"I Went To Springfield, The Most Dangerous City In Massachusetts" (Boston: crime rates, houses)

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Massachusetts' worst cities are not even that bad.

I was in Camden NJ yesterday.. omg...

Charlie Bo313's Hartford video is bad. Waterbury's HoodTime video is also very bad.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Massachusetts' worst cities are not even that bad.

I was in Camden NJ yesterday.. omg...

Camden is actually supposed to be better than it used to be. I grew up in South Jersey and went to Rutgers in the late 70s-early 80s, and one time I needed to take a summer course and did it at Rutgers Camden as that was closer to home than the main campus in New Brunswick. When I walked around campus in Camden, I noticed that from just about any intersection, I could look around and see a cop car in at least one direction. It was reassuring that there was such a strong presence, but it also gave me pause as to what kind of place it was, that it needed cops everywhere. At that time, it was definitely not a place that you went to for fun, or idle exploring to see what you'd find.

[massnative71]

The best way I can describe it (and I've said it here before), is that whenever I've been to Springfield...I feel like it's Boston in the early 90s. Springfield is probably the only place in Mass. where I get that sensation.


Fitchburg definitely does not feel as dangerous. Lawrence might be worse. Brockton is very bad in particular spots, but much of it (like most of the West Side) feels pretty normal and relatively prosperous. Don't get that vibe of depression and hopelessness like you (and the guy interviewed in the video) does in Springfield.



Can't comment really on Hartford, Waturbury or Camden but I've been to Atlantic City and that is one NASTY place. Kind of strange in that it's so small, but so intensely ghetto at the same time.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Fitchburg feels way more worn hopeless and isolated than Springfield. It’s just the most depressing place I’ve been in the state.

Lawrence is a more intense high density ghetto. It’s pretty “in your face”

Brockton probably has the worst or weakest downtown but it’s now improving.

Waterbury is like a giant Fitchburg with more Hartford style blight.

[bostongymjunkie]

Springfield feels like Boston in the early 90's? Nah. Uphams Corner and parts of Roxbury maybe, but Boston was a hell of a lot more vibrant in the early 90's than Springfield is now. It had its bad areas but downtown areas were lively with many businesses, as was most of Dot, Charlestown, Kenmore Square, Allston/Brighton, North End, and other areas. I could never compare most of Boston of the early 90's to Springfield of today. It never felt dangerous to me then, unless you were involved in things that bring danger. Springfield just feels dumpy and very tired to me.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Springfield feels like Boston in the early 90's? Nah. Uphams Corner and parts of Roxbury maybe

That's more what I meant. But not always restricted to those neighborhoods, you would get it in Mission Hill or even parts of JP and Roslindale. Even with the vibrancy, there was a certain uneasiness and tension you would get at the tail end of the crack epidemic. A different level of aggression. Cold stare downs, etc.. A LOT of scumbags in Boston today, but it's not like being in Springfield where I felt on "high alert" even just sitting at a red light.


Is crack still an issue in Springfield?

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by massnative71

That's more what I meant. But not always restricted to those neighborhoods. Even with the vibrancy, there was a certain uneasiness and tension you would get at the tail end of the crack epidemic. A different level of aggression. Cold stare downs, etc.. A LOT of scumbags in Boston today, but it's not like being in Springfield where I felt on "high alert" even just sitting at a red light.

Boston did have an edge, but that was normal working class city vibe back then. And if you did drive through Franklin Park at night make sure your gas tank had gas. lol

Springfield does have a LOT of nice old buildings and homes. Great underlying infrastructure.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Boston did have an edge, but that was normal working class city vibe back then. And if you did drive through Franklin Park at night make sure your gas tank had gas. lol

Yeah it just seemed like that's still lingering in Springfield (based on brief encounters) more so than anywhere else in the state.

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Springfield does have a LOT of nice old buildings and homes. Great underlying infrastructure.

True that, it's something that definitely stood out to me. I say it's got way better bones and suppressed beauty than Worcester, for example...or pretty much any of the other satellite cities. It's just in the wrong part of the state, and being on the troublesome I-91 corridor doesn't help it.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Yeah it just seemed like that's still lingering in Springfield (based on brief encounters) more so than anywhere else in the state.






True that, it's something that definitely stood out to me. I say it's got way better bones and suppressed beauty than Worcester, for example...or pretty much any of the other satellite cities. It's just in the wrong part of the state, and being on the troublesome I-91 corridor doesn't help it.

I still feel the working-class culture in Worcester too, to a large degree. Would be nice if these cities could revitalize with enough economic interests to comfortably maintain the socioeconomic diversity all these cities once had. You need the full range to keep it interesting.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Charlie Bo313's Hartford video is bad. Waterbury's HoodTime video is also very bad.

CT Comes close to NJ's worst... but NJ's worst, are way worse than MAs.