About MA Town Finder

Built by a Massachusetts parent asking the same questions

My name is Marc Gorman. I live in Salem, Massachusetts, with my family and our two children.

I built MA Town Finder because my family faced a decision that many Massachusetts parents eventually confront: should we stay where we are, move to a town with stronger public schools, or consider charter and private-school options?

I love many things about living in Salem, but I had concerns about whether the local public-school options were the right fit for our children. At first, moving to a town known for stronger public schools seemed like the obvious answer.

Then I started looking at the actual numbers.

A house in a highly ranked school district could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more. Property taxes could be substantially higher. A move could also mean a longer commute, less walkability, or giving up the town character and community we already enjoyed.

Staying in Salem created a different set of possibilities. We could explore charter schools, private schools, or other educational options without taking on the full cost of moving. But comparing those choices was not simple either.

The information I needed was scattered across school-ranking websites, real-estate listings, municipal tax pages, transportation schedules, private-school directories, and Census reports. Most “best places to live” lists did not account for our budget or explain the trade-offs behind their recommendations.

They might tell me which town had highly ranked schools, but not whether moving there would really cost less than private-school tuition. They might show a low property-tax rate without showing the likely tax bill on an expensive home. They might call a town a good Boston commute without accounting for the drive to the station, parking, waiting, and walking at the other end.

I began collecting the information for my own family. That research eventually became MA Town Finder.

What MA Town Finder is designed to do

MA Town Finder helps families compare Massachusetts communities based on the complete decision — not one attractive statistic. The site brings together information about:

• Public-school performance and rankings
• Charter and private-school alternatives
• Home prices and housing options
• Property-tax rates and estimated tax bills
• Commute times and transportation access
• Town character, walkability, culture, and activity
• The genuine benefits and trade-offs of living in each community

The purpose is not to declare that one Massachusetts town is universally the best.

A town with exceptional public schools may be unaffordable for one family. A less expensive community may require an exhausting commute. A quiet suburb may be perfect for someone seeking space and privacy but disappointing for someone who wants a walkable downtown. Staying where you are and paying for private school may sometimes make more financial sense than moving.

The right answer depends on your family, your budget, your work, your children, and the kind of daily life you want.

Built for real family decisions

MA Town Finder is for parents and couples asking questions such as:

• Can we afford to move to a stronger school district?
• Would private school cost less than the additional housing expense?
• Which towns offer a reasonable balance of schools, price, and commute?
• Where can we find a walkable town center without paying the highest Boston-area prices?
• Which communities feel active and social, and which are quieter and more residential?
• What are the drawbacks that ordinary town rankings leave out?

These are not abstract questions. They affect where families live, how much debt they assume, how much time they spend commuting, and what opportunities they can provide for their children.

An honest comparison, not a perfect answer

No town can be completely captured by a score, ranking, or spreadsheet.

Housing markets change. Commutes vary from day to day. School experiences can differ between children, classrooms, and grade levels. A town that feels welcoming and energetic to one person may feel crowded or impersonal to another.

The information on this site is intended to help you ask better questions and narrow your search. Estimates and modeled figures are identified as such, and the methodology explains where the data comes from and where its limitations remain.

I would rather show uncertainty than present a questionable estimate as a proven fact.

The tool I wished I had

MA Town Finder began with my own family’s search for a practical answer.

Should we move? Should we stay? Should we pursue a charter school? Would private school be more affordable than buying a substantially more expensive home? Which compromises would improve our children’s opportunities without putting unreasonable pressure on our family’s finances and daily life?

I could not find one place that helped me evaluate the whole decision, so I started building it. My goal is to make that research useful to other Massachusetts families facing the same choices.

You may ultimately decide to move, stay, rent, buy, pursue a charter-school lottery, or consider private school. MA Town Finder will not make that decision for you. It will help you understand what each option actually involves.