Best Places to Live 2009

The Teflon Ten

In today’s economy, holding steady is no small victory. And when the market finally recovers, these spots are primed to take off first.

ARLINGTON

Median condo price $349,500
One-year change -1.41%
Since market peak -5.09%

As gas rose toward $4 a gallon, buyers started taking public transportation to Arlington en masse. Or so it seems. “The town is super-hot,” says Bill Kuhlman of Kuhlman Residential in Needham. “Anything with a little shine on it sells within two weeks.” That’s in part because Arlington has the easy commute of Belmont (and a far more hip downtown) without the premium price tag.

BRIGHTON

Median condo price $255,500
One-year change -3.58%
Since market peak -8.09%

More than a few bright minds may sit out the recession by getting a graduate degree, leaving Realtors confident that Brighton’s affordability and proximity to numerous campuses will continue to be a draw. The area’s single-family houses, too, are still hanging in there, having dipped less than 2 percent since the ’05 peak.

DUXBURY

Median home price $592,500
One-year change -7.17%
Since market peak -3.74%

For those who’ve dreamed about jogs on Duxbury Beach or driven over the Powder Point Bridge simply to ogle, carpe diem. Powder Point addresses don’t often change hands, but the market softening has washed up rare opportunities. While those in the $400,000-to-$600,000 range will be on the less fashionable side of Route 3A, that still grants access to the strong school system and all else “Deluxbury” has to offer.

HOPKINGTON

Median home price $557,750
One-year change -4.66%
Since market peak -0.40%

The starting point for the marathon, Hopkinton has also become a destination for young families. Shiny-penny new neighborhoods fan out from the tiny town green, while two reservoirs and two lakes beckon recreationists.

MELROSE

Median home price $401,500
One-year change -2.00%
Since market peak -6.63%

Melrose provides value for buyers looking for a quick commute, a bona fide downtown, and graceful neighborhoods that have a Winchester-esque vibe, albeit not quite as posh. Town leaders continue to place a priority on improving middle-of-the-pack schools.

MERRIMAC

Median home price $375,000
One-year change -0.40%
Since market peak -1.32%

Perched on the Merrimack River at the New Hampshire border, this hamlet has never gotten caught up in the turbulent boom/bust cycles of its bigger neighbors, opting for gentle ups and downs instead. Given the lovely Victorian brick downtown, easy access to Route 495, and 360-acre Lake Attitash, residents have little reason to pull up roots.

MILTON

Median home price $456,000
One-year change +3.40%
Since market peak -4.00%

One of Boston’s first trolley suburbs (and today served by the Red Line), Milton has something for all comers: Brattle Street architecture at half the price on Highland Street and Milton Hill, family homes in the $700,000s in the Columbine neighborhood, and 1920s-era side-entrance or Dutch Colonials under $500,000 in the Pine Tree Brook neighborhood.

NEWTON

Median home price $760,000
One-year change -0.13%
Since market peak 0%

Things certain in life: death, taxes, Newton’s appeal. Even the huge tab for the new Newton North High School hasn’t worn the luster off the convenient commute, the village centers and their independent retailers, and the overall cultural diversity. For urbanists seeking good schools, condos here present a cautious buying opportunity: The median price is $428,000, down about 5 percent from 2007.

PLAINVILLE

Median home price $352,500
One-year change +0.86%
Since market peak -6.99%

It’s as if the town with the comic-book name never noticed the frenzy of the past decade. Or if it did, it didn’t lose sight of fundamentals like careful permitting, school upgrades, and investment in community projects like new playing fields. Small Cape or ranch homes sell in the $200,000s; four-bedroom homes with two-car garages sell in the $400,000s.

SHERBORN

Median home price $710,000
One-year change +7.01%
Since market peak -5.33%

One resident likens living here to living in rural Vermont—but only minutes from urban amenities. Houses for privacy lovers sit seemingly miles from the road. Addresses in the few (and therefore coveted) traditional neighborhoods, such as Ivy Lane and Cider Hill, go for $800,000-plus. Residents pay some of the highest property tax bills in the state, but rave about the extras that funding brings to the elementary school.