Submitted by Ecofolux2427 t3_ysbtth in WorcesterMA
Hey everyone, what are the "better" places to live in Worcester? If I recall correctly, "Main South" isn't great. To simplify, is northern/central/eastern Worcester generally better than south Worcester? If you could name 3 "good" locations/streets and 3 "bad" locations and street it would be much appreciated. Thanks for any input!
Sounds like you’d be happier in Paxton.
What do you actually want to ask
Way too open-ended to draw a conclusion. What makes a "good" neighborhood? Crime rate, highway access, schools, shopping, nightlife?
Yes crime rate specifically. I don't want to have to worry about catching a stray bullet or my wife being assaulted the minute she steps out of the apartment. I don't care about nightlife, highway access and schools.
Yeah.. aside from extreme, isolated circumstances, that just.. doesn't really happen around here.
MAYBE if you're flaunting wealth and acting stupid in Main South?
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edit: where in the hell are you coming from where that is a possibility?
literally lmao i live in main south, just don’t act stupid, be aware of your surroundings and you’ll be just fine
That has been my experience too. I lived near Crompton park for 3 years and lived off Vernon street for 5 and never had a problem with anyone. I just go to work and go about my business. The worst that happened was once when someone drove by with a BB gun and shot out a bunch of car windows. Other than being occasionally unlucky with stuff like that it’s not bad.
You can Google crime stats. Or look at Zillow/trulia/redfin if you want street specific stuff. No one here can give you as much objective info as you can find online.
If you want subjective - we all have different personal tolerance levels, so does it really matter what anyone thinks if they aren’t you? Also, there have been numerous other posters asking this. Search the sub.
Edit - no one is “catching a bullet” in Worcester, so if you only want to live near white people then, like Icy noted, Paxton it is.
Anywhere in the US is fine if that's your worry. If you don't buy or sell drugs or sex, your chance of random violence is essentially zero.
Now property crime? Not hearing your neighbors domestic violence? That's a different story...
Best is typically everything north of route 9 or May. Or everything along quinsig. If you want 3 specific places to avoid for property crime, Main South, Great Brook Valley, or Lincoln between 290 and 290.
That doesn’t happen…
In general anywhere closer to the outside of the city is better - North Worcester around Burncoat street, East side around Lake Ave or the west side around Worcester state/Salisbury street west of park Ave. I’ve lived in less desirable parts of the city since 2009 and I’ve never had any issues except a few instances of very minor car vandalism, neighbors getting arrested and the occasional parking dispute in the winter. Its definitely not as bad as the worst parts of any major city. I’m single, live alone and mostly keep to myself so things don’t bother me much.
West side is the best side
is this a Ali G refrence ?
Three good streets/areas:
Salisbury St Burncoat St (upper, north of 290 overpass) Holden St
Three bad streets:
Piedmont St Eastern Ave Vernon St
You can use this as sort of general idea
https://crimegrade.org/safest-places-in-worcester-ma-metro/
I doubt it’s 100% accurate but worth a look
Also, Worcester rates 25th among top 50 cities in America. https://thisweekinworcester.com/worcester-safest-cities-in-america-2022/
This isn’t a great map. A lot of the F areas are likely because of outlier issues.
Most of Worcester is generally safe even in its most troubled areas. But if I had to pick the three most “dangerous” neighborhoods in the city, it would be Main South, Vernon Hill, and Great Brook Valley (I wouldn’t worry about GBV since it’s a government housing project that you have to REALLY go out of your way to get to). If I had to pick an “Honorable Mention”, that would be Bell Hill and the lower Lincoln Street area.
Yes, Worcester has crime. There are shootings, there are gangs, and there is a LOT of poverty, but the crime rate here isn’t so out of control that even the poorest areas of the city are completely unlivable. As long as you keep to yourself and don’t go out of your way to find trouble and have a basic sense of street smarts you’ll probably be fine.
If you’re near a college you’re probably in a ‘desirable’ location but Worcester is also just kinda fine all around. I think a lot of people just come from an environment that isn’t very city-like and they’re intimidated by Worcester as a result.
Elm st is great! Close to the park and downtown but mostly quiet and safe!
Main south is shit Don’t live near holy cross or worcester academy Area around flag street/ Salisbury/ assumption college is the only nice area of Worcester
Don’t live in worcester.. suburbs better
ins0mniac_ t1_ivyazao wrote
Lived in nearly every part of the city.. it's pretty much all fine. You'll find issues with neighbors themselves, not neighborhoods, generally.