2023 Best Places to Buy a House in Massachusetts

• Suburb in Massachusetts

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  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: North Seekonk is a comfortable and quaint town that exudes safety and security. The shops and stores are adequate, with other places close by, and the atmosphere is comforting. I highly recommend living here if you want to raise a family.... Read 2 reviews

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• Population 2,191

• Town in Massachusetts

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  Rating 3.55 out of 5  29 reviews

Current Resident: We bought a retirement home in Williamstown after looking at many different towns in the Berkshires. We liked the Great Barrington area, but ultimately the real estate available and the draw of a private country setting just 12 minutes from a plethora of cultural activities around Williams College and in North Adams drew us to Williamstown. Our experience working with local restaurants (take-out only during the pandemic) and skilled tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, handymen) had been excellent. We have family scattered across the country and having them fly into Albany (once the pandemic has passed) will make it easy for them to visit us. The limited interaction we've had with town professionals (library, post office, town hall) couldn't have been better: friendly, accommodating and helpful.... Read 29 reviews

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• Population 7,678

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.26 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: I believe the school system is great! I have had very few teachers I did not like which is amazing for a public school. Although, the ratings have gone down and Wayland Public Schools is now not ranked top 10 in the state, when it was previously top 5 I believe. It is a predominantly white town although there is around 30% asians and 5% black students in my high school. Very easy access to 95 and 90 which makes the commute to activities easy. It is expensive but at the cost of good schools. Additionally, as a student there are always places looking for staff and also interns.... Read 19 reviews

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• Population 13,859

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.11 out of 5  37 reviews

Current Resident: Hopkinton is a very resident based town. It doesn't have many big franchise stores but rather family owned shops that the town adores such as The Spoon and Hop-Yo. All of the schools from elementary to high school are amazingly diverse and ranked highly in Massachusetts Public Schools. One thing that I think could benefit from in traffic during the week days. Around 7:20-8:00 am, the main street of Hopkinton is normally slow because construction or the rush of getting to school or work. Overall, Hopkinton is a lovely town that feels like home. As a girl who moved to the town during the 6th grade, it was very easy to connect with my peers and make friends in this community. Hopkinton also has fun amenities like Whitehall Lake, Sandy Beach, and Hopkinton State Park which are great for rope swinging, swimming, and having picnics, respectively. Hopkinton provides that comforting feel that I crave which is why I love this town and everything it has to offer.... Read 37 reviews

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• Population 18,501

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: Dunstable is a really nice town. It's a wealthier town for sure but it's small, and the downtown area is only a few buildings. There's a really awesome coffee shop downtown, and the residents of Dunstable are generally very kind and respectful. I've made quite a few friends in town through school, and my parents are often out of the house spending time with their friends in town and me and my siblings come along too.... Read 6 reviews

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• Population 3,369

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: Has been a wonderful place to raise our kids. Pro's are Schools are excellent, always in the top 10 in the state for MCAS scores. High School is The Bromfield School. Kids are getting a private school education at a public school price. Really beautiful town with lots of conversation land and town beach. Nice town center with brand new Elementary School and Library. Multiple apple orchards and horse properties. Lots of town spirit, Halloween held in town center for the children is a great tradition. Con's are very high taxes and little affordable and senior housing. Very limited town services. Sports are not covered in property taxes and often run $300/child. Small population, approx. 6,500. No grocery store, hardware store, retail etc, have to drive to neighboring towns for everything. Ft. Devens is nearby and active training includes munitions fire. Overall a lovely place to live and for kids to grow up.... Read 19 reviews

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• Population 6,829

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.9 out of 5  48 reviews

Current Resident: Wilbraham has a fairly safe and welcoming community, there are many nice local stores. The seasons look beautiful here, especially the fall. The school system is not great. The high school itself is fairly new, however it turns its cheek to many things that need to be changed morally.... Read 48 reviews

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• Population 14,600

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  45 reviews

Current Resident: Medway is a great place to live! Friendly people, great schools with a small town feel. Having bi-racial family members, I found Medway to be inclusive. The people of the community have treated my family with dignity and respect. Neighbors were so welcoming when we first moved to the community, finally felt like this was the "home" I had always been looking for. A fantastic place to raise a family, no matter your race, religious beliefs or orientation. Good, good people here!... Read 45 reviews

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• Population 13,105

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  11 reviews

Niche User: Living in Southborough Massachusetts over the years has been extremely amazing. It is a small town so it is not over run with large businesses and there are more "mom and pop" ran businesses. Everyone pretty much knows each other so the atmosphere is very friendly. The education is great, schools hire teachers that care about the students and push them everyday to do their best. I moved to this town when I was around eight years old, and if I were able to do it all again from an earlier age if I could. For the past decades Southborough has been a small quiet town and it look like it will stay like this for many more decades to come.... Read 11 reviews

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• Population 2,776

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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• Population 1,280

Current Resident: The people are nice and generally keep to themselves. Very safe with a good school system! I would say in term of criticism, I wish there were sidewalks. Would be great to take nice walks without having to worrying about cars all the time! That being said, there are plenty of trails dotted around the neighborhood, so it's not all bad!... Read 39 reviews

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• Population 15,605

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  49 reviews

Current Resident: I have been in Groton my whole life, grew up here! The schools are great, neighbors are friendly, and there are lots of trails to walk and explore. It’s beautiful in the fall with all the leaves changing colors, there are lots of cute little cafés, and some fancy restaurants that are farm to table. I love living here, it’s a very family oriented, safe place.... Read 49 reviews

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• Population 11,254

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.15 out of 5  27 reviews

Current Resident: Little diversity, but nice people and very peaceful. Small towns are good for relaxing but does not have many stores. Very historical.... Read 27 reviews

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• Population 18,912

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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• Population 6,966

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 3.96 out of 5  90 reviews

Current Resident: Westford is a great town to live in. It is a safe, friendly, charming, and quiet town but not too far from major highways and the greater Boston metro. There are many parades and local farmer markets during spring and summer. There are many lakes throughout the town for standup paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, canoeing, or winter ice skating. The school system rated #6 best school districts in Massachusetts by Niche. It has a lot to offer in the schools from AP courses, sports clubs, robotics clubs, environmental clubs, DECA, HOSA, Mock Trial, and much more. I would like to have winter and summer folk festivals to bring more flavors to the town!... Read 90 reviews

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• Population 24,535

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 3.32 out of 5  34 reviews

Current Resident: Sherborn is a small town, with a suburban/rural feel. Forty- Five minutes outside of Boston, MA. The community is very safe, and welcoming. The school system is extremely good and well run.... Read 34 reviews

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• Population 4,406

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 3.98 out of 5  54 reviews

Current Resident: Sharon has a lot of wildlife. It has lots of plants and trees. It is a kid friendly place and is very safe. The lake in the center of town makes for a great summer with family. There are weekly bands all summer long. Angel’s restaurant is a town center to see neighbors and friends. Crescent Ridge is amazing! Our kids love to go there. It is an adventure and great ice cream. Recommend grabbing a few bar pizzas out of the freezer as well. Local milk is good. Wards Berry Farm has good food and local farmers veggies and such. Plus each season they bring it for adventures.... Read 54 reviews

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• Population 18,477

Former Resident: Paxton is a beautiful New England community. It has a small town common, a Protestant Church and a Catholic Church in the center of town. The people are friendly and neighbors tend to stop and chat or wave. There is little to no crime. There is a small general store and a dog groomer. It shares a border with Worcester which is a city with lots of activity. It also shares a border with Holden which has a large shopping center. You have privacy and quiet and are just a quick drive to activity. It has an excellent school system.... Read 24 reviews

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• Population 5,005

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.31 out of 5  32 reviews

Current Resident: Norfolk is a very small town and a very tight knit community. As a teenager preparing to depart for college, I can confidently say that Norfolk was a great place to grow up. The public school system here is phenomenal and has allowed me to cultivate some great memories and benefits. The entire town is very supportive of the children as can be seen at the town sporting events. There has never been any real crime in my time here other than minor incidents. Being a small town there is very little to know night life, meaning that it is a very family friendly environment. There is not much diversity in the town, with a majority of Caucasian families living here. There are not many businesses in the town also other than some small, usually independently owned businesses. In conclusion, I highly recommend the town of Norfolk to any families looking for a wonderful environment for their children.... Read 32 reviews

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• Population 11,531

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 4.08 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: I have excellent localization to the hadley shopping areas. I can access these places with much ease. Even with the college students, this is a quiet area.... Read 13 reviews

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• Population 5,293

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.07 out of 5  29 reviews

Current Resident: Overall, Carlisle is a fantastic place to like. It's a small, quiet town with great schools and awesome people. Better yet, Carlisle is only a few minutes drive from larger towns and 30-40 minutes from Boston. Schooling is generally fantastic, however, diversity is a big issue here. I've found myself being the only colored person in the classroom, and every single teacher I've had from grades 1-12 have been white, except for 1. It's also expensive, with high taxes and housing values, but the current real estate market is on fire. Also, there's tons of trails and small roads to go hiking, running, or biking, with a beautiful state park. Carlisle's a safe, tucked away New England town. Things certainly get boring for teens and young adults, as there isn't really much to do, but proximity to larger towns with activities is nice. Overall, its a fantastic place to live.... Read 29 reviews

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• Population 5,215

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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• Population 2,071

Current Resident: Holden is a wonderful town filled with history and traditional spirit. The Regional High School is located in Holden, making it a central location for different kinds of people to interact and get to know one another. I am lucky and grateful to have grown up here.... Read 39 reviews

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• Population 19,659

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.84 out of 5  67 reviews

Current Resident: Warm welcoming community. Good schools with a high number of students attending local private schools. Bedroom community. Restaurant scene is improving with new places coming in - OneWay Brewing (Longmeadow's own craft beer), Fletcher's (Brooklyn BBQ) and Frankie's Pizza. Will be great to have the Armata's plaza rebuilt after the 2021 fire. Storrs Library is an underappreciated gem.... Read 67 reviews

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• Population 15,863

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.1 out of 5  49 reviews

Current Resident: The school public school system is academically amazing, but not very supportive of mental health. There are many individuals on staff that care about the individuality of every student, but there are just as many staff that could care less about certain individuals wellbeing. The town is slowing becoming more diverse as well as heavily populated. I graduated with a class of 200 students and this years class is about 220 individuals. Overall, great, friendly town!... Read 49 reviews

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• Population 12,775