Nearby towns with rent apartments within 20 mins include Auburn, Shrewbury, Millbury, Oxford. Worcester would also have a lot especially around the colleges.

Thanks!

Are these towns considered safe? I saw in another post that someone recommended Spencer.

So I guess when it boils down to the nearest towns, the only factor I'd consider is safety (and then maybe distance from Worcester) I assume all of these towns are pretty much the same. Can you rank the towns from best to worst please?

As a general rule of thumb the closer you are to the outside of the city the safer it is, particularly the west side and Burncoat street area is pretty nice. Directly downtown isn’t bad either but also expensive. Very unlikely you’ll find much under $1200 anywhere around here. I pay $925 for my tiny 350 sq ft studio and that’s only because it’s in mediocre condition in a rough neighborhood and I know the landlord. Also I have no off street parking and have to park up a hill on a side street when it snows so I don’t get a ticket.

If you head west (and northwest) from Worcester prices tend to drop, but so does availability.

Well I think they are relatively safe.

I lived in Auburn for most of the 90s and early 00s and still go daily for yoga class. There was recently a late night robbery at 24 hr convenience store on rt 20 and police blotter seems to mainly discuss shoplifting incidents at Auburn mall and highway stuff. It’s not the type of area where one would expect to get mugged on street etc.

Presently own home and live in Sutton for past 20 yrs which is adjacent to Oxford and Millbury. Sutton is nice but I’m not aware of any rentals within. Don’t really think there’s much violent crime in Oxford/Millbury except for whatever shoplifting occurs at Oxford Walmart and Millbury mall. Millbury and Oxford are nice to come home to, but not to seek night life within.

Shrewsbury has two distinct flavors in my view. There’s the very congested built-up area along route 9 with all sorts of stores and traffic. Then there’s the town center area that’s a bit more quaint stereotypical “main street USA” looking. I’d imagine the route 9 area by Shrewbury/Worcester border (Eg by the hospitals) may be a little more juicy in terms of police activity. A relative just moved into the newly built edgemere crossing apartments complex on rt 20; nice but nearly double your stated budget for a two bedroom.

Spencer seems nice the few times I’ve driven through it in 3 decades living in region. It’s within your 20 min circle. More rural.

Another adjacent nice town is Holden but I have no idea about rentals.

If you opt for Worcester proper, be sure to inquire about off street parking. As soon as it snows parking is a serious problem.

Holden and the Wachusett region are incredibly tough for rentals. West Boylston might have a few more options, but again, not many at that price, sadly.

I might look a little more to the north and south in that price range. Leominster might have some options.

I don’t know if any are available but there is some rental housing down off Boston post/ rt 122a area in Sutton. I know Koopman owns the stretch of apartments across from the church near the Grafton line and I was getting a 2br/1 bath there for like 900 a month 7 years ago.

Check for availability near WPI. You may have to share a house with a student.

I rented a small place in Rutland last year, it was a few hundred less than most places in the city but also on the middle of nowhere. You can occasionally find deals like that in that area but there aren’t many apartments because it’s so sparsely populated.

Thanks for all the info! Can you provide more details on off street parking when it snows?

You should try my housing group. I’m the admin. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1812237768846858/?ref=share_group_link

Moved to Worcester last year and absolutely love it.

From where?

Boston

you can find some 1br and studio for $1500 but they're not gonna be super nice. Finding a roommate would put you in a much better place at that budget

In Worcester it’s mostly street parking odd sides only during snowstorms but they also open up the public garages for free

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I loved in worcester for till I was 20, and in then in auburn for 10 years. My family’s cars were broken into twice while living in auburn. Never once broken into when we lived in worcester. Crime happens everywhere