I'm originally for north central MA, and when I was growing up it was a “working Joe, blue collar, factory” area. When I graduated from HS, ~20 years ago, I already saw the transformation - less whites, factories closing, decay. I got the hell out and headed east, which I THANK GOD I did. But, now, the creep in starting to set in here too.
Cape Cod - I never really cared for it. Give me the North Shore any day.
Springfield is Detroit on a smaller scale. I agree that Boston metro area will never look that bad. Money and demographics keep things fairly stable. So do attitudes. I still remember the reaction to METCO students in the ‘70s.