WakingOwl1 t1_j1x45ac wrote on December 28, 2022 at 1:19 AM

I’ve been in Greenfield for over 20 years and quite like it. It’s more of a big town than a small city. It has its good and bad neighborhoods like any town. I like that we have a coop, an independently owned grocery and an independently owned theater. Hawks and Reed is a great music venue. We have some good restaurants and funky small shops. Anything you can’t find here can be found in a 30 mile radius including major shopping, museums outdoor recreation etc.

Another_Reddit OP t1_j1x682a wrote on December 28, 2022 at 1:35 AM

Thanks for the insight! Would you say it’s largely improved over the past 20 years? Still trending upwards? I hope there are more businesses opening than closing these days.

wolf95oct0ber t1_j1xdr2r wrote on December 28, 2022 at 2:33 AM

The pandemic did hit hard but it’s really starting to bounce back. If you’re on Facebook follow the Rec department and local businesses just to see all the stuff that’s going on.

irishgypsy1960 t1_j1x97wx wrote on December 28, 2022 at 1:58 AM

I just left greenfield 2 months ago. It’s definitely still trending up. The controversies referred to boil down to the older townie population wanting limited spending vs those pro library. The mayor is very disliked by many it seems in both camps. The city just was found liable for racist discrimination against a former black police officer. These issues are hotly argued on the local Facebook pages. Rents have surged and weekly people beg for leads on an apartment. There was and continues to be, an influx of newcomers beginning with COVID. Lots of local brewpubs and good eats. You have to live very close to town to walk and it’s very safe. There are no Ubers or Lyft and one taxi service which has a bad reputation. Lots of community. The middle and high schools have a lot of problems from what I’ve heard. There are excellent charter schools, by lottery.

WakingOwl1 t1_j1xe2y4 wrote on December 28, 2022 at 2:36 AM

I’ve lived in two locations since being here, both within walking distance of downtown which I really like, can decide to catch a movie or go grab a bite and be there in 15 minutes, can walk to the farmers market etc. We could definitely use better public transportation. The housing market has become extremely tight. I last moved just as COVID hit and really lucked into a sizable cheap place. I rent from a private landlord and haven’t seen the kind of increases some other folks I know that rent from property companies have. This is pretty much a working class town with all its inherent issues like any other but I find the small amenities suit my quiet lifestyle.