Hello All
new to the forum so hoping for some help.
We may be moving to Boston within the next 2 years and I have no idea which parts are the most child friendly. I am hoping for a "small town" feel with some greenery rather than the city and need a good primary school as well.
If anyone has any pointers that would be great
Thanks

Hi and welcome to BE

take a look at www.city-data.com

their forum has been very helpful to us in the past as has

www.greatschools.net

There's a lot of 'Child Friendly' people in the Boston area ....... but dont worry the authorities keep and eye on the bastards.

I'm reminded of a quote from the movie James at 15... "Why bother moving to one of the nicest, most historic places in the entire US with so much to offer, and then live elsewhere? If you're going to move to Boston, move to Boston."

Ian

Bob, one of the moderators here is from that area, he can give you some good pointers if you stick around

because it costs more than a fuding arm and a leg...

Anyway, to the OP, there's been quite a few threads in the past that are worth searching out.

School areas, well there are loads of good ones, but depends on age of your kids, and school you go to depends on exactly where you live.

Where you want to live, that'll depend on where work is, how much of a commute you'd be willing to put up with, if you preferred to drive in or take the T, and perhaps even if work had their own parking, other wise parking can run you $25-35 a day easily. Also budget will have a massive impact.

Watertown is relatively cheap area, pretty soulness I though, but some people like it.

Jamaica Plain, some of it is a dump, some gorgeous and rates are accordingly.

Cambridge is a great location, but living on Havard Square, you could be paying $3500 for a 600sq/ft studio apartment, further out in the burbs, you could be paying a lot less for a house.

Arlington/Lexington/Concord are all nice areas worth checking out.

If you've got a bit more cash, lots of greenery in the 3 W's, Weston, Wellesley and Wayland, commute is a bit of a goat much further past Wellesley though, well Rt9 is a car park in the morning/evening.

Needham is pretty nice, largish town with a small town feel.

Ideally, you'd probably want a place that's quite close to I-95 or the pike, I-90 to get into Boston easily. A bit south, along I-93 but where that hits I-95 is a car park in the morning/evening and any time the Red Soxs/Bruins/Patriots play. But going south, Quincy is nice too.

It's also pretty chucking cold in the winter. The summers are nice and hot but you get eaten alive by fuding mosquitoes and have to light torches to keep the blighters away.

Actually my inlaws told me that back in the days there were far less mozzies around as they used to spray various chemicals. They had to stop doing this when it was discovered that the stuff they were spraying also caused higher rates of cancer. My mother in law has fond memories of her and the other neighbourhood kids following the chemical spraying truck around everywhere.

It's probably a lot warmer in Boston though than elsewhere in winter, the dome of pollution has its use

MA is pretty mild and doesn't get much snow until you get into Western MA, well past I-495.

But yeah, that first winter will still be a bit of a shock I guess

It's 86 degrees today! What's that? 33C :-)

Katy r are you still looking for a place to live? Sudbury, MA is worth a look. I know a few people out that way if you're interested?

You want to try being in Western Mass right now!!!

It's 95F in the metrowest burbs...not to bad though as it isn't humid, yet.

Back to pants weather over the weekened though, which sucks, we're heading out to Cummington for the fiberfest thingy on Saturday.

@Lizzy - Welcome to BE Sudbury is a nice spot, bit out there though, but that Lotus Lilly? Chinese place is awesome and there's a few random cute shops in the area and a decent summer fair which ain't bad.

Ninety-buggering-nine over here! Off to Portland this weekend - bit cooler...

Aye, it hit 100 earlier in the day....still saying it's 95 out at the mo though...oh well...

Over 100 degrees here in Concord too. At least I will have a nice tan to show off when I go back to Blighty in the summer

I live in Watertown and commute to MGH on the Redline (T). Used to live in Arlington but like Watertown much more. Belmont next door to Watertown is also very nice. I hope you will like it here as much as we do. Boston is a fun place...wishing you the best of luck