2 is more unsafe than the Pike though.

[kingeorge]

Do not do it. Your commute will be no picnic even from town closer in. Bigger house is not worth it. Also, Leominster is cheaper for a good reason.

Good luck.

[gf2020]

A smaller, older house in a place like Framingham would be a better choice.

[sal1181]

Framingham, Natick, Maynard would be a better choice. Off course the house will be smaller but I would be a smaller home in a better location than a larger home in a not so desirable neighborhood

[FCMA]

Concord has become a commute nightmare over the last 15 years or so, with the rotary and barrage of traffic lights on Route 2, plus the effect of people being pushed to populate the outer fringes of the Metro area due to the housing bubble. I wouldn't recommend the commute. If you were going to try locating in Leominster, the Fitchburg commuter rail line would be best bet for getting in rather than driving, but that's no picnic either timewise. Also yes, Route 2 is a heinous road with an identity crisis - a freeway leaving Alewife/Arlington/Cambridge, a traffic-light obstacle course culminating at an outmoded rotary through Concord where you think you're free but nope you have two more traffic lights, then almost a real highway out to Leominster but with the shortest on-ramps known to man, then culminating at Leominster/Fitchburg with bogus 90-degree right-hand turns off the divided highway in between exits (Abbott Ave, Mt Elam Road, Oak Hill Rd). Plus solar glare at commute hours. It's a wonderful example of how bureaucracy (state-level) and NIMBYism (Concord and Lincoln's refusal to permit a real highway disrupt their faux-rural Mayberrys) can work together to inconvenience the most possible people.

[traffic_lover]

Originally Posted by FCMA

Concord has become a commute nightmare over the last 15 years or so, with the rotary and barrage of traffic lights on Route 2, plus the effect of people being pushed to populate the outer fringes of the Metro area due to the housing bubble. I wouldn't recommend the commute. If you were going to try locating in Leominster, the Fitchburg commuter rail line would be best bet for getting in rather than driving, but that's no picnic either timewise. Also yes, Route 2 is a heinous road with an identity crisis - a freeway leaving Alewife/Arlington/Cambridge, a traffic-light obstacle course culminating at an outmoded rotary through Concord where you think you're free but nope you have two more traffic lights, then almost a real highway out to Leominster but with the shortest on-ramps known to man, then culminating at Leominster/Fitchburg with bogus 90-degree right-hand turns off the divided highway in between exits (Abbott Ave, Mt Elam Road, Oak Hill Rd). Plus solar glare at commute hours. It's a wonderful example of how bureaucracy (state-level) and NIMBYism (Concord and Lincoln's refusal to permit a real highway disrupt their faux-rural Mayberrys) can work together to inconvenience the most possible people.

TREMENDOUS POST. Cheerio

[SupportiveBlab]

Have you considered Shirley Ma? It is on the train line and it stops in North Station (then 1/2 mile to Charlestown). Bring a book and relax. There are relatively low property taxes, clean air, friendly people. we bought a 3 family there and will be selling it soon-it pays for itself. We don't regret our move here.

[NYPatsFan]

I live in Leominster, just two miles north of the Commuter line. Leominster housing is affordable and you can get a new, modern house for a good price. Right now I work in Bedford and a lot of what has been said about route 2 is true. However, if you can take the Commuter line into Boston Leominster can work very well for you.

[Peabody99]

I think in a few years you would regret the decision, I suggest Framingham