What's it like living in Massachusetts?

stock up on pleated khakis

I was born, raised and went to college in New York, OP. . I moved to Boston to attend graduate school. My boyfriend at the time, having a “portable” career, was able to make the move with me. Our original plan intent had been to return to NYC, following the completion of my studies.

Neither of us had formed a particular bond with Boston. We both had enjoyed our time there, but returning to NY remained our goal.. In the meantime, however, we fell into the habit of spending our free time and vacations on Cape Cod and the islands.

At that juncture, I was offered my “dream job” on the Cape. Similtaneously, Massachusetts was on the brink of legalizing gay marriage. The combination of the two, plus an opportunity to purchase a home we could never afford in NY, and angst over leaving our friends, prompted us to stay.

Among other things, “taxachusetts” has since become ludicrously expensive. On the other hand, all the good things said about living in Massachusetts are also true.

We have no regrets about our decision to stay.

Cold, wet, muddy spring, followed by gorgeous (but sometimes rainy) summers, wonderful autumn, and cold, long, snowy winters. New England can be idyllic in the leafy suburbs and horrid in the small manufacturing cities. Beaches can be sandy and /or rocky. Seafood is delicious. You are close to mountains in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, and the Berkshires in Mass., the beaches along the coast, the Cape is it's own special world. You're also driving distance to Canada and New York.

The world's most intellectual and open-minded people live side by side with the world's most narrow-minded, parochial people. It's a place where Ultra-PC lives next door to casual racism. Don't expect anyone to be warm and friendly, and if they are, they're from some place else.

It can be expensive to live here, and there's little sense of fashion outside the LL Bean catalog. Centuries of Puritanism, dour Catholicism, and cold weather have taken their toll. There are lots of winning sports franchises, but it really hasn't made anyone happy.

That said, I live here, and wouldn't live anywhere else.

Forget it, OP -- you'll fucking freeze your ass off.

OP's picture is from Truro, Ma, on Cape Cod. For a realistic counterpoint, check out Worcester. (Wuh-stah.)

All true- and all endearingly charming, aspects of Bay State life, R3.

Where in Boston? Depends. Can you walk to work or work from home? Are there good places to eat or order in? How close are you to the airport?

I've always thought that Northampton, MA would be a lovely place to live. Kind of in the middle of the state, so you have the gorgeous Berkshires on one side, and Boston and Cape Cop on the other. Although, I don't like having to drive 2 hours to Logan Airport. I don't fly that much, so maybe it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

"Peyton Place" was based on a town in New Hampshire. Filmed in Camden, Maine. "Murder She Wrote" was in the ficticious town of Cabot Cpve, Maine.

Unspeakably hideous!

I’m also considering Boston MA or Portland Maine

I have to chuckle remembering the author of the original "Nine Nations of North America" said people in New England think themselves rich by making their wants small. Not the brainless charlatans who made Mitt Romney governor. New England is spoiled and greedy.

MA is crowded and expensive.

If you lived in Northampton, you'd mostly likely fly out of Bradley International Airport (Hartford-Springfield) which is only 30 minutes away.

Western Mass is much better than Eastern Mass. The Berkshires are one of the loveliest places in the country. Some really nice towns like Lenox and Great Barrington along with some not-so-nice areas, but still beautiful except in February and March, when the landscape is mud and the sky is grey. Eastern Mass tends to be richer and poorer at once, and of course, dominated by Boston, which people tend to either love or hate. It's a nice city, pretty although expensive, but it's not like living in a large city -- there's something very parochial about it. Hard place to make friends. Easy place to get drunk.

If you're thinking of Northampton, be prepared for congregations of Lesbyterians.

Portland isn't my cup of tea... but it's not without charm.

You do realize that Garreau wrote that piece of myopic, utopian claptrap thirty-six years ago, right, R12?

summers hot as hell and humid as fuk

winters are the worst u ever wanna know

below freezing alot

avoid@!!!!!

Lived in Berkshires for a while. Beautiful and idyllic and comfortable liberal - with all the progressive social benefits of MA. But eventually felt too isolated and removed from city life and had to leave. But often dream of the quiet and beauty and history of western MA. Maybe I’ll return someday. Taxes and weather are a negative. And not the warmest people - but I like reserved people.

I also lived there for grad school like a few people in this thread. If you don't want to deal with 4 very different seasons of weather, don't live there. The winters are very cold and summers can get very hot.

Socially, it was hard to meet anyone outside of school. The locals are not interested in talking to students (or transplants - I've heard), most of the time, though I made a few friends outside of school eventually.

The Boston metro area is very expensive...which everyone knows, but it seems to be getting even more out of control lately with regard to rental prices. I could barely find anywhere to live back then, and now my old apartment buildings has put out ads for 30-40% over what I paid (after 6 years).

The gay social scene in Boston is pretty bad. Then, people go to P-town where it is supposed to be more fun, but it's just as cliquey there half the time. I've had mixed experiences there. (See the video for another opinion.)

Arlington is where it’s at.

I moved to Boston from the Midwest after graduating from college. It was an excellent place to go for IT work. I lived there eight years but found the people to be too hostile. I much prefer the West coast.

That being said, I went back to Boston last summer after at least 25 years. The big dig project is finished and the water front area is greatly improved. My some of my friends live in Newburyport and that really has the New England charm. P-town is still very gay. I wish I could have made it back to Salem, that's a great town.

[quote]I fantasize about the idyllic New England lifestyle

You'll find all that in beautiful Fall River, Mass. The locals are a cosmopolitan, educated and welcoming bunch!

I moved to Boston from New York over 40 years s d still love it.

Not as pissahh as we ahh, R24,,, u mustah somehow banged a u-ey on 95, and missed Mass' finest kind- New Beige!

Does the sea get warm enough for swimming in the summer?

Does the snow get cold enough for skiing in the winter?

I was born and raised in Boston, and I agree with what everyone has said. I moved to the south 20 years ago, but am thinking of moving back. It really is a great place to live, although the people are brusque and unfriendly.

It depends on what "warm enough" means to you, R27. Typically, by late July, through mid September, water temperatures range from low/mid 60s in ocean water, to the low 70s at protected, still water beaches.

And, R28, usually come Mayuary (definitely by Junuary), the snow is no longer nearly "cold enough for skiing".

I understand it has a lot of spirit...

OP tell us more about where you are living now, whether you plan to rent or buy a home, what professional field you're in, your age, hobbies and interests, etc. There is potentially someplace in MA that will work for you but we can't help if you don't specify.

One of the truly great things, as an earlier poster pointed out, is that with an average drive of 2 hours or less (if in the Rt 495 belt or closer to Boston, for e.g.) you can be in the mountains or at the ocean pretty much in all of the other New England states. It is very beautiful here. The poster who said it's horribly humid and horrifically cold might not have lived here long enough to experience the wide range of winter and summer conditions that vary widely from year to year. As some oldster once said, 'if you don't like the weather here, wait a minute.'

Hot and humid. You have got to be joking. Go south and then get back. New England does not have a clue about truely hot weather is. I have spent many parts of the summer there for 30 years.

Apparently OP has reconsidered, and now is planning to relocate to New Jersey.

[quote] If you live outside of Boston, are living expenses fairly reasonable? And what about the weather? Is it frigid temps and constant snow from December to March?

What do you think the weather is like? A balmy 72 degrees 9 months of the year? It's MASSACHUSETTS

Don't live there if you have step-daughters

Be sure to use Uber or Lyft.

The true spirit of New England

Someone told me the weather there is similar to the weather in London, UK, but that can't be right, surely?

Boston has the highest density of residential structures that have been diagnosed with SIck Building Syndrome in the US (2012 figures). Maybe you're willing to roll the dice but my husband and I have three lovely daughters now and are not willing to take on that level of risk. No thank you.

R40, you sound like a spaz. What's a gay man doing raising three daughters?

London is much less extreme than Boston. London rarely gets snowed in and the temps don't soar in the summer to the same extent, either.

Boston had something like five feet of snow in a week, a few years ago. That was unusual. We’ve had little this year.

Legionnaire's Disease was first discovered in the HVAC system of the Copley Plaza hotel in Boston in 1972. When we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express there was black mold growing on all the windowsills.

Idyllic

The word "parochial" seems to only come up on this site whenever Boston or Massachusetts are being discussed.

In Massachusetts do they prounce "car" with three syllables, as in "cah-uh-UH?"

[quote]Legionnaire's Disease was first discovered in the HVAC system of the Copley Plaza hotel in Boston in 1972. When we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express there was black mold growing on all the windowsills.

From Wiki:

Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in July 1976, when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among people attending a convention of the American Legion at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. Of the 182 reported cases, mostly men, 29 died.

[quote] Boston has the highest density of residential structures that have been diagnosed with SIck Building Syndrome in the US (2012 figures). Maybe you're willing to roll the dice but my husband and I have three lovely daughters now and are not willing to take on that level of risk. No thank you.

Massachusetts is the third most densely-populated state in the U.S. behind New Jersey and Rhode Island. It would make sense that it would have the highest density of a lot of stuff since many buildings are quite old (and built close together in cities.) That said, you can live in a nice suburban home or more modern residence in the city. Also, what is the source of this 2012 quote?

The Cape and islands are nice in spring/summer/fall but cold and a cultural wasteland in winter, which may be why the year round population has the State’s highest concentration of heroin addicts and drunks. Boston is too expensive. Other parts of the state would be worth it if you’re already partnered and want to be in a progressive area with the best health insurance coverage (Romneycare) in the country, which is no small thing given the GOPs efforts to destroy the ACA.

I live in NYC, but grew up in the Swampscott-Marblehead area. It is a beautiful place to live, and convenient to everything, I have a hard time knocking it. The weather shriekers must have missed the fact that Massachusetts is in New England and it tends to snow during the winters! Get over it cupcake and go shovel off the car!

Where does Rachel Maddow live?

That Real Housewives of South Boston is brilliant and spot on. I grew up in Boston, and have lived in London. The weather is NOTHING alike. Boston has four very discrete seasons, whereas London has, seemingly, ONE! It is darker and rainier and more damp than Boston, and gets nothing like the highs and lows of Boston. Their weather is nothing alike, although I was surprised to see that some of the customs that exist in London exist only in Boston.

The housing stock in Buffalo is even older.

[quote]Boston had something like five feet of snow in a week, a few years ago.

Our Boston Snow Troll is still traumatized, don’t remind him!

[quote] Someone told me the weather there is similar to the weather in London, UK, but that can't be right, surely?

What kind of fucking idiot were you talking to?

What is with you morons even having to ask what the weather is like in Massachusetts? It's Massachusetts. It's an upper North East state. It's damned cold all winter long. There is lots of snow

The Berkshires is terribly expensive. Lee is the armpit of MA. Lived there for a year and a half.

Rachel Maddow lives in Northampton, a town in Western Massachusetts with a sizeable lesbian population and lots of energy.

I live on Cape Cod in the mid-Cape region. I love it here during the winter because the winter is much milder than the rest of New England. There are four distinct seasons here and the summer and fall are absolutely delightful. A warm spring can be quite nice, a cold spring can be like three months of March.

[quote]I live on Cape Cod in the mid-Cape region. I love it here during the winter because the winter is much milder than the rest of New England.

Really?

It's the Massholes you have to worry about OP.

When I went up there one summer there were so many bugs you couldn’t go outside. There were these tiny things that fly in your eyes and big stinging black flies.

R59

Yes, really. There's water on both sides - the Bay on one side and the Ocean on the other - which moderates the weather. We rarely get the amount of snow that the mainland - Boston - gets.

Buzzard's Bay looks lovely