Worcester gets national recognition
Chelsea Creekmore
Worcester hit the national radar recently when it landed No. 65 on the U.S. News & World Report “Best Places to Live” list. This placed the city ahead of other communities such as Philadelphia and perpetual rival Providence.
The ranking evaluated areas based on the factors that most people use when selecting somewhere to live: the area's value, quality of life, job market health, whether or not people want to live there and whether an area is attracting new residents. The list included the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas with Denver taking the top honors, followed by Austin, Texas and Fayettville, Ark.
Portland, Maine narrowly beat out Boston as the Northeast's highest ranked area, taking the 29th spot on the list to Boston's 30th.
A changing city
The ranking for Worcester highlights the appealing nature of a city in the midst of substantial change, said Troy Siebels, the board chair for Discover Central Massachusetts
“There is this great new energy that rubs off. Part of what I love about Worcester is it is changing as you look at it. It is changing so fast,” Siebels said.
Siebels, who has lived in the city for the past 10 years, said he has seen an influx of younger, Millennial-age residents. This new energy is rubbing off on all parts of the city and spreading through neighborhoods such as the Canal District with its nightlife and shopping and the Theatre District with innovative startup businesses and cultural performances.
“I feel like you can help cause the change … just by being here, I feel like I am a part of that change,” Siebels said.
Tourism pull
Siebels welcomed the publicity for the city, saying that it will help attract the crucial tourist population within a 100-mile radius of the city. Worcester is a great area to visit, he said, with many cultural and arts institutions in the city and surrounding area as well as sporting events.
“This report gets Worcester's name out there, and for the semi-local folks, there is a recognition there is this other city worth visiting,” Siebels said.
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