The Baystate Health communities are nestled in Massachusetts’ scenic Pioneer Valley, one of the most picturesque stretches of the majestic Connecticut River Valley. An ideal place to live and raise a family, the area offers an enticing combination of big-city cultural offerings, small-town New England charm and immediate access to many scenic and historical attractions, as well as the recreational opportunities of the great outdoors. Boston, New York City, Cape Cod beaches and Vermont ski slopes are all an easy drive away.

Baystate physicians and advanced practitioners have many options when it comes to choosing a place to live. Whether you decide to purchase a home or rent, the distinctive mix of urban and rural areas and easily accessible cultural and recreational activities make the Pioneer Valley a uniquely pleasant place to live and work. For physicians with families, there are several suburbs with excellent top-rated school systems, including Longmeadow and Wilbraham. Many of our physicians also live in the five-college community of Northampton, Amherst, Hadley and South Hadley or in nearby communities such as Easthampton and Deerfield. Others live in historic areas of Springfield, particularly in the Downtown or Forest Park areas.

Learn more information about Baystate Mary Lane Hospital’s region.

Massachusetts has always been a center of learning, with excellent public and private schools, colleges and universities. Just outside Springfield, you can find the educational and cultural amenities of Northampton, the nationally ranked schools of Longmeadow and the college town of Amherst. The many colleges and universities in the area include the University of Massachusetts, Mount Holyoke and Amherst College, while Brown, Harvard, MIT and Yale are within easy driving distance. For additional details on the local school systems, please visit the New England Association of Schools & Colleges.

For family members looking for employment, Baystate Health offers an Employment Support Program for our clinicians’ spouses, significant others, life partners and family members. With more than 10,000 employees, Baystate Health is an employer of choice in western Massachusetts. Current job listings can be found on the Baystate Health Careers page. For employment opportunities outside of Baystate Health, we maintain solid relationships with employers in area communities and are happy to make connections and referrals. You may also find the following links helpful when searching for employment opportunities: City of Springfield Personnel Department, FutureWorks Career Center, MassLive.com Local Jobs and CareerPoint.

From galleries to unique boutiques, from museums to historic homes, from theatre to concerts to dance, you’ll find a world-class array of arts in western Massachusetts. Extraordinary crafts, fine cuisine, farm-fresh produce and fantastic shopping abound. Just to the west are the breathtaking Berkshire Mountains, home to artists, craftspeople and cultural attractions including Jacob’s Pillow dance center and Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Western Massachusetts is a haven for sports enthusiasts. Skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, mountain climbing, fishing, whitewater rafting, canoeing, golfing — the list goes on and on. For those who like spectator sports, nearby colleges and universities offer numerous opportunities to cheer on favorites in football, basketball, hockey and more. In fact, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame commemorates the invention of basketball in Springfield in 1891. Also in Springfield is Six Flags New England, home to the top-rated steel roller coaster in the country.