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I have relatives who grew up there and they all moved out over time. It’s only gotten worse and worse over the years, which is sad compared to how it once was. A third of the city is living below the poverty level.
From an article called “These are the 10 poorest cities in Massachusetts” (take a guess at which one came in first):
To compile the list of the poorest cities in the state, onlyinyourstate.com used each Massachusetts town’s per capita income — which is the average income earned per person in a year — median household income and poverty level.
1. Lawrence: Per capita income: $16,987; Median Household income: $32,851; Living below poverty level: 29.2 percent
(According to onlyinyourstate.com, Lawrence is also listed as one of the poorest cities in the whole nation.)
I work in Andover and just moved away from a suburb of Haverhill, which is a few towns over. No arguing it isn’t bad. It just not “lightyears worse” than other bad, post-industrial cities in New England:
Per Capita Income:
Central Falls, RI: $15,519 Lawrence, MA: $20,858
Berlin, NH: $21,057
Waterbury, CT: $23,128
Holyoke, MA: $23,931
Brattleboro, VT: $28,138
Median Household Income:
Central Falls, RI: $32,982
Brattleboro, VT: $38,176
Berlin, NH: $39,130
Holyoke, MA: $40,769
Waterbury, CT: $42,401 Lawrence, MA: $44,613
There are a decent number of nice mom&pop restaurants and markets in Lawrence as well as some nicer restaurants downtown. There aren’t usually a lot of people just hanging out. There are shops, salons, and nail parlors that often have customers. It isn’t terrible. Not to diminish it’s problems; I’m not saying it’s a great place either.
I think crime in the city has been trending down for the last 5 or so years too. I’ll try to find that data later.
I work in Andover and just moved away from a suburb of Haverhill, which is a few towns over. No arguing it isn’t bad. It just not “lightyears worse” than other bad, post-industrial cities in New England:
Per Capita Income:
Central Falls, RI: $15,519 Lawrence, MA: $20,858
Berlin, NH: $21,057
Waterbury, CT: $23,128
Holyoke, MA: $23,931
Brattleboro, VT: $28,138
Median Household Income:
Central Falls, RI: $32,982
Brattleboro, VT: $38,176
Berlin, NH: $39,130
Holyoke, MA: $40,769
Waterbury, CT: $42,401 Lawrence, MA: $44,613
There are a decent number of nice mom&pop restaurants and markets in Lawrence as well as some nicer restaurants downtown. There aren’t usually a lot of people just hanging out. There are shops, salons, and nail parlors that often have customers. It isn’t terrible. Not to diminish it’s problems; I’m not saying it’s a great place either.
I think crime in the city has been trending down for the last 5 or so years too. I’ll try to find that data later.
I wonder how much of a difference that new train stop in nearby Pawtucket and meant to serve Central Falls as well will make. Seems to be progressing pretty nicely so far: https://www.dot.ri.gov/projects/PCF/index.php
I have relatives who grew up there and they all moved out over time. It’s only gotten worse and worse over the years, which is sad compared to how it once was. A third of the city is living below the poverty level.
From an article called “These are the 10 poorest cities in Massachusetts” (take a guess at which one came in first):
To compile the list of the poorest cities in the state, onlyinyourstate.com used each Massachusetts town’s per capita income — which is the average income earned per person in a year — median household income and poverty level.
1. Lawrence: Per capita income: $16,987; Median Household income: $32,851; Living below poverty level: 29.2 percent
(According to onlyinyourstate.com, Lawrence is also listed as one of the poorest cities in the whole nation.)
Lawrence today is not worse than it was in 2010 or 2000 or 1990. How long ago did they move out? I don't think the city has ever been nice evn when Robert Frost was living there
Lawrence today is not worse than it was in 2010 or 2000 or 1990. How long ago did they move out? I don't think the city has ever been nice evn when Robert Frost was living there
I think there was a time when it was nice. Maybe before the “4 theaters in a row” were demolished?
Lawrence is an important city that grew enormously in the last decade. 2010-2020 saw the most growth in the city in over a century. With 16.7% growth that is more than double the state average in the latest census. Methuen, a suburb of Lawrence recorded 12.3% population growth.
Lawrence is an unusual case because of how bad the city's reputation is with locals. There are a lot of places that are functionally the Lawrence MSA but many residents of those towns rarely ever travel to Lawrence. The city limits are tiny but there is still a wide area that is influenced by the city. One example of that would be Salisbury. Salisbury beach is immediately next to Newburyport, which is a much more affluent and desirable city than Lawrence. Yet Salisbury still has a stronger Lawrence connection than it does to Newburport, even though Lawrence is not particularly close to Salisbury Beach. If you walk around the boardwalk in the summer you will run into more people from Lawrence than you will from Newburyport. Salem, NH also functions as a suburb of Lawrence despite not sharing a border. The city limits are only 2.2 miles apart at the closest point, or a five minute drive down Broadway. However the part of Salem that is closest to Lawrence is the commercial hub of the town and draws loads of people from MA for big box shopping along 28.
I would say in some ways Salem, NH functions as a secondary shopping district for Lawrence between all the big box stores and the mall. The primary shopping district also not in the city of Lawrence itself is the Loop in Methuen which again contains the practical amenities that are lacking in the city itself, albeit without the tax free shopping experience.
Lawrence might be most similar to Lynn out of the other MA cities. Lawrence being somewhat further from Boston might lead to a different dynamic than Lynn has with the surrounding cities. Would places like Saugus, Swampscott, Lynnfield or Nahnt be in a Lynn MSA if such a thing existed? I'm not sure of the answer but places like Revere I think they are completely sucked into the Boston gravity and despite having similarities to Lynn and sharing a border I don't have a good argument that they would be in a Lynn MSA
Last edited by Space_League; 11-28-2021 at 10:11 AM..
Lawrence is bad. But lets not act like its a Paterson or Newark or something like that.
Overall Newark is probably a better city than Lawrence. Despite higher crime. IJS, way more purposeful land impactful with more culture/arts/dining/transit connection.
You might have better life chances out of Newark than Lawrence…
Overall Newark is probably a better city than Lawrence. Despite higher crime. IJS, way more purposeful land impactful with more culture/arts/dining/transit connection.
You might have better life chances out of Newark than Lawrence…
you missed the point.
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