Massachusetts is, by all accounts, a very special place in this country. You've got a ton of history and culture. Its residents are proud Americans with a rich sense of passion and purpose. Avid sports fans, and truthful-blood, dice-hard folks, without whom, this nation wouldn't be the same.

Boston just might be America'south finest city.

And so you have places similar Brockton and Taunton. Some real pits.

Similar all states, Massachusetts has its share of bug. We're not hither to get into a debate with Massholes in terms of which city you think is best. We'll get out that to the comments. Instead, we'll approach this from another standpoint.

We're going to use scientific discipline to tell us where the really bad places in the Bay State are to alive. Considering, data never lies, does information technology?

Subsequently analyzing the 39 most populous cities, we came up with this listing as the 10 worst places in Massachusetts:

What? Where are these places you wonder? And before you lot get all riled upward and say we're picking on small town America, that's not the case.

Nosotros understand there's a lot of good in every place.

However, co-ordinate to data (which doesn't measure things like beauty and 'friendly people'), in that location are far better options in the state for making a place home. And the worst place to live in Massachusetts? That would exist Brockton.

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and see how your city fared in 2021.

If you're looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.

For more than Massachusetts reading, check out:

  • Best Places To Live In Massachusetts
  • Cheapest Places To Alive In Massachusetts
  • Most Unsafe Cities In Massachusetts

The 10 Worst Places To Alive In Massachusetts For 2021

Brockton, MA

Population: 95,594
Rank Last Yr: 2 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $264,800
Unemployment Rate: 8.three%
More than on Brockton: Data | Photos

Brockton gets credit for introducing the first department shop Santa in the U.S., when a local store possessor dressed up in 1890. So yous have Brockton to arraign for those long lines and crying kids in the mall every Christmas season.

There's more to cry about in Brockton these days than holiday feet. The city, located well-nigh a one-half hr s of Boston, ranks among the worst hometowns in Massachusetts.

This dubious stardom comes most as a result of several serious bug. The town suffers from a sluggish economy, an elevated crime rates, a questionable schools, and a high price of living.

Springfield, MA

Source: Public domain

Population: 154,139
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down ane)
Median Home Value: $156,200
Unemployment Rate: eight.2%
More on Springfield: Data | Photos

Every state has to have its Springfield, right? Well, this was the original one. The boondocks, located in the southwestern part of the land, was first settled in 1636, becoming the start Springfield in the new world.

In fact, the town advertises itself every bit the "City of Firsts," with a number of important innovations coming out of the town. This includes the sport of basketball, which was invented in boondocks past James Naismith in 1891.

This long and rich history doesn't exercise much for the 154,139 electric current residents of town. They struggle with an awful economy that leaves 26.9% of them below the poverty line. Even with these financial woes, the cost of living tracks 10% above the national average.

New Bedford, MA

Population: 95,239
Rank Last Year: v (Up 2)
Median Dwelling Value: $226,900
Unemployment Rate: half-dozen.four%
More on New Bedford: Data | Photos

According to science, New Bedford is by far the worst place to live in the state of Massachusetts.

The unemployment rank is the third-highest in the country and residents here earn the 6th-lowest salaries in Massachusetts.

Plus, the big blackness eye for New Bedford: Crime. There are but three other cities in the country with a higher crime rate (Holyoke has the worst offense).

If y'all live in New Bedford, yous tin brag to your buddies at the bah that you have it rough, and they should buy you a bucket of Sam Adams.

Fall River, MA

Source: Public domain

Population: 89,388
Rank Last Year: iii (Down ane)
Median Abode Value: $242,200
Unemployment Rate: 8.4%
More than on Fall River: Data | Photos

A littoral city located in the southern office of the state, Autumn River ranks among the biggest cities in Massachusetts. The town's official motto is "We'll Try." Well, peradventure they demand to attempt harder.

Nearly a 5th of the city'southward 89,388 residents lives below the poverty line. At the same time, an underperforming educational activity system and a high cost of living create additional challenges.

Y'all practice a become a lot of history in Autumn River. For case, check out the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast Museum to learn more than about the town's most famous murder case.

North Adams, MA

Population: 12,959
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 1)
Median Dwelling house Value: $140,900
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%
More on North Adams: Information | Photos

For a small boondocks, North Adams has a large cultural imprint. Located in the far northwest part of the land, less than x minutes from Vermont'south Green Mountain National Woods, the town might seem similar a rural outpost. Just it also contains the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Fine art, the biggest contemporary art museum in the state.

With these attractions, North Adams might seem like the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, information technology comes at a cost. A sluggish local economy keeps median incomes at $41,471 and leads to a poverty charge per unit of 19.4%. Meanwhile, the town besides has a high law-breaking charge per unit and a weak school arrangement.

Holyoke, MA

Population: 40,241
Rank Last Year: half dozen (No Change)
Median Home Value: $195,800
Unemployment Rate: half-dozen.0%
More on Holyoke: Data | Photos

Are you way into volleyball? Want to check out the International Volleyball Hall of Fame? Well, and so, you'll honey a visit to Holyoke. You just won't desire to stay very long.

Poverty ranks among the biggest problems for Holyoke'southward xl,241 residents. Nearly xxx% of the locals scrape by below the poverty line, a fact that isn't helped by the area's high toll of living. At the same time, criminal offence represents a major trouble, with a crime rate more than 80% above the U.Southward. standard.

If you visit Holyoke, there'due south more to see than but the volleyball museum. You'll as well accept a chance to encounter dinosaur footprints nearby.

Chelsea, MA

Source: Public domain

Population: 39,992
Rank Last Year: 8 (Upward one)
Median Home Value: $350,800
Unemployment Charge per unit: 4.7%
More on Chelsea: Information | Photos

Chelsea sits forth the Mystic River, facing Boston beyond the water. The nearby metropolis gives the local economy a boost. The community features an unemployment charge per unit of iv.vii% and a median income of $56,802.

However, other concerns land Chelsea on this list. Educational activity is a concern, with almost schools falling beneath a 5/ten score on Keen Schools. The cost of living besides makes it difficult for locals to pay their bills. Expenses run near xxx% above the national average. The expanse sports a median domicile price of $350,800.

Too access to Boston, the 39,992 residents of Chelsea get other benefits. The charming Bellingham Foursquare Historic District provides a sample of the area'southward appeal.

Lynn, MA

Population: 93,743
Rank Last Yr: 10 (Up 2)
Median Dwelling Value: $323,100
Unemployment Rate: 5.9%
More on Lynn: Data | Photos

Lynn is a 20-minute railroad train ride from Boston. Still, it represents more than a suburb. With 93,743 residents, it ranks among the most populous cities in the state all on its ain.

While this provides locals with loads of amenities, it comes with big-urban center issues as well. For instance, competition for housing has pushed the median home toll to $323,100. This is hard to afford in an area with a median income of $56,181.

The skilful points of Lynn? Well, built along the coast, the boondocks features excellent beachfront amenities, such as Nahant Beach. In town, y'all tin get a taste of history at the Grand Regular army of the Republic Hall and Museum.

Lawrence, MA

Source: Public domain

Population: 79,942
Rank Concluding Year: 9 (No Modify)
Median Dwelling Value: $271,100
Unemployment Charge per unit: nine.3%
More on Lawrence: Data | Photos

Lawrence is built along the Merrimack River in the northeastern part of the country, near the New Hampshire border. A couple hundred years ago, the surface area rose to prominence equally an early manufacturing middle. Those economic celebrity days are far in the past at this signal. At present, a weak job market leaves Lawrence every bit one of the least appealing cities in Massachusetts.

With an unemployment rate of ix.3%, it's not surprising that more than than one fifth of the town's residents live below the poverty line. Even with these hardships, the area remains expensive. The median dwelling value in the region hovers at $271,100, compared to a median income of $44,613.

Fitchburg, MA

Population: twoscore,702
Rank Final Year: 7 (Downwards iii)
Median Home Value: $196,600
Unemployment Rate: 8.3%
More on Fitchburg: Information | Photos

Located in a more rural part of the state, just due south of the New Hampshire border, Fitchburg counts every bit a major population center in the region. Equally such, it exists every bit a local commercial and cultural eye, with draws such equally the Fitchburg Art Museum.

Still, you may want to think twice about moving to Fitchburg. The economy is sluggish, with an unemployment charge per unit of viii.3%. At the same time, the toll of living runs 10% above the U.S. norm. The town's schools autumn short of expectations likewise, with none scoring improve than a 6/10 on Cracking Schools.

How we determined the worst places to alive in Massachusetts for 2021

To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we just needed to know what kinds of things people like and so determine what cities have the to the lowest degree amount of those things.

We don't think it'southward a stretch to assume that people like the following things:

  • Skilful education
  • Lots of jobs
  • Low crime
  • Low poverty
  • Nice homes
  • Loftier incomes
  • High population density (Lots of things to do)
  • Short work commutes
  • Health insurance

The data comes from the Census'southward most recent American Community Survey and from the FBI Compatible Crime Study.

We broke crime down into violent crime and property crime to give violent criminal offense a larger weight — if you lot did a simple calculation of all crimes per capita, property crimes are normally 7x more mutual and really bias that ranking.

Furthermore, merely cities with at least 12,000 people were considered — leaving 39 cities.

We then ranked each city from 1 to 39 for all the criteria with a #1 ranking existence the worst for the particular criteria.

Next, we averaged the rankings into one "Worst Place To Live Score".

Finally, we ranked every city on the "Worst Identify To Live Score" with the everyman score being the worst city in Massachusetts — Brockton. Read on for a detailed await at the x worst cities in Massachusetts. You can download the data here.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased.

Wrapping Up The Worst In Massachusetts

If y'all're looking at areas in Massachusetts with the worst economic situations, where there'south higher than average criminal offence, and not a lot to exercise, this is an accurate list.

And in the terminate, Brockton ranks as the worst urban center to live in Massachusetts for 2021.

If you're curious enough, here are the best cities to live in Massachusetts:

  1. Woburn (Popular. forty,304)
  2. Melrose (Popular. 28,113)
  3. Newton (Pop. 88,593)

For more than Massachusetts reading, cheque out:

  • Richest Cities In Massachusetts
  • Safest Places In Massachusetts
  • Best Cities For Singles In Massachusetts

Where Are The Worst Places To Live In Massachusetts?

Rank City Population Unemployment Rate Home Value
1 Brockton 95,594 8.iii% $264,800
two Springfield 154,139 8.two% $156,200
three New Bedford 95,239 half dozen.4% $226,900
four Fall River 89,388 8.iv% $242,200
five Due north Adams 12,959 5.5% $140,900
6 Holyoke 40,241 6.0% $195,800
7 Chelsea 39,992 four.7% $350,800
8 Lynn 93,743 5.9% $323,100
9 Lawrence 79,942 ix.3% $271,100
10 Fitchburg twoscore,702 viii.3% $196,600
11 Leominster 41,606 5.nine% $241,800
12 Everett 46,118 5.2% $405,800
13 Chicopee 55,421 v.9% $182,100
fourteen Pittsfield 42,766 v.7% $174,300
15 Worcester 185,143 5.half dozen% $227,100
16 Lowell 111,306 5.8% $269,800
17 Revere 53,692 v.4% $373,800
18 Boston 684,379 six.vi% $532,700
xix Taunton 57,124 six.5% $271,800
20 Gardner 20,610 three.9% $185,700
21 Haverhill 63,533 5.2% $300,600
22 Marlborough 39,736 4.0% $348,500
23 Malden 60,984 5.0% $401,900
24 Quincy 94,207 5.one% $428,600
25 Attleboro 44,789 4.8% $292,900
26 Northampton 28,516 3.7% $332,100
27 Salem 43,252 4.0% $367,200
28 Westfield 41,449 4.3% $234,400
29 Gloucester thirty,162 four.4% $425,400
30 Peabody 52,906 four.0% $387,400
31 Somerville 80,906 three.3% $664,700
32 Cambridge 116,632 4.0% $768,300
33 Waltham 62,777 3.0% $536,500
34 Medford 57,637 2.8% $500,800
35 Newburyport xviii,077 three.5% $548,400
36 Beverly 41,885 3.4% $437,300
37 Woburn xl,304 iii.0% $453,900
38 Melrose 28,113 2.8% $570,300
39 Newton 88,593 2.8% $914,700

How Is The Surface area In ?

Editor's Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don't freak out we updated this article for 2021. This is our seventh time ranking the worst places to live in Massachusetts.