I live in Elmhurst and it's a really cool neighborhood. It's a lot more laid back than the east side, more families living here although when you get closer to the colleges it's more student housing and some younger people. There is a pretty good sense of community in the couple of blocks around us, people say hi to each other and our "buy nothing" group is very active with folks helping others when they need something or want to get rid of something. LOTS of dogs and people walking around and for the most part quiet, although like I previously mentioned that depends how close you are to the colleges. It really feels kinda suburban in some areas even though you are so close to downtown.

As the area is getting more younger families in it is becoming a big more diverse, but if that's important to you, a lot of the neighborhood are still middle aged white folks. It's also pretty walkable, I feel like a lot of Elmhurst finds you in walking distance to food and a convenience shop and a bike ride away from a LOT of other things. In terms of affordable, like most of the city, it's all super expensive (though I know that depends on people's own financial level) and only getting more expensive. Crimewise, it's like living in a city, once in a while there is a car break-in though often it's folks that forgot to lock their car but I haven't seen anything that has scared me (though I know some people in this sub thing all of providence is like walking in the middle of an active war zone, I've lived in plenty of big cities and it's nothing worse than that).

Hope that helps!

Talk to an agent. You don’t pay anything - the sellers proceeds covers the broker fee. Have someone run comps for you for all the neighborhoods you’re interested in. Also drive around / walk around listing looks promising online.

I recently just purchased a home in Elmhurst, and i can say its pretty great so far. The neighborhood is quiet and mainly middle-aged folks currently. It is clean, neighbors keep up on the upkeep and cleanliness, majority of the ppl i have met thus far are super friendly. I actually see ppl out walking solo, with their dogs, jogging, etc throughout the day which i am not used to and is great to see! So far, i haven't seen any thing negative in terms of crime and noise level, thus i cannot comment on that, but i would definitely choose Elmhurst over Silver Lake

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We bought right around the Elmhurst/Wanskuck border. Very quiet street. Neighbors are friendly. Lots of older people, but younger families slowly moving into the area. We can walk to a couple places, but mainly drive to go out to eat. Everything that we like to do is within 10-15 minutes. I have 3 buses I can take to the Providence train station which is nice. We are in our mid 30s with a baby, so we were looking for a slower paced area. Overall, we love it.

Elmhurst is fine just your basic residential area. One of the last predominately white areas minus the East side.

Wanskuck is kind of shitty and a lot more triple decker rentals there's. Really diverse if that's your thing

Silver Lake - there are some decent streets toward the edge but overall its packed and kind of shitty.

Oak Hill neighborhood, just over the Prov/Pawtucket line beyond Hope / Blackstone Blvd -- that's a wonderful, cozy, quiet neighborhood. Have friends who are longtime residents there and they love it.

Also consider Riverside, just across the Seekonk River from the East Side, in East Providence. Friends who live there all love it.

I lived for 8 years in Silver Lake. At the end of Plainfield St, its crown jewel (and it really is one) is Neutecon(+ several more syllables) Hill which is absolutely fantastic for hiking and being instantly boom! into the woods -- remarkable for a city dweller.

And Silver Lake has some of the best hidden-gem tiny Central American restaurants.

There were a few murders while I lived there (one directly opposite us) but otherwise crime wasn't so bad. And no loud rowdy student parties.

What was bad, and it ended up really affecting me, was the lack of trees and green. If in spring summer fall, you walked around the East Side, then did the same length walk in Silver Lake, you'd notice it. I walk a lot and did not enjoy it there at all -- but having that Hill helps!

With these interest rates?

Elmhurst is safe (but stay away from the edges of Smith Hill, Valley, and Wanskuck). Lots of noise right near Providence College; the rest of the neighborhood is quiet.

Avoid Wanskuck and Silver Lake. Lots of crime.