<p>Worcester is like any other large city. Period. You found yourself in the wrong part of town. You will get that just about anywhere. You will also get idiots on the road and people with tempers just about anywhere. If you didn’t drive directly from Holy Cross to I-290 and go up to the Rt 9 exit to drive to WPI, then that was unfortunate. There are some very run down and scary parts in Worcester, I would agree, however there are some really great areas too and some areas that used to be rough that are being turned into areas with great restaurants and nightlife.</p>
<p>Worcester is the 2nd or 3rd largest city in New England with a population of over 170,000. Look for something a lot smaller if you don’t want any “bad” sections around. But realize that even small towns can have seedy areas and idiots that drive.</p>