Westfield, MA (Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke: how much, homes, safe area)

[south-bound]

Hi, everyone!

I'm leaving Springfield this summer, and I'm looking to move somewhere with better schools. I've ruled out Holyoke and Chicopee outright because Holyoke is worse than Springfield schools-wise, and Chicopee is almost as bad as Springfield.

I'm also looking for a place with reasonable rents. So that puts Amherst and Northampton out as well. So I'm looking at Westfield.

Anyone on here live in Westfield? How do you like it? It seems to have a lively but not dangerous downtown area, but still keeps a suburban small-town feel that I like. Is my perception about it true?

[katiet41]

Hi! I no longer live in Westfield, but grew up there. My mom still lives there so I am in and out frequently. I LOVE Westfield and recommend it to anyone. If I had it my way I would have moved back, just didn't work out that way due to jobs/husband. Good luck, and I say yes to moving to Westfield!!

[JuJu83]

Westfield, I think, is somewhat under-rated. Westfield State University creates a nice atmosphere in town and brings in a lot of speakers.

My only gripe with Westfield is that there are parts of it that look like 'suburban anywhere, USA.' (Many towns have a part of town like this--like even unique Northampton has northern King St--but there seem to be a lot of these areas in Westfield, i.e. with chain store after strip mall.)

That's a small gripe though... The positives of Westfield are: it's close to Springfield and Northampton, close to highways so as to get to both places, and from what I've heard, (I don't know firsthand,) it has a better school system than the big city.

As an alternative to Westfield, have you checked out Easthampton..? Rents are fairly affordable there compared with (nearby) NoHo and Amherst.

If I had kids, I'd probably look at Westfield closely too... I don't yet so I'm still looking at living in cities... Currently, I'm thinking of getting a place in Springfield, but I don't know yet.

Good Luck in your search! --Justin

[mom2b911]

I am from Southwick, lived in Eastern MA a couple of years, and then moved back to WMASS in Westfield. I currently teach at the high school. It's OK - no diversity, kids have their issues, high school administration isn't very supportive, I'd say it's better than Chicopee or Spfld but honestly I don't know. Safer yes, and that is obviously very important. Every place has its pros and cons. It is what you make of it- but given the "stereotypes" of Spfld I'd rather be here. Don't know too much about Chicopee...

[DrCox]

I live in West Springfield but work in Westfield (9 years). I am soooo glad I did not buy a home in Westfield! My daughter did and was glad to sell it last year. She couldnt wait to get out of Westfield. I see it as an ugly town whose streets are crumbling and the downtown area has become a ghost town due to road construction on the new bridges. Many of the towns buildings are in disrepair and downright ugly. And on top of all that there is a huge traffic problem. Only 2 bridges that go over the Westfield River, so alternative routes are non existent. There is only one masspike exit from Westfield to Lee Mass (30 miles away) so all the hill town residents have to use Westfield roads to get to the Masspike and back.

Westfield does a poor job of maintaining streets. Take a drive from Westfield to Southwick and you can tell when youre in Southwick just by how much better the streets get. Then there is snow. I have to drive in snow to and from work often in Westfield. Interestingly, I drive over the town line into West Springfield and the roads are suddenly 100% better.

Westfield does have one good thing going for it and thats the river. If youre into kayaking, the Westfield river is a gem! Oops, Westfield has 2 good things going for it and the other is Stanley park. That too is a gem. But its ran by a trust not by the town. Its the trust that maintains that park in great condition.

I second the idea of looking into Easthampton as an alternative!

[Homer12]

The road-work in town is coming to an end soon. I actually live in Southwick and love it, I have only been here for less than a year. I agree Stanley Park is a gem. Westfield to me has a lot of different area's, some nice, some not so much. My opinion is the schools should be better than Holyoke and Springfield.

[Harmonica_Blues]

Originally Posted by DrCox

I live in West Springfield but work in Westfield (9 years). I am soooo glad I did not buy a home in Westfield! My daughter did and was glad to sell it last year. She couldnt wait to get out of Westfield. I see it as an ugly town whose streets are crumbling and the downtown area has become a ghost town due to road construction on the new bridges. Many of the towns buildings are in disrepair and downright ugly. And on top of all that there is a huge traffic problem. Only 2 bridges that go over the Westfield River, so alternative routes are non existent. There is only one masspike exit from Westfield to Lee Mass (30 miles away) so all the hill town residents have to use Westfield roads to get to the Masspike and back.

Westfield does a poor job of maintaining streets. Take a drive from Westfield to Southwick and you can tell when youre in Southwick just by how much better the streets get. Then there is snow. I have to drive in snow to and from work often in Westfield. Interestingly, I drive over the town line into West Springfield and the roads are suddenly 100% better.

Westfield does have one good thing going for it and thats the river. If youre into kayaking, the Westfield river is a gem! Oops, Westfield has 2 good things going for it and the other is Stanley park. That too is a gem. But its ran by a trust not by the town. Its the trust that maintains that park in great condition.

I second the idea of looking into Easthampton as an alternative!

I second this. They've been working on that one intersection on the way to Southwick (the one near the bridge I think? Can't remember exactly) for a long time now, the roads are awful. Some parts of Westfield are okay, a lot ugly in my opinion. I think Easthampton is better as well.

[A Nonny Mouse]

We just moved to Westfield and have lived in the general area for 11 years. It's a good, safe area but not posh. It also lacks a movie theater. Personally, I think most of Westfield is quite pretty. There are some more run-down or "dated" looking streets, but most of the town is fine to look at. There are a number of beautiful historic homes.

The immediate downtown area is a hot mess right now with the bridge construction, messed up lanes, and empty storefronts. That said, we live right down the street from it and it's not affecting our quality of life. Hopefully it will get squared away soon, but who knows. It's been at least 2-3 years they've been working on it. Once you get through that downtown rotary though, you're okay.

If you live outside of the downtown area you'll either be more rural, or effectively be part of Southwick, West Springfield, or another adjoining city (in terms of shopping, etc). I picked a downtown location on purpose because we lived rurally before and I was tired of driving 30 minutes one way to go grocery shopping. Very happy now to be literally three minutes from all kinds of stores, car repair places, restaurants, etc.

I would say there is a "lack of diversity" as someone else mentioned. It's certainly better than the small rural towns to the west/north, though!

We homeschool, so I can't comment on the schools.