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KateBushFuckingSucks t1_je9ng72 wrote

What's interesting is if you pull the data at 8am on a weekday, it's just a bright fucking line on 93, 95 and 90 and black absolutely everywhere else.

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Everyday_Balloons t1_je9pv6k wrote

except highways and cars are so inefficient, a single subway train is probably more densely populated

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zephepheoehephe t1_jeampk2 wrote

A subway train has peak capacity of 1000 people. To fit the same number of people bumper-to-bumper would take almost 3 acres in area and more than 3 miles of length.

Of course, cars are never bumper-to-bumper. Instead, at a 2s following distance at 60mph, it would take about 30 miles.

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madtho t1_jeb0z20 wrote

Love this, do you have a source? Or your own math?

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AlexeiMarie t1_jebam0z wrote

60mph? during rush hour? when have you ever seen that happen lol

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bubbastars OP t1_je9ihgd wrote

I made this using Kontur's global population density dataset and overlaid it on some files from MassGIS. Each hexagon is roughly 1/4 sq. mile, and the most populated hex (outlined in teal if you zoom WAY in) is where Tremont meets Mass Ave in the South End.

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munkmunk49 t1_je9n8dh wrote

I'm surprised the highest density isnt somewhere in Somerville considering it's in the top 10 most dense cities in the US

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WinsingtonIII t1_je9pwww wrote

I would guess it's because though Boston has some (relatively) lower density areas than Somerville which drag its overall average down, places like Back Bay are denser than anywhere in Somerville due to the higher density of higher-rise housing. Somerville doesn't really have any neighborhood that is entirely 4-5 story brownstones plus high rise condo buildings. There are a lot more three-deckers in Somerville, which don't house quite as many people.

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3720-To-One t1_jea17uy wrote

Boston also has lots of commercial space and other stuff like museums, hospitals, and other non-residential facilities.

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-CalicoKitty- t1_je9qoau wrote

Somerville is the most dense overall, but Boston has a lot of low density neighborhoods like Brighton and West Roxbury that bring it's average down. Parts of Back Bay and South End are more dense than anything in Somerville.

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bubbastars OP t1_je9r30a wrote

Plus the huge parks/cemeteries.

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3720-To-One t1_jea1ahc wrote

Also commercial spaces.

Nobody lives in the financial district.

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GyantSpyder t1_je9vqpf wrote

You don't have to build vertically to get density. But if you want the densest single 1/4 square mile in an entire state it's probably going to involve building up.

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RandomThrowaway410 t1_jebrkcl wrote

> Somerville considering it's in the top 10 most dense cities in the US

I would believe that Somerville is the most dense from a "number of residential properties per unit area" standpoint. But when each of those properties contain only 3 to 5 people living in them each, the actual population density isn't going to be crazy high. Compare Somerville to places that have a lot of multistory condominiums (with hundreds of people living in them each) from a "number of people per unit area" measurement... and the Condo's will blow Somerville out of the water from a population density standpoint

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Theonekid44 t1_jeazv72 wrote

If you could make one for New England as a whole that would be pretty cool

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Giving_Cat t1_je9mnvg wrote

It would even cooler if you had included the density area note in the chart.

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BannedMyName t1_je9kv2b wrote

Now do one for all of New England

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Hoosac_Love t1_jeak9km wrote

Northeastern Vermont through northern New Hampshire through northwest Maine would be virtually nothing

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nickjacksonD t1_je9zf87 wrote

This clearly doesn't count John Quabbin, the lovely but eccentric lake monster who lives in the middle of the Quabbin reservoir.

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Hoosac_Love t1_je9vink wrote

Total western MA population as of 2020 is 828,188

Hamden co about 465K

Hampshire co about 168K

Berkshire co about 129K

Franklin co about 71K

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Hoosac_Love t1_je9jeoj wrote

A lot of black in eastern and central Mass,more than I expected

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Federal-Emphasis-934 t1_je9jpr7 wrote

The big ones in central are lakes. The ones near the cape line up with some state parks.

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midday_marauder t1_je9ntja wrote

That would probably be Myles Standish State Forest and it looks like the one on Cape could be Joint Base Cape Cod

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DeadassBdeadassB t1_jedb8b2 wrote

That is correct the black area on cape is the base. That particular section is the largest area of woods on cape. Nothing out the except woods and a few training sites. 19000 acres of woods total out there if I remember correctly

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midday_marauder t1_jeeejzw wrote

Grew up just down the street from the Falmouth gate. People underestimate the size of JBCC. It’s large enough that sections touch 4 different towns.

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NativeMasshole t1_je9xt7q wrote

I don't know about that. The one between Quabbin and Worcester seems a lot bigger than Long Pond, and Oakaham and Rutland State Forests.

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TerpeeAF413 t1_je9los5 wrote

The biggest black spot in Western Massachusetts is actually the Quabbin Reservoir which, along with the Wachusett Reservoir, provides drinking water for Boston and several towns in the Metro Boston area.

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megmatthews20 t1_je9wmo6 wrote

That reservoir always makes me think of Stephen King's Dreamcatcher.

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UniWheel t1_je9yv9b wrote

>The biggest black spot in Western Massachusetts is actually the Quabbin Reservoir

Yes, though there are also lots of large parcels that haven't been inhabited in a century or twp and many of which are now preserved - it was pretty much all farmed at one point, but now only the rich river floodplains and select hilltops are, so there are huge tracts of more difficult terrain that's regrown woods with only old foundations and stone walls. And trails. Lots of trails.

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Hoosac_Love t1_je9lvsp wrote

I saw that for sure yea

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Th1s1sChr1s t1_je9n6su wrote

Hey everyone, I found the newcomer!

EDIT: That's so funny people hatin' ... Hoosac's expression just sounded Wisconsin or Minnesotan to me, I didn't mean anything by it. (please don't tell your Minnesota or Wisconsin friends I suggested they may be similar)

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Hoosac_Love t1_je9pxrk wrote

I'm from Berkshire county ,do you think I'd been to eastern MA outside of Worcester or Boston

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es_cl t1_jea7o6q wrote

From western Mass too, there’s only a couple of things I know about the southeast region of the state. 1) Gillette stadium and Tweeter/Comcast Center(old name) are around the Attleboro area of the state because I’ve been to concerts there. 2) Sandwich and Hyannis is where I pass by to get to Provincetown/Cape Cod. Lol

Just like we can’t expect folks in the eastern side of the state to know much about western Mass, eastern folks shouldn’t expect us to know much about the eastern side unless it’s a tourist destination like Boston, Gillette, Comcast Center and the Cape area.

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Hoosac_Love t1_jea8kj9 wrote

I've been to Gillette and Tweeter maybe back when it was Great Woods.I have been to Hyannis but never Provincetown.

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penismanboy t1_jebrlu2 wrote

WOH OKAY BUDDY LITTLE RACIST YOU THINK?

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Hoosac_Love t1_jebto1r wrote

Not race ,the black color on the map is places without population

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DeliPaper t1_je9ofm7 wrote

Almost exclusively parks and forests

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stevewmn t1_je9yv0k wrote

Some lakes and wetlands too. I'm pretty sure I can identify Crystal Lake and Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield, and there are larger black areas not far north of them which are just swamps in Lynnfield.

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Carbonated-Man t1_je9qhjo wrote

I don't know the numbers myself, but tbh I wouldn't be surprised if someone said the entire population of western mass was lower than the population of New Bedford or Fall River.

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nataphoto t1_je9t7xj wrote

> I wouldn't be surprised if someone said the entire population of western mass was lower than the population of New Bedford or Fall River

hows that work considering springfield alone is the third largest city

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Carbonated-Man t1_jeaw332 wrote

Wasn't aware of that. Like I said, "wouldn't be surprised if", was not a statement of fact. Was just a guess.

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SileAnimus t1_jeclgxb wrote

Springfield doesn't exist and I wish people stopped pretending that it does

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trahoots t1_je9vpss wrote

Population sizes:

  • New Bedford: 100,941
  • Fall River: 93,884

Western Mass Counties:

  • Hampden County: 462,718
  • Hampshire County: 161,572
  • Berkshire County: 128,657
  • Franklin County: 71,015

Western Mass total: 823,962

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Carbonated-Man t1_jeaweog wrote

That is a LOT more people than I figured lived out that way. 😆

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Hoosac_Love t1_je9qvxo wrote

Western is about a million Metro Springfield is substantial,600K people in that area All the little towns add up Berkshire county in about 130K Franklin about 90K

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bigcalvesarein t1_jea0yus wrote

Okay where on this map is the cheap rent with a reasonable commute into Boston? s/

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heklakatla t1_jeavdaz wrote

Would be interesting to see the first 10-to-15 miles of the bordering states included in this

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Cheap_Coffee t1_jee7gcu wrote

Especially New Hampster.

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heklakatla t1_jeexh7l wrote

I was thinking along the lines of the Portsmouth/Salem/Nashua, Pawtucket/Providence/Woonsocket, and Enfield/Windsor/Hartford areas in particular.

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garethashenden t1_jea95bk wrote

BRB, moving to the middle of Quabbin

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PREClOUS_R0Y t1_jeab687 wrote

Don't do it! There has been talk for years about moving rattlesnakes onto one of the islands.

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brightlocks t1_jeaqj3n wrote

Don’t even worry about them. Timber rattlers? We had them when I lived in Jersey, and they are all over the Hudson valley. They are comically lazy.

I was out hiking with my kids in jersey once and this rattlesnake was sunning in the middle of the trail. We waited like 20 minutes for it to move or something before we finally just stepped over it. When we got a few feet down the trail, it rattled at us twice. Before you @ me with the snake was sick…. Nah. They are like this. Bites are incredibly rare.

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CausticOptimist t1_jeb4ai0 wrote

I used to run on this trail in western ma that went around a reservoir up against a rocky mountainside, their absolute favorite hangout. There was at least one person that got bitten and had to be airlifted to Boston.

I asked an EMT once what I should do if I got bit on the far side of the reservoir, about two miles from the nearest ambulance accessible area. Like I was curious to know if trying to walk closer to civilization would spread the poison faster or if I should just lie still and wait.

He told me the best thing to do in this situation is capture the snake which seems like the very last thing on earth I’m going to be inclined to do. Sure buddy, I’ll just grab a poisonous snake by the face and hold onto it for 30 minutes

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wiserTyou t1_jebuk4q wrote

Really though, you should keep your heart rate as low as possible and cover the bite with a clean bandage. It takes a lot of antivenin for a timber rattlesnake bites and many hospitals don't have it because it's expensive and expires. Realistically if you're far from help and also far from a hospital, you could end up in a very bad situation.

Fortunately, timber rattlesnakes are not very aggressive and prefer to leave. They're ambush predators so be careful around bush and fallen logs you have to step over. Make noise while hiking,they'll likely leave and you will never know they were there. Copperheads prefer to hang out on sunny rocky areas, be careful climbing rocks.

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bostonmacosx t1_jeahyvo wrote

Give me the purple and high speed transportation....

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tbirdpow t1_jeaqmf4 wrote

I think I see my dad

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TiredPistachio t1_jebaejh wrote

Wow you can actually SEE the border of Weston, wild.

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iamanalog t1_jebkhva wrote

I've been here 90% of my life and I've never been west of 91, I've probably been to every town in central and most of eastern mass though. One of these days I'd love to check out the town square in all 351.

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wiserTyou t1_jebw4lt wrote

The Ashfield lake house and Montague book mill are nice.

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Ashleej86 t1_jec9y7s wrote

Amherst, northampton, Holyoke. 5 top tier colleges is one area.

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MAELATEACH86 t1_jech8tm wrote

That’s kind of sad. We’re in one of the smallest states in the country. It takes like 2.5 hours to get from one part of the state to the other. It’s not hard to get here.

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thicc-gompei t1_jec8mrx wrote

Wait… people live in western mass?

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Qubed t1_jed9lju wrote

I'm guessing that big black hole in the middle...bears be there.

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Cheap_Coffee t1_jee7jdo wrote

They didn't count people who use underwater breathing apparatus.

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Ashleej86 t1_jeb9o0i wrote

Look at all that black or very low density in the most west countries. It could all be affordable housing if Massachusetts got it together. Thus pulling many people towards the west , out of the cities to have cheap housing and more fun people out west. We're lonely in western Massachusetts. Come on over. Everyone basically gets an acres out here.

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wiserTyou t1_jebvn2n wrote

Ugh, don't invite the Boston people over. They'll never leave. There's also a lot of protected land out here we probably shouldn't clearcut.

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Ashleej86 t1_jebvs4z wrote

A few acres here or there. Like 100 and we get 5000 new friends. Come on.

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wiserTyou t1_jebzio3 wrote

The line at dunkin is long enough already. One major benefit if western mass is we don't have to listen to that ridiculous accent every day.

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Ashleej86 t1_jec7npg wrote

Cumberland farms. It's cheaper. $1.06. Easier to stop in a few times a day , if you love iced coffee as I do.

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Current-Photo2857 t1_jebzgt0 wrote

Do not come on over, we don’t have the jobs or resources to support you.

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Ashleej86 t1_jec7hcs wrote

We can work on that. Building houses in the woods is what Pioneer type Massachusettians did right? They can do that.

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Current-Photo2857 t1_jeca9hc wrote

Houses isn’t the problem. I’ve live in western MA my whole life, but I and all my siblings had to move away from home because there are no jobs available in our home region. Even in my new region, there’s a shortage of healthcare and jobs.

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Ashleej86 t1_jecaqkf wrote

I'm in Amherst. There's a ton of mental health related jobs here so that works for me. Teaching isn't that lucrative but it exists out here. Construction. Retail. I mean what do you want ?

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Current-Photo2857 t1_jecc1p2 wrote

One sister is in the medical field, has to live out east bc she could only get a job at MassGen (her specialty is nonexistent out here); sister who is in early education had to go to CT to get a job. My BIL is in construction and spends half the year unemployed. I’m a teacher in a district of about 500 staff, 25+ of us will be laid off next month because the district can’t afford to pay us. Meanwhile, I can’t keep a steady GP because my medical provider’s offices keep closing, first the one in Wilbraham, then Westfield, so now I’m stuck going to Springfield with my third different doctor who is impossible to get an appointment with because the few doctors who did stay in the area have too many patients.

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Ashleej86 t1_jecd09w wrote

I believe you. I keep losing doctors too. I have masshealth and it has a lot of turn over true. Amherst is probably the best town in terms of best paid teachers. I see construction workers all the time here.

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wadledo t1_jebqmmi wrote

I'm actually surprised how high the density of Cape Cod is in general. Really doesn't feel like it.

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peeja t1_jecbjie wrote

I love how clearly you can see the Metacomet Ridge.

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swedejay53 t1_jecg698 wrote

This map is amazing to my early 90's kid self who'd try some way to make a board game out of this.

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Official-Zomia t1_jectgox wrote

looks like i was right when i said "boston is probably 1/3 our state"
as someone from western mass the western mass part was more then i thought

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Markymarcouscous t1_je9y3f0 wrote

I live in JP near Roxbury I assume that is in the hexagon that is outlined in green

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