Safer cities near Lowell (Boston, Framingham: crime rate, neighborhoods, college)

[apple26]

Hello! I am hoping to get some pointers on moving up to the northern Middlesex area. I have been living between Framingham and Boston for the past 6 years, and looking to move closer to my folks up in Pepperell. I am really interested in Lowell, because I want to remain living a city if I can, and Lowell seems like a city with a lot to offer! However, I have heard that the crime rate it high and it can be unsafe. Are there any other cities near Lowell that are safer and still pretty fun for a mid-twenties young professional?

[KKay9]

Not all of Lowell is scary, some neighborhoods are, but the downtown area is pretty nice, the biggest problem there being college kids coming out of bars. The Belvidere neighborhood is the "ritzy" area, but you'd find mostly families there. The only other "city" close to Pepperell would be Nashua, NH, actually probably closer than Lowell. I think that, if you are single and in your '20s, you'd have more fun in downtown Lowell than in Nashua. My stepson and his girlfriend are your age and they live in Lowell, they have not had any problems with crime, they are near the UMass Lowell campus.

[495neighbor]

Ayer is a quieter safer town than Lowell close to Pepperell that has some vibrancy and something of a youthful vibe – places to eat and have a drink and the Nashoba bike trail that you can walk or bike up to the NH border, also a commuter rail stop for going downtown.

The Nashua idea is a good possibility, especially if you are a techie or a bit outdoorsy. There are some very thriving social and meetup groups around there. The little downtown has some nice independent businesses.