What's wrong with East Providence? (Pawtucket, Bristol: for sale, apartments, crime rate)

[Sminthian]

I found out that I have a possible job opening that I could take in E. Providence so I looked up the area. Crime's fine, it's on the water, and the houses are very cheap. What am I not seeing? There must be something wrong for it to be a perfect town and have cheap houses?

[QuilterChick]

Originally Posted by Sminthian

I found out that I have a possible job opening that I could take in E. Providence so I looked up the area. Crime's fine, it's on the water, and the houses are very cheap. What am I not seeing? There must be something wrong for it to be a perfect town and have cheap houses?

It is not "on the water". Very little of the land area is on the water and that is one of the nicer areas. The other area of EP that is nice would be Rumford, towards the Pawtucket area. (Stay away from Pawtucket though.) There is a bike path along that part of EP off Veterans Mem. Parkway, if you look up RI bike paths. Otherwise, most of EP is very crowded, high density, an old town with many multi family homes, apartments, etc. You would have to check with police departments in any town you consider as to crime areas. Kent Heights off Pawtucket Av. is a fairly decent area, and out towards the area called "Riverside" which is right next to Barrington RI.

The plus is that it is well located for highway access, and close to Providence if you need to work in the "big" city.

If you want a less crowded area and are going to work in EP, you can always live over the border in MA. Seekonk, Rehoboth.

[Hollytree]

I think EP is highly underrated. It is, except for the center of town in which there is a concentration of poor folk (the Watchemoket area), low density and suburban. However, a new park near Watchemoket facing the East Side, has been developed.

The Terrace section has nice houses on the water. There is a great park called Rose Larissa near there (across from the old carousel still in operation) that is waterfront. Other waterfront areas are in Bullocks Point, which is an older summer colony on a point near the water of very small houses now occupied year round mostly by poorer folk, but in recent years, some places have been torn down and larger homes built. It also has a great waterfront park with a public boat ramp.

The East bay bike path (in parts spectacular) goes all along the waterfront all the way to Bristol. Long term plans are to develop the waterfront section now currently for sale where oil tank farms used to be.

Other good sections are Rumford which includes the Bridgham Farm area near Seekonk where houses with reservoir views are upwards of 800K- most of Rumford being much more affordable though. Riverside has lots of nice houses- though many tend to be smaller in square footage- but currently very affordable. Riverside borders Barrington, a pricier community. EP has become an alternative for those who cannot afford East Side houses.

The crime rate for the city is one of the lowest in RI and the police dept are very active and visible.

The area has a number of Portuguese residents, most well assimilated. (I don't think Portuguese are immigrating anymore). A downside is that the public schools, with the exception of Myron Francis Elementary, are OK but not highly rated. It does have Gordon, Providence Country Day, and St Mary's Bay View- all private schools.

One of the area's biggest attributes besides affordability, is how close in it is to Providence for commuters- only 10 min or so and little to no freeway driving required.