Best places to raise a family in Massachusetts
For the majority of people, there comes a moment in time when the prerequisites for a place to call home drastically change. This usually happens while planning to have children or shortly after the little ones arrive. Priorities dramatically shift, often prompting a move to a new home or even a new city. Cutting-edge restaurants and hipster cocktail bars suddenly take a backseat to excellent schools and plenty of playgrounds.
So where exactly are the best places to raise a family in Massachusetts? Stacker has collected data from Niche's 2018 best places to raise a family rankings to determine where children are most likely to thrive. The rankings measure the appeal of an area based on public schools, crime rates, cost of living, affordability, and access to family-friendly amenities.
To create this list, Niche used data from several databases, including the U.S. Census, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control, as well as Niche's own proprietary data and community reviews. The data includes the area's population, median home value, median rent, median household income, and the percentage of households with children. It also takes into consideration the national average for median home value—$184,700, median rent—$949, and median household income—$55,322.
Read on to find out where to consider moving if you are raising a family in Massachusetts.
#25. Longmeadow—town in Massachusetts
Population: 15,837
Median home value: $328,000
Median rent: $1,220
Median household income: $107,976
Percentage of households with children: 18%
#24. Shrewsbury—town in Massachusetts
Population: 36,494
Median home value: $385,100
Median rent: $1,225
Median household income: $98,790
Percentage of households with children: 19%
#23. Weston—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 11,946
Median home value: $1,173,800
Median rent: $1,478
Median household income: $191,744
Percentage of households with children: 24%
#22. Medfield—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 12,510
Median home value: $617,000
Median rent: $1,174
Median household income: $147,630
Percentage of households with children: 24%
#21. Westborough—town in Massachusetts
Population: 18,706
Median home value: $432,000
Median rent: $1,362
Median household income: $106,915
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#20. Winchester—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 22,491
Median home value: $796,500
Median rent: $1,571
Median household income: $149,321
Percentage of households with children: 25%
#19. Dover—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 5,864
Median home value: $987,300
Median rent: $2,371
Median household income: $189,265
Percentage of households with children: 23%
#18. Brookline—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 59,180
Median home value: $758,400
Median rent: $2,005
Median household income: $102,175
Percentage of households with children: 15%
#17. Acton—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 23,209
Median home value: $534,100
Median rent: $1,314
Median household income: $131,099
Percentage of households with children: 20%
#16. Hopkinton—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 16,257
Median home value: $536,100
Median rent: $1,567
Median household income: $143,190
Percentage of households with children: 23%
#15. Needham—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 30,167
Median home value: $719,600
Median rent: $1,453
Median household income: $139,477
Percentage of households with children: 22%
#14. Cochituate—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 6,940
Median home value: $586,700
Median rent: $741
Median household income: $133,339
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#13. Lincoln—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 6,651
Median home value: $863,200
Median rent: $2,138
Median household income: $130,870
Percentage of households with children: 23%
#12. Southborough—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 9,968
Median home value: $568,900
Median rent: $1,307
Median household income: $145,455
Percentage of households with children: 23%
#11. Westford—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 23,850
Median home value: $468,500
Median rent: $1,727
Median household income: $130,739
Percentage of households with children: 22%
#10. Carlisle—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 5,125
Median home value: $757,900
Median rent: $2,085
Median household income: $167,400
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#9. Sharon—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 18,193
Median home value: $484,300
Median rent: $1,738
Median household income: $127,500
Percentage of households with children: 23%
#8. Wayland—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 13,544
Median home value: $637,400
Median rent: $1,133
Median household income: $157,500
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#7. Wellesley—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 28,909
Median home value: $980,400
Median rent: $1,852
Median household income: $171,719
Percentage of households with children: 22%
#6. Boxborough—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 5,287
Median home value: $500,200
Median rent: $958
Median household income: $103,556
Percentage of households with children: 17%
#5. Cordaville—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 2,847
Median home value: $510,500
Median rent: N/A
Median household income: $170,139
Percentage of households with children: 28%
#4. Belmont—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 25,555
Median home value: $711,200
Median rent: $1,710
Median household income: $114,141
Percentage of households with children: 20%
#3. Newton—town in Massachusetts
Population: 88,317
Median home value: $788,500
Median rent: $1,733
Median household income: $127,402
Percentage of households with children: 18%
#2. Sudbury—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 18,594
Median home value: $650,200
Median rent: $788
Median household income: $164,013
Percentage of households with children: 23%
#1. Lexington—suburb of Boston, MA
Population: 32,936
Median home value: $769,400
Median rent: $1,799
Median household income: $152,872
Percentage of households with children: 21%
