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It's an old industrial city of defunct mills and tenement housing. Not really that much different from PVD, just smaller.
Really? It's not on the Northeast Corridor rail line (AMTRAK), it's not on an MBTA line, it has no real downtown, it's not home to major universities, it's airport is tiny, it's metropolitan area is 402,000 vs. 1,622,000 of Providence, it's not its state's capital. But you're pretty sure it's "not really that much different than Providence?" Please.
Surprised to hear it's a dying city; it seems to be one of those places that's often on the "best places to live" lists.
You are thinking of Nashua, that city makes those lists.
Actually, the city that most easily compares to Providence is Worcester. It is just a little larger, and has a little smaller crime rate than Providence - but they are close.
Providence and Worcester are absolutely nothing alike.
For one thing, Providence's center is something that any city would be proud to emulate. Worcester's center is crime ridden and has people literally mainlining in the streets.
I feel much safer Downtown in Providence than I do Worcester, and Worcester has nowhere near the type of attractions and plethora of quality restaurants that Providence has.
In size they are similar, but the similarities end there.
You are thinking of Nashua, that city makes those lists.
Actually, the city that most easily compares to Providence is Worcester. It is just a little larger, and has a little smaller crime rate than Providence - but they are close.
They aren't close at all, for reasons I stated in my post about Manchester. Beyond those salient points, I would add:
o Worcester has almost exactly the same population as Providence, but Worcester is nearly twice the geographic size as Providence; thus, just HALF the density, and less opportunity for organized development. Providence's downtown is cogently planned, while Worcester's is scattered and ill-defined.
o The Worcester metropolitan population area is roughly half the size of Providence -- it's tiny compare the the Providence MSA.
(I caveat that I've been to Worcester only once. Wasn't much impressed and see no reason to go back.)
Providence and Worcester are absolutely nothing alike.
In size they are similar, but the similarities end there.
population only. Worcester is twice the land mass, thus a lesser density. And while we complain about RIPTA, Worcester transit is equal to Manchester transit.
You are thinking of Nashua, that city makes those lists.
Actually, the city that most easily compares to Providence is Worcester. It is just a little larger, and has a little smaller crime rate than Providence - but they are close.
Agree re: Worcester being most comparable in size and feel, though they still feel kind of different to me -Worcester being less creative. I definitely could be wrong, haven't spent a ton of time there.
I did find this in Wikipedia: "Manchester often appears favorably in lists ranking the affordability and livability of American cities. In 2009, CNNMoney.com rated Manchester 13th in a list of the 100 best cities to live and launch a business in the United States.[SIZE=2][4][/SIZE] In addition, Kiplinger voted Manchester the second most tax-friendly city in the United States, second only to Anchorage, Alaska.[SIZE=2][5][/SIZE] Also in 2009, Forbes magazine ranked the Manchester region first on its list of "America's 100 Cheapest Places to Live."[SIZE=2][6][/SIZE] According to the Equality of Opportunity Project, released in 2013, Manchester ranked as the seventh best metropolitan area in terms of upward income mobility in the United States"
So I guess I'm not completely nuts in remembering Manchester on some "best of" lists, though it was more like "cheapest" lists!
I would actually put Worcester and Manchester together as the two cities most comparable. Providence and Worcester have closer populations but like Manchester, Worcester lacks a state capital and the tourism. DT Manchester has come a long way over the years, it is miles ahead of Worceter's (which hopefully will improve with all the new projects going on). Providence would be more comparable to Hartford, CT (which has a sky high murder rate higher than Providence's). CT is the one state in NE with a higher murder rate than RI (but of course it's debatable whether NE includes CT anymore, at least the urban parts of it). It seems state borders certainly have an influence of how good or bad the old cites are.
What Providence, Manchester and Worcester all have in common is the collapse of their industrial base leaving behind large segments of the population ill prepared/educated for the new economy. Much decay and run down/seedy neighborhoods are left behind. That is a recipe for drugs, crime, violence and other disorder. That Providence has a spiffy new DT and tourist dollars, should more likely work in its favor rather than against it in influencing its rate of serious crime.
So the question is, why is the Manchester murder rate SO much lower than Providence and Worcester? Or why are Hartford and New Haven even worse than Providence?
Worcester is slightly safer than Providence, neighborhoods like Main South are nowhere near as dangerous as S. Providence or Olneyville let's say. Manchester has nothing rivaling any of those places. State lines definitely make a difference.
Really? It's not on the Northeast Corridor rail line (AMTRAK), it's not on an MBTA line, it has no real downtown, it's not home to major universities, it's airport is tiny, it's metropolitan area is 402,000 vs. 1,622,000 of Providence, it's not its state's capital. But you're pretty sure it's "not really that much different than Providence?" Please.
Have you ever been to Manchester?
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