Is Lowell safe for a 23 year old female? (Boston, Cambridge: lofts, crime rate)

[MAnewbie]

In researching towns to move to, I've been considering Lowell as well as some towns closer to Boston. I love all the cool lofts in Lowell, but everything I've read says its really....ghetto. I'm wondering if its not a good idea for somebody like me to be there. I would be working in Chelmsford. I don't want to be somewhere that I'm uncomfortable in. I'm planning to drive around town this weekend and see for myself, but I don't want to schedule visits to lofts, get there, and want to run away!

[topher441970]

I drove through there ONCE a long time ago in 1992... I live in Western Mass. I actually took a wrong turn on my way back from Hampton Beach.... And it was no fun ride through there. It is VERY, VERY, EXTREMELY ghetto!!!!! It's as bad as Lawrence, Jamaica Plane, and Roxbury.... Take a look, you'll see...

[Valerie C]

The lofts in Lowell (like in Lawrence, and many other river-cities) are very cool, but Lowell, like most cities in MA can have very urban elements. I can't make recommendations, but here is the city-data webstats for Lowell: http://www.city-data.com/city/Lowell-Massachusetts.html

Wish I could help more...

[MAnewbie]

Originally Posted by topher441970

I drove through there ONCE a long time ago in 1992... I live in Western Mass. I actually took a wrong turn on my way back from Hampton Beach.... And it was no fun ride through there. It is VERY, VERY, EXTREMELY ghetto!!!!! It's as bad as Lawrence, Jamaica Plane, and Roxbury.... Take a look, you'll see...

i don't mean to be rude, but trying to scare me by telling me something based on 15 years ago isn't going to really help. i want to hear the truth, but i want it to be based on real evidence. thanks anyway

[b52]

Originally Posted by MAnewbie

i don't mean to be rude, but trying to scare me by telling me something based on 15 years ago isn't going to really help. i want to hear the truth, but i want it to be based on real evidence. thanks anyway

Good for you to that last comment.
I have a very good friend in Lowell and visited there last summer. Lowell has a diverse community which some people in New England translate as "ghetto." Lowell takes pride in its diversity and the extent to which people get along despite their cultural differences. The lofts are nice but before buying I'd check into whether or not the area floods. They had some bad flooding a couple of years ago. My friend sent me pics. There is a nice park in the middle of town and lots of quaint shops. Lowell has several outdoor festivals each year and an active arts community. U Mass Lowell is also a good source of cultural activity. I hope you go and find out for yourself. Good Luck

[Valerie C]

I do think that it's all about what your personal comfort level is. I grew up in Haverhill (15ish miles downriver from Lowell) and I've heard *terrible* things about it on this board (ghetto, gang issues, awful, crime-ridden, etc). I somehow managed to survive and even thrive. When you live in a city (any city!) you learn to watch your surroundings, be aware, etc. Not a bad thing in this world we live in... Although I now live in suburbia (Londonderry NH) I see all the pampered kids/teens jumping out of Mom's Lexus or BMW, all decked out like they're some kind of gangsta... it's sort of funny and sad at the same time. Whoops I got off topic! Anyway...

Try this: Open the Mass forum in a new tab or window, then look near the top of the page. There should be 5 options: My Settings New Posts Search Quick Links Log Out/In
Chose the Search option, input Lowell, and check posts from the last 6 months or so. This'll give you (hopefully) some good info from residents.

(Here's a posting (not mine) on Lowell from a couple weeks ago:
I lived in Lowell for 4 years recently while attending school at UMass Lowell and will agree that there are some rough spots but it does have a lot to offer for a small city. The Downtown area is nice and has museums and independently-owned stores. Pawtucketville and Belvidere tend to be pretty safe, suburban areas. There are also many really nice homes in Belvidere.)

[MAnewbie]

thank you both very much for your opinions! i'm looking forward to visiting...i'm just nervous about being on my own in such an urban city. from my research, i'm amazed at the positive changes i've read about, and hope i will like it there.

[topher441970]

Originally Posted by MAnewbie

i don't mean to be rude, but trying to scare me by telling me something based on 15 years ago isn't going to really help. i want to hear the truth, but i want it to be based on real evidence. thanks anyway

Wasn't trying to scare you, that's how I saw the place................

[rusummer1]

truthfully i don't think it is safe for a 23yrold woman. Lowell is very ghetto and in my opinion doesnt look very nice. Crime is bad but downtown does have some nice bars/pub, resturants, and shops. if i were you i would look in surrounding areas like Westford, Chelmsford, Nashua, and Billerica. Westford, Chelmsford, and Billerica are suburbs but Nashua is a city, 88,000, and has plenty of everything.

[airedaly]

Unless you're a street-savvy young woman who knows how to handle herself in an area that has a higher-than-average crime rate, please look into other towns. Take a look at the crime statistics in Lowell before you decide to move there. I have a 23 year old daughter and would not want her living in Lowell. There are so many alternatives, so why choose the one that could prove to be unsafe?

Lowell has much a much higher crime rate than a large city like Cambridge (use the comparison chart), especially rapes: Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed