Hello, fellow Texan transplant! My husband and I are both from Texas and moved up to MA in 2019. We also do not have kids and couldn’t have made a better decision for ourselves. Originally, we moved to Everett, which is closer to the city but is really getting pricey (and busy) now because of the casino.

We bought a house in 2021 farther out than we wanted to be from Boston in Swampscott. Honestly, we could not have made a better decision. We live right on the commuter line, literally three houses down from the stop. And can easily be into the city at north station in 25 minutes. Many people will hate on the commuter line and the T (the subway), but speaking as another Texan who never had any other choice but to drive, it’s changed our lives. You can also travel by train/commuter line to a good majority of the Boston area and even down to Providence and up to Maine. Last weekend, we took the trains from our house to Worcester just to fuck around and get lunch. It’s a great way to explore the area.

I would suggest looking at places along the commuter lines. Keep in mind the further out you go on the lines, the more you will pay to take the train into the city due to zoned pricing. So, you have to find that sweet spot.

Feel free to send me a private message if you want any additional tips moving from the hellscape that is now Texas (which isn’t the Texas we grew up in, love and long for). My husband smokes a mean brisket, which is very hard to come by up here.