Good place to live.
-
12/15/2021
I have lived in the Northern Worcester County area most of my life. While there was a short time that I did live in MIddlesex County for about 5 years or so, my family was here, so I always came back....twice. First I went to live with my now husband in Stoneham for a couple of years and we bought our first home as a married couple here. Why? More bang for the buck. Yes, we were 20 minutes outside of Boston, but it was just too expensive for that kind of ease of travel for somewhere I would go sometimes.
The second time we have come to stay. My parents still live in the area, my husband's have since passed on. Family has been important to us. I recently inherited my grandfather's condo, so we moved here 7 years ago. We are within walking distance of downtown and there the regular chain stores that live here.
The major con, businesses have been leaving in droves the last 3 years do to economy and they have chosen their stores in this location to close. The local mall that has been popular and busy most of my life is predominantly a ghost town now. There are a few stores, but the flagship stores are gone. They are trying to bring life back to the area but restaurants and coming and going. For example, a DQ and Popeye's Chicken have come while, D'Angelo's subs and Pizza Hut have left.
Crime is average for the area. Schools need some work however. I was a tutor 20 years ago and they needed work then. This week for example, the heat went out in a wing of the high school. Luckily we were in a warm spell and in the 40's and not the 10's so it wasn't so bad. Parents weren't happy however.
So, it is a decent place to live, a solid 4 stars.
Wendy | Leominster, MA