What is Lawrence, MA like? (Boston, Lowell: mortgage, credit check, loans)

[Jpierpont]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

well it only has 70,000 people so 7 murders is 10/100,000

Not great but not exactly terrifying.

[Braunwyn]

Originally Posted by jbub22

I agree, some scare easily and exaggerate. I will state that Lawrence is run down when compared to other New England towns, but when compared to other US cities Lawrence looks like another city, so I don't get the paranoia. Personnally, I have never had a problem, for us its the best place to find latino foods, spices and such.

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

I think "feeling safe" issues vary a lot between men's sense of safety and women's.

I've lived in Lawrence. It's ghetto and ghetto sucks.

[broadway?]

Can anyone give an overview of the neighborhoods and their borders? I've heard Mt. Vernon is fine. On this website a map of Mt. Vernon includes Union Street south of Andover Street. But Union looked pretty rough to me. Others tell me even Broadway south of Andover Street is off-limits. Prospect Hill or Tower Hill any good? Street names would be helpful. Thanks much in advance.

[z.miranda]

I am a lawrence resident that has lived most of her life here. Your ignorance is not needed and I find very immature. I have an education, a laptop, and every device you can think of...(ipad, iphone, tv,..ect) I will be a graduate from the University of Massachusetts Lowell next Spring. And people are wrong about being ghetto,not having an education, and being raised up to be bad people. I was raised by parents who did not have the education I am grateful to have now, but they taught me manners and the right way to live. I do not use drugs or violence in any way. Yes this city has allot of crime and poverty but there are many in this city who are rising to the top. Most of my friends that live in Lawrence are in the best schools you can think of. SO to conclude this comment, no this is not the city to live in, but its not the place to be pointing fingers either because there are many more cities with the same problem.

[adriajj4]

Lawrence has a bad reputation. Maybe its not the best city. But it's not as bad as people make it out to be. 1 of the reasons it has a bad reputation is from people believing everything they hear and then passing it on to others. Some people will say how bad Lawrence is and they never even been hear! Exaggeration, and gossip is part of a reason that Lawrence has a bad rep. More important is the fact that Lawrence Public Schools are good! My daughter has gone to the Frost and is now at the Wetherbee. The teachers have been great. I was surprised myself at how good the public schools are. I went to a Catholic school in Lawrence and I now see that i didnt learn half of the things that my daughter has learned so far. After seeing the big difference in education I would never send one of my kids to a catholic school. My cousin took her daughter out of a Catholic school after 3years for the same reason. Whoever thinks the lawrence public schools are bad are assuming. Maybe they say the public schools are bad because they are going by the gossip or maybe its because of the children who attends ethnic group??? Whatever the reason..don't speak on the school system if you havent experienced it first hand. Yes I've heard some kids with dirty mouths. But i have come to realize that with ANY school there will be swearing, fighting, detentions, etc. School is a bunch of kids growing into themselves. What do you expect?? you live..you learn.

[adriajj4]

mt vernon is good. jefferson street right off mount vernon. there are many street right off mt vernon and other off of those that are good. they are quiet too. south union..no. south broadway and andover street arent bad but they are very busy..cars never stop. mt vernon is a long street and many street off it. left and right. Just look at a map and youll see there are more than enough options

[SuperSparkle928]

Originally Posted by adriajj4

Lawrence has a bad reputation. Maybe its not the best city. But it's not as bad as people make it out to be. 1 of the reasons it has a bad reputation is from people believing everything they hear and then passing it on to others. Some people will say how bad Lawrence is and they never even been hear! Exaggeration, and gossip is part of a reason that Lawrence has a bad rep. More important is the fact that Lawrence Public Schools are good! My daughter has gone to the Frost and is now at the Wetherbee. The teachers have been great. I was surprised myself at how good the public schools are. I went to a Catholic school in Lawrence and I now see that i didnt learn half of the things that my daughter has learned so far. After seeing the big difference in education I would never send one of my kids to a catholic school. My cousin took her daughter out of a Catholic school after 3years for the same reason. Whoever thinks the lawrence public schools are bad are assuming. Maybe they say the public schools are bad because they are going by the gossip or maybe its because of the children who attends ethnic group??? Whatever the reason..don't speak on the school system if you havent experienced it first hand. Yes I've heard some kids with dirty mouths. But i have come to realize that with ANY school there will be swearing, fighting, detentions, etc. School is a bunch of kids growing into themselves. What do you expect?? you live..you learn.

'splain to me why the Lawrence school system was taken into receivership...

State sets plan to fix schools in Lawrence - Boston.com

"In a historic move last November, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to place Lawrence schools into receivership in hope of reversing years of dismal academic performance at most of its 28 schools."

When I was a little kid (well up to about 18), I was in a neighboring town, and we were taught what streets to not drive through in Lawrence.

I rejoice in moving very far away.

JMHO.

[adriajj4]

The Curriculum is good. my daughter is in elementary school and she comes home with homework and tells me her school day..I never had the school work she does. Its such a difference from the Catholic I was sent to as a kid. Better..not worse. If you want answers to your 1st sentence then you will have to google it. I'm not in charge of the city and its schools. Im just a mom saying what I see through life experiences. Your 2nd sentence is proof of my 1st comment up above. People judge and think what they do of Lawrence by what other's say. It's called brainwashing. The world is in general. dont feel bad

[SuperSparkle928]

Originally Posted by adriajj4

mt vernon is good. jefferson street right off mount vernon. there are many street right off mt vernon and other off of those that are good. they are quiet too. south union..no. south broadway and andover street arent bad but they are very busy..cars never stop. mt vernon is a long street and many street off it. left and right. Just look at a map and youll see there are more than enough options

Go down Park St and tell me how good the city is. That is where they would have a little kid ride out on a bicycle in front of your car, you would stop, and then they would rob you. Remember the riots near Treat Hardware, when they were throwing Molotov cocktails? I only lived in two neighboring towns from when I was 6 to when I was 30, so don't listen to me.
At least it is no longer the 2nd-highest car-theft rate (per capita) city in the country. And there are one or two worse cities in MA.
Just my (factual) humble opinion.

[sirk98]

Originally Posted by adriajj4

Lawrence has a bad reputation. Maybe its not the best city. But it's not as bad as people make it out to be. 1 of the reasons it has a bad reputation is from people believing everything they hear and then passing it on to others. ...My daughter has gone to the Frost and is now at the Wetherbee. The teachers have been great. I was surprised myself at how good the public schools are. ...

First, a little background.

I moved to Lawrence in the late 80s. I attended the Frost School and then moved on to Lawrence High School in the mid '90s.

This covers the period when Lawrence was in the news for the highest arson and highest per-capita auto theft rate in the nation (at least that is what my family was told). I am of the Caucasian persuasion--ie, a minority in this city of minorities.

When my family moved to Lawrence (from Lowell), they chose a spot in South Lawrence, on the Andover line (Mt Vernon area). My family, while not on welfare, was definitely far from "middle income".

I wont lie. Growing up in Lawrence was hard. In the old LHS, I recall my first day, noting the bullet holes in the windows and being scared out of my mind. But something very interesting happened there.

You see, Lawrence has its share of naysayers. And much of the negative hype, predominantly from folks that have never lived in the city, is not without some degree of merit. What you dont hear on this thread, or much anywhere else, is how many dedicated people there are desperately trying to make a difference in Lawrence.

In my case, this took the form of certain teachers and guidance counselors taking a strong interest in me, guiding and protecting me--especially from myself.

In the end, I survived "this cesspool"--or whatever the previous poster called the city. I ended up attending what was then ranked as the 5th best college in our nation. I now work in finance and am definitely what many would consider "middle" or perhaps even "upper middle" income. My guidance counselor from LHS attended my wedding.

I wont sit here and say that living in Lawrence is the "right move" for any one person, but I wont damn the whole city. I havent lived there since the late 90s, but I have many friends who chose to move back there and raise families. Like any town, there are shady areas (back in the day, it was downtown area) and nicer areas (Mt Vernon, etc).

Insofar as schools go, back then, the Frost School was EXCELLENT (and it sounds like it still is, based on the quote above)... I heard that the Wetherbee was good, as well.

The high school, back then, left a lot to be desired.

Like so many things in life, you get out what you give. I made an effort to study and keep my nose (relatively) clean. I had a core support group in the high school, and that allowed me to graduate in the top 10 of the class, absolutely clean house on cash scholarships at graduation (did you know that Robert Frost and his wife were co-valedictorians from LHS?), and get in to a college that I might not have had a chance of had I gone to a more competitive high school.

Sorry this is so long-winded. I just read 8 pages dedicated to a simple question and the thread turned, as anything about Lawrence often does, to a bunch of "Law-town" bashing, with a few positive notes. I have said my piece on this...

To the OP...

One other person asked the salient question. To answer you properly, we would need to know what you are looking for? Are you actively seeking a large hispanic community? Do you have children? Are you looking for a true City (warts and all) within an hour (think its 45 mins) to Boston? 30 mins to the beach? 2 hrs to the mountains of NH? Perhaps Lawrence is right for you.

Your actual questions about crime and safety: I lived there quite some time ago. In Mt Vernon area, I never had a problem with car being broken in to or vandalized. Parked near the old LHS, car was broken in to once. North Lawrence (which also had nice parts!) seemed 'rougher' than South Lawrence (which had some 'rough' parts, too)

Like I said, I have friends who went to college, then moved back to start a family.
It all depends on what you want and what you make of it.