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Only caveat about Whalom Lake area is that getting there involves dealing with the Route 13 bottleneck at Route 2 / Exit 32. If you ever have to get back from downtown Leominster or the area around the Whitney Field Mall, it can become pretty hellish.
The neighborhood around Merriam Ave / Abbott Ave and the Doyle land is easier to navigate, and has some very nice homes.
Don't worry about Fitchburg. It has plenty of decent neighborhoods. In places where it is not so nice, the blight is physically apparent in the condition of the gnarly old triple-deckers and laughably obvious drug-front businesses like the year-round Halloween costume shop.
Also, the airport shouldn't be a concern in either neighborhood.
If either city ever manages to get thriving downtown momentum going again, they will become desirable communities very quickly. They already have attractive and relatively affordable neighborhoods.
Only caveat about Whalom Lake area is that getting there involves dealing with the Route 13 bottleneck at Route 2 / Exit 32. If you ever have to get back from downtown Leominster or the area around the Whitney Field Mall, it can become pretty hellish.
The neighborhood around Merriam Ave / Abbott Ave and the Doyle land is easier to navigate, and has some very nice homes.
Don't worry about Fitchburg. It has plenty of decent neighborhoods. In places where it is not so nice, the blight is physically apparent in the condition of the gnarly old triple-deckers and laughably obvious drug-front businesses like the year-round Halloween costume shop.
Also, the airport shouldn't be a concern in either neighborhood.
If either city ever manages to get thriving downtown momentum going again, they will become desirable communities very quickly. They already have attractive and relatively affordable neighborhoods.
Fitchburg has a great mayor, someone who is very involved on the ground level.
Fitchburg is paradise compared to what I saw in Worcester yesterday, much nicer people too.
Did you know there is are few houses on Shadow Lawn Dr. in the Doyle conservation area which are also available? You should contact the owners of both 32 and 25.
I'd like to jump in on this conversation as I'm also looking to buy a home and have considered Leominster due to it's highway access and moderate home prices compared to neighboring towns.
What is the overall trajectory of the city?
My primary concern is that the educated high wage earners simply are not drawn this far west up rt. 2 and Med-tech/College workers in Worcester will opt for Paxton, Holden, Boylston, etc. As it exists now, there a large number of beautifully maintained neighborhoods which feel vibrant; however, I'm concerned many of these homes are in the hands of older residents. With the middle class being gutted daily, I fear Leominster will rapidly find itself becoming yet another burnt out manufacturing town as older residents sell off and no stable sub-40 families step in. The census numbers are already indicating this trend.
I grew up in Shrewsbury and watched the town transition from enjoyable upper middle-class/blue collar to full blown yuppie ... I certainly am not willing this transition upon Leominster. Having spent a great deal of time in Nashua and Lowell, I can see a transition in these communities towards a more creative class of educated residents while still retaining financial and racial diversity ... possible for Leominster to do the same? Not sure ...
My move from Lowell to Ayer has been a general let down. I thought with Littleton real estate booming and Devens receiving further development, Ayer could be destined for positive growth. After living here for a year I can confidently say it won't happen in the next 5 or even 10 years as the population is far too transient. There's also the issue of neighborhoods, or lack of. Nearly every part of town is burdened with rundown rental properties and/or SFH homes of various disrepair due to low income elderly residents. Comparatively, Leominster has some appealing neighborhoods ... surely more appealing than some of the podunk areas of Groton or Lancaster which demand greater money with the promise that "our schools are GREAT!!!!!"
- Jaded Millenial who was promised a 'significant' price correction in 2008
I have just started a job in Concord and I expect to close on a home in NE Leominster in a few weeks.
Why did I choose Leominster:
- I was first impressed by the City's web site. Not many town websites have videos talking about their town. Self promoting? Sure. But I was impressed by the effort
- I like Leominster's progressive attitude on conserving it's open spaces with their emphasis on parks and walking trails. I Heck, the City owns its own Apple Farm (Sholan Farms Sholan Farms )
- Walking around town the people are very friendly and welcoming.
- Loved the City Library
- Easy access to the Commuter Rail
- A good balance between the length of commute while still being affordable.
- The housing is still affordable without having to sacrifice safety and livability. I found a great home just south of Whalom Lake.
I have just started a job in Concord and I expect to close on a home in NE Leominster in a few weeks.
Why did I choose Leominster:
- I was first impressed by the City's web site. Not many town websites have videos talking about their town. Self promoting? Sure. But I was impressed by the effort
- I like Leominster's progressive attitude on conserving it's open spaces with their emphasis on parks and walking trails. I Heck, the City owns its own Apple Farm (Sholan Farms Sholan Farms )
- Walking around town the people are very friendly and welcoming.
- Loved the City Library
- Easy access to the Commuter Rail
- A good balance between the length of commute while still being affordable.
- The housing is still affordable without having to sacrifice safety and livability. I found a great home just south of Whalom Lake.
If you don't mind me asking, what is your general background? (occupation, family, etc.) I'm curious what types of people are choosing to migrate into Leominster.
My fear is that the city suffers similar issues to Ayer - the invested (SFH owners) are a pleasure but the transient population is dragging town down.
When looking at the census data, I'm trying hard to not equate low income with urban decay and a lack of culture. I know better having lived in Lowell where the South Asian population is an incredibly involved and responsible group which has, in part, helped Lowell make a positive transition.
North Central MA suffers from a sort of mall-centric provincialism where three generations or so don't know anything besides "Searstown" and SprawlMart. Leominster and Fitchburg are semi-urban in form but have virtually no urban amenities that anyone who has ever spent time in even a third-tier city or even other GateWay cities might expect to find. Back in the 60s or 70s the downtowns died and have never come back, barely at all, despite the comeback of urban cores around the region, even in places like Lowell, New Bedford, even Pittsfield for chris'sake. The area has become suburban in what it provides but urban only in population density, traffic bottlenecks, and social ills.
Terrible places to be under 40 and single and wanting something to do besides a chain restaurant bar. Yet people act as if places like Buffalo Wild Wings are the height of urbanity and culture and anniversary dinner destination. In short, there is negligible if any cultural transformation ala Lowell or Worcester happening anytime soon. Just fine if you're raising a family and want decent affordable housing and friendly down to earth neighbors and access to chain shopping. It's an area dominated by townies and a small influx of less-affluent commuters who couldn't afford closer in, plus the pervasive transient and chronically un/under-employed that keep the area dosed with poverty.
I'd venture to say it's not the transients or immigrants that keep the place culturally dull, if anything they're the main source of color- it's a certain ingrained provincialism where many folks don't know what urban vitality or valuing local commerce and successfully reviving your downtown looks like in the 21st century. There ain't one hint of hip about the place, and it could really use at least a little!
North Central MA suffers from a sort of mall-centric provincialism where three generations or so don't know anything besides "Searstown" and SprawlMart. Leominster and Fitchburg are semi-urban in form but have virtually no urban amenities that anyone who has ever spent time in even a third-tier city or even other GateWay cities might expect to find. Back in the 60s or 70s the downtowns died and have never come back, barely at all, despite the comeback of urban cores around the region, even in places like Lowell, New Bedford, even Pittsfield for chris'sake. The area has become suburban in what it provides but urban only in population density, traffic bottlenecks, and social ills.
Terrible places to be under 40 and single and wanting something to do besides a chain restaurant bar. Yet people act as if places like Buffalo Wild Wings are the height of urbanity and culture and anniversary dinner destination. In short, there is negligible if any cultural transformation ala Lowell or Worcester happening anytime soon. Just fine if you're raising a family and want decent affordable housing and friendly down to earth neighbors. It's an area dominated by townies and a small influx of less-affluent commuters who couldn't afford closer in, plus the pervasive transient and chronically un/under-employed that keep the area dosed with poverty.
Cannot disagree as the recent development in Leominster appears to largely be an effort to increase the tax base and not to curate something of cultural relevance ... the push for a slots parlor is a shining example.
Is Lunenburg a legitimately superior alternative or simply attractive in the reflection of Fitchburg? West Groton, Lancaster, and Sterling are also options which my fiancee and I are mulling over.
North Central MA suffers from a sort of mall-centric provincialism where three generations or so don't know anything besides "Searstown" and SprawlMart. Leominster and Fitchburg are semi-urban in form but have virtually no urban amenities that anyone who has ever spent time in even a third-tier city or even other GateWay cities might expect to find. Back in the 60s or 70s the downtowns died and have never come back, barely at all, despite the comeback of urban cores around the region, even in places like Lowell, New Bedford, even Pittsfield for chris'sake. The area has become suburban in what it provides but urban only in population density, traffic bottlenecks, and social ills.
Terrible places to be under 40 and single and wanting something to do besides a chain restaurant bar. Yet people act as if places like Buffalo Wild Wings are the height of urbanity and culture and anniversary dinner destination. In short, there is negligible if any cultural transformation ala Lowell or Worcester happening anytime soon. Just fine if you're raising a family and want decent affordable housing and friendly down to earth neighbors and access to chain shopping. It's an area dominated by townies and a small influx of less-affluent commuters who couldn't afford closer in, plus the pervasive transient and chronically un/under-employed that keep the area dosed with poverty.
I'd venture to say it's not the transients or immigrants that keep the place culturally dull, if anything they're the main source of color- it's a certain ingrained provincialism where many folks don't know what urban vitality or valuing local commerce and successfully reviving your downtown looks like in the 21st century. There ain't one hint of hip about the place, and it could really use at least a little!
Wow... very negative assessment. I will concede that you have been in the area longer than I have. However, I didn't make the decision to move to Leominster lightly and my experience so far has been very positive.
My recommendation if you are thinking of moving there is to go there yourself. When you go though, get out of the car, walk around and talk to people.
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