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CraigInDaVille t1_jdf6gjq wrote

Lowell has some rough edges to it, but I think that's what you're looking for. It has UMass Lowell, so lots of college/grad-school roommate opportunities and housing situations, and is an actual small city (as opposed to, say, Billerica or Wilmington, which are more sleepy suburbs). Every time I visit friends up there I'm actually intrigued with the strong community vibe there in many places and surprising arts/culture scene.

I don't know the rental market there myself, but I can't imagine having trouble finding a good-to-great place for $1,200 if you're planning on living with roommates. Basic student rentals here where I live close to Tufts University are about $900-$1,000/month per room. That much further away from Boston and in a less expensive city overall and you'll be fine.

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madogblue t1_jdfnk8g wrote

Like most places it helps to know the area. Lowell has some good areas and some that are not. Best to get with a realtor or someone that knows the area. Its a good choice if you want a more city vibe.

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okayorlando OP t1_jdic9bw wrote

Are the rough parts of Lowell scattered or is there a certain area I should avoid?

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[deleted] t1_jdn6oba wrote

Avoid Centralville and The Acre, they're fine for passing through in the day and a lot of the crime is drug or gang related. But you probably don't want to live there, and you can avoid them at night to be safe.

Appleton St downtown has some shady characters.

Upper Highlands and Belvidere are the nicest neighborhoods of Lowell.

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[deleted] t1_jdn9yke wrote

Also I forgot to add, I kinda just assumed you were a man because of the dumb internet stereotype. But if you're a woman that may change whether you want to live in Lowell or not. The city has cleaned up a bit but it's nowhere near as safe as the surrounding suburban towns. I know many women in the area would not feel safe wandering around Lowell after dark by themselves. But it's really dependent on you, statistically the crime is around the US average, but some people worry about crime more than others.

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