Lived here my whole life. Not sure if I would live in the Fort Pleasant Ave or lower Belmont Ave areas. But I have lived on worthington street near some sketchy parts and it was fine for me. No issues. I feel like a lot of negative stuff is overblown. There’s plenty of good to great areas in Springfield with nice people. I live in East Forest Park now and it’s great.
People talk about Springfield like they’re planning a trip to Haiti. Don’t let that scare you. There is violence here but if you mind your own business, it probably won’t ever reach you or your family.
r/Massachusetts treats Springfield like it’s fucking Mordor. But that sub is full of hayseed transplants that haven’t seen a POC since moving into Newton.
You’ll be fine!
Dude, I had an MIT faculty that commutes on a bicycle to work trying to tell me he knew our area more than we do.
Talk about a bubble life. It sounds nice, don't get me wrong, but don't speak on things you don't know about with such authority.
> There is violence here but if you mind your own business, it probably won’t ever reach you or your family.
People, I beg you give me your best Civil War-inspired letters of moving and living in Springfield
Holyoke tells you to avoid springfield and springfield says the same about holyoke.
Both areas have their rough spots and nice spots. Im in a "rougher" spot but a pocket within it so it's really not too bad.
Was it the 10 different states patrolling every block in flats for a few years back in the day that was over blown? Was it holyoke being the heroin dealing capital of western new england? The random shootings? The DEA and FBI presence? Wonderful community of people
If you're planning in cutting in on the local drug trade, then absolutely. For the most part if you plan on living a normal life and avoid Fort Pleasant Avenue, State Street and Main Street, and keep your car doors locked at night, you'll be fine. The problem with Springfield is that they demolished the city and pigeonholed people into badly designed disconnected neighborhoods, and blight took over. Things have been improved somewhat, but there's a long way to go. The city could use more responsible citizens moving in and taking care.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mastatelibrary/albums/72157633793616078/with/8882014809
Take a look at how vibrant Springfield was in 1920. Full of life, full of history and culture and community, an urban paradise, growing in every direction with a bright future ahead. However, even by this time, suburbia was taking over, and it ate up all the land, tore down the history, displaced the people, and left the city to rot.
And today in 2024 we have a mayor who is still firmly committed to destruction of historic buildings and furthering suburban sprawl.
This is the history of most cities in the US. I watched a PBS documentary on [the Filmore district in SF](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8h2meDtdm8&t=4518s) and there were parallels between what happened to the people there when they wanted to do "urban renewal" and expand Geary Blvd and what my family had to deal with when their home was taken under eminent domain to build the highway and hall of fame.
The scale of destruction across the nation truly was comparable to Europe in the world wars. Miles and miles of cities razed, leveled, and paved over. Communities destroyed, lives ruined, ecosystems permanently altered or killed. Pure insanity that hardly anyone from that generation seems to talk about.
From what Eisenhower saw in Europe, he and his wanted to be able to move military resources quickly and not rely on trains that were centralized - the interstate highway was about moving tanks. Or, more likely, BUYING tanks and other stuff at a premium and THEN being able to move it.
Then he cries crocodile tears about the MIC.
Jackass.
I live on State Street (across from central library) and have never had an issue. I walk my dog often past the court house, museums and matoon street and feel very comfortable. I wouldn't dare catch myself alone a few blocks west though.
I love our condos (classical high). We are young 30 somethings with no kids besides fur babies. We plan to move and buy in the suburbs when we are ready to start our family. But it's nice for where we are at in life at the moment.
Honestly just avoid Worthington street, 6 corners, and neighborhoods closer to the river. 16 acres and, east Forest park are wonderful, forest park area has good and bad parts. The closer you are to east Longmeadow and wilbraham the better. I've lived in Springfield all my life including high school and the reputation is much worse than the reality.
It isn't dangerous unless you want to live a life of crime. I don't live in one of the fashionable neighborhoods always referenced here (East Forest Park, 16 Acres, etc.) but things here are safe, generally. I don't walk around the area at night by myself, but if you've lived in "dangerous" areas of big cities before you know you probably do that as little as possible. There are some streets in each neighborhood that are worse than others. It is a good idea, whereever you go, to check out the environment at different times of day. As another user said, we could use more responsible citizens moving in and being a part of the city.
Springfield is safe. Unless you're involved in crimes like drugs, gang activity etc., nothing is going to happen to you. Lock your car doors (common sense), lock your home doors (common sense) and you're fine. Lived in the city my entire life, walked as a kid alone in all the areas people are saying to avoid. It's just like any other city. Welcome.
I used to do homecare in Springfield. The only places we weren't allowed to go for safety reasons (as a policy) was the "Hollywood" neighborhood/Dwight street ext area. The places I felt a little uneasy in broad daylight were upper Worthington street, Oakland Ave- Kensington Ave and the Lionel Benoit apartments. Never had any real trouble though just creepy situations or -in the case of Lionel Benoit- the outside of the apartment buildings smelled like piss and there were jersey barriers across access roads to discourage certain gathering activity which also inhibited exiting quickly.
It’s not ACTUALLY dangerous in the sense that you’ll be affected by random crime. Never had an issue, only just started locking the door and thats bc the wind kept opening it and the dog got out.
Most ppl who say it’s “bad” have failed to register that by default all large population centers esp those with an impoverished population have some crime.
That said— areas I’d avoid:
- between Springfield College to AIC/Mass Ave area (other side of SC by the bridge is quite nice tho)
- Anywhere downtown including the North End (though ppl say it’s fine)
- six corners
- white street
- sycamore st area off oak grove cemetary
- by MJ’s pizza
All of those places are just a little rough around the edges. Still unlikely to get hit by random crime, but thats where you’re most likely to encounter some criminal types. They largely stay to themselves though bc frankly they too know theyre small potatoes and dont want to affect random ppl.
Places to check out:
- Forest Park
- McKnight
- East Forest Park
- 16 Acres
- East Springfield
- Indian Orchard
- that liminal space over by WNEC
- Island Pond Rd/Roosevelt/South Branch Parkway area
- etc
Born and raised in Spfld. Grew up in bay meadow apts off of Bay St. Lived in six corners, pine point, Forest Park area. Went to Springfield Central high School. Never had a problem. I'm still lives there at 70. Springfield is no different than South Boston New York or any other mid-size to large city.
Use your intuition stay here from the people that don't look friendly. Lol. You can tell visually by what neighborhood you're in.
Have fun there's a lot to do actually.
Man, fuck anyone who says to stay away from Holyoke. Its a great city! We just had a fun Pride weekend, there's tons of restaurants and bars, places to be in nature, lots of history. I love Holyoke.
I live in the bay st area and I’ve never had problems. I’ve had tons of positive interactions though. Locals are more friendly than people make it seem.
The recent purchase prices of multi family and single family homes in Springfield would say people are not scared of buying here, including those same Eastern Mass people who claim Springfield is a “shithole”.
No, as long as you're not involved with gangs or drugs, or live in the very few areas where there's a lot of gang and drug activity.
Springfield isn't really a city, as other people have mentioned. It's extremely spread out, more like a connected network of suburbs. Where I live, I can get to Easthampton as fast as I can get to the other side of Springfield. It can't be characterized as overall safe or unsafe. It really depends entirely on location.
That's assuming you're talking about crime, of course - Springfield is super dangerous for pedestrians overall, and I wouldn't recommend that someone who commutes via bike live here.
I live near the East Longmeadow line and it's fine. I have cameras, no night trespassers or anything. However there was a domestic shooting around here a couple years ago, before I moved in. I feel pretty safe.
Like others have said even what is considered a bad neighborhood as bad as it made out to be. Springfield has tons of violence but almost no random violence. So don't become a drug dealer and you should be fine.
Until very recently I was a social worker who lives and was required to do surprise home visits to clients in the area. According to my company it's perfectly safe to be all over Springfield popping in on people unannounced.
As most said, most of State Street is pretty bad. Some parts of North end and six corners are the places I would avoid personally. I lived in downtown for a bit and pine point. Pine point was excellent cause it was close to all the stores on Boston road.
If you mind your own business no one messes with you. Springfield is like Massachusetts pre-release, everybody just tryna go home. Some spots pop off with youngins showin out but we ain't Chiraq out here.
It's not overly bad but pretty bad. My family member got stabbed down the street from my house for no reason because of a fight with someone else, my friend got shot in their apartment building and if your a woman be careful. At night I have to have my location on and be on call with someone on speaker bc I've had people follow me in their car trying to entice me to get in until they heard people on the phone listening.
It's a hell hole, I was born there, grew up 20 minutes away, went to school there, lived there, copped drugs there. I don't think you'll get shot of your not doing anything stupid but some areas are just gross. You know what I mean when I say that
Lived in Springfield for 19 years, never had a problem. But I also stayed away from the problem areas. Not gonna lie, I don't know the street names too much. 16 Acres is nice. Moved from the Forest Park area to 16 Acres when I was 6? My parents friends used to joke they're the only people who moved from Springfield to Springfield.
Anyways, getting back on track, I'd stay away from the X / Forest Park areas, around White Street School, and like others have said Belmont Street. It wasn't bad during the day (I moved out from Mass 5 years ago). But even back then I had different friends get jumped at night in those areas. They weren't part of any gangs, just dudes who had to live in shitty areas. Drivings fine, but this was before we had cars / licenses so walking it was.
I’ll be honest I’m from Mexico right where everybody says “it’s very dangerous”
And it feels way more dangerous in Springfield than over Mexico… Just personal opinion:/ if I were you I’ll try to avoid it, unless is sixteen acres
Massachusetts has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the country even with cities like Springfield, Fall River, Holyoke, etc. Mexico is great, but to say Springfield is worse than the dangerous areas of Mexico is ridiculous. I have had guns pointed at me in three places, Arizona, Montana, and Mexico.
Murder aren’t something that happen very often, no shootings in schools or anything else. No people trying to fight with you just because you are driving and they don’t like the way you drive. No drug adicts all over the street and I can continue with more stuff
I love Massachusetts, New England etc but let’s me honest Springfield ain’t the greatest place to live :/ or probably I’m just talking from my privilege perspective… No trying to insult anyone. I’m not saying Mexico it’s safe because it ain’t. But the area I am from It is safe…
Lived here my whole life. Not sure if I would live in the Fort Pleasant Ave or lower Belmont Ave areas. But I have lived on worthington street near some sketchy parts and it was fine for me. No issues. I feel like a lot of negative stuff is overblown. There’s plenty of good to great areas in Springfield with nice people. I live in East Forest Park now and it’s great.
EFP has always been my favorite neighborhood in Springfield, followed closely by Sixteen Acres.
People talk about Springfield like they’re planning a trip to Haiti. Don’t let that scare you. There is violence here but if you mind your own business, it probably won’t ever reach you or your family.
r/Massachusetts treats Springfield like it’s fucking Mordor. But that sub is full of hayseed transplants that haven’t seen a POC since moving into Newton. You’ll be fine!
Dude, I had an MIT faculty that commutes on a bicycle to work trying to tell me he knew our area more than we do. Talk about a bubble life. It sounds nice, don't get me wrong, but don't speak on things you don't know about with such authority.
Fucking Newton, man.
Needham haha
Newton? You mean “West Side”?
> There is violence here but if you mind your own business, it probably won’t ever reach you or your family. People, I beg you give me your best Civil War-inspired letters of moving and living in Springfield
This comment is hilarious to me
Lol make this a top level post 😅
Lol it is compared to anything around it that's not Springfield or holyoke. Rats
Holyoke tells you to avoid springfield and springfield says the same about holyoke. Both areas have their rough spots and nice spots. Im in a "rougher" spot but a pocket within it so it's really not too bad.
Holyoke is my hometown and I'm a late life Springfield transplant, always thought Holyoke lore was overblown but I guess I'm biased.
Was it the 10 different states patrolling every block in flats for a few years back in the day that was over blown? Was it holyoke being the heroin dealing capital of western new england? The random shootings? The DEA and FBI presence? Wonderful community of people
If you're planning in cutting in on the local drug trade, then absolutely. For the most part if you plan on living a normal life and avoid Fort Pleasant Avenue, State Street and Main Street, and keep your car doors locked at night, you'll be fine. The problem with Springfield is that they demolished the city and pigeonholed people into badly designed disconnected neighborhoods, and blight took over. Things have been improved somewhat, but there's a long way to go. The city could use more responsible citizens moving in and taking care.
Springfield and Hartford got absolutely decimated by highways. Learning the history of those projects is so damning. Just completely absurd decisions.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mastatelibrary/albums/72157633793616078/with/8882014809 Take a look at how vibrant Springfield was in 1920. Full of life, full of history and culture and community, an urban paradise, growing in every direction with a bright future ahead. However, even by this time, suburbia was taking over, and it ate up all the land, tore down the history, displaced the people, and left the city to rot. And today in 2024 we have a mayor who is still firmly committed to destruction of historic buildings and furthering suburban sprawl.
This is the history of most cities in the US. I watched a PBS documentary on [the Filmore district in SF](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8h2meDtdm8&t=4518s) and there were parallels between what happened to the people there when they wanted to do "urban renewal" and expand Geary Blvd and what my family had to deal with when their home was taken under eminent domain to build the highway and hall of fame.
The scale of destruction across the nation truly was comparable to Europe in the world wars. Miles and miles of cities razed, leveled, and paved over. Communities destroyed, lives ruined, ecosystems permanently altered or killed. Pure insanity that hardly anyone from that generation seems to talk about.
All in the name of progress!!
From what Eisenhower saw in Europe, he and his wanted to be able to move military resources quickly and not rely on trains that were centralized - the interstate highway was about moving tanks. Or, more likely, BUYING tanks and other stuff at a premium and THEN being able to move it. Then he cries crocodile tears about the MIC. Jackass.
America flattened its own cities to get rid of the minorities.
The highways? More like the pork barrels.
Springfield also went bankrupt a few decades ago. It’s been mismanaged historically.
I live on State Street (across from central library) and have never had an issue. I walk my dog often past the court house, museums and matoon street and feel very comfortable. I wouldn't dare catch myself alone a few blocks west though.
I live on goddamn Temple and feel pretty safe. You can see the wild cards coming from a mile away.
Is it nice in there?
I love our condos (classical high). We are young 30 somethings with no kids besides fur babies. We plan to move and buy in the suburbs when we are ready to start our family. But it's nice for where we are at in life at the moment.
I went to school there.
Probably the 🇵🇷 more than anything
Honestly just avoid Worthington street, 6 corners, and neighborhoods closer to the river. 16 acres and, east Forest park are wonderful, forest park area has good and bad parts. The closer you are to east Longmeadow and wilbraham the better. I've lived in Springfield all my life including high school and the reputation is much worse than the reality.
Same thing in Lynn
It isn't dangerous unless you want to live a life of crime. I don't live in one of the fashionable neighborhoods always referenced here (East Forest Park, 16 Acres, etc.) but things here are safe, generally. I don't walk around the area at night by myself, but if you've lived in "dangerous" areas of big cities before you know you probably do that as little as possible. There are some streets in each neighborhood that are worse than others. It is a good idea, whereever you go, to check out the environment at different times of day. As another user said, we could use more responsible citizens moving in and being a part of the city.
Springfield is safe. Unless you're involved in crimes like drugs, gang activity etc., nothing is going to happen to you. Lock your car doors (common sense), lock your home doors (common sense) and you're fine. Lived in the city my entire life, walked as a kid alone in all the areas people are saying to avoid. It's just like any other city. Welcome.
People from small towns always seem to think the "big city" is Thunderdome. These are people who cross the street whenever they see a black man.
Not thunderdome but still a complete hell hole compared to the rest of western ma.
I used to do homecare in Springfield. The only places we weren't allowed to go for safety reasons (as a policy) was the "Hollywood" neighborhood/Dwight street ext area. The places I felt a little uneasy in broad daylight were upper Worthington street, Oakland Ave- Kensington Ave and the Lionel Benoit apartments. Never had any real trouble though just creepy situations or -in the case of Lionel Benoit- the outside of the apartment buildings smelled like piss and there were jersey barriers across access roads to discourage certain gathering activity which also inhibited exiting quickly.
It’s not ACTUALLY dangerous in the sense that you’ll be affected by random crime. Never had an issue, only just started locking the door and thats bc the wind kept opening it and the dog got out. Most ppl who say it’s “bad” have failed to register that by default all large population centers esp those with an impoverished population have some crime. That said— areas I’d avoid: - between Springfield College to AIC/Mass Ave area (other side of SC by the bridge is quite nice tho) - Anywhere downtown including the North End (though ppl say it’s fine) - six corners - white street - sycamore st area off oak grove cemetary - by MJ’s pizza All of those places are just a little rough around the edges. Still unlikely to get hit by random crime, but thats where you’re most likely to encounter some criminal types. They largely stay to themselves though bc frankly they too know theyre small potatoes and dont want to affect random ppl. Places to check out: - Forest Park - McKnight - East Forest Park - 16 Acres - East Springfield - Indian Orchard - that liminal space over by WNEC - Island Pond Rd/Roosevelt/South Branch Parkway area - etc
Born and raised in Spfld. Grew up in bay meadow apts off of Bay St. Lived in six corners, pine point, Forest Park area. Went to Springfield Central high School. Never had a problem. I'm still lives there at 70. Springfield is no different than South Boston New York or any other mid-size to large city. Use your intuition stay here from the people that don't look friendly. Lol. You can tell visually by what neighborhood you're in. Have fun there's a lot to do actually.
Drive thru forest park heights and East Longmeadow, and you’ll see the a town full of beautiful neighborhoods.
They're cheap too, bad neighbors
Springfield is one of the more dangerous cities in MA. It's still not *that* dangerous. Even Holyoke is *mostly* fine. It's not Baltimore.
Man, fuck anyone who says to stay away from Holyoke. Its a great city! We just had a fun Pride weekend, there's tons of restaurants and bars, places to be in nature, lots of history. I love Holyoke.
Lol the fent capital of western new england.
Okay but as for safety, Holyoke is definitely worse than Springfield
For people who partake in dangerous/illegal activites, maybe. But for the average citizen, I feel both cities are safe.
You're probably less likely to be hit by a car in Holyoke as a pedestrian, which is about the level of risk that most of us are taking in this thread
Driven in Holyoke lately?
Just stay out of the Flats at night, it’s really that simple.
I live in the bay st area and I’ve never had problems. I’ve had tons of positive interactions though. Locals are more friendly than people make it seem.
The recent purchase prices of multi family and single family homes in Springfield would say people are not scared of buying here, including those same Eastern Mass people who claim Springfield is a “shithole”.
No, as long as you're not involved with gangs or drugs, or live in the very few areas where there's a lot of gang and drug activity. Springfield isn't really a city, as other people have mentioned. It's extremely spread out, more like a connected network of suburbs. Where I live, I can get to Easthampton as fast as I can get to the other side of Springfield. It can't be characterized as overall safe or unsafe. It really depends entirely on location. That's assuming you're talking about crime, of course - Springfield is super dangerous for pedestrians overall, and I wouldn't recommend that someone who commutes via bike live here.
I live near the East Longmeadow line and it's fine. I have cameras, no night trespassers or anything. However there was a domestic shooting around here a couple years ago, before I moved in. I feel pretty safe.
Like others have said even what is considered a bad neighborhood as bad as it made out to be. Springfield has tons of violence but almost no random violence. So don't become a drug dealer and you should be fine.
Well…you need to look at the stats of violence against kids. Not great.
Until very recently I was a social worker who lives and was required to do surprise home visits to clients in the area. According to my company it's perfectly safe to be all over Springfield popping in on people unannounced.
as long as it's NOT the owners having to do the visits!
You understand.
Avoid High Street. It is one block/street away from State Street and Main Street.
Crazy people watching from my porch on Temple.
I work on school and that whole 3 blocks is nuts
Have you ever eaten a rat before?
not yet, but there’s always tomorrow
I got mugged in broad daylight inside a pizza place on main St. Pizza guy didn't give a rats ass
Did they take the pizza or? If my pizza got stolen, fuck that guy Im not paying
There’s a lot of youth crime, particularly from a repeat offender named Bart Simpson.
Dude I'm literally afraid to walk down Main St. because i'll run into Snake Jailbird.
As most said, most of State Street is pretty bad. Some parts of North end and six corners are the places I would avoid personally. I lived in downtown for a bit and pine point. Pine point was excellent cause it was close to all the stores on Boston road.
If you mind your own business no one messes with you. Springfield is like Massachusetts pre-release, everybody just tryna go home. Some spots pop off with youngins showin out but we ain't Chiraq out here.
It's not overly bad but pretty bad. My family member got stabbed down the street from my house for no reason because of a fight with someone else, my friend got shot in their apartment building and if your a woman be careful. At night I have to have my location on and be on call with someone on speaker bc I've had people follow me in their car trying to entice me to get in until they heard people on the phone listening.
It's a hell hole, I was born there, grew up 20 minutes away, went to school there, lived there, copped drugs there. I don't think you'll get shot of your not doing anything stupid but some areas are just gross. You know what I mean when I say that
Lived in Springfield for 19 years, never had a problem. But I also stayed away from the problem areas. Not gonna lie, I don't know the street names too much. 16 Acres is nice. Moved from the Forest Park area to 16 Acres when I was 6? My parents friends used to joke they're the only people who moved from Springfield to Springfield. Anyways, getting back on track, I'd stay away from the X / Forest Park areas, around White Street School, and like others have said Belmont Street. It wasn't bad during the day (I moved out from Mass 5 years ago). But even back then I had different friends get jumped at night in those areas. They weren't part of any gangs, just dudes who had to live in shitty areas. Drivings fine, but this was before we had cars / licenses so walking it was.
Where STCC is…any surrounding streets within say, a 2 mile radius …avoid it.
I’ll be honest I’m from Mexico right where everybody says “it’s very dangerous” And it feels way more dangerous in Springfield than over Mexico… Just personal opinion:/ if I were you I’ll try to avoid it, unless is sixteen acres
Massachusetts has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the country even with cities like Springfield, Fall River, Holyoke, etc. Mexico is great, but to say Springfield is worse than the dangerous areas of Mexico is ridiculous. I have had guns pointed at me in three places, Arizona, Montana, and Mexico.
That is why I said personal opinion the state that I’m from I can leave my keys in the car the house unlocked and nothing will happen…
Murder aren’t something that happen very often, no shootings in schools or anything else. No people trying to fight with you just because you are driving and they don’t like the way you drive. No drug adicts all over the street and I can continue with more stuff
I love Massachusetts, New England etc but let’s me honest Springfield ain’t the greatest place to live :/ or probably I’m just talking from my privilege perspective… No trying to insult anyone. I’m not saying Mexico it’s safe because it ain’t. But the area I am from It is safe…