Comparison between Worcester and Lowell, MA (Boston, Cambridge: section 8, foreclosure, houses)

[indiedoe]

I am moving from WI to MA for my new job and am comparing between Lowell, Worcester, MA and Providence,RI. My budget for a home purchase is 750K max and I am hoping to purchase a multifamily home that I can add to/improve on (I have the skills). I am looking for communities that would support an active lifestyle with access to outdoors. Culturally, I am looking for a diverse make up (I am Asian Indian) with both food scene and activities scene being vibrant and multicultural.
What are your thoughts?

[yesmaybe]

Where actually is the job?

[mdovell]

I don't really think of the outdoors and parks in most of those cities but there's plenty within the region. I get what you are saying with the house hacking idea. There should be multifamily in that budget but I would argue a few other things you have to keep in mind.

1) Do you want to buy a house with tenants already in it or not?

2) Do you really want to get involved given the foreclosure ban at the moment?

3) Are you depending on the rents for maintenance?

4) Would you accept section 8? Legally I think you have to but that means the administrator there has to approve it.

I'd argue multi family might be better on the airbnb route.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Prov>Worc>>Lowell

[Lampert]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

Where actually is the job?

Good question. Seeing how the 3 cities are all around Boston I have to assume the job is going to be in Boston. In that case they are all 3 pretty bad choices commute-wise.

PS in the suburb East of Worcester there is an Indian community centered around the Shrewsbury-Westborough area that is the second largest in MA after the one in Boston-Cambridge. Still a mostly bad commute if the job is actually in Boston.

[missionhill]

For food scene, Providence then Worcester then Lowell. Not sure what access to outdoors means to you or how it would differ among these three. All three cities have parks and plenty of accessible natural places nearby. Lowell has a big southeast Asian community but certainly all three are diverse. For a nice walkable lively downtown area Providence is the standout followed by Lowell and then Worcester. Vibrant multicultural scene-- Providence on top, not sure which comes next; Lowell is no slouch, not sure about Worcester. All the New England cities are packed with two and three family houses, mostly all built before 1930 so your skills will be needed! You don't mention a commute so maybe your job is mobile but don't underestimate the traffic challenges in any regular hours commute.

[Urban Peasant]

There's already a similar thread to this topic in this forum:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/mass...ther-live.html

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by missionhill

For food scene, Providence then Worcester then Lowell. Not sure what access to outdoors means to you or how it would differ among these three. All three cities have parks and plenty of accessible natural places nearby. Lowell has a big southeast Asian community but certainly all three are diverse. For a nice walkable lively downtown area Providence is the standout followed by Lowell and then Worcester. Vibrant multicultural scene-- Providence on top, not sure which comes next; Lowell is no slouch, not sure about Worcester. All the New England cities are packed with two and three family houses, mostly all built before 1930 so your skills will be needed! You don't mention a commute so maybe your job is mobile but don't underestimate the traffic challenges in any regular hours commute.

For Asian food, particularly Cambodian, Lowell is easily the best food scene. It’s been like that for 40 years.

Lowell is also closer to high wage employment.

[magicshark]

Originally Posted by missionhill

For food scene, Providence then Worcester then Lowell. Not sure what access to outdoors means to you or how it would differ among these three. All three cities have parks and plenty of accessible natural places nearby. Lowell has a big southeast Asian community but certainly all three are diverse. For a nice walkable lively downtown area Providence is the standout followed by Lowell and then Worcester. Vibrant multicultural scene-- Providence on top, not sure which comes next; Lowell is no slouch, not sure about Worcester. All the New England cities are packed with two and three family houses, mostly all built before 1930 so your skills will be needed! You don't mention a commute so maybe your job is mobile but don't underestimate the traffic challenges in any regular hours commute.

My only changes would be Worcester over Lowell for truly multicultural. I can't speak to Providence on that. Also The Canal District in Worcester is much more vibrant then Downtown Lowell. Providence wins over both of them.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Worcester and Lowell are both equal for multiculturalism. Similarly Hispanic (slight edge to Worcester), similarly white. Biggest difference is Lowell is a lot more Asian (Cambodian), and Worcester also has southeast Asians but is noticeably more African American/Ghanaian. Worcester is much larger.

Providence is well ahead of both of them.