North-central Massachusetts

June 21, 2007 7:43 AM

May be relocating to north-central Massachusetts. Areas to avoid?

Looks like our on-again off-again flirtation with moving to Mass. may be on again, and may require a pack-and-move-immediately strategy. I'm looking at central Mass. this time, specifically the towns bordering the Worcester/Middlesex county border (picture a circle centered in Marlborough and outward for a radius of maybe 20 miles). We have two teenagers at home, (boy, 16 and girl 14). Would like to stay under $300K for a house with a little bit of land (acreage would be nice but not necessary).

Suggestions? Warnings?

posted by mr_crash_davis to home & garden (19 comments total)

We've done some searching on some MLS sites, and we kind of like the Boylston/West Boylston/Holden area, and the home prices are near enough to what we can afford. Last time we were looking at Fitchburg but I think we've decided against that.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:50 AM on June 21, 2007

Just stay away from the former mill towns (Fitchburg, Gardner, Leominster). Not bad towns, but not the best areas of Massachusetts-- slightly more depressing than necessary and the school systems of the surrounding smaller towns will be better.

This is useful advice in most of New England. The above towns are NOT awful. If you find a place that you like there and you research the schools and find them adequate, Fitchburg, Gardiner and Leominster might even work for you.

In my opinion, the only communities in MA that you ABSOLUTELY shouldn't live in with kids if given a choice are, in my opinion:

• Lowell
• Lawrence
• Chelsea
• Brockton
• Fall River
• New Bedford
• Holyoke
• Springfield

and some areas of Boston, of course.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:05 AM on June 21, 2007

I happen to come from West Boylston and I can say that it is a beautiful town and area. However there is a bit of a budget crisis in town. Since I graduated in 2004 the high school in town has cut most of the music and art classes and got rid of a lot of the good teachers there. Also the just finished putting in a sewer line so if you are looking for a house make sure that it is already hooked up to the sewer line (I think everybody has to be by the end of June).
posted by lilkeith07 at 8:07 AM on June 21, 2007

These are closer to 30 miles from Marlborough, but just in case:
- Pepperell: You can do pretty well for $300k here. While it's a mix of old-school local blue-collar workers and some new imports, it still has an "anything goes", no leash-law, fire pits in people's back yards, etc.
- Townsend: stay away. All the bad parts of Pepperell without any of the good.
- Groton: A great town. Excellent school system. Strong town planning. Not as affordable however. You could still get something around $300 though.
posted by tom_g at 8:19 AM on June 21, 2007

I think Boylston/West Boylston and Berlin are really nice towns --I've known a few folks who have lived there so have visited a bit. They're not too far out from Worcester (and not a bad ride from Boston), but they're quiet and beautiful.
Check out the homemade donuts from Tougas Farm if you go for a visit while you're looking @ houses.
posted by jdl at 8:24 AM on June 21, 2007

I think Norfolk is a nice place to live, and it's on the T. Lots of mcmansions if you're into that, but it used to be a farm town so there are some pretty farm houses as well.

But that's almost 30 miles from Marlborough.
posted by chickaboo at 8:35 AM on June 21, 2007

I grew up in Harvard, which I know was expensive but may not be as bad now. My sister and mother now live in Lunenburg, which borders Leominster but has a lot of really nice parts. You might also check out Stow, Bolton, and Boxborough.
posted by nekton at 9:14 AM on June 21, 2007

I'd look in Hudson and Berlin.
posted by MarkAnd at 9:14 AM on June 21, 2007

FYI. Some of the towns mentioned are not in your price range (Harvard and Boxborough). You will struggle to find anything decent in Bolton, Berlin, Boylston, and Stow that will meet your needs (3 bedroom).
posted by tom_g at 9:40 AM on June 21, 2007

Mr. Davis: I must have an old phone number for you. Shoot me an email or give me a call.
posted by anathema at 9:55 AM on June 21, 2007

I grew up in Boxboro and my mom still lives there. Middlesex County in MA has some of the steepest [and fastest growing] property taxes in the state and at one point the country, so if I were you I'd err on the Worcester County side of things. Hudson is close to there and a little easier to buy in than the Harvard and Boxboro, the same is true for Maynard (lots of big houses, not all super spendy) and possibly Sudbury. I had friends who lives in Westminster a while ago and while it's a little far out there, it was easy to get a house there with some land. That's going to be tougher the further in towards Boston you get. Basically the west side of 495 is going to be less spendy than the east side and things like accessibility to the Mass Pike and rail transit into the city might matter to some people and run up prices, but maybe not to you if you're not Boston Bound.
posted by jessamyn at 10:06 AM on June 21, 2007

I think the best prices for best location in area is Leominster for sure. It's 30 minute easy ride to Marlboro from South Leominster. (for resale also right on Route 2/190 - 20-30 minutes to Worcester- one hour to Boston) Safe town, decent school system.
Very close to cheap groceries and stores/services.
Lunenburg is a little farther drive but a bit better school system and still pretty affordable but not like Leominster.
I would seriously avoid ( for school system/crime reasons ) Fitchburg and Gardner.
Lots of the towns mentioned are nice- very nice- but I think a bit over the 300 range. You can find something but I think will be a bit of a fixer upper.

Check out tax rates here: http://www.chausse.org/2006/03/massachusetts-property-tax-rate-list/
posted by beccaj at 10:13 AM on June 21, 2007

Seconding Westminster.

Also, for the record, I am deeply offended that Mayor Curley has lumped Lowell together with the other seven towns listed above. Classic Newtonian ignorance.
posted by diggerroo at 10:20 AM on June 21, 2007

http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2006/04/07/median_housing_prices_chart/

here's the median home pricing in each town.
posted by beccaj at 10:21 AM on June 21, 2007

if I were you I'd err on the Worcester County side of things. Hudson is close to there and a little easier to buy in than the Harvard and Boxboro, the same is true for Maynard (lots of big houses, not all super spendy) and possibly Sudbury.

Maynard is a really nice town full of really nice people, but the high school is on probation for its accreditation, if that is a concern. Your kids sound high-school age but I wasn't sure if you planned on doing public or private school.

Sudbury is expensive, but has good schools.
posted by sutel at 10:25 AM on June 21, 2007

Also, for the record, I am deeply offended that Mayor Curley has lumped Lowell together with the other seven towns listed above. Classic Newtonian ignorance.

Classic Newtonian lazy attention to details, more like it. I meant Lynn, not Lowell. I'm not going to lie because of my mistake and say I think Lowell's great, but it certainly does not belong on a list with New Bedford and Chelsea. My apologies!

I can't believe I did that-- my family's from Saugus!
posted by Mayor Curley at 11:29 AM on June 21, 2007

Self-linkey: I'm involved with a Cohousing project in Berlin, and we've still got a few availiable units in the 3 bedroom size. The pricing is a bit higher than what you've stated, but it comes with a lot. Construction just started today, and should be complete by the middle of next year. If you're interested, email me (in profile)
posted by Davidicus at 11:40 AM on June 21, 2007

Apologies accepted. Nothing personal...as a Proud Lowellian, I am compelled and committed to defend her honor at all times and in all venues.

And on a related note: "Lynn Lynn, the city of sin/Never come out the way you went in"
posted by diggerroo at 12:38 PM on June 21, 2007

I second Boylston and Harvard and add Northborough. Northborough shares it's High School (Algonquin) with the town I live in, Southborough, and it's one of the better high schools in the state. I'd recommend Southborough too, but you're not going to find anything here for 300K.
posted by dchase at 1:25 PM on June 21, 2007