Worcester, MA (Shrewsbury, Belmont, Auburn: lofts, crime, how much)

[mario4117]

I am thinking abut buying a house in Worcester. Can anyone tell me a little about the city itself? I've researched it a lot online, but would like to hear from some of the locals. My biggest concerns are safety and jobs. Where are the less dangerous parts in the city? And where should I not go into? Also, how is the job market currently? Is the local hospital hiring?

Thank you all in advance.

[scarletfire]

The Salisbury St and Tatnuck areas are considered the best.


There are some areas I would avoid - you can do a search on Worcester in previous threads to find a list or if not I'll post again tomorrow, just headed out now.

The Fallon Clinic and Umass Medical are both hiring.

[scarletfire]

ok, just found earlier post:

Best areas of Worcester: Near Assumption College/Salisbury St & Tatnuck.

Areas to stay away from: Dorchester & Providence Sts., Lincoln, Belmont, Crystal Park area, Main South altogether & Lower May, as well as Pleasant St below Park (although Upper Pleasant is nice.) Really all the streets off of Main St aren't good.

You could also live in adjacent communities of Shrewsbury or Holden, which are quite nice and safe.

[MichelleLane]

I actually work with the Worcester hospitals to help them find housing for their recruits. You don't give much info about what you are looking for, whether you are single, have a family, etc.

If you are single, there are killer new lofts off Shrewsbury Street, which is a pretty hip part of the city. They are one bedrooms though. Don't know if that works for you.

[divinemetaphor]

I just moved to Worcester from Georgia. I think it has a lot to offer but first let me say that I like cities that are kind of gritty, have a good ethnic mix, lots of local eating establishments and a strong working class. When you ask about safe or unsafe parts of town that is a question I am not yet qualified to answer. So far though I have found the crime to be lower than the city I left in Georgia. There are several reasons for this as far as I can tell. One is that the gap between rich and poor seems lower here. There are more non-profit agencies that assist the disadvantaged. City services and quality of life issues seem a little better. There is less over-all discrimination between ethnic groups. Keep in mind this is simply a comparison with what I was used to. Shrewsbury Street is a neat part of town. The canal district looks promising. You also might keep in mind that Worcester is really a web of lots of different smaller neighborhoods. This is a city where people live, not so much one that people commute hours to get to. Even the "suburbs" like Holden or Auburn or other places are very close, almost seamless parts of the city.

[divinemetaphor]

Originally Posted by mario4117

I am thinking abut buying a house in Worcester. Can anyone tell me a little about the city itself? I've researched it a lot online, but would like to hear from some of the locals. My biggest concerns are safety and jobs. Where are the less dangerous parts in the city? And where should I not go into? Also, how is the job market currently? Is the local hospital hiring?

Thank you all in advance.

Hi again. After I posted I read some of the comments from other Worcester natives. I have to say I think Main South gets a bad rap. I work in Main South and I love walking in that part of town. A lot of professionals live around the Clark College Campus but then again so do college students which scares some people off. Keep in mind your comfort level, how street smart and adventurous you are, how you feel about less affluent people, and how much research you want to do on local color. Crime can be unpredictable but it is rarely directed against a total stranger. Shortly after I moved here there was a killing over near Assumption College but that was shocking precisely because something like that is so unexpected and rare.

[jjjbcc]

a lot of good Variety in Worcester.. Of People and Pros. & things to do Auburn is near by too
visit see How you like it..