[SprintPoser]

So I'm interviewing for a job in Hudson. It would be nuts for me to commute from south/central Mass, so I'd be looking at moving. (Especially since the company helps with relocation costs.)

With a kid going into high school, what towns would be best? What might I expect to pay for a MODEST 3-4 bedroom home in a decent neighborhood, and what are taxes like?

Anything else you have to offer? If this job is what it apears to be, it's a LOT of responsibility, but good money. My house here could sell for quite a bit more than I owe on it, despite my recent cash-out refinance to put a roof on it and a bathroom in it.

I interview Thursday, so this is just putting out feelers.

[theothersean]

Oh I get it, I move out to your neck of the woods and all of a sudden you feel the need to move out. Well........ I never! Just kidding. good luck on the job.
I have found that my new commute is becoming a pain already and the white stuff hasn't even hit the ground yet. We shall see what the winter brings, it might be time for a change for me as well.
On a side note I think there is a web site out there,, along the lines of "cost of living analyisis". You can put in the info where you live now and what you make$$$ and the location you want to move to and they list the average living costs for that community, tax rates, utilities etc. Even tells you what you would need to make in comparison to what you make now to be in the same boat.
happy hunting

[SprintPoser]

Ah, don't worry about it. Right now there's a less than 50% chance I'd move for a job.....unless it pays REAL good and my wife can also find work up there. She's a home health aide/personal care attendant/certified nursing assistant. In Mass, her certification is good, I dunno what she'd have to face to work up there.

You, OTOH, might wish to check in over at 3 of the bigger employers in this area. Flexcon in Spencer has a LOT of career people, as does Quaboag Rubber in your town (maker of Vibram soles.) Also in NB is Spencer Products, but most of their turnover is in very low=paying unskilled labor. Or, you could cook again.

Lots of good places to work in Sturbridge too, many of then the high tech industry. The economy is picking up again, so there is something out here for you Sean.

[Honclfibr]

I don't know much about Hudson, but I grew up in Atkinson, which is a little bit west, just north of Haverhill MA. We moved here from Connecticut when I was nine. I like southern new hampshire, it seems to be a nice place to raise a family, close to Boston but still quiet with good neighborhoods and friendly people. As far as school systems, I went to Timberlane High School, which your child would go to if you lived in Atkinson, Plaistow, Sandown, or Danville. All are nice towns, and the school system is a good one, they just put in a $$ million dollar addition which includes a very nice performing arts center as well as some much needed classroom space.

I live in Derry now, right next to Pinkerton High School which serves Derry and Hampstead. Pinkerton is a very large school, almost like a college campus. I would have enjoyed the opportunity to attend Pinkerton as they have a wide variety of different classes including an extensive AP program. But if your child was someone who might benefit from more personal schooling they could easily get lost in Pinkerton with I think over 3500 students. By contrast a school like Timberlane has closer to 1000.

Couldn't give you an exact figure on housing costs here but I know that southern new hampshire is a very desirable place to live right now and housing is quite expensive because of that. I bought my condo last year for twice what the previous owner paid in 1998. You might look at some of the smaller developing towns around here...Sandown and Danville are two that I mentioned before, they're a bit more rural and are experiencing tremendous growth right now as people come to the area in search of affordable housing. Chester is another town around here in a similar situation.

Good luck with the interview! Let me know if you end up looking at houses in any of the towns I mentioned and I can let you know a little more about the area...