Reply #43: Mixed feelings on MA [View All]

[midnight armadillo]

Massachusetts pluses: a lot of good school systems, secular government, interesting climate. Great cities (Boston, Cambridge, Rockport, etc).

Minuses: outrageous real estate, esp for those good schools. Terrible traffic, air pollution in summertime (thanks Midwest!). Cape Cod. McMansions going up, along with a trend to 2 bed condos and elderly housing to freeze out families with children from communities. Long-ass commutes if you're not on the commuter rail line or subway.

My new job runs for 2 years in Cambridge, and after that we're heading to Worcester in central MA or southern NH if jobs are there. The houses are insane here - it's very very hard to find much that's affordable (3 beds under say $275k - a starter home, you know?) east of rt. 495. I'm working on convincing my wife that a job at Dartmouth College in mid-NH would be a good next step. Affordable housing nearby, nice natural setting, college town. Plus I want plenty of land for wood heating, a greehouse, and gardening in the Peak Oil era :P