Ok, let me put it this way.

I personally think it's a fine place for a starter home if you don't have children. The city itself isn't great, as I'm sure you've obviously noticed, but it's really not as terrible as people make it out to be. The more rural areas can actually be really nice. Overall, it's not great for socializing and whatnot, but Sturbridge has plenty to do and that's like 10 minutes away. And anywhere else in Worcester County within your price range is probably going to have far less access to ... well, pretty much everything.

If you do have a children, I would look into the Quabbin and Tantasqua districts. You may be able to find something within your price range in the small towns around those areas, although you will be in a cow town with fuckall to do. And probably have worse access to Worcester than Southbridge. The upside is that they're all quintessential little New English towns that all have pooled resources into better school districts.