Putnam has a nice new municipal building and library. Two people I worked with lived there: one moved even closer to Hartford, the other works in Providence now. So that's a bonus: decent commute to PVD too.

But you get what you pay for, it's always been cheap. Still would take NE CT over Webster

Avoid Main South (south of Chandler from Park to 290) Avoid Great Brook Valley (housing project on corner of NE cutoff and MA-70, most dangerous part of town).

NW / Tatnuk has the most nature to walk a dog in. As does Lake Park/Lakeview area.

There are lots of dogs downtown but that seems like a horrible idea.

Immediate adjacent is a bunch of Clark students. After that, it's not the worst part of town, but in the conversation.

It's so much better than it was when they were on Higgins St!

Aisle 3B at the Medford Wegmans. Aisle 4 at the Chestnut Hill Wegmans. Aisle 9B at the Burlington Wegmans.

You probably are close to one of those stores.

All the surrounding towns are "better", and you should save money on car insurance too.

Your at the low end of sfh rentals, but even the most "luxurious" new 1b are less than $3k.

As for running, this I can really help! Thursday nights Sneakerama on Lake ave has a fun run. 5k down lake ave. Mondays there is a pub run out of Redemption Rock on Shrewsbury st. There are a few groups that run Saturday mornings. Central Mass Striders is a huge club. There are A LOT of hills in town. It's almost impossible to do a flat run. The best trail runs are in the Northwest of town. But there are fewer sidewalks there, and much less street lights. Green Hill park has some nice trails and well lit streets, but the area directly near it isn't great.

Or to Albany then down the Hudson. That's what Amtrak wants you to do.

All of Worcester is nicer than Stockton! Our run down area are old mills and run down houses. There isn't a huge port or nasty industrial areas 😉. Look at the street view of 1 Walpole, that's about how the rough areas look. MCPHS is on the other side of downtown.

I moved here 10 years ago from Sacramento (Roseville)

Or JFK to port authority, Greyhound to Worcester.

+1 that's where my kid goes

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.

Doesn't stop Lowell

Worcester proper has a decent Vietnamese community. There are specific businesses that advertise in Vietnamese.

Holden is white, but very nice.

Holden is Wachusett regional school, which is a district made up of Holden, Sterling, Paxton, Rutland, and I think another town. Holden is the nicest and most diverse of them - but all are very good towns.

Massachusetts is very different than orange county! From Holden you can be in 3 different states in half an hour. Distance is different. Almost anywhere in central mass is an easy commute to abbvie

Shrewsbury is Indian and south Asian, not SE Asian.

St Mary's does too, but only in Marlborough not in Northborough.

I've been with Central One for 10 years. SMCU since I got a car loan there in 15 😁