Help!! Need info on Nice CITIES To Live in RHODE ISLAND!!

[Corie]

This is starting to move rather quickly and we desperately
need more information on nice areas to live in Rhode Island.
Help!

My husband will be working in Providence.

We've heard that Barrington is very nice but rather pricey.
Can we find someplace just as nice but not so expensive??

Thanks so much!!

[kss611]

Working in Providence, you can really live in ANY city in Rhode Island b/c you maximum commute would be under an hour from almost anywhere in the state. It just depends the type of commute that you DH wants to have. Barrington and East Greenwich are traditionally considered the nicest towns (both with really good school systems). They are also probably two of the pricest places. East Greenwich is more transient. The east side of Providence is also very nice. Then if you want to live near the water, there are several other towns that you may want to choose in Southern Rhode Island (North Kingstown, Narrgansett, South Kingstown). Most Rhode Islanders would think that living in Southern Rhode Island (near the beaches) is too long a commute to Providence, but most days I would venture to guess that the commute is between 40-50minutes. There are really many nice places to live in RI. There are some places/neighborhoods that are more transient and having moved myself a few times. I think that it is helpful to live in a neighborhood that has a least some people who have not lived in city/town/state for their entire lives.

You can also include southern Massachusetts in your search b/c it is so close to Providence.

Good luck.

[mariza]

Corie,
I just moved back to MA from FL and can't recall much about the cities in RI, but when your ready I'll fill you in on the *shopping* in New England :)

Mariza
Mommy to my "Thing 1"
and soon to arrive "Thing 2"

[Corie]

Hi Karen!

Thanks so much for your help!! It's funny because we only
live about 19 miles from my husband's office now and it takes
him about an hour to commute. It's crazy!
So, we are loving the smallness of Rhode Island! It takes us
at least 30 minutes to get anywhere here. (I'm in Texas.)

What do you think of the town, Smithfield? A neighbor of
mine has an old friend who lives in Smithfield. How is this
city?

Thanks again for your help!! We really appreciate it! :)

[Corie]

That sounds fantastic!! :)

[DDowning]

Corie - Smithfield is okay but the school district could be a little bit better. What price point are you looking at? DH grew up in Cumberland and worked in Providence up until '98. Cumberland, Lincoln, Western Cranston near Alpine, North Kingston, North Smithfield are good areas to consider. He says you might be better off looking in MA, lower property tax and income tax in general. Prices are higher but you make up for it in increased ammenities. North Attleboro, where his sister lives now, is about 10-15 minutes from Providence is just over the Rhode Island border and the school district is excellent. Sections of Seakonk are nice too. He's happy to discuss this more in detail if you like to give you more opinions and a couple of real estate referrals if you like as well, just send me a pm. And yes, you'll definitely have to make Wrentham part of your routine!

[holliam]

Those were the exact cities I was going to mention for north of Providence. If you look at Cumberland, North Cumberland has some really nice neighborhoods. Not sure what the schools are like now, but I think I got a fabulous education. :)

I thought of N. Attleboro too for you. When I lived in Cumberland, there was a fantastic tennis and pool club there, and really it's just across the state line from Cumberland :)

The thing that will be the funniest for you to experience coming from TX is that you can be driving along in RI and suddenly end up lost in MA or CT without realizing it... or the ocean too but that is somehow more difficult to do without realizing it. :)

Holli

[Corie]

Holli,

I am so horrible with direction! I'd be halfway to Ohio
before I realized that I was going the wrong way!! :)

[mariza]

Be careful about living in MA and working in RI though; I've been thinking of applying for jobs in RI but I need to look at the tax situation. Again, I'm not 100% sure on this, just feedback I'm getting from friends when I mention working in RI.
I have some employees in MA that live in RI, I'll have to ask them about it when I go back to work. Which I should do Monday since this baby obviously doesn't want to come out!

Mariza
Mommy to my "Thing 1"
and soon to arrive "Thing 2"

[Corie]

Thanks for the heads up, Mariza!!

My husband would prefer to live in Rhode Island anyway.
We had initially discussed MA as another place to look
but have decided against it.

[kss611]

Corie,

Just sent you an e-mail.