Expert: Kevin Irwin - 8/31/2001

Question
Hi Kevin

My family and I are thinking about relocating to Boston from Texas.  We have two young child and have been told that the schools in MA are excellent, can I get some input?

Also, what are some good companies for my husband to apply to, He does Executive Protection, and has protected a wide variety of people, from movie stars as well as business people.  any suggestions?

Answer
Yes, I think in general the schools in MA are better than the national average.  However, obviously there will be good schools and bad schools no matter where you go.  Even in the same town some schools are better than others.  I really can't recommend any particular town because I have no idea how much you are willing to spend on a house.  In the last couple of years, the housing market in the Boston area has become overheated, so a lot of towns have been placed out of the price range of many middle-class people.  I think in general, usually the richer the town, the better the schools (this isn't always the case, but usually holds).  I was trying to find a ranking of the wealthiest towns in MA, but these lists are always dubious.  Some go by average annual income, some by average house price, some by total assets held by the residents.  So, every list you see, the town are always shuffled around.  www.boston.com is a great gateway site to all things Boston.  I did manage to find the following two lists: one shows avg. income and the other educational spending.
http://yourtown.boston.com/town/rank/var_wage_1999_average_annual_hi_lo_rank.sht...
http://yourtown.boston.com/town/rank/var_spending_fy98_per_pupil_hi_lo_rank.shtm...
Again, the lists must be taking with a grain of salt.  For example, I grew up in Framingham which is a fairly middle class town.  It does have some rich people, but a significant part of the town is also very low income.  But yet, on the wage list above, it ranks higher than places like Concord and Lincoln, among others, which have the reputation of being much richer and much more exclusive.  I lived in Concord for a year and I can vouch that it is much more exclusive (or at least wants to be) than Framingham.  Also, these lists encompass every town in the whole of MA.  I'm not sure what part of MA you are looking to move to.  Even though MA is one of the smallest states (especially compared to Texas), I don't even recognize some of the names on the list because they are in Western MA.  Therefore, even though a place called "Rowe" heads the educational spending list, I couldn't even tell you where it is, let alone what type of town it is.  Sorry I have written so much without giving you much of an answer.  I think the best idea would be to contact some real estate agents in MA (in the area you want, whether it's Boston, Central MA, Western MA, etc.) and ask them for their opinion.  They can not only tell you what towns might be in your price range, but they usually have to know such things like about the educational facilities in the towns they cover.  I'm sure they get your question all the time.  I'm a little too young myself (23) to start worrying about looking at towns with good education systems, so I'm not much help.
 
As for looking for a job for your husband, I'm afraid I'm even less help.  I wish I knew how to find a better job for myself (frankly I'm too lazy to look for a new one).  Again, on www.boston.com, there are numerous job listings.  You can also try the big national services like www.monster.com and www.hotjobs.com and search for jobs in MA.  Also, try contacting some job placement agencies in MA and see how they can help you.  I am entirely unfamiliar with your husband's industry, so I don't have any more detailed information as to whom you should contact.  Perhaps some of the clients he has now know some people in MA that might need his services.

Sorry I couldn't give you more precise answers, but I do hope that at least some of this info helps you out.  I must warn you, though, that if you're from Texas, you really need to be prepared for the New England winters.  I personally kind of like the winter, but it is tough to get acclimated to it.  Good luck with your plans.