| NORTHAMPTON-MASSACHUSETTS | | |
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| What Northampton is like for active adults |
Set in the western portion of Massachusetts, Northampton is an exciting college town (Smith College) in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. It is a sought after retirement community among its graduates and many literary types. Northampton boasts a very rich cultural environment. Several famous movies have been shot here including parts of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”, “Cider House Rules”, and “Sylvia”.
The town itself has everything one would expect from a town which is host to a leading small liberal arts college. Beautiful homes are set on treed streets. Tourists and students roam the downtown. There are a number of good restaurants that both tourists and residents enjoy. There are a number of parks. The town is known for having a large lesbian community, as well as for being very liberal politically. ”.
The median home or condo selling price in 2005 in Northampton was just over $226,000. A mid 2007look at real estate listings in Northampton found 231 properties for sale in the MLS for a median price of $275,000. There were 151 properties in the classifieds with an asking price of $299,000. The Regency Northampton is one 55+ community in the area. ”.
For profiles on 180 towns go to reviews of the best retirement communities (States A-L) and best retirement communities (States M-Z). Other great retirement towns in Massachusetts include wealthy Chatham, funky Provincetown, laid back Falmouth, and Williamstown. |
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| What is special about this community |
| • Charming downtown with shopping and restaurants
• Biannual Paradise City Arts Festival
• Smith College, one of the nation’s most selective small colleges
• The Botanic Garden of Smith College
• Parks – open space covers 15% of the city
• Rail trail hub
• Northampton Independent Film Festival
• Thornes Marketplace with shops, gallery, and performing space
• Tracy Kidder’s "Home Town" |
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| What is not special about this community |
| Winters are cold here and it is a bit remote |
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| What kinds of people like living here |
| Northampton attracts a community of retirees who want to live in a charming, liberal, and historic town. For more information about how to retire in Massachusetts or towns like Williamstown |
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| Local economy is driven by |
| The economy is driven by education tourism, health care, retail. For Northampton/Western Mass. Craigslist |
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| Physical environment |
| Northampton is located in the western part of Massachusetts along the Connecticut River Valley. It borders on New York and just south of Vermont so it has cold winters and magnificent summers, falls, and springs. View Google Map for Northampton |
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| Cultural environment |
| Northampton has long been known for its art and music. The New Century Theatre is on the campus of Smith College. The Paradise City Arts Festival is one of the arts and crafts fairs in America. The Northampton Independent Film Festival. The Academy of Music is municipally owned and built in 1890. The Forbes Library is the public library. |
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| Medical facilities |
| • Cooley Dickinson Hospital
• Holyoke Hospital is 9 Miles
• Berkshire Medical Center is 19 miles away in Pittsfield |
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| Transportation |
| Pioneer Valley Transit Authority operates buses to neighboring towns. Neighboring Springfield offers AMTRAK service. Hartford/Springfield’s Bradley International Airport is 28 miles away. Use this link for a page that explains the various types of retirement communities
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| Northampton Active Communities |
| Facts about NORTHAMPTON | | State | : MA | | Environment | : Rural,University town, | | City Population | : 25,001-50,000 | | Median age of Population | : 25-44 | | Avg Jan Temperature | : 21-40 | | Median HH Income | : 41,001-60,000 | | Average Home Price (MLS) | : $200,001-$300,000 | | Annual Property Tax on a $200,000 house | : 2000-4000 | | Total Crime Index | : 81-90 (low) | | Cost of Living Index | : 101-110 (slightly above average) | | Culture Index | : 111-120 (high) | | Name of the Guide | : |
| | Can you add to or correct these Facts? Or do you have a photo of this community we could use? If so, please click on |
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Vote on the Ratings for Northampton |
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Update Your Ratings |
Overall Retirement Ratings
1. Rating: 4.5/5 ( 2 votes cast)
Expense:
Inexpensive to Luxury
2. Rating: 3.0/5 ( 1 vote cast)
Taxes:
Inexpensive to Expensive
3. Rating: 3.0/5 ( 1 vote cast)
Culture:
None to Cosmopolitan
4. Rating: 4.0/5 ( 1 vote cast)
Recreation:
None to Summer camp
5. Rating: 4.0/5 ( 1 vote cast)
Transportation:
Boondocks to World Hub
6. Rating: 2.0/5 ( 1 vote cast)
Security:
Dangerous to Ft. Knox
7. Rating: 5.0/5 ( 1 vote cast)
Medical Facilities:
None to Excellent
8. Rating: 2.5/5 ( 2 votes cast)
Political Situation:
Conservative to Liberal
9. Rating: 5.0/5 ( 1 vote cast)
Environmental:
Oblivious to Ultra-Green
10. Rating: 5.0/5 ( 1 vote cast)
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