Greater Springfield has everything you want except public transportation to speak of except the bus.( But no one outside metro Boston has much for public transit.) No one outside metro Boston has much public transit. It will be much cheaper than greater Boston. Housing costs are much less. Quadrangle museums. The 5 colleges are 30 min. up I91. Hartford is 30 min south. Worcester 30 min east. There's a ton of hiking and biking trails 10 min outside Springfield. There's a casino in dt Springfield if you're into that.