GUESS WHAT!! We are moving up to Rhode Island! (Providence: lease, crime rate)

[Fudgecopper]

Originally Posted by ediet

Well, welcome to RI. I moved here a couple of years ago and LOVE IT, with a few exceptions. Some things to keep in mind when moving: Try to avoid the "Festival Field", "Park Holm" and "Hillside" area in Newport. If you look in Newport, remember that the Thames and Americas Cup area is a huge tourist pull, so as a local, the traffic really sucks getting home and to work if you live down in that area--it looks great because it is so close to the water, but that is where everyone wants to be. If that doesn't bother you, the Point section and the 5th ward are fantastic. has some reasonable listings and they actually return your calls. Newportrents.com says they will return your calls--but never do. Actually, seeing that you will be working in Prov, there is one bus (the 60) that goes from Newport (or Middletown, or Portsmouth or even through Bristol, Warren and Barrington) directly to Kennedy Plaza. Yeah for public transportation!
Second, if you look in Warren or Bristol, the downtown area is ADORABLE and has a lot to offer for a shopping walking area. However, you want to be sure you stay away from rentals near the water in those towns. In the summer there is an algae problem and it STINKS! Especially near the water processing plant in Warren (hint, it is by the small baseball field when you are looking at maps). But, if you are just a few blocks away and in walking distance, there are great areas there and almost none are bad. Some might have a few run down homes, but over all they are really great. P.S. Bristol is close to Colt State Park where the beach is FABULOUS! Middletown and Portsmouth are great as well, but they are on the island and Portsmouth might be a little out of that price range. You might find something there, but it will be a little smaller and less house (or apartment) then somewhere else. The same goes for Barrington, and Barrington has a shopping area, it is just not as quaint as Warren or Bristol. Barrington is very close (about 10 minutes) to Seekonk, MA where there is a Target, Kohls, Lowes, etc.
OK, I think I have run out of breath here. Hope this helps and doesn't add any more wrenches to your works! Good luck!

Thank you so much. This has helped out alot actually and I appreciate it.

[Grandma To Emilie]

If you are moving to the Northeast and going to be working in Providence and want someplace safe to live, just come across the border into Connecticut where you'll get more bang for your bucks. We've got a lot of homes for sale or rent at really affordable prices. We're only a 30 minute drive to Providence (I've done the drive many, many times) and here in Windham county, our crime rate is very, very low.

[Rnrboy]

Rhode Island was the 9th safest state this year on Morgan Quitno's annual (and most respected) study.

CT was 10th.

End of story.

[Grandma To Emilie]

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

Rhode Island was the 9th safest state this year on Morgan Quitno's annual (and most respected) study.

CT was 10th.

End of story.

Respected by who? I guess you....but CT is by far a lot safer than some of your cities like Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Warwick!

[terrasurf]

Um, isn't Hartford, CT the crime capital of New England?

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by terrasurf

Um, isn't Hartford, CT the crime capital of New England?

Yes it is. It used to be Springfield.

[Grandma To Emilie]

But Central Falls is the cocaine capital of the US!

[CoventryDude]

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

Rhode Island was the 9th safest state this year on Morgan Quitno's annual (and most respected) study.

CT was 10th.

End of story.

Eastern CT, where it would be commutable to Providence, is generally rural and IS safe- CT crime is concentrated in the cities and areas towards NY.
The crime rate in Bridgeport has little affect on crime in Putnam.......

[Rnrboy]

My point was you don't have to go to Eastern CT (thus leaving Rhode Island) to live "somewhere safe"; and espousing such a ridiculous notion is not only irresponsible on a Rhode Island forum but has absolutely no true evidence to back it up.

I posted the safest states in the country link with crime rates and all that, and as usual, those who want to just denigrate the state never post any proof whatsoever. I guess it's just getting a little old.

Seriously folks, if you want to make blanket, sweeping negative statements about Rhode Island - that's fine in and of itself. But back it up. "Put up or shut up" as they say.

And Warwick, unsafe? Give me a break.

[Rnrboy]

P.S. My Safest States post was linked back in December. You can find it here on the forum.