Submitted by [deleted] t3_z41m05 in WorcesterMA
Currently in south FL but it doesnt vibe with me. Im 31, male, single, liberal. Looking to build a new life.
Looking for a wellrounded midsize city with decent job opportunities.
Is it easy to make friends here? Are there things to do and a lot of social events? What are the pros and cons?
Depending on your career if you move here you might just be taking jobs elsewhere .. it is more affordable to live in Worcester than Boston but rents are increasing realize that you're moving to a residential city that is trying to pass itself off as a walking city but it really isn't because we don't have something like the T we have city buses.. I wouldn't call it an easy way to get around the city so if you have a car that's a plus at a minimum rent here something like 1400 to 1600 a month and up from there
Some neighborhoods are better than others just like any city
A lot of restaurants opening and closing all the time..lol the good one surviving for the most part I won't get into the Polar Park controversy.. but I would say in the last 10 years have been a lot of growth and future potential with this city
Parking is tough. Winter makes it worst.
Honestly despite what anybody says about the city I would come up here and spend a few days before you make a decision
Cheaper than Boston but still plenty expensive.
I live in palm beach county FL now. Bestplaces.net says where i live now is 16-33% more expensive than worcester but the wages here are lower than in mass.
Is the cost of worcester reasonable if im just trying to rent a very tiny 600sqft studio or 1 room with a roommate?
Not really no unless you know somebody. Get ready for 1500+ if you want to like near the city aftion
I’m moving into a 350 sq ft studio for $925. You can find some studios or 1 bedrooms in the 1k -$1200 range on sites like Zillow and Trulia but they go super fast. If you don’t mind having roommates you should be able to find something for under $900.
Does parking cost money?
Depends on where you rent, apartment buildings downtown yeah. But if you find a multi family or other rental situation further out most have parking available.
Depends.. most residential neighborhoods no you can park on the street if you're lucky you have an apartment with a driveway available or you're in a complex that has parking but finding that parking can suck it's a battle for street parking a lot of neighborhoods are packed in tight.. downtown the canal District there's metered parking and then there are parking garages that would cost money.
The metered spots downtown are $1.50 minimum for an hour I think. You used to be able to just put a quarter in for 15 minutes or so but they changed it when it went digital. The municipal garages allow free parking during snowstorms for a certain time period to help clear the roads.
In what industry are you looking for a job here?
It's a shot job market here - you might want to get something lined up FIRST, then move.
Mass in general is hard to make friends compared to many other places. They’re better friends when you do connect though.
Worcester, Providence, and Portland (ME) are all decent small to midsized cities if New England is where you want to be. I’m not sold on New England as a great region to settle down in unless it’s education, Health Care or biotech you’re into. High taxes, high rents and not stellar public services. But definitely worth a visit to check out the vibe.
Some of the best public services in the country. Great education, healthcare, and jobs. Its a great place to live.
I think MA is really good to settle down and have a family in (education, healthcare, safety) but not great to be young and single in
Don’t forget Springfield.
There are several smaller towns bordering Worcester -- Grafton and Auburn come to mind -- fewer hills to deal with. A car would be required; services (snow removal) might be better; housing in this entire area is expensive; and you wouldn't be in Worcester proper. Get into Worcester often -- pick a pub or two, become a regular, bartenders are a great source of info. Volunteer at one of the numerous charities that interest you and there are plenty of churches if you like. You'll make friends -- like anyplace else, you have to put yourself out there. Winter can be a challange -- dress for it --learn to ice skate -- embrace the snow & cold. Spring and Fall are terrific in New England.
Job opportunities in which field? There's a lot of work in healthcare and education, but outside of that and the trades it can be tough.
The weather sucks and proximity to Boston has made the property values high despite not having a ton of opportunity unless you want to commute to the Boston area. I moved out to the Springfield area and like it more. Springfield is kind of a shit hole don't get me wrong but the surrounding towns are nice and property is somewhat affordable here in comparison to Worcester.
Depends on what you do for work. I’m a Machinist and there’s tons of shops hiring in and around Worcester for the type of work I do. I could probably get about $5-$10/hr more if I commuted to Boston but I’d rather not.
I moved here from cali. I personally love worcester. People are up tight at first and need to warm up to you at first imo. It’s not normal to say hi to a stranger in all of the northeast part of the US. There’s plenty of social events.
You may struggle to adjust with the 4 seasons. Cost of living is significantly increasing. I’m an electrician so my pay wage is following, I don’t know what you do for work but just make sure you’re able to provide for yourself. Construction wages are going up. And there’s also amazing and terrible parts of worcester like everywhere else
I’d choose Massachusetts over Ohio. Similar weather, but Mass politics are MUCH better than Ohio.
We also have the ocean and mountains
My sister moved to Athens county near the border of WV. I don’t know if I would agree with a lot of peoples’ politics there but she’s renting a 3 bedroom house for about what I’m paying for a little studio here.
No
Providence is better
Hi I grew up in worcester in the Tatnuck area and moved to Boston for my early twenties. I moved back to the Brattle area to in 2001 and built a house. I personally think this area is great for Worcester, less traffic and really easy highway access if you are a commuter. The central location of Worcester is great with skiing 30 minutes to wachusett, 1 1/2 hours to the cape depending on traffic, about an hour to Boston if it’s not rush hour. I really don’t care for the restaurants, and head to Boston for good dining, and better service. I’m happy in worcester, it has been a good place to have a family. I hope this sort of helps you! I have been happy here!
I have many friends who have made the opposite move and they’re shocked by how easy it is to make friends down where you are. My greatest advice to you for making friends in MA is to join a sports league, a CrossFit gym, or frequent a bar.
Depends on some things.
Are you expecting a city to mean that you don't need to have a car to get around? If so, Worcester isn't what you're looking for. The transit system is very lackluster, and it usually takes about an hour to get from one place to another without being lucky enough to find two places on the same bus route. That's pretty typical of most of the US though, so if you insist on great transit your options are going to be very limited.
Are you looking for a job IN the city? Depending on the type of work you are looking for it may be hard to find work in the city proper, though generally there are plenty of opportunities within a 30-45 minute commute regardless. Really, employment is something I'd advise you get sorted before committing to the move anyway.
Massachusetts as a whole leans pretty liberal, but central MA in particular is probably the most conservative region of it. It's less true of Worcester itself, more the surrounding towns. You'll still run into plenty of people who agree with you politically, just don’t expect to never run into a Trump supporter here because of the overall reputation Massachusetts has.
We have some of the most severe winters in the state, so that's something to be prepared for as well.
Other than those concerns it's a decent city, above average in terms of social events, music venues, outdoor spaces, cool restaurants, etc. If you like baseball we have a shiny new ballpark.
As a new resident of Worcester, I am moving out after 3 months
Mostly career related but I am pretty underwhelmed with options and how nice the city it. If I had to give a suggestion, check out White Plains or other New York suburbs instead. Although those are mad pricey
Yes coming from someone who moved here in the last year. City is growing and you are within close proximity to many amenities. Hardest thing will be change in climate (just layer) and breaking into the social scene which will take 6+ months. Worcester checks many boxes imo having lived in several other cities/states.
Definitely different than South Florida! But it's a good place if you're looking to move to New England!
What kind of social things are you looking for? If you're going to have a car, it's very convenient place to live in relation to the rest of the state and most of New England.
NYC transplant over 42 yrs….I’m happy here…City has so many different neighborhoods…as a young professional (you), I would definitely visit first & check it out. Beautiful mountains & ocean close by. Definitely lockdown your career 1st. As any city, we’re not perfect in terms of crime, etc…but better than Springfield & Boston. I highly recommend Woostah!
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Im 25 and single and the dating scene is Worcester is abysmal. Much better in Boston. Worcester is also kinda trashy. The benefit to Worcester is that it’s an hour from a handful of cities that you could explore.
Tbh I would move here to explore all of New England for like a year or two and then move on.
what exactly about the dating scene in worcester is worse than other places?
Any high quality women in Mass move to Boston
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South FL culture is waaayyy different. I moved from MA to Ocala years ago but traveled down to Ft Myers and Miami a bit...everything is much different. The live music scene is all but obsolete...everything is just about pay to play, might get paid a few dollars more an hour here but rents are crazy high now. Everything is fast-paced and it is pretty dirty compared to the smell of orange blossoms. The scent of MA is basically weed now. Lol.
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> f you're looking for cool city life, I would pass on Worcester
I cant afford Boston. What other options are there for city life.
32 year old professional married male. Liberal. My wife and I love it here. Yes, it gets cold. Yes, there’s a lot of snow. If you’re renting snow removal doesn’t matter. My wife isn’t from here and she enjoys the city. Lots of good jobs, great sports scene, and plenty of culture.
One thought: MA has a 5% state income tax, no deductions.
Worcester is centrally located in MA. The city is 'on the move,' growing which is both good/bad. Good: career and entertainment opportunities. Bad: increasing rents, growing pains. Good: More to do than you'd think, many nature trails, snowmobiling/ski-ing in winter. Safe in terms of crime and natural disasters.
Lots to do in central MA, close to Boston (one hour, depending on time of day)
Need a car for sure.
No
I recently moved from Worcester to south Florida and it’s the best thing I ever did. Fuck Worcester
Yes do the move Florida suxs and mass works if you can get by $ wise
The answer is always no
penkster t1_ixotocs wrote
I think the thing you'll struggle witht he most is the weather. It can get very cold here, and we can get gobs of snow. OTOH, you're within reach of Boston and an hour away from Northampton (about as liberal an area as you're going to find in MA). If you like outdoors, the white mountains are just north, the berkshires are just west. Plenty of outdoors stuff.
Worcester is a mixed bag politically, so you'll find both ends of the spectrum, but you'll be able to find comfortable spaces to be yourself and socialize.
But just like any area, making social connections can be hard for some, easy for others.