Falmouth-Cape Cod Mass moving soon (Boston, Waltham: rental, crime, house)

[barba1215]

I have read many posts some are not current to 2017...I understand that this covers an very expansive area.
But where can we live within our means and still provide our family a decent middle income life on the Cape on near it? I am a healthcare provider with many different Healthcare facilities to work at (Nurse). We area a family with 2 teenagers with mild form of aspergers (highly intelligent) moving to the area. Native New Englanders, presently live in WA state. We will be visiting soon, and I will be coming out first.
I ask that this forum be keep as honest and current as possible. Here are are questions.

1. Looking for a house rental under 1800 within a family orient place with diversity no gated communities, no high income areas just a nice middle income neighborhood.
2. Mid size town say under 50000. Commute under 30 minutes in the morning shifts start at 7 or 8am
3. Our son is working towards his first pilots license.
4. Our daughter loves to walk in downtowns where there are shops and towns have a true sense of community, parks to walk, swim, etc.
5. Decent shopping, variety of grocery stores
6. Fair amount of places to eat, prefer to support the local community by dining and shopping at them tho we do like a really good mall, museums, historical and of course trains
7. We are two small dogs
8. Hubby will wait to find work once we get there (Environmental Tech, Warehouse Supervisor)

Can you give input...We are open up to Plymouth-Waltham-Falmouth-Barnstable area
Thanks in advance

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by barba1215

I have read many posts some are not current to 2017...I understand that this covers an very expansive area.
But where can we live within our means and still provide our family a decent middle income life on the Cape on near it? I am a healthcare provider with many different Healthcare facilities to work at (Nurse). We area a family with 2 teenagers with mild form of aspergers (highly intelligent) moving to the area. Native New Englanders, presently live in WA state. We will be visiting soon, and I will be coming out first.
I ask that this forum be keep as honest and current as possible. Here are are questions.

1. Looking for a house rental under 1800 within a family orient place with diversity no gated communities, no high income areas just a nice middle income neighborhood.
2. Mid size town say under 50000. Commute under 30 minutes in the morning shifts start at 7 or 8am
3. Our son is working towards his first pilots license.
4. Our daughter loves to walk in downtowns where there are shops and towns have a true sense of community, parks to walk, swim, etc.
5. Decent shopping, variety of grocery stores
6. Fair amount of places to eat, prefer to support the local community by dining and shopping at them tho we do like a really good mall, museums, historical and of course trains
7. We are two small dogs
8. Hubby will wait to find work once we get there (Environmental Tech, Warehouse Supervisor)

Can you give input...We are open up to Plymouth-Waltham-Falmouth-Barnstable area
Thanks in advance

Without knowing what "within your means" IS, or where you will be working (you say you want a commute under 30); it is kind of hard to answer your question.


Waltham...are you sure you don't mean Wareham? Waltham is NW of Boston, it's nowhere near that area. Wareham would be the cheapest town around there, but is not considered desirable by most. A lot of bottom feeders have moved in over the years.

1. Looking for a house rental under 1800 within a family orient place with diversity no gated communities, no high income areas just a nice middle income neighborhood.


Gated communities are not a big thing in the area, you should be all set. The Cape is in general a wealthy area, so if you are offended by those of high means you might want to reconsider moving there in the first place. Wareham and parts of Barnstable (particularly Hyannis), will have the smallest number. You will also deal with more crime and have less of the other features you are seeking. They will have the worst schools.


2. Mid size town say under 50000. Commute under 30 minutes in the morning shifts start at 7 or 8am


Only town over 50k would be Plymouth, but it is JUST over that. It is large only due to it's large geographical area. It doesn't feel like a big city or anything.


3. Our son is working towards his first pilots license.


Plenty of local airports around, including Plymouth and Hyannis. They both have flight schools.


4. Our daughter loves to walk in downtowns where there are shops and towns have a true sense of community, parks to walk, swim, etc.


All those communities have downtowns. Some have more than one. Some are nicer than others. I wouldn't recommend Hyannis or Onset Village, although some like them. Sandwich has a very nice DT.

5. Decent shopping, variety of grocery stores


Depends on what you are looking for. Stop and Shop has a pretty good monopoly on grocery stores in the area, and it's not the greatest. Plymouth does now have a Market Basket. You also have a number of independent grocers, usually smaller and on the pricy side.


6. Fair amount of places to eat, prefer to support the local community by dining and shopping at them tho we do like a really good mall, museums, historical and of course trains


Lots of restaurants all over, then of course many smaller shops everywhere catering to tourists. The only decent sized mall is in Hyannis. For big box shopping, most is in either Plymouth or Hyannis. Walmarts are in Falmouth, Wareham and Plymouth. The area is full of history. Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II is probably the biggest attraction. There are other smaller museums scattered around as well. The whole area is full of history. There is a tourist train that runs from Hyannis to Bourne, that is scenic but I once had a bad experience there and would never ride it again.

[metalmancpa]

There is a big difference between living on the Cape or off it. That decision should be the first one. Simply put, in comparing on Cape and off Cape, limited is the word of the day for the Cape IMO.

[chicagoliz]

Is there a reason you specifically want the Cape? I'm assuming you want the water. I'm wondering if a coastal area (maybe in Maine or RI) might work better?

[gf2020]

Why are you coming to Massachusetts at all?

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by barba1215

Can you give input...We are open up to Plymouth-Waltham-Falmouth-Barnstable area

Waltham?

A nurse can get work anywhere. A warehouse supervisor, not so much. I think you're doing this backwards. You need to start by figuring out where your husband is going to be able to find work. Other than health care and K-12 public education, the vast majority of jobs on Cape Cod are service sector that don't pay much. You have to do the same balancing game everybody else does. Find the town with affordable housing and a strong school system that doesn't have a soul-crushing commute to that job.

[urbanal]

I agree with the on Cape versus off Cape decision being an important one. Having lived on the cape, I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of 65. being perfectly candid, it's a cultural dead zone where everything is more expensive and things like dining are actually not that great. It's more focused to a tourist economy and quite miserable in the winter time.

[barba1215]

Thanks everyone I dont know how to stop the posts on my question. But we have decided to go south....

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by barba1215

Thanks everyone I dont know how to stop the posts on my question. But we have decided to go south....

Where?