Is Worcester really that bad?

[juke6]

i have lived in worcester my whole life and it is not a very good place to live. thir are its share of good areas but now thirs is alot of "thugs" and alot of crime the drug propbelem is getting out of controle the school system isent good but some of the privet schools are ok yet i know they are starting to go down hill themself the night life is good but depending on where you are and your age you dont want to be alone.

[renault]

Is Worcester really that bad?

In a word: yes.

[ryanjpimentel]

Better than Springfield and Hartford, but I still wouldn't live there unless necessary.

[vinny]

I find it kind of ironic how this city is a double edge sword. When I moved here from California, I thought Worcester would be a happening place. I mean on paper this place looks like it would be pretty good. It's got several colleges, a nice art museum, nice restaurants, good medical center, and its one of the largest city in New England. Boy was I disappointed...

I think the problem with Worcester is its lack of progressiveness and planning on its development. You can be in a real gorgeous area one minute and within a block you feel like you're in a ghetto. One example is that Salisbury street is pretty nice and it's near WPI. However take a stroll down Park Ave and you're in a grubby part of town on Chandler Street. The DCU center does attract good venues (I like the Sharks being from the Bay Area), but the blocks around it looks like a ghost town. I guess the new City project is supposed to fix that. The Worcester Airport sucks. I mean, make it a real airport where I can fly to visit my family in California or close it down and make some nice neighborhoods out of it.

It looks like the people here are trying to act like Boston by preserving its buildings and not trying to rezone its run down areas to attract the urban professionals. Difference is that Boston is a tourist town, and has a more diverse economy. Worcester a blue-collar mill town. I was looking at loft condos and all it was was a large room in an abandoned mill building. Sure the heating bill would suck. Yuck.

There's not alot of foot traffic to go around the city. And yes Main Street south is very bad. Other places to avoid is Chandler Street, Belmont Avenue (around Memorial Hospital), and any areas which looks like abandoned buildings (which constitutes a good part of the city).

Shrewsbury street does have some nice restaurants and bars. But I do enjoy ethnic food. Much of the chinese/vietnamese restuarants seem to be in the grubby parts of town.

Worcester seems to feel like Gotham city to me than a mini-Boston. There is however a ugly charm to it, and some people seem to like it.

Plus there is not much to do outside the city. At least it is not too far from Boston and Providence.

[ryanjpimentel]

Originally Posted by vinny

I find it kind of ironic how this city is a double edge sword. When I moved here from California, I thought Worcester would be a happening place. I mean on paper this place looks like it would be pretty good. It's got several colleges, a nice art museum, nice restaurants, good medical center, and its one of the largest city in New England. Boy was I disappointed...

I think the problem with Worcester is its lack of progressiveness and planning on its development. You can be in a real gorgeous area one minute and within a block you feel like you're in a ghetto. One example is that Salisbury street is pretty nice and it's near WPI. However take a stroll down Park Ave and you're in a grubby part of town on Chandler Street. The DCU center does attract good venues (I like the Sharks being from the Bay Area), but the blocks around it looks like a ghost town. I guess the new City project is supposed to fix that. The Worcester Airport sucks. I mean, make it a real airport where I can fly to visit my family in California or close it down and make some nice neighborhoods out of it.

It looks like the people here are trying to act like Boston by preserving its buildings and not trying to rezone its run down areas to attract the urban professionals. Difference is that Boston is a tourist town, and has a more diverse economy. Worcester a blue-collar mill town. I was looking at loft condos and all it was was a large room in an abandoned mill building. Sure the heating bill would suck. Yuck.

There's not alot of foot traffic to go around the city. And yes Main Street south is very bad. Other places to avoid is Chandler Street, Belmont Avenue (around Memorial Hospital), and any areas which looks like abandoned buildings (which constitutes a good part of the city).

Shrewsbury street does have some nice restaurants and bars. But I do enjoy ethnic food. Much of the chinese/vietnamese restuarants seem to be in the grubby parts of town.

Worcester seems to feel like Gotham city to me than a mini-Boston. There is however a ugly charm to it, and some people seem to like it.

Plus there is not much to do outside the city. At least it is not too far from Boston and Providence.

Agree with this post. Worcester has potential, but still has a ton of work to do. I do like the DCU Center though.

[SatchelPooch]

I grew up in Greater Worcester, moved away, moved back, moved away, and have again moved back. Greater Worcester is a great place to live. The city has its share of problems, like every other major urban area. But, the quality of life in Worcester County is excellent - and it's a big reason we just moved back.

When someone says they are relocating to Worcester, it doesn't mean they are going to buy a house in the city. It's like when people say they are moving to any big city (where the job is), they often live in a nearby suburb.

Worcester's suburbs are great, with low crime rates, excellent schools, and easy access to Worcester and Boston. Holden, Paxton, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Westboro, Northboro and Grafton are all great places to live.

People who say there's nothing to do in and around Worcester are just too lazy to find it. There are more great restaurants than you can try in a year, great arts and music, lots of natural beauty and outdoor activities, tons of places to take the kids.

[juke6]

Originally Posted by ryanjpimentel

Better than Springfield and Hartford, but I still wouldn't live there unless necessary.

i have relitives in springfield and they say worcetser is worce depending on areas exchandler street,main street, webster sq area, vernon hill,g/b/v lincion vilage,plumly vilage

[donpatrick]

I am a migrant, and have been living in Worcester,MA in so called Main South more than 10 years now. I never had a problem from others,never got stolen, never got beaten-up or subjected to any other harresment.I see astray women walking along the main road, look-like drug addicted flopping in street corners, but never got contacted.Most of the people look at the places very supersticiously. I have not heard any killing in Worcester in the near past,like in Boston.How could Worcester be bad?