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My aunt and uncle live in Leverett/Amherst, (just north of Northampton/Springfield) my cousins went to a good school, great neighbors, and all spent a lot of time outdoors. I've been there a couple of times and absolutely loved it!

LOVE Noho! (Northampton) It's still in the middle of nowhere but it is a great community, has lots of great shops and restaurants and I imagine would be really amazing to be a SAHM.

Providence is awesome, too! Great public transportation, so it's easy to get to Boston or NYC via train. Tons of shops and restaurants, super shopping mall, lots of hotels. Perfect little city. The only downside is that the unemployment rate is one of the worst in the country, but if your DH has a job lined up, no worry there!

I have been a dedicated HB lurker since I found out I was pregnant in June, this is the first time I've been moved to post. My husband and I moved to Providence in June, we had been living in Brooklyn but knew we wanted to start a family and that we wanted to raise our kids outside of NYC. We made a list of cities that were relatively close to NYC, close to beaches, had access to outdoor activities (we have a very energetic Plott Hound who we love to take hiking), had great restaurants, art, culture, theaters, and affordable housing. Looking at our list Providence was the obvious choice, and having lived here for 6 months I can say with confidence that it is COMPLETELY the right place for us.

Having lived in Chicago, Boston, New Orleans, Santa Barbara, and Brooklyn, I see aspects of all of my favorite cities here in Providence while at the same time it retains a culture uniquely its own. The restaurant scene is amazing - we are eating NYC quality meals at most restaurants we frequent but at 1/3 of the price - and the summer farmers markets rival those I frequented in CA. I never expected to be pregnant so soon after moving (I was actually 4 weeks pregnant when I moved - no idea) but the amazing community of supportive moms, caregivers, and friends we've found here has blown me away. Slightly wary of settling down after living a life of travel and whimsy, within 6 weeks of being in Providence I knew this was the place I wanted this baby, and any other babies we are fortunate enough to birth, to call home. We will be closing on our first house in less than a week! (Something we never could have afforded in any of the other places I've called home [with the exception of New Orleans], and something I don't know I ever could have decided with such confidence anyplace else.)

Please let me know if you want to talk any further. I have been really fortunate to meet a lot of wonderful doctors here - some socially through residency programs, some as providers - and would be more than happy to share those perceptions with you. (As well as answering any other questions you may have.)

Best of luck to you and your husband!!

@Aliceinflipflops: As a native Rhode Islander, I'm sitting here with a big smile about your post! I'm so glad you are enjoying RI. I'm looking forward to the day I can move back home.

@Silva: I second absolutely everything Aliceinflipflops said. Providence is a great, affordable, cultural, vibrant little city. It's super easy to get from PVD to anywhere else in the world you'd want to go (not that you'd want to leave.)
If the job market was stronger for my industry, I'd be there in a heartbeat.
On a side note, my mom is a doc at Brown (RIH) and every year throws a fabulous party for all of her students, residents, and fellows. I grew up attending these parties and now (many) years later am still friends with her co-workers kids. There was really a great community within the school.

I grew up about 20 minutes from Providence (but in MA) and went to school out in Western MA. For me, the clear choice is Providence. Western MA is nice, and the Northampton area is very "earthy" but there is so much more that the Providence area has to offer. First, the restaurants are FAR better here in Providence than in Western MA. In Western MA you can find some good spots, but OMG there is an abundance of FRESH, local, delicious food here in Providence. Some of the best I've ever had. Farmers Markets, especially the ones on the east side of Providence are amazing. They even have one that comes to downtown Providence during the summer, and I hit it every Friday on my lunch break. There is a Winter's Farmers Market for the off season too, and they even carry local, fresh seafood.

Providence is also near Boston, NYC, and many delightful wineries in CT. Even better is that you can drive to about 2 dozen beaches in less than an hour. Don't forget about Newport, Block Island, and Cape Cod/Martha's Vineyard. You are maybe a 2-3 hour drive from Maine and NH and there are TONS of spot locally to be active. Running trails, biking trails, parks, etc. It really is an incredible area with so much to offer. I lived for 4 years out in Western, MA and while it's pretty, there is so much more here to take advantage of - especially for a SAHM. In Western, MA you are pretty much a couple hours from everything and I hated being that far away from the coast.

Good luck with your decision!

I work in Springfield and live in CT and I would say that Enfield, CT isn't really a place that has what you are looking for (good restaurants, things to do, etc). If you were to live in CT, I would suggest going a bit further down south but that might be too far from Springfield. I would definitely endorse the Northampton/Amherst area as many PP's have recommended. I think that is definitely closer to the type of area that you want.