Jodi

Anyone have any thoughts on the best and worst cities in the Northest US? What are some of the most overrated and underrated places? I'm primarily interested in lower cost of living in metropolitan areas and lots of people native to those cities.

Any thoughts?

anon

Any city in Connecticuit qualifies as worst.

JJ

I think you mean locals not native.
Native are Native Americans we used to call Indians. We kick them out long ago and brought our values and believes instead.

If you want to live among natives you will need to go the reservation.
Akwasasne reservation is one of those places

JJ

I think you mean locals not native.
Native are Native Americans we used to call Indians. We kicked them out long ago and brought our values and believes instead.

If you want to live among natives you will need to go the reservation.
Akwasasne reservation is one of those places

Jodi

Didn't mean to offend anyone. I guess different people have different ways of saying things.

buff

Underrated: Buffalo, New York has a low cost of living, very affordable real estate, professional sports, good theatre, 4 beautiful seasons, lots of recreational activities nearby and there are many "locals".

anon

Any city in Connecticuit qualifies as worst.

Keith

Buffalo is the worst place I ever visited and people are the most strange looking anywhere and they are not very plesant too

The best city is Saratoga but please do not tell

I disagree

Although Hartford, CT doesn't have too much going for it, the metropolitan area is quite nice, especially west of the city in the "Farmington Valley". The cost of living is lower than that of New York or Boston but both are within two hours. Also within two hours are Vermont Skiing and the fine beaches in Rhode Island. Some of the towns in the Hartford suburbs are quite charming (and, like anywhere in the Northeast, some are not) and the schools tend to be quite good. There is also a good selection of private schools for those that can afford the tuition. Although most Hartfordites root for New York or Boston teams, college (UConn) basketball is the big thing with both men's and women's teams that win consistently year after year. There are plenty of locals but they all have enough friends since they've been there all their lives--I fail to see the importance of this as there are locals almost any place you go, except the tourist areas.

Sharon

Rochester, New York .... A very underrated city. They cost of living is low, commuting times are reasonable, it has many big city amenities but with a small town feel. Yes it does get snow, but most of us locals know how to make the best of the winter and we enjoy our winter sports and activities. The job market is suffering a bit now, but aren't most cities dealing with difficult economic times?

anon

The question was about cities. Most cities have pleasant suburbs. Hartford is a total disgrace. It is a major international financial center that is also one of the poorest cities in the country. Hartford s!@#$, Waterbury s!@#$, Bridgeport s!@#$, New Haven s!@#$...someone please show me a city in CT that has redeeming qualities!

mo

Stamford

I disagree

Anon, you have to understand that in other areas of the country, the suburbs (and their wealthy tax-paying residents) get annexed by the city. This does not happen in the Northeast so to make any kind of real comparison, you have to include the suburbs in your analysys. Yes, I agree that actually living in any of the cities in CT you mentioned would *$%#@ but I don't think I'd want to live right in any other cities in the Northeast either. I think the author is a troll anyway.

xxx

Stamford is a suburb of New York City. The downtown has absolutely nothing going for it. You can't walk around the downtown--it's designed for automobiles and not pedestrians. It's ridiculously expensive to live in Stamford.

mo

Why this distaste for CT? CT is a great place to live.

anon

CT,
Fair point, but CT is unique in it's lack of regional planning/governance. There was an article several months ago in the NY Times analyzing this issue.

In the northeast, cities don't annex their suburbs...Boston/Cambridge/Somerville and Worcester/Holden/Grafton have existed for centuries.

The economic/quality of life contrast in CT's cities and suburbs is unique in the Northeast.
Now for my bias, I live in central Massachusetts, and while Worcester has its problems, for a city of 100,000 people, it is a remarkably vibrant place, with a rich college and arts culture.

I Disagree

Anon--My impression of Worcester is pretty much the same as the cities in CT you named. I bet you don't live in Worcester--I certainly wouldn't. BTW, as far as vibrancy and rich college/arts culture go, Hartford has Trinity College and the Wadsworth Atheneum (country's oldest art museum) and New Haven has Yale University and it's museum. I agree that Bridgeport and Waterbury don't have much going for them.

mo

I agree with you, I disagree. How can someone bash all CT cities, then praise Worcester. I am not bashing your town here, anon, but better than CT cities? Why is it that you hate CT so much?

joan

I was reading the Places Rated Almanac the other night and was surprised to find that out of 360 cities in the US, Danbury and Waterbury CT were both in the bottom 20.
I personally like CT (I'm not the basher above).
But I'd choose Westport or Stamford if I had to live in CT.

anon

Mo,
Thanks for the question.

First, realize that my comments are comparative and in response to Jodi's original question.

My experience with Hartford is from having worked there for a couple of years. From my major financial services company window, I looked out upon church spires, and onserverd that the blocks surrounding the office tower were run-down housing. The next block out was filled with burned out buildings.

During 24 months, there were only two murders in my office parking lot.

If I seem to be praising Worcester, I'm sorry. But it has a vibrant arts scene, with an excellent art museum, a symphony orchestra, active local theartre, and a good economic base.

My real point is that if you have a choice between living in a city in CT, or a city anywhere else in the Northeast, go anywhere else.

Unfair? Maybe. Honest opinion? Yes.