17 Reasons Not To Move To Springfield, Massachusetts

Are you thinking of moving to Springfield, Massachusetts, but you’re not sure if you know enough about the city to move there? Are you wanting to make sure you weigh all the pros and cons of Springfield before making the big decision? Are you wanting a few more cons to consider? This post can help you learn more about a few of the reasons you should not move to Springfield, Massachusetts.

To learn more about these reasons not to move to Springfield, Massachusetts, keep reading!

1. Crime is a Frequent Occurrence

Springfield has an extremely high crime rateOpens in a new tab. in comparison to the rest of the United States. The crimes that are most prevalent in the Springfield area include manslaughter, murder, aggravated assault, and rape. These are all crimes that unfortunately happen in other states as well, but they are especially frequent in Springfield.

The altogether crime rate for Springfield is 34 out of 1,000 people, with the violent crime rate being 5 out of 1000 people and the property crime rate being 25 out of 1000 people. The overall crime rate is higher than the average national rate but violent and property crime rates are lower.

2. Population Density Effects on the Environment

Because of the small geographic areaOpens in a new tab. that Springfield covers, the large population creates a high population density. Having a high population density can have many benefits for the economy, but it can also create an uncomfortable living situation for residents of the city.

If you are not someone who likes crowds or being within close distance of other people, Springfield may not be a good option for you. Although Springfield itself isn’t a significantly large town, because of the large number of people it houses, it can feel much bigger than it actually is, which can cause discomfort for some people.

3. Decline in Population Growth

Even though Springfield has a high population density, the population growth has been steadily declining over the past 5 years. A city such as Springfield having a decline in population growth may seem like a good thing with the potential of the population density to go down slightly so the city doesn’t feel so crowded.

However, when the population numbers go down, so do job opportunities, as well as the efficiency of the economy. If this decline continues, it can send the economy and job pool into a tailspin and it would be a waste of your time to move there and have that happen.

4. Poverty is High

The national average for most states throughout the United States in regards to poverty rates is within the range of 10%-13%. The poverty rate in Springfield, Massachusetts is 24.5%, which is almost more than double the national average. While this most of the time doesn’t directly affect people who move to the city, it is something to consider about how that higher poverty rate will affect the community and its environment.

If you are coming from a place that had a low poverty percentage, there may be a cultural adjustment that could be a little uncomfortable, and you will have to decide if that is something that you are willing to have present in your community or not.

5. Housing isn’t the Most Affordable

Massachusetts is ranked 44th in the nationOpens in a new tab. in regards to how affordable housing is, with the average price for a house being $391,700, while the national average price is $215,600. Rentals aren’t much better. A basic rental in the Springfield area goes for an average of $2,700.

Because of the dense population of this city, the houses that are closer together and clumped into one area are going to be less expensive, but if you are wanting a house with more open space and away from lots of people in close quarters, you are going to have to be willing to pay a significant amount more to compete for those desirable options.

6. Employment Opportunities are Mostly in Healthcare

Although Massachusetts takes the top 7th spot in the nation’s rankings for the best job opportunities, the majority of jobs that are available and that are always hiring are in the healthcare field. This is great news if you are in the healthcare field, but that is not the case for everyone.

This is not to say that if you aren’t in the healthcare field, you are completely out of luck in finding a job, but it is something to consider if you don’t already have a job lined up for you to go to once you get there. Jobs in the medical field are definitely the most prevalent, but there are other jobs that are available as well.

7. New England Culture is Strong

If you have never lived in New England and Springfield is your first introduction to New England culture, you will get a good sense of what it means to live in New England and to be a part of that community. The New England culture is very distinct from the rest of the United States, and not everyone is the most receptive and inviting to adopt the New England culture.

A major part of the New England culture is being a dedicated baseball fan, and if you are a baseball fan in Springfield, you are an automatic Red Sox fan. If you aren’t a Red Sox fan, you may be ostracized by your neighbors. If this is something you don’t see yourself conforming to, Springfield may not be for you.

8. All Expenses are High

Not only are the prices of housing more expensive than others in other states, but the majority of personal expenses are higher than you would find and pay for in other states. In the percentage of overall living expenses in the United States, Massachusetts is 47% more expensive than any of the other states in the nation. This means that you would be paying almost double for all your personal expenses than what you are now.

If you are someone that feels they can afford that, this may not be an issue for you, but if you are already struggling financially, I would seriously consider that before moving.

9. Springfield Is Crowded

Because of the high population density, it can easily feel like you are living on top of one another as residents of Springfield. Space and your level of comfort with living in close quarters with your neighbors is something to think about when deciding to move here.

If you like spending time away from the crowds, that will be hard to do without driving somewhere outside of the city. The crowding can also make it difficultOpens in a new tab. to even find houses for sale or available to rent and apartments that aren’t in poor condition. If you already have housing lined up prior to moving, you will be quite lucky because house or apartment hunting in this city can be hard.

10. The Cold Weather is Intense

If you are coming from a climate that is warm year-round and doesn’t experience a ton of cold weather, you are in for a new experience during the winter months. Springfield has not just cold weather during the winter months, but it also gets tons of snow every year.

If you have never driven in the snow, you should better start practicing because you will need to know how to handle a vehicle in the snow if you do end up moving to Springfield. If you are not a fan of the cold, especially for several months on end, Springfield may not be the best place for you to be from November through March.

11. Commuting to Work is Inconvenient

If you are planning on living a significant distance from your place of work in Springfield, then you will have to be okay with making a long commute to and from work every day. This is because a lot of the people that already live in Springfield already live close to the main city area where a lot of them work already. This pushes a lot of people to the outskirts of town and causes a lot of people to be forced to commute, which definitely increases the traffic of people going in and out of the city to get to and from work, making your commute longer. If you dislike commuting, Springfield isn’t the place for you.

12. Rentals are Competitive

If you do decide that renting may be a better option for your situation than purchasing a home, you should know that many people have the same idea, making the rental process extremely competitive. Most people who are wanting to secure a rental find it necessary to hire a real estate agent to help them get a leg up on the consideration for accepting their rental application. Finding a rental can be done, but it is a pain of a process to find one that fits your needs and isn’t the one that everyone else wants as well.

13. It’s Easy to Get Lost in Town

Despite Springfield being a relatively small town size-wise, it can still be confusingOpens in a new tab. to get around. There are many streets that are poorly marked, as well as heavy traffic that can also cause frustration when trying to get around town.

Because the streets can get confusing and it can be hard to identify where you are at times, most people would suggest using a GPS system to help them get around and get to know where things are. However, most GPS systems can get confused easily and aren’t 100% reliable. If you are counting on relying on a GPS system, you may be disappointed and get lost more often than you would like.

14. Public Transportation Isn’t Reliable

If you are not planning on bringing a car to Springfield and will be relying on public transportation, you may regret that decision soon after. There are commuter trains available that run on a consistent schedule that can get you to and from the places you need to go, however, the train system used is the same one that has been used for decades and breaks down often, so it isn’t reliable.

Using the train system can be almost as confusing as trying to navigate the streets yourself. Memorizing the different train lines can be difficult and frustrating when you’re in a rush and need to be somewhere quickly.

15. Baseball Season Causes High Traffic

The worst time to live in Springfield is during baseball season. This is when the Red Sox have games every week, if not multiple times a week. With a Major League Baseball team so close, the town can bring in a lot of visitors for games, which can cause traffic to increase and causes hotels and restaurants to get extremely busy. If you don’t do well with crowds, you wouldn’t do well in Springfield in general, but you especially won’t do well during baseball season when there are tons of baseball fans coming and going every weekend.

16. You Will Have to Update Your Wardrobe

Moving to Springfield can bring a lot of adjustments to your current lifestyle if you haven’t lived in New England before, but possibly a major one that many people don’t think of is the need to update your wardrobe. This is most pertinent for those who have lived in warmer climates that may not have a large amount of clothing that is well-suited for the winter conditions in Springfield. Layers are a necessity to have and wear while living in Massachusetts, and if layers aren’t your thing, you should live somewhere with warmer temperatures.

17. Plan On Being Late to Everything

Since many people taking the train are using unreliable transportation, they are often late to work, meetings, and more. The same goes for those who are driving their own vehicle and haven’t gotten to know the road system yet. This causes frustration that you are late to various things because of the poor transportation set up of the city. If you are someone who hates being late or easily gets frustrated with transportation delays, Springfield would not be a good place for you to live.

Nathan Aydelotte

Hello! I'm Nathan, the lead editor for Suggested by locals. I grew up in the Boise, Idaho area and have lived here most of my life. I enjoy being close to the mountains where I can go hiking, camping, and mountain biking.

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