If you are set on living in the eastern part of the state, then so be it, but if not, don't rule out the western part of Massachusetts - its actually a whole lot more like vermont (rural) than the other part of the state. If you were going to be looking for a career, the eastern part of the state makes sense, but the wide open spaces of the western part of the state, if you like that type of thing. In fact, western mass maybe a lot more like the topsfield area was 30 years ago.