I can recommend Brookline, where I grew up. Top notch school system, incredibly walkable, has 3 T-lines

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems so different because each town has its own school system.

This actually makes it easier to decide where you want to live. There's more transparency with smaller systems.

+1

OP, when I moved to the boston area, I posted on city-data. lots of very informed (and opinionated) folks telling me the ins and outs of various towns, commutes, etc. you'll have better luck there.

oh, and I prefer this area to DC, where I lived, relatively happily, for 15 years. But I haven't experienced winter yet!

Anonymous wrote:It seems so different because each town has its own school system.

This actually makes it easier to decide where you want to live. There's more transparency with smaller systems.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm jealous. I love Boston.

+1

It beats DC, hands down.

hmm...I am from outside of boston and would never move back. Don't love DC, but like it better than Boston. I could never stand the meat heady Boston guys and I also loath the Boston accent.

Newton and Needham are nice. I would love to move to Boston!

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I don't actually mind the cold (lived and loved Chicago for example). I am trying to wrap my head around New England. It seems so different because each town has its own school system. I also wanted advice based on my commute to the "seaport" area, which is why I posted (though I did read the other pages).

Each school system is self-contained and run by the town. So you don't have e.g. the bureaucracy that you have in county-based school systems - on the contrary, you have a bona fide voice in the system. Nor do you have a school with e.g. 12 kindergarten classrooms. And the town's high school students all attend the same high school, which makes for a very strong sense of community.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I don't actually mind the cold (lived and loved Chicago for example). I am trying to wrap my head around New England. It seems so different because each town has its own school system. I also wanted advice based on my commute to the "seaport" area, which is why I posted (though I did read the other pages).

The seaport area is right next to South station, i.e. the financial district. No special commuting directions needed. Sort of like asking how one commutes to Metro center as if it were particularly difficult.

See I didn't know this! Thanks PP.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I don't actually mind the cold (lived and loved Chicago for example). I am trying to wrap my head around New England. It seems so different because each town has its own school system. I also wanted advice based on my commute to the "seaport" area, which is why I posted (though I did read the other pages).

The seaport area is right next to South station, i.e. the financial district. No special commuting directions needed. Sort of like asking how one commutes to Metro center as if it were particularly difficult.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Winters are not vastly different.

No no no no no. Winters in Boston are dreadful. I went through one. Never again.

I'm from New Hampshire and my husband is from Massachusetts. I agree, Winters are very different. Bitter cold and massive amounts of snow. New Englanders laugh at us and our school delays/cancellations for just a bit of snow. I can remember walking to school in snow up to my knees.

My husband and I both love Boston, but have no desire to deal with Boston winters anymore. We have been in the DC area for 20+ years and are very happy here.

OP here. I don't actually mind the cold (lived and loved Chicago for example). I am trying to wrap my head around New England. It seems so different because each town has its own school system. I also wanted advice based on my commute to the "seaport" area, which is why I posted (though I did read the other pages).

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry. That's on my list of places I will never move (including most of Texas). Good luck OP.

LOL, because Massachusetts and Texas are so similar.

I'm sorry. That's on my list of places I will never move (including most of Texas). Good luck OP.

I lived in Cambridge for about 20 years and have lived here for more than 10. Love both places but would not move back because of the weather. I just can't take those winters anymore--and, yes, there is a difference!

Anonymous wrote:Dc rudeness doesn't compare to Boston rudeness. I lived in Boston for two years and found most natives to be obnoxious and over-the-top rude. Perhaps it's the cold weather...

If you know what you are dealing with, it is different. I find you either prefer Boston or D.C., but I have yet, in my many decades, to meet someone who enjoys both Boston and D.C. If you are not from the Boston area, you are generally not readily accepted, and may never be.