Canton

The Canton Viaduct crosses the Neponset River.

THE GOODS Here are a couple of numbers that say an awful lot about this town of 20,000 just south of both Route 128 and Boston: It has four golf courses and two MBTA commuter rail stops. Taken together they capture the attraction - plenty of green space preservation, with speedy access into the Hub. Smart-growth theory is being put to the test in Canton Center, with new housing built within walking distance of the train station, and Washington Street getting a face lift to help support the generally robust smattering of pubs, pizza joints, and hair salons and other small businesses. Much of the housing stock is post-war, rendering a classic suburban look to the town.

PROS New construction abounds, and the higher end of the housing market here is dominated by capacious contemporaries set up on open lots. Older homes dot the neighborhoods, and many of these are modest in size and price, but maintained well. The Village at Forge Pond was an early example of the kind of housing that was encouraged to be developed around transit sites, with this one a short walk to the commuter rail. Condos range from converted garden apartments to town house communities.

CONS If you are not riding the train, you are slowly making your way up the local highways. While the state is upgrading and widening Route 138, it still is a drag at rush hour. Even in today's down market, prices for comfortable but unremarkable ranches, split-entries, and New England Colonial single-family homes increase quickly.

JOHN ELLEMENT