2019 Best Places to Raise a Family in MassachusettsAbout this List

Newtonville

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 3

Current Resident: I've grown up here in Newtonville, and it was such an amazing experience! Everyone is very friendly, there are plenty of places within walking distance, and the schools are amazing. Such wonderful place to live.
Read 3 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 8,006 Population

West Newton

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 22

Current Resident: West Newton is a walkable family friendly village in the City of Newton. There are neighborhood elementary schools which are walkable and the school system is great.
Read 22 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 24,829 Population

Waban

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 3

Nearby Resident: I like Waban because there are lots of educational studios/groups for children. I have a daughter, who is 5 years old, and I take to Waban to rhythmic gymnastics three times a week from Brookline because in Brookline we do not have such a studio, and studios that are available in Brookline are more expensive.
Read 3 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 7,804 Population

Newton Centre

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 1

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 9,577 Population

Newton Upper Falls

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 1

Current Resident: NUF is a one of 13 villages of the city of Newton. It is not one of wealthier villages, and has a fair amount of renters living in the area. Overall it is a very safe neighborhood, with an MBTA train stop for greater access to the city of Boston, Cambridge, Brookline and other areas that the MBTA services. On the down side, it is becoming overcrowded as older lower priced homes are being bought, torn down and rebuilt. The population is not that diverse, but more diverse than other villages in Newton.
Read 1 Review

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 8,621 Population

Oak Hill

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 9

Parent: We lived in Newton for over 20 years. Although there have been changes over the years, it really hasn't changed much in terms of quality of life, however has done a good job keeping up with changing demographics and economics. This is a great place for working moms and dads to raise a family. Great schools, team sports, convenience of getting around for parents and kids as they grow older - and still feel like you are in a someone suburban neighborhood. Newton is the perfect size with accessibility to Boston and all the cultural advantages of Boston. I have lived in Atlanta, Dallas, Louisville, New York and the Detroit area. Although there are many advantages of all of these cities, Newton is safe, still pretty and easy to live in. Weather is a significant factor whether we will stay here. I see the future continuing to be bright and sustain its allure.
Read 9 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 10,534 Population

Lexington

• Suburb of Boston, MA
• 66

Current Resident: I love the minutemen trail! Safe access to a relaxing nature walk! Refreshing, calming...
The town is cute, clean and drivers strictly respect pedestrian crossings making walking around the town feel safe. Great, strong competitive schools. The town's library is a gem full of resources. It is a safe, positive haven, for the elders as well as for our youth! The grounds are very well kept in most areas. My major issue is the rental quality. Outside the landscaping is maintained, but inside, expensive rental apartments are not well kept or updated. However, we overlook this because of all the pros living here. Hmmm and then that's why they keep increasing the rents. :(
Read 66 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 33,339 Population

Newton Highlands

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 6

Niche User: I think this area is very safe, and you feel that around the neighborhood. But there are sometimes suspicious characters that may make it feel a little less safe
Read 6 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 15,770 Population

Newton

• Town in Massachusetts
• 46

Current Resident: The Newton Public School System is really awesome. One of the best parts, in my opinion, is the Career Tech Ed opportunities at Newton North High. Aside from the education aspect, Newton is also a city that feels incredibly safe. There are not many crimes or threats in the city at all. There are a lot of things going on in the city at all times, there are many good restaurants, shops, and activities. The different areas in Newton are very different from each other: Newton Highlands, Newton Corner, Newton Centre, Nonantum, Chestnuthill, etc. They all have different things to offer!
Read 46 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 88,479 Population

Sudbury

• Suburb of Boston, MA
• 13

Current Resident: If you want peace and quiet, unbelievably grounded and friendly people around you, clean air and country an excellent A+ school system Sudbury is the place to be. I’m not pumping this town either, I’m telling you my opinion from painful town hunting experience. Being from Newton we had high standards for our next move. Newton is an exceptional town in itself. But we wanted to move to someplace with more land for our kids to let loose and have more fun outside without much worry. Newton city just does not afford that type of comparison to more bucolic settings. So we shopped for years looking into Dover, Sherborn, Weston, Concord, Carisle etc. Granted, we don’t ever buy real estate based on the IN crowd place to be, rather, we be buy based on risk and metrics. We could easily see Sudbury value outpacing many other towns in the future and for the simple reason of just looking at the map, Location, Location, Location.
Read 13 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 18,697 Population

Newton Corner

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 16

Niche User: My town has been said to be one of the safest in the United States and even walking the streets in the dead of night I feel completely safe.
Read 16 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 8,691 Population

Hopkinton

• Suburb of Boston, MA
• 24

Current Resident: Reading some of the more recent reviews, it’s clear that a particular individual with egomaniacal tendencies decided to trash the town on their way out. My family moved to Hopkinton recently and we could not be more pleased with our decision. There are ample gorgeous public areas for hiking and outdoor activities, coupled with socioeconomic diversity we did not find in other Boston suburbs we considered. The racial diversity is increasing and our neighbors and the town in general have been incredibly welcoming. Being one of the safest suburbs in the country with a top shelf school system makes this a great town to raise a family. A town is what you make of it!
Read 24 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 16,720 Population

Cochituate

• Suburb of Boston, MA

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 6,832 Population

Oak Hill Park

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 1

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 3,878 Population

Chestnut Hill

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 13

Current Resident: Nice place to live, very safe, but the transit is not good especially if you are trying to get anywhere and your plans are time sensitive. The people are a bit cold and no neighbors really talk to each other unless you've gone to school together forever.
Read 13 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 11,648 Population

Auburndale

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 8

Current Resident: I like living in Auburndale because I feel safe here and people in the town are nice and sometimes people in the neighborhood will have parties together, every family brings foods and communicate with each other. I like the quiet living environment and here is a great place to live in. In addition, the transportation makes it easier to go to the places I want to go.
Read 8 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 13,627 Population

Thompsonville

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 10,363 Population

Wayland

• Suburb of Boston, MA
• 8

Current Resident: Nice people, nice education system. Not a lot of crime except the occasional adolescent drug use. Not noticeable unless you're actually enrolled in high school. The high school has been recently renovated and has a new and modern look. Safe neighborhood, lots of people walking their dogs and jogging, if you pass someone they always smile and say hello. It's a fairly rich and prestigious town. Lots of people are lawyers. Not very diverse, mostly white followed by asian. School uses METCO program which might be nice for some people. School athletics is top notch apparently. Supermarket opened up recently in town center, everything you need is within reach. 20 min drive from inner Boston. Very nice town overall.
Read 8 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 13,700 Population

Brookline

• Suburb of Boston, MA
• 110

Current Resident: I love Brookline first of all because of its beauty and safety. Second, having a five-year-old child, I appreciate the convenience of commuting to schools here and quality of education. Third, I love that there are many restaurants, good grocery stores, and a movie theater nearby.
The only thing that I would like to improve is increasing the number of children’s activities around as dance studios, painting studios, gymnastics, etc. There are a few of them around, but not enough for the possibility of making choice.
Read 110 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 59,246 Population

Belmont

• Suburb of Boston, MA
• 30

Current Resident: Belmont has an excellent public school system. The students are motivated and intelligent and the teachers are dedicated. The Arts programs are incredibly strong but under appreciated. The focus at the high school is often pushed towards football even though all the students know the football team is a joke. The girls basketball team does 100x as well but gets less attention. Doing extracurriculars can be expensive, but the school is good about offering scholarships where needed. Finally, the reason I give it 4/5 stars is that although there is some aspect of "entitled rich kid" vibe, kids of all types are mostly embraced and find their way. Also, the schools just really prepare you for college.
Read 30 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 25,965 Population

Nonantum

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA
• 6

Niche User: For the past few years of living in Newton, Massachusetts, I haven't found issues with too much crime. With that said, I haven't found issues with crime at all.
Read 6 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 15,186 Population

Westford

• Suburb of Boston, MA
• 62

Current Resident: I like how this is a quiet nice town that is safe and clean. The library is nice and quiet with a huge selection of books to choose from. There are a variety of restaurants like Bamboo, Five Guys, Burton’s Grill, Evviva Cucina, Paul’s Diner, Rangoli Grill, and Seoul Kitchen. Westford also has great summer get-together spots. A big one is Kimball’s Farm. They serve ice cream, food and have multiple fun attractions that are reasonably priced. Some of these attractions include a mini golf course, a driving range, batting cages, bumper cars, and even a zip line.
Read 62 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 24,087 Population

Carlisle

• Suburb of Boston, MA
• 22

Niche User: We have basically no crime in our area. Whenever we need to call the police for anything they are fast and responsive and they seem well prepared for any situation.
Read 22 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 5,160 Population

Lincoln

• Suburb of Boston, MA
• 4

Current Resident: Lincoln is a small town with easy access to the city of Boston and its surrounding towns. It feels like the country, with lots of farms and nature, and it's rather small population-wise, but it has a commuter train and plenty of other attractions close by.
Read 4 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 6,696 Population

Newton Lower Falls

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 6,651 Population