DC or Boston with 3 kids?

[Anonymous]

We live in DC and are debating a move to Boston as our family lives in Boston and not much family here but close friends. We have 3 kids under 5 and we both work full time. Our life is nonstop but we can walk to work as we live in DC or metro in 20 minutes. We are home by 5:30pm with our kids and drop them off together at schools. We pay 50k in childcare. Would life be better or easier in Boston? Household income 230k. I don't know Boston so any insight would be great. We would likely just transfer jobs so same pay.

[Anonymous]

Boston is just as expensive.

[Anonymous]

$50K in childcare? You know that DCPS offers fulltime free preschool from age 3, right?

Here's a typical example. Brent offers PreKindergarten age 3 to 5th grade, with free before care and aftercare for a charge until 6 pm
http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Brent+Elementary+School

[Anonymous]

I say this as someone who absolutely hates Boston. Move to Boston. Your family is there.

[Anonymous]

We are in the exact same position except we have two kids and our childcare cost is closer to $30k.

We are moving back this spring. Our parents are getting older, our kids have cousins close to their age, we are from large, close families.

While DC is great, and today spent the day at two of the museums, which we do most Sundays, it doesn't take the place of family.

Our commute us also 30 minutes here and we have family dinner every night at 6.

In Boston I will work from home 3x a week, and the other two days I will commute 1.25 hours.

There will be trade offs what ever your choice is. The most important thing to us is family, so we will move.

[Anonymous]

I am also curious about this question.

What is quality of life like in Boston?

Are people friendly?

What are some good family friendly areas to explore?

[Anonymous]

OP, 22:35 here. I'm a little confused about your question. Are you asking about living in Boston proper? This is in the jobs forum, so are you curious about COLA adjustments (Boston is 2% cheaper! my boss is keeping my salary as is.)

What, exactly are you looking for insight on?

[Anonymous]

I'n from Boston originally. Most of my family is there. Can't stand the cold anymore, but I'd move in a heartbeat if we could line up jobs. The COL is better there overall (I grocery shop both places due to elderly relatives) and there are more options in terms of great schools and reasonable commutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$50K in childcare? You know that DCPS offers fulltime free preschool from age 3, right?

Here's a typical example. Brent offers PreKindergarten age 3 to 5th grade, with free before care and aftercare for a charge until 6 pm
http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Brent+Elementary+School

We have 3 kids all in elementary school and pay over 20K a year in childcare costs (not including date nights). Before care, after care, summer camp, winter break camp, teacher works days all adds up.

[Anonymous]

Went to school in Boston and still have friends/family there. Here are my thoughts:

Schools on the whole are better for surrounding suburbs, but commutes can be HORRIBLE, much worse than our commutes here. It just depends on where. Many people I know work early and leave early to avoid the traffic. Some say it is worse post-Big Dig due to traffic patterns etc.

Housing I think is less overall, but not by much for desirable areas. Yards seem to be bigger especially in the burbs.

Winters are long and cold. Last winter was killer.

The summers are great--lots of beaches close by (not even having to trek to the Cape).

People are nice but cliquey or as some say "clannish." Many towns have "new comers groups" because traditionally it was hard for new combers to break in. Of course this varies by town (both the new combers and cliquishness I would guess).

I think because of union culture, the hours are better. People seem to leave at 5:00/5:30 with no problem.

Childcare seems to be easier to find for full-time care and harder or as hard for part-time preschool but there does seem to be part time and drop in care. I am mostly speaking of the suburbs. Totally anecdotal, but some of the care seems to be less quality in re: developmental awareness and curriculum.

You better like the Red Sox and the Patriots and be willing to wear their gear as a staple of your wardrobe. That's mostly a joke, but fandom is serious business in Boston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am also curious about this question.

What is quality of life like in Boston?

Are people friendly?

What are some good family friendly areas to explore?

Okay, this made me laugh! What an eyeopener you will have. I'm a Bostonian, and no, we are not friendly as a rule. I remember visiting a boyfriend's family in the midwest and freaking out after everyone at the stores talked to me. We are taciturn by nature. But genuine and once you find a rhythm, the people with our finnicky ways will grow on you. And you on them.

[Anonymous]

I have family in Boston and would move back in a heartbeat, mostly because all the trips there are driving me nuts, and I feel like I'm missing out on having a close relationship with my two nephews. Beyond that, it's a little more apples-to-oranges.

The work culture is more laid back pretty much anywhere but DC. I wouldn't worry about having to stay long hours, unless you're in a very particular field of work, because all the overachievers end up here.

People in Boston are sometimes said not to be friendly, because they have that stiff upper lip and are more reserved. It's the "live and let live" mentality. However, there are a number of transplants from other cities who you'll find are much easier to deal with.

People really enjoy the outdoors, there's a mass exodus to beaches in summer and to VT/NH for skiing in winter. There are a gazillion very cute New Englandy towns to visit, you can do trips to Canada, etc.

If you don't mind living in the farther-out suburbs, look into Concord or Lexington. If it's important to live closer to the city, check out Arlington (great schools but very old housing stock) or Brookline (hard to find a small home, but great semi-urban option if you want to live in a mansion). Cambridge is great, but their school system is all lottery, no in-bound option. I'm not 100% sure, but I think Boston schools aren't a realistic option (but someone correct me if I'm wrong). My sister lives in Marblehead, which is nice and right on the ocean shore, but the commute is really crappy.

I think some may find Bostonians are little too small-town, and they are always comparing themselves to New York.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am also curious about this question.

What is quality of life like in Boston?

Are people friendly?

What are some good family friendly areas to explore?

Okay, this made me laugh! What an eyeopener you will have. I'm a Bostonian, and no, we are not friendly as a rule. I remember visiting a boyfriend's family in the midwest and freaking out after everyone at the stores talked to me. We are taciturn by nature. But genuine and once you find a rhythm, the people with our finnicky ways will grow on you. And you on them.

I am the opposite: Midwesterner married to a Bostonian and I personally do not find his family to be taciturn. They are always voicing their unsolicited opinions and forgetting Boston is not the center of the universe. I think there is a Yankee Independence that I misinterpreted as selfishness but the approach is much different than midwestern collectivism. It is clannish like a previous poster mentioned. That said, we all get along and have grown into a rhythm as this poster suggests. It will not be a homey, friendly feeling though unless you find some transplants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have family in Boston and would move back in a heartbeat, mostly because all the trips there are driving me nuts, and I feel like I'm missing out on having a close relationship with my two nephews. Beyond that, it's a little more apples-to-oranges.

The work culture is more laid back pretty much anywhere but DC. I wouldn't worry about having to stay long hours, unless you're in a very particular field of work, because all the overachievers end up here.

People in Boston are sometimes said not to be friendly, because they have that stiff upper lip and are more reserved. It's the "live and let live" mentality. However, there are a number of transplants from other cities who you'll find are much easier to deal with.

People really enjoy the outdoors, there's a mass exodus to beaches in summer and to VT/NH for skiing in winter. There are a gazillion very cute New Englandy towns to visit, you can do trips to Canada, etc.

If you don't mind living in the farther-out suburbs, look into Concord or Lexington. If it's important to live closer to the city, check out Arlington (great schools but very old housing stock) or Brookline (hard to find a small home, but great semi-urban option if you want to live in a mansion). Cambridge is great, but their school system is all lottery, no in-bound option. I'm not 100% sure, but I think Boston schools aren't a realistic option (but someone correct me if I'm wrong). My sister lives in Marblehead, which is nice and right on the ocean shore, but the commute is really crappy.

I think some may find Bostonians are little too small-town, and they are always comparing themselves to New York.

The housing stock in the Boston area is a positive. It is charming, certainly compared to DC housing stock - lots of built-ins, porches, foyers, all of this is a given for the most run of the mill houses, whereas in the DC area, these features are unusual and command a price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have family in Boston and would move back in a heartbeat, mostly because all the trips there are driving me nuts, and I feel like I'm missing out on having a close relationship with my two nephews. Beyond that, it's a little more apples-to-oranges.

The work culture is more laid back pretty much anywhere but DC. I wouldn't worry about having to stay long hours, unless you're in a very particular field of work, because all the overachievers end up here.

People in Boston are sometimes said not to be friendly, because they have that stiff upper lip and are more reserved. It's the "live and let live" mentality. However, there are a number of transplants from other cities who you'll find are much easier to deal with.

People really enjoy the outdoors, there's a mass exodus to beaches in summer and to VT/NH for skiing in winter. There are a gazillion very cute New Englandy towns to visit, you can do trips to Canada, etc.

If you don't mind living in the farther-out suburbs, look into Concord or Lexington. If it's important to live closer to the city, check out Arlington (great schools but very old housing stock) or Brookline (hard to find a small home, but great semi-urban option if you want to live in a mansion). Cambridge is great, but their school system is all lottery, no in-bound option. I'm not 100% sure, but I think Boston schools aren't a realistic option (but someone correct me if I'm wrong). My sister lives in Marblehead, which is nice and right on the ocean shore, but the commute is really crappy.

I think some may find Bostonians are little too small-town, and they are always comparing themselves to New York.

The housing stock in the Boston area is a positive. It is charming, certainly compared to DC housing stock - lots of built-ins, porches, foyers, all of this is a given for the most run of the mill houses, whereas in the DC area, these features are unusual and command a price.

To each their own. We love our town house in Capitol Hill, but there's nothing equivalent in Boston. The older houses in Arlington tend to have small rooms and are poorly heated. And the closer to bus route/T station, the worse the house and the higher the price. But it's only what, three stops, to Harvard Square, and a few more to Downtown Crossing, so it's hard to compare.