Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
CT is like Massachusetts without Boston, but a few more Worcesters, Fall Rivers, Springfields, Wellesleys and Westons.
Ew.
Comparatively fewer Fall Rivers really. THere just more central and important to the economy so people actually have to go there for work. The cities arent nearly as dated or irrelevant as most MA cities.
Comparatively fewer Fall Rivers really. THere just more central and important to the economy so people actually have to go there for work. The cities arent nearly as dated or irrelevant as most MA cities.
That’s true, more central like Worcester. Some of the postindustrial MA cities in the south coast are truly really sad. There’s no reason to visit them or even acknowledge they exist.
That’s true, more central like Worcester. Some of the postindustrial MA cities in the south coast are truly really sad. There’s no reason to visit them or even acknowledge they exist.
Fitchburg, Holyoke, Southbridge, Brockton, Lawrence, Pittsfield, would also qualify. They serve literally no purpose other than to simply house the poor and provide social services. In comparison to the modern and utilitarian downtowns of Bridgeport Hartford Stamford and New Haven its truly is kind of sad.
Springfield is almost useful though. I think the central Worcester analogy is most apt for CT cities
Comparatively fewer Fall Rivers really. THere just more central and important to the economy so people actually have to go there for work. The cities arent nearly as dated or irrelevant as most MA cities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guineas
That’s true, more central like Worcester. Some of the postindustrial MA cities in the south coast are truly really sad. There’s no reason to visit them or even acknowledge they exist.
I think you all are a bit overly harsh on many of Massachusetts' gateway cities.
Sure, there are a lot of cities in Eastern Mass that aren't the job and entertainment centers in the way we'd like them to be (Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Brockton, NB, FR)
When I lived in Mass, I always enjoyed a trip to the South Coast to see the progress NB and FR were making. NB might not have the fancy white-collar jobs, but it's fun to see that there are still some working-class fishing cities left in the state.
I still like to go to Lowell and even Haverhill for visits to see how their downtowns are evolving.
What Mass has, and CT doesn't, is a large centralised city with other very dense surrounding cities. So CT has no choice to but to spread their jobs out around to their smaller, industrialized cities.
But at the end of the day, does CT really have that many "job centers?" Hartford, yes. New Haven, yes. Stamford, yes.
Bridgeport? Not really. Waterbury? Nope. Norwalk? Milford? New London? Norwich? New Britain? Meh. They might have some nightlife, but are they really destination cities?
I think you all are a bit overly harsh on many of Massachusetts' gateway cities.
Sure, there are a lot of cities in Eastern Mass that aren't the job and entertainment centers in the way we'd like them to be (Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Brockton, NB, FR)
When I lived in Mass, I always enjoyed a trip to the South Coast to see the progress NB and FR were making. NB might not have the fancy white-collar jobs, but it's fun to see that there are still some working-class fishing cities left in the state.
I still like to go to Lowell and even Haverhill for visits to see how their downtowns are evolving.
What Mass has, and CT doesn't, is a large centralised city with other very dense surrounding cities. So CT has no choice to but to spread their jobs out around to their smaller, industrialized cities.
But at the end of the day, does CT really have that many "job centers?" Hartford, yes. New Haven, yes. Stamford, yes.
Bridgeport? Not really. Waterbury? Nope. Norwalk? Milford? New London? Norwich? New Britain? Meh. They might have some nightlife, but are they really destination cities?
You just proved my point though. I wasnt overly harsh-you just agreed and said NB and FR are making progress (are they though-or are they just making up for ground lost during the great recession and stagnating as opposed to declining?) Bridgeport still si gonna have more jobs than just about any MA city not named Boston Cambridge or Worcester.
I don't mind visiting New Bedford, cute town. Fall River is meh.
I really like Haverhill and Lowell now. I hate Brockton, I cant stand Fitchburg or Taunton. Lawrence sucks.
If I had to rate them:
Lowell: 8 (I realllly like their downtown since the revitalization)
Worcester: 6
Haverhill: 6
New Bedford: 5
Fall River: 3 (Points for Great Bakery's and Stores, Im Portuguese...)
Taunton: 1
Fitchburg: 1
Lawrence: 0
Brockton: -3
New Haven — Cambridge. (Yale vs Harvard)
Hartford — Boston (capital city, business center)
Bridgeport — Worcester or Springfield (former factory city)
Waterbury — Lawrence
New Britain — Chicopee
After that I don’t know. Willimantic, Derby, ansonia, Torrington — any MA counterparts? Maybe Torrington— Pittsfield.
Lowell, Lynn, Salem, Brockton, Fall River, Northampton, Haverhill and Holyoke— can’t think of CT comparisons.
New London could be a much smaller New Bedford or a less affluent Newburyport.
Anyway we’re supposed to be comparing CT with RI so...
New Haven — Cambridge. (Yale vs Harvard)
Hartford — Boston (capital city, business center)
Bridgeport — Worcester or Springfield (former factory city)
Waterbury — Lawrence
New Britain — Chicopee
After that I don’t know. Willimantic, Derby, ansonia, Torrington — any MA counterparts? Maybe Torrington— Pittsfield.
Lowell, Lynn, Salem, Brockton, Fall River, Northampton, Haverhill and Holyoke— can’t think of CT comparisons.
New London could be a much smaller New Bedford or a less affluent Newburyport.
Anyway we’re supposed to be comparing CT with RI so...
New Haven: Providence
Bridgeport: Providence
Hartford: Providence
Stamford: Woonsocket
Waterbury: Central Falls
New London: Kingston, or maybe Westerly
New Britain: Newport, only without fancy mansions for tourists to visit
Waterbury: Pawtucket
???: Cranston
That’s true, more central like Worcester. Some of the postindustrial MA cities in the south coast are truly really sad. There’s no reason to visit them or even acknowledge they exist.
I feel compelled to rise in defense of West Portugal. LOL
I was born in New Bedford and grew up in a coastal village a couple miles away where I have a summer home now. The New Bedford waterfront and downtown for a half dozen blocks up the hill is significantly better than “truly sad”. The restored Whaling National Historic Park around the Whaling Museum is attractive and safe. It is fairly vibrant with restaurants, bars, and a bit of a local music scene. New Bedford was the richest city in the United States before the Civil War. Kuwait in the lamp oil era. The housing stock of whaling era mansions reflects that wealth. In 2020, the housing stock of the waterfront stretching into the West End reflects that as well as the 1890s textile era when the manager class lived there.
Of course, you don’t have to stray far to get to a Trumpian-level $h1te hole. Projects. Decaying tenement buildings. Failed schools. Gangs. Junkies & hookers.
It’s the same problem Rhode Island has. Poorly educated workforce. You can’t attract 21st century jobs with metro Boston pay with a subliterate workforce. There’s a glimmer of hope with commuter rail showing up in three years. Some white collar professionals who can telecommute part of the time could opt to live on the coast and have much lower housing costs. Unlikely enough to hit critical mass.
I’d match the affluent coastal areas in the South Coast against anywhere. Marion. Mattapoisett. Westport Point. Padanaram. The gated summer communities in South Dartmouth: Nonquitt, Round Hill, Salters Point, Mishaum Point. Where the local professionals live and where truly affluent own vacation homes.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
