Safest Neighborhoods in Dorchester, MA? (Boston, Franklin: house, high school, live in)

[looknforhome]

Been priced out of anything close to Boston, however I have noticed a lot of good prices in Dorchester. I'm from Mass, and have heard nothing but bad info on Dorchester forever, but have never really been there.

Are there any safe parts of Dorchester? Up and coming parts? We are looking to maybe get a multi-family. Live in the building etc. It would be my wife and daugher with another little one on the way.

Anyone know if the area around Fairmont St./ gallivan blvd. is safe?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[TomDot]

Originally Posted by looknforhome

Been priced out of anything close to Boston, however I have noticed a lot of good prices in Dorchester. I'm from Mass, and have heard nothing but bad info on Dorchester forever, but have never really been there.

Are there any safe parts of Dorchester? Up and coming parts? We are looking to maybe get a multi-family. Live in the building etc. It would be my wife and daugher with another little one on the way.

Anyone know if the area around Fairmont St./ gallivan blvd. is safe?

Thanks in advance for any help.

I live on the other side of Dorchester Ave from there and I would say that you are better off moving east from that neighbothood.
I wouldn't say it's bad, but it's definately not a great area. I guess that's why it is inexpensive.
There are nice areas of Dorchester though. The problem is, Dorchester is like a checkerboard of sketchy/good areas. Five blocks of good area then five blocks of not so good area.
I have been in the Ashmont Section for 4 years and have not had one single problem.

[looknforhome]

Originally Posted by TomDot

I live on the other side of Dorchester Ave from there and I would say that you are better off moving east from that neighbothood.
I wouldn't say it's bad, but it's definately not a great area. I guess that's why it is inexpensive.
There are nice areas of Dorchester though. The problem is, Dorchester is like a checkerboard of sketchy/good areas. Five blocks of good area then five blocks of not so good area.
I have been in the Ashmont Section for 4 years and have not had one single problem.

What's considered the Ashmont area? A friend of a friend lives on Dracut St., is that an okay area?

Thanks for your earlier response as well

[Urban Peasant]

TomDot is quite right about Dorchester being a checkerboard of good and bad areas. I also live in Dorchester, in the area between Ashmont Station and Adams Street known commonly as the Carruth Street Area. My neighborhood is very safe and walkable; there are always people walking their dogs or jogging around and there are people of all ethnicities who get along with each other. It is also very convenient with Ashmont Station nearby. Having said that however, just across from Ashmont Station are several sketchy streets such as Fuller Street and Bailey Street that lead to a bad part of Dorchester. Ashmont Station itself can be sketchy during certain parts of the day such as midday when tons and tons of middle and high school students congregate there and late night when it is extremely quiet with hardly anyone around.

Other parts of Dorchester that are quite safe are Adams Village, Neponset, Port Norfolk, the eastern half of Savin Hill, and the delightful Lower Mills district which borders affluent Milton. All of these are not too expensive by Boston standards and are relatively quite and calm. Dorchester has a lot of mixed housing and I am sure you can get either single or multifamily homes in any district.

Dorchester neighborhoods to avoid are Uphams Corner, Franklin Field, Grove Hall, Codman Square, Four Corners, Meeting House Hill, and Fields Corner. Stay away from any neighborhoods that are close to Blue Hill Avenue, Columbia Road, Norfolk Avenue, and Washington Street from Codman Square northwards. I teach in a high school populated by students from these neighborhoods and they will tell you the same thing: gangs, violence, shootings, stabbings, muggings, depression, and despair.

As for your original question about Fairmount Street at Gallivan Blvd, I would avoid it. Those streets around that neighborhood are not safe at night and have been known to have rowdy and dangerous block parties that can turn violent at any turn as well as car break ins. I would look over the other side of Gallivan Blvd which is the Lower Mills District.

One last thing, check the sidewalks. Safe neighborhoods in Dorchester tend to have clean sidewalks and so if the street is really littered, be wary. Good luck in your search.

[Urban Peasant]

Dracut Street to me looks a little shabby every time I go past it but I have never heard anything bad about it. I guess you can consider it the Ashmont Area but to me, that term more appropriately applies to the neighborhood south of Ashmont Street and perhaps Ashmont Hill, which is a quiet enclave centering around Ocean and Roslin Streets. Dracut Street to me is more like the southern tip of the Shawmut/ St. Marks neighborhood which I forgot to mention in my last post. That neighborhood is relatively safe I think but recently has also seen some trouble in the form of loud block parties and occasional violence. It too is ethnically mixed.

[nate14ri]

i live in the port norfolk neighborhood. uber safe and secluded. its where all the damn dot cops live actually. but the general rule of thumb is to just stay east of Dot ave. Just avoid Blue Hill Ave at all costs.

[annac123]

how is howell st? im visiting my sister for a week in april

[nate14ri]

Howell Street is fine, north dorchester/andrew square is very gentrified

[Any Moose Will Do]

How is the Alpha Rd/Tremlett Rd area?

[maggiekate]

have you considered Hyde Park, near Truman Highway, it is Boston, near Milton? Near Brush Hill Road
area? If you do invest, in a bad area, I would worry