Please Help Me Figure Out Where to Live in MA

[lunabelly]

Hi all, 

Dh commutes about two hours to Cambridge every day, and I'm all done with that. We have to stay where we are until dd finishes high school in three years, but then I'd like to move closer to his work. 

We're looking to move anywhere from Littleton east. I've been doing a lot of research on Trulia and Greatschools, but I know it doesn't compare to a real recommendation. So, here are my requirements: 

1. Decent schools

2. Fairly inexpensive housing

3. A downtown with a bookstore/coffee shop (or at least in close driving distance)

4. An art/literary community

5. Unitarian Church

6. Diverse community

7. Good libraries

Any ideas?

TIA

[DaughterOfKali]

Natick, MA.  But, I'm not sure what you mean when you say 'inexpensive housing'.  That depends on what you consider inexpensive.  If you give a price range that is acceptable to you, that would help.  

[lunabelly]

Oh, sorry. That makes sense. We'd like to buy a house for 300k or less. 2+ bedrooms.

We're figuring our older two will be out of the house by then (yikes!) and we can always reconvene in the woods where we live now for family gatherings. 

[pjsmom30]

Hudson Ma would fit your criterias!

[DaughterOfKali]

Hmm, you may not be able to find something suitable in Natick for that price.  There are some in that price range but they need a lot of work.

Southborough may be an option.

Are you open to a condo/townhouse or does it have to be a detached single family home?

[lunabelly]

I wondered about the schools in Hudson. I like that area. We have some property now,and we'd like to spend summers here, so I think a condo might be ok as long as there were parks in walking distance. I really don't like anything built after 1950, though, so that rules ou a lot if condos. I don't know anything about Natick.

Thanks for your responses!

[lunabelly]

Sorry, typing on my phone. Ug.

[my3sonsrock]

Norton, Ma is a cute little town.  Schools are pretty good, $300 will get you a nice house, there is Wheaton Collage here (very artsy, liberal school).  We don't have a book store, but the college does and also has a library you can visit.  The town, Mansfield, next to us, has an arts society, and we go to a UU church about 20 minutes away, in Easton.

[Iscah]

Melrose! Small city north of Boston, with a great, healthy downtown (two good independent coffeeshops, although the bookstores are in nearby Stoneham and Winchester, sorry), nice library, decent schools, Unitarian Church just opposite the library.  I don't know how diverse the population is overall but we certainly have people in our neighbourhood of all different colours - and we bought a 3 bedroom house last October for 200K.  Also, there's lots of good family resources and other young families.  I'm loving it.

[91jetta]

a town near lowell would make sure all your criteria are met. lowell's schools don't have the hottest rep, but some are pretty great.  the city as a whole is so affordable and extremely diverse.  its got a cool downtown, riverwalk, state forest nearby.  come to the free lowell folk festival this summer or any of the free concerts for children to check it out.  there are some neighborhoods in lowell that you definitely don't want to live in.  surrounding towns that would get you near the diversity but in more posh school system would include - dracut, tewksbury, billerica.  they also have great libraries, and are all within arms reach of lowell.