Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
...we who live in Fall River do not consider ourselves part of New Bedford at all, since it takes 20 minutes to get there at least. In case you missed it, I will repeat, "I know little about New Bedford". Sugar coat NB or call it a cesspool, I couldn't care less. I am simply tired of of the assumptions people make about Fall River. I am sick of making conversation with someone in Boston or Providence and being asked, "So, where are you from?". And then being treated like a leprous prostitute on drugs because then rest of the state and nearby Rhode Island think everyone in Fall River is this poverty stricken heroin addict on welfare. There are a FEW neighborhoods in Fall River that are not well kept, and I wouldn't leave my car unlocked at night, but it is not but any means an "urban slum"! The biggest reason I would tell people with children to move to a different town is the school system-- period. Or from your response and others, perhaps I should be telling them, "Don't move here if you care what other people think and how they'll treat you because 'popular kids' don't sit at THIS table".
...we who live in Fall River do not consider ourselves part of New Bedford at all, since it takes 20 minutes to get there at least. In case you missed it, I will repeat, "I know little about New Bedford". Sugar coat NB or call it a cesspool, I couldn't care less. I am simply tired of of the assumptions people make about Fall River. I am sick of making conversation with someone in Boston or Providence and being asked, "So, where are you from?". And then being treated like a leprous prostitute on drugs because then rest of the state and nearby Rhode Island think everyone in Fall River is this poverty stricken heroin addict on welfare. There are a FEW neighborhoods in Fall River that are not well kept, and I wouldn't leave my car unlocked at night, but it is not but any means an "urban slum"! The biggest reason I would tell people with children to move to a different town is the school system-- period. Or from your response and others, perhaps I should be telling them, "Don't move here if you care what other people think and how they'll treat you because 'popular kids' don't sit at THIS table".
I have too much of a conscience to give anybody the impression that this area is anything less than the cesspool it is. Unless you live in the Highland of Fall River, Fall River is as bad as New Bedford. Fall River and New Bedford are the matching bookends for Dartmouth and this area is getting worse by the minute .... I am sorry but that is the truth and one of the reasons I want out of here.
I am sorry but I just can't let you sugar coat New Bedford .... is more of a cess pool than not. The surrounding towns aren't too bad and good schools are easy to find but you are still in what we call the "Greater New Bedford" area. Stay away from this area .... really.
Who's the WE when you call the surrounding towns greater new bedford? I live in one of those surrounding towns and let me just say it is not considered greater new bedford. Not that it would be a completely bad thing but those mentioned towns and new bedford are completely different. East Freetown, freetown, lakeville and assonet are all rural towns, new bedford is not. Personally I prefer this area over anywhere remotely close to the boston area. I've lived in massachusetts my whole life and personally this particulare area is far better (less traffic, friendlier people, more open space, parks, farmland, cleaner air).
...do you live around here that is such a "cesspool"? If in New Bedford, then I really can't refute, because I do not live there. If you live in Fall River then the only way you can be justified in calling your area a cesspool is if you live in Sunset Hill or right on the Tiverton, RI border (though Tiverton itself is nice). If you don't really live in either NB or FR, then I just write you off as another area resident that looks down on us because we aren't as affluent as a whole as the rest of metro- Boston.
I stand behind:
* Fall River is a decent, affordable place to live, IF 1- you work somewhere else and 2- you don't have kids or you send your kids to private school or homeschool them.
*Alternatively (and probably the better solution if you have school age children), Freetown, East Freetown, Assonet, or Lakeville are great towns to raise kids in, affordable, an easy commute to Boston, and share a fantastic school district.
You think Fall River is a cesspool? Prove it: do you live here? have you ever lived here? what specific examples can you give of it being a cesspool (and do try to give examples that cannot be said of most other affordable communities or Boston, please)?
You wouldn't recommend the Freetown- Lakeville school district? Why not? Did you ever go there? Do have children currently enrolled? Have you ever lived there?
It seems to me that you are just regurgitating the same pap that I hear from anyone who either has never lived around here or whose community ideals include "Big City Life" or "My garage in bigger than your garage" syndrome
...do you live around here that is such a "cesspool"? If in New Bedford, then I really can't refute, because I do not live there. If you live in Fall River then the only way you can be justified in calling your area a cesspool is if you live in Sunset Hill or right on the Tiverton, RI border (though Tiverton itself is nice). If you don't really live in either NB or FR, then I just write you off as another area resident that looks down on us because we aren't as affluent as a whole as the rest of metro- Boston.
I stand behind:
* Fall River is a decent, affordable place to live, IF 1- you work somewhere else and 2- you don't have kids or you send your kids to private school or homeschool them.
*Alternatively (and probably the better solution if you have school age children), Freetown, East Freetown, Assonet, or Lakeville are great towns to raise kids in, affordable, an easy commute to Boston, and share a fantastic school district.
You think Fall River is a cesspool? Prove it: do you live here? have you ever lived here? what specific examples can you give of it being a cesspool (and do try to give examples that cannot be said of most other affordable communities or Boston, please)?
You wouldn't recommend the Freetown- Lakeville school district? Why not? Did you ever go there? Do have children currently enrolled? Have you ever lived there?
It seems to me that you are just regurgitating the same pap that I hear from anyone who either has never lived around here or whose community ideals include "Big City Life" or "My garage in bigger than your garage" syndrome
Look, I am not trying to pick a fight with you but I work in both Fall River and NB and well, stand corrected, it's a cesspool compared to the surrounding towns. If you need me to give you examples then you close your eyes when you leave your house.
Did you hear about the person who bought a night stay at the Lizzie Borden house for $950. for one night!? Can you imagine what their reaction will be when they shows up in Fall River! Yes, I live in a snobby town but that is only because NB is slowly seeping into Dartmouth so I moved.
If you like the change of seasons, freezing winters, high cost of living, the ocean, access to the mountains, Islands, Boston, Providence, Cape Cod and somewhat unfriendly people (myself included) .... you will love it here.
... with you either, but sometimes I get very tired of being looked down upon simply because my city isn't as affluent as some others in metro- Boston. I realize Fall River isn't the best city in Massachusetts, but neither is it the nightmare that others make it out to be. If you have worked around here and gotten that impression then I apologize for the fools who gave you that impression, but I will not apologize for thinking Fall River is decent.
And anyone paying $950 for a night in a bed and breakfast simply because it MIGHT be haunted is just plain old crazy and deserves to be somewhat disappointed (I pay less than that for a month's rent!).
Also, I gladly walk out of my house every day with my eyes wide open. I look around my pretty, south side ( you mean I DON'T live in the Highlands and I STILL like Fall River?! ) neighborhood with it's well kept homes, tenements, yards, park and gorgeous view of Mount Hope Bay. I say hello to my kind neighbors, most of whom are Portuguese, some Hispanic, some African American, and some French. They throw back the ball my sons accidentally kicked over into their yard, or ask how I am doing, or even sometimes offer fresh, organic produce from their backyard gardens!
Really, the relatively high cost of living just about anywhere in Massachusetts and the poor public schools are the only things I do not like about Fall River (bring on the snow! ). Crime and poverty are everywhere, sometimes it is obvious, such as in the Sunset Hill housing project of Fall River. And sometimes it is not so obvious until it is too late (how 'bout the Columbine High massacre? or the rise in use of crystal meth by suburban soccer moms?).
Plus I don't think you've been reading my posts all the way through-- I have been advising people with children to direct their attention to the Freetown- Lakeville area, NOT Fall River.
I wish you well in your search for another place to live.
The bottom line reality is both New Bedford, and Fall River aren't places to live or to raise familiy at all. Both do offer there share of positives, and have "nice" sections of town. However, both cities are more inundated with negatives, than positives! You will definately be a lot better off spending the extra monies, and moving to the abutting towns in both cities!
...that I just don't get what everyone thinks is so horrible about Fall River other than a few "not so nice" areas and the school system? Though I HAVE lived in other places (others states even!), I have lived in Fall River for the majority of my life and I do not get the mega aversion people have for this town and everyone and everything in it. I don't hear half the horrible things about Boston itself, for example, for all that their crime rate is WAY higher, poverty levels MUCH deeper, housing costs SUPER higher, school systems not so great. What Boston seems to have going for them is that they are huge, have "lots to do", and a swinging night life. I have never maintained that Fall River was ideal, just that it was decent-- which is just a reflection of most of the folks who live here, hard working, decent people.
Neighborhoods are defined by those who live there, not by how much they make or how many guest bathrooms they have. You can live in the most affluent, beautiful neighborhood in all of Massachusetts (or the nation for that matter), and it will still be horrible if your neighbors are snippy, doing drugs, racist, mean, etc. Blue collar Fall River may be, but I have known far nicer neighbors in Fall River than in other, more affluent areas I have lived.
To me, the bottom line is more that I wouldn't send kids to FR public schools (they are too understaffed and under- trained), but it is not a Horrible Place That Must Be Avoided At All Costs, nor are its residents the scum of the Earth.
Fall River is OK.. I woudn't live there, but it isn't really really bad.
NB- I don't like New Bedford at all. The crime is really bad. My husband was stationed in NB when the Coast Guard ships used to be there. I didn't like the area when we were there in 2000 and its gotten even worse now.
I agree Fairhaven is nice.. but to closer you get to the Cape the more the prices rise
Fall River is OK.. I woudn't live there, but it isn't really really bad.
NB- I don't like New Bedford at all. The crime is really bad. My husband was stationed in NB when the Coast Guard ships used to be there. I didn't like the area when we were there in 2000 and its gotten even worse now.
I agree Fairhaven is nice.. but to closer you get to the Cape the more the prices rise
The funny thing is, people from New Bedford thinks Fall River is worse and the people from Fall River thinks New Bedford is worse. I guess for each of them, that's a good thing. If you are going to live in either city, I think it's great that you stick up for NB or FR but if someone from out of town is asking advice about NB or FR I think you should tell them the truth. DON'T COME HERE!!! It' AWFUL!!!!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Where exactly...
Yes, I live in a snobby town but that is only because NB is slowly seeping into Dartmouth so I moved.
) neighborhood with it's well kept homes, tenements, yards, park and gorgeous view of Mount Hope Bay. I say hello to my kind neighbors, most of whom are Portuguese, some Hispanic, some African American, and some French. They throw back the ball my sons accidentally kicked over into their yard, or ask how I am doing, or even sometimes offer fresh, organic produce from their backyard gardens!
). Crime and poverty are everywhere, sometimes it is obvious, such as in the Sunset Hill housing project of Fall River. And sometimes it is not so obvious until it is too late (how 'bout the Columbine High massacre? or the rise in use of crystal meth by suburban soccer moms?).
