Moving to Lawrence MA on Jan 1 (Boston, Arlington: rental, home, neighborhood)

[magicshark]

I really hate to jump on Lawrence but yes everything everyone has said here should be listened to. There is a reason your rent is so cheap. Lawrence can be very sketchy. Make sure you have theft insurance on your car, be aware of your surroundings at all times, keep your apartment locked up tight, etc. Is it liveable? Sure lots of good people do live there. Just be aware it is a poor city with all the problems that come with that.

[newurbsnyc]

Thanks again for the responses. Getting a little concerned. The realtor mentioned that Lawrence had been dangerous in the 80s and 90s, but gave me the impression that it had since turned a corner. I know that sounds naive but considering my budget was twice as much as what he found for me I'm thinking he would have steered me to another town to get a bigger fee if he really was like that so I don't know. Regardless, point taken on theft insurance. I guess I know why regular insurance is so much there now. Ugh. So, other than the car theft and neighborhood beefs it's pretty okay? I mean it's not like there's a lot of muggings or anything, right?

[CaseyB]

There is lots of crime in Lawrence. I don't know why the agent is telling you otherwise. It is not a safe city, but depending on where you live, you may be ok.

[scratchie]

You can typically look on city-data to find specific crime stats for the last 10 years or so (for most towns; I haven't looked up Lawrence).

Have you signed a lease? If you can really afford twice the rent, you'll probably be happier somewhere else (and closer, e.g. S. Lawrence).

I have to wonder about the realtor's motives. Lawrence may have gotten better recently (like most towns in Eastern MA) but it was really bad for a long time.

[magicshark]

I feel bad but yeah there are muggings and armed robberies. If you have lived in other poor urban areas you will be fine. But honestly I grew up down the street in Lowell, another mill city in Massachusetts and I get nervous in Lawrence.

[newurbsnyc]

Thanks again.

I have signed a lease, so I am there for all of 2015.

I grew up in the burbs but have lived in Greenpoint Brooklyn for the last two years.

Here is the nearest intersection to where I will be living: http://tinyurl.com/me6z4hl

[johngolf]

Which Merrimac College Campus will you be at? Will it be the main campus at Rte 110 and Rte 114 in North Andover?

[parried]

Originally Posted by Shrewsburried

Outside of Boston proper and the associated commuter rails, the easiest (and logical) mode of transit is by car. There is the MRVT (Merrimack Valley buses), however, you will find the only people utilizing it are largely those who cannot drive (due to age/ability, cost, DUI, etc.). The majority of Merrimack students either have cars or wish they did, which indicates their confidence in the local transit/amenities.

When I lived in Lowell, I used to hit Lawrence for Cafe Azteca ... a perfectly adequate Mexican restaurant and worth a visit. Neighboring Andover/North Andover has some more upscale destinations, few which I find worth a visit. If you enjoy hockey, Merrimack is great rink to catch some D1 action.

Unfortunately for the city of Lawrence, it is lagging in appeal compared to the other nearby former mill cities of Lowell and Haverhill. I attribute the stagnation to a few things - a lack of commuter rail, entrenched local corruption, and a lack of federal funding (Lowell has received a heaping).

One huge advantage to Lawrence is it's proximity to 495, which in the summer can get you to desirable destination points such as Portsmouth, Newburyport, NH beaches, etc. with relative ease. Rt. 93 is also highly accessible, enabling weekend jaunts down to Boston/Cambridge.

Lawrence has a commuter rail stop on the Haverhill line. The train station is near the south common in the parking garage. I'm not sure what made you think it doesn't.

[grebe]

I grew up in N. Andover and have a family member who taught in Lawrence public schools for 10 years. Unfortunately, I agree with the other posters. There is a lot of multi-generational poverty and related social ills in Lawrence. I don't know about the specific neighborhood though, and some neighborhoods are relatively fine. I used to hear a lot about car thefts and insurance fraud. Street smarts will certainly help, as will getting to know at least some of your neighbors, but it might still feel dangerous to you. If you move in and are uncomfortable, what is the penalty for breaking the lease?

For what it's worth, I think it would be fairly boring and isolating for a young adult to move to N. Andover or Andover without knowing anyone. They're family-oriented suburbs. If you don't mind a driving commute, I would look to Lowell or more urban suburbs closer to Boston (near a T stop ideally so you can get into Boston easily).

[newenglandbetch]

I grew up in North Andover and worked on S. Union St in Lawrence when I was younger. I can say as a single, female, I feel perfectly safe driving around the area by myself at night (through Lawrence, both north side & south side) - even walking. But that is likely because I know the area and I have been around it most of my life. I would not recommend living in the area, though. At least not directly in Lawrence. I lived in Lawrence briefly after moving out of my parents home (in a great apartment complex on rt. 114) but I was literally within rock skipping distance from the NA town line. I would suggest looking at some places in North Andover or Andover to live if you can afford it while working at Merrimack as it is conveniently located in NA.

I do agree with grebe that it would be fairly boring to live in one of those towns if you do not know anyone. Safer, but boring surely. If you're looking for nightlife and you are fairly young and not interested in going into Boston, I would suggest even living in Haverhill before living in Lawrence or Lowell (Lowell is just as bad in my opinion, the places that you might feel comfortable being in during the day, you are likely to feel uncomfortable in at night), there is a lot to do in the downtown area of Haverhill.