Acton, Chelmsford Make List For Best Places To Live
Two MetroWest communities - Acton and Chelmsford - landed within the top 30 on Money Magazine's list of the top 100 places to live in the United States.
Acton ranked at No. 16, while Chelmsford came in at No. 28.
The two MetroWest towns weren't the only Bay State communities to make the list. In fact, Milton, outside of Boston, ranked No.2 behind Louisville, Col., which finished in the top spot.
But just what is it about Acton and Chelmsford that earned them high honors? Healthy incomes with relatively affordable housing prices, good schools and access to high-paying jobs were contributors, the magazine notes.
Regional Recognition
Acton's place on the list could be in part a reflection of the entire northern Interstate 495 area. In its description of the town, Money describes the community as a "picture-perfect New England town," complete with Revolutionary War relics and one of the best school systems in the state.
As for the business climate, the magazine mentions that IBM and Cisco have major operations in neighboring towns Littleton and Boxborough. So, while Acton may not be the home to these large employers, they are close by.
Paul Matthews, executive director of the 495/MetroWest Partnership, a regional advocacy group, said another positive attribute for Acton is its commuter rail system. The town is fully served by the Fitchburg Commuter Rail line, which runs into Boston's North Station. The stops west of Acton begin to have fewer trains. Federal and state investments have been targeted at the line, and the eventual goal is to increase service and reduce the time it takes to get into Boston.
"Acton, much like a lot of other communities in the region, has a very good public school system," Matthews added. "And it's done an admirable job of balancing development versus community character."
Chelmsford, meanwhile, has similar attributes, according to Money. It's a happy-medium community, the magazine claims, nestled between Concord - which it points out is pricey - and a "faded industrial center" in Lowell. That makes Chelmsford just right in terms of affordability, good schools and access to employment opportunities.
For these two communities, being named to a list of the best places to live is nothing new - both have been ranked by the magazine before.
Acton appeared on the list at slot No. 16 in 2009, while Chelmsford made the cut in 2007.
Two years ago, three other MetroWest communities joined Acton on the list including Hopkinton, Shrewsbury and Southborough. In 2007, Westborough and Chelmsford appeared on the list. Last year, no MetroWest communities made the cut, but Newton placed second.
While the Money Magazine website does not provide details on how the rankings were tabulated, the site does explain that the distinction is held for cities with populations between 8,500 and 50,000 residents.
Officials with the magazine visited the top 35 communities to conduct research and interviews and judge community character.
Other factors taken into account were housing, education and quality of life, which includes air quality, personal and property crime statistics, commuting time, leisure and cultural activities, and the weather.
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