Worcester or Boston: Space vs. Appeal

It seems that for every major city, people struggle with a major decision. Should I live in an expensive tiny apartment so that I can experience all of the great things about the city, or should I move to a cheaper area that has less to offer? Rather than discuss this problem in a broad sense, I prefer to focus on the Massachusetts version: Worcester vs. Boston.

I started thinking about this idea yesterday as I was climbing Mount Wachusett. It was a clear day and at the top of the mountain I looked and in the foreground I could see Worcester but in the same view further towards the horizon I could see the skyscrapers of Boston. These two cities are less than an hour apart, but they feel like two different worlds.

Boston:

Worcester:

Both are nice pictures, but even from these shots, it is easy to see that Boston is much larger. Worcester has about 175,000 people and Boston swells above 1,000,000 during the workday. Boston is a city with a strong history, great opportunities and a European flair not found in most American cities. Worcester also has a great history, but it is a city that is an emblem of the industrial working class.

For decades Worcester was a city in decay. Businesses and restaurants would routinely close and grand old houses would fall into disrepair. Recently the city has begun to make a comeback, but it is still a long way from a world class city. Boston on the other hand is a city known for being a pioneer of innovation and modern living, offering organic markets, upscale boutiques and modern high-rise apartments.

For these reasons, many people, particularly those in their 20's, choose Boston. This may seem a simple decision, but consider cost-of-living.

As a college student living in a nice three bedroom apartment in Worcester, my roommates and I paid a total of $1,160 per month. In many parts of Boston, it is difficult to find a tiny studio apartment for the same price. It may cost upwards of a million dollars for a two bedroom condo in a nice building in downtown Boston, but many large four bedroom homes in nicer neighborhoods of Worcester sell for $200,000. Unless you have enough money that money is not a discussion point, this earns Worcester a lot of value. In Worcester you may not have immediate access to the finer things in Boston, but if you live in Boston you probably cannot afford those luxuries. People living in Worcester can enjoy a higher standard of living for a lower price.

Personally I cannot decide what is more important. Affordability or Amenities?

How Worcester is Keeping College Graduates

I have lived in and around Worcester for most of my life and I used to think that when given a choice, most people would choose to relocate. However, Worcester has been undergoing a lot of changes over the past several years and I have begun to notice a new trend. As many of my friends who go to college in Worcester are graduating, I have noticed that many of them are choosing to stay put. I am about to enter my senior year and I am starting to think that I may want to as well because I have begun to see a lot of things that are actually attractive about living in Worcester.

Worcester is Cheap: Despite the fact that Worcester is the second largest city in both Massachusetts and New England, it has an overall cost of living about 15% below the state average. In particular, the cost of owning or renting a home is significantly less than in other areas. In contrast, Boston has a cost of living about 20% above the state average. Realistically, this means that the price of a three bedroom apartment in Worcester can equate to the price of a studio apartment in Boston.

Worcester Pays Well: I have always thought that many Massachusetts graduates move to Boston after college to find good paying jobs. I was wrong. I did some research and to my surprise, I found that starting salaries for college graduates in Boston are only about 2% higher than salaries for equivalent jobs in Worcester. When considering salary and cost-of-living, college graduates living and working in Worcester end up with between $5,000 - $10,000 more in disposable income on average per year. This is enough to feel significant for many college graduates.

Worcester Residents Work Everywhere: Even when graduates decide that they want to live in Worcester but would rather work elsewhere, they can. Worcester is approximately located between Boston, Providence and Springfield. This places four medium to large cities within commuting distance from Worcester, which greatly increases job opportunities. Worcester itself has begun to develop a base of biotech companies that tend to hire many graduates.

Worcester is a City in Transition: Worcester's importance as an industrial city peaked in the 1950's and then underwent a long period of decay. However, Worcester is starting to show new signs of life. Downtown is being completely redesigned through a long-term project called City Square. The project is a public-private partnership that is seeking to bring residential and commercial activity downtown by creating a new shopping district, better highway access and improved services. For a long time the project seemed to be going nowhere, but recently the speed has picked up and downtown is beginning to come to life. New businesses and restaurants are moving downtown and I have begun to feel an urban pulse for the first time while walking through the city. It seems now that Worcester is moving in a great direction and will continue to develop into a first-class city over the next several years.

As I begin my job search for after graduation, I think that I will strongly consider remaining put in Worcester.