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My husband is considering a job in Pawtucket. A big draw for us is that we could afford to live close to the office, unlike his current job in Boston, where he spends two hours commuting every day. I haven't heard a lot of great things about Pawtucket though. I'd love to have more information!
We have two kids, but we homeschool, so good schools are not necessary. I would like to be in a place where we can walk to the park or a coffee shop, not complete suburbia like we are now. We loved living in West Philadelphia, so in my dreams, I imagine Pawtucket being somewhat similar....am I totally off?? Are there sidewalks for my daughter who likes to run and bike? We don't mind some artsy kind of gritty, but i do want to feel safe out and about with the kids.
Any good ballet studios in the general area? Or good homeschooling groups?
We'd be looking for a house for 250-300k, does that seem doable? Ideally my husband could walk or bike to work downtown.
I have just started looking into it, so I know almost nothing about Pawtucket, any insight would be great!!
look at homes off of East Ave close to Providence. This is the Oak Hill side of Pawtucket adjacent to Providence' s East Side. Very walkable. Chace Ave, on the Pawt./Prov border recently had homes sell for over $300,000. There are homes in the area for sale along East Ave. Ballet is taught on Hope street.
I should point out that as you approach Downtown Pawtucket on East Ave the home lots get closer and there is a more urban feel to the area as opposed to toward Providence. Larger lots and bigger homes.
My husband is considering a job in Pawtucket. A big draw for us is that we could afford to live close to the office, unlike his current job in Boston, where he spends two hours commuting every day. I haven't heard a lot of great things about Pawtucket though. I'd love to have more information!
We have two kids, but we homeschool, so good schools are not necessary. I would like to be in a place where we can walk to the park or a coffee shop, not complete suburbia like we are now. We loved living in West Philadelphia, so in my dreams, I imagine Pawtucket being somewhat similar....am I totally off?? Are there sidewalks for my daughter who likes to run and bike? We don't mind some artsy kind of gritty, but i do want to feel safe out and about with the kids.
Any good ballet studios in the general area? Or good homeschooling groups?
We'd be looking for a house for 250-300k, does that seem doable? Ideally my husband could walk or bike to work downtown.
I have just started looking into it, so I know almost nothing about Pawtucket, any insight would be great!!
Pawtucket has two very nice neighborhoods, Oak Hill & Countryside. If you're interested in walk-ability to parks, coffee shops, etc., I'd suggest Oak Hill. While your price point is a bit low, houses are priced around 30% less than the nearby East Side of Providence. The fact you don't care about good public schools gives you a terrific advantage. Quality Hill might be worth a look also more in line with your budget.
My husband is considering a job in Pawtucket. A big draw for us is that we could afford to live close to the office, unlike his current job in Boston, where he spends two hours commuting every day. I haven't heard a lot of great things about Pawtucket though. I'd love to have more information!
We have two kids, but we homeschool, so good schools are not necessary. I would like to be in a place where we can walk to the park or a coffee shop, not complete suburbia like we are now. We loved living in West Philadelphia, so in my dreams, I imagine Pawtucket being somewhat similar....am I totally off?? Are there sidewalks for my daughter who likes to run and bike? We don't mind some artsy kind of gritty, but i do want to feel safe out and about with the kids.
Any good ballet studios in the general area? Or good homeschooling groups?
We'd be looking for a house for 250-300k, does that seem doable? Ideally my husband could walk or bike to work downtown.
I have just started looking into it, so I know almost nothing about Pawtucket, any insight would be great!!
From years of growing up there and work experience, 90% of Pawtucket is not a place many people (especially if they have children), would recommend. The OP doesn't have to live in Pawtucket, there are several areas in RI and just over the border in MA where he/she could commute easily to Pawtucket. Might as well recommend Central Falls ! There are people buying in Pawtucket, yes, but it is very low end, and riddled with crime. Sounds like the OP needs to visit some towns, boots on the ground is best. Get in touch with a good Realtor in Pawtucket or close to Pawtucket who can advise you on prices and locations. Otherwise, I'd strongly suggest you look in the border towns; Seekonk, Attleboro, North Attleboro etc. Nothing is very far apart in that area to get to Pawtucket for work. Riverside in East Providence and other sections of East Providence where you don't have to cross the city of Prov. to get to Pawtucket in a relative short time and you will find better schools and safer areas. You may home school now, but possibly not in the future ... there are still many areas where you would not want to let your daughter outside even w/friends to ride bikes and run around. We haven't even touched on the subject of taxes.
From years of growing up there and work experience, 90% of Pawtucket is not a place many people (especially if they have children), would recommend. The OP doesn't have to live in Pawtucket, there are several areas in RI and just over the border in MA where he/she could commute easily to Pawtucket. Might as well recommend Central Falls ! There are people buying in Pawtucket, yes, but it is very low end, and riddled with crime. Sounds like the OP needs to visit some towns, boots on the ground is best. Get in touch with a good Realtor in Pawtucket or close to Pawtucket who can advise you on prices and locations. Otherwise, I'd strongly suggest you look in the border towns; Seekonk, Attleboro, North Attleboro etc. Nothing is very far apart in that area to get to Pawtucket for work. Riverside in East Providence and other sections of East Providence where you don't have to cross the city of Prov. to get to Pawtucket in a relative short time and you will find better schools and safer areas.
OP wants to bike to work. From Oak Hill is a short but not very pleasant ride once you get closer to the highway and downtown. But either way he DOES have to visit the area and see if it's what they really want. Based on everything they want, their options really are limited. Being willing to drive a few would open up a lot more and in my opinion, better ones.
OP wants to bike to work. From Oak Hill is a short but not very pleasant ride once you get closer to the highway and downtown. But either way he DOES have to visit the area and see if it's what they really want. Based on everything they want, their options really are limited. Being willing to drive a few would open up a lot more and in my opinion, better ones.
Per usual, just my humble experienced opinion ... too crowded an area to drive to work, a lot of traffic and the RI drivers aren't the most attentive or patient -- as in "always in a danged hurry". Then there are the weather issues to contend with wherein they will need safe transportation to work. It would also have to be an old or inexpensive bike as well, chances of getting it stolen would be an issue in certain areas.
Yes, options truly are limited for the OP, who really needs to take a good look around, try to get his budget in line with areas to live in, and try to get into a more rural area to be in an all around comfort zone.
From years of growing up there and work experience, 90% of Pawtucket is not a place many people (especially if they have children), would recommend. The OP doesn't have to live in Pawtucket, there are several areas in RI and just over the border in MA where he/she could commute easily to Pawtucket. Might as well recommend Central Falls ! There are people buying in Pawtucket, yes, but it is very low end, and riddled with crime. Sounds like the OP needs to visit some towns, boots on the ground is best. Get in touch with a good Realtor in Pawtucket or close to Pawtucket who can advise you on prices and locations. Otherwise, I'd strongly suggest you look in the border towns; Seekonk, Attleboro, North Attleboro etc. Nothing is very far apart in that area to get to Pawtucket for work. Riverside in East Providence and other sections of East Providence where you don't have to cross the city of Prov. to get to Pawtucket in a relative short time and you will find better schools and safer areas. You may home school now, but possibly not in the future ... there are still many areas where you would not want to let your daughter outside even w/friends to ride bikes and run around. We haven't even touched on the subject of taxes.
I agree 100%. I would not recommend Pawtucket to anyone, never mind a family.
What if circumstances change and you could no longer homeschool? Pawtucket has a poor school system.
I've worked in Pawtucket for many years but commute from a town in MA not far away. The sights I've seen in broad daylight in Pawtucket are downright disturbing.
Oak Hill sounds perfect for the OP. It's a mile and a half to downtown Pawtucket at its farthest reach and has the Blackstone River Bikeway (on-street right now, with future plans for an off-street riverfront path) and buses directly connecting the two. The #1 bus on East Avenue also goes directly to the MBTA commuter rail in South Attleboro on the north end and PVD airport on the south end. There are lots of restaurants, coffee shops, and a couple of pharmacies in waking distance, and Hope Artiste Village which has galleries, a concert venue, and a bar/bowling alley with hand set pins. There is no supermarket in walking distance, but there is a farmer's market in nearby Lippitt Park, which moves indoors into Hope Artiste Village in the fall and winter.
The most desirable area is east of Blodgett Avenue and south of Lyman Street. Between Blodgett and Pawtucket Avenue is still OK. West of Pawtucket Avenue is the Woodlawn neighborhood and gets sketchy. There are lots of kids in the neighborhood, and they vary from public school to private school to home schooled. The local elementary school, Varieur, is very good. The junior high and high schools have bad reputations, which I have heard are undeserved from friends who have student taught there and who have sent their children there. $250-300k will be stretch, but you will probably find something west of East Avenue in that price range. North of Lyman is the Riverview West neighborhood, which is denser and closer to downtown. It's denser, not as desirable, and has less to walk to, but it is also cheaper.
A few posters here have a negative bias against Pawtucket, and some of them haven't lived in the state for years, if at all. Several of the myths have already been dispelled in this thread, starting on page 3: American wire pawtucket Rhode Island
Location: Earth, a nice neighborhood in the Milky Way
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Oak Hill or Quality Hill both seem like decent choices for the OP. mp775 is right about the on-street bike "path", though I have not heard any update on the timeline for an off-street path. Can't speak to Fairlawn, but it is probably fine too.
Pawtucket is no where as rough as some like to portray it. It does have some bad areas but that does not apply to all the city. The eastern side of the city along Newport Avenue (Rte1A) which borders Seekonk, MA is mostly one family capes and ranches with working class inhabitants. Most of the houses are well maintained. I grew up near the 197 acre Slater Park which was a great local escape. That neighborhood was and still is a decent area.
You can live today in fairly nice parts of Pawtucket. The rougher parts, for the most part, are located closer to the downtown area where the majority of housing stock is multi unit. The main issue living in Pawtucket today probably relates to the public schools. There are some decent neighborhood elementary schools but the upper level middle and high schools have more issues as they serve a very diverse student population. I still have one sibling living in Pawtucket. She was concerned about sending her children to the public high school as it is much different than when we attended. She first enrolled her oldest child at Bishop Feehan HS (Catholic) in Attleboro. He hated it and was out before Thanksgiving. He then went to my alma mater Tolman HS (with his two sisters later following). He and and his sisters were in college prep courses and got a good education and participated in several sports. They were exposed to things that one might not see in a suburban high school but they made the most of their opportunities. The two oldest have since gone on the college and graduated within four years. The youngest is still at Tolman and is now looking at colleges to attend. My sister's initial misgivings about Tolman were proven to be unwarranted and their attendance there allowed her to save more for college tuition.
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