Indian River Colony Club
Melbourne, Florida
Northampton, Massachusetts
What It Is Like to Retire in Northampton
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. Photo of Contemporary view from the Oxbow marina courtesy of Wikipedia (public domain).
Watch this short Youtube video prepared by Visit Massachusetts:
Where to Retire in Northampton and Home Prices
The median home value in Northampton was $348,126 in mid-2023. There are some active communities in the region.
What Is Special about Northampton
Charming downtown with shopping and restaurants, Biannual Paradise City Arts Festival;,Smith College, one of the nation's most selective small colleges, and its Botanic Garden, parks, open space covers 15% of the city, Rail trail hub;,Northampton Independent Film Festival, Thornes Marketplace with shops, gallery, and performing space and Tracy Kidder's "Home Town".
What Is Not Special about Northampton
Winters are cold here and it is a bit remote, and expensive to live here. Winters are very cold, snowy and icy. However having lived there for fourty-five+years Its not by my standards remote. It is only 90 miles (1.50 hours) from Boston, 120 miles (2 hours) from NYC, less than 50 miles (45 minutes) from Hartford CT (major airport) and 25 miles (20 minutes) from Springfield MA
Who Will Like Retirement in Northampton
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
Local Economy Is Driven by
The economy is driven by education tourism, health care, retail.
Climate and 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
Restaurants & Cultural Scene
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.
Crime
Crime rate is well below average.
Medical facilities
Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Holyoke Hospital is 9 miles away, and Berkshire Medical Center is 19 miles in Pittsfield.
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. Northampton is average in walkability when compared to other communities. Use this link for a page that explains the various types of retirement communities .
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