2023 Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in the Springfield, MA Area

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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• Population 1,280

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.86 out of 5  65 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 65 reviews

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• Population 15,863

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: I’ve lived in North Granby for 20 years and raised 3 children here. Schools are great, I’m surrounded by state forest on three sides and neighbors are fantastic!... Read 15 reviews

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• Population 1,278

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 4 out of 5  12 reviews

Current Resident: Quiet, beautiful mountains and landscape, perfect for kayaking and hiking and enjoying the outdoors. Everyone here is very welcoming and kind.... Read 12 reviews

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• Population 5,293

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.87 out of 5  47 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 47 reviews

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• Population 14,600

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  84 reviews

Former Resident: It's a great college town and there are lots of family friendly activities and outdoor events. The public schools are good, and there are lots of charter/private school options as well. It is a nice size, not too rural but not too congested either. Very quaint, and has the quintessential New England vibe. Lots of good restaurants, and educational/arts enrichment opportunities through the multiple local colleges. Pretty big arts and performance scene for an area that isn't a big city, and there are lots of concerts, plays, and other types of performances. Very walkable, lots of bike paths and sidewalks, and you can also get most places in 15-20 minutes by car. There's also lots to do in nearby towns of Amherst, Easthampton, Greenfield, Springfield, Holyoke, etc. in case you want to drive a bit further. Right off Interstate 91, so very easy to get on the highway when necessary (91 connects to 90 in Springfield which will take you to Boston/New York).... Read 84 reviews

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• Population 29,379

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  46 reviews

Current Resident: I love living in Granby. Fair warning it is a small town with no night life and the stores close early. The schools are great, I have two young children and we've been very impressed with their teachers. Lots of local hiking and outdoor opportunities all around and many local farms for produce and homemade goodies! The taxes are very high, hoping it will level out soon enough.... Read 46 reviews

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• Population 10,971

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Amherst a vibrant college town with UMass and Amherst College. It is very busy during the semesters and quiets down during the holidays and summer. There are many apartment building to select from, however most are occupied by students.There are many restaurants and shops located in the town and its convenient location makes it easy to drive to Boston, New York, and Connecticut.... Read 3 reviews

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• Population 5,106

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.54 out of 5  24 reviews

Current Resident: My family and I have lived here for 3.5 years, I am a college student. Compared to other places, North Amherst is in the top three places I have ever lived. The community standard for safety is bar none. The bus system is fantastic. The experience for my child in the local school has been great. There is a great, very inexpensive grocery store you must try if ever here, the name is Aldi. Year round, the town has community events; for example, this past weekend we went to a Winter Farmers Market. Excellent.... Read 24 reviews

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• Population 6,907

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 3.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Niche User: VERY low crime rate in this area. A home theft might occur every so often, but rarely enough that the whole town knows exactly what happened when something does happen.... Read 5 reviews

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• Population 2,200

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.9 out of 5  40 reviews

Current Resident: East Longmeadow is a great community. There is so much to do; from Heritage Park, to the bike trail, to the many great places to go out for lunch or dinner! The school system is very good, but it would be good if the community gave the schools a bit more funding.... Read 40 reviews

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• Population 16,386

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.87 out of 5  55 reviews

Current Resident: Overall South Hadley is a great community with something for everyone. There are quiet, closed off neighborhoods along with other neighborhoods being conveniently located next to the schools, mount holyoke, or the commons. If you ever looking for something to do in South Hadley, you can head over to the commons, by yourself, or with a group of friends to enjoy a variety of great dining options, small shops, and even a movie theater. All of the South Hadley public schools provide a great education that prepares students to graduate and be a successful member in their community.... Read 55 reviews

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• Population 18,051

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.35 out of 5  20 reviews

Current Resident: I love Amherst so so much, it is truly the best college town and the best place to attend school. The community is so welcoming and pretty I love it!... Read 20 reviews

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• Population 20,409

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.93 out of 5  45 reviews

Current Resident: Belchertown is an average, rural town. Most consider it a bedroom community. The school systems are pretty good. There is not much to do in town but the neighboring town, Amherst MA has plenty going on. The town is not very diverse. Very safe town!... Read 45 reviews

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• Population 15,228

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 4.07 out of 5  71 reviews

Current Resident: Amherst is a friendly and welcoming town. The town center is the best part because of all the shops and fun activities you can do there. Also, the Hampshire mall is a fun place were people can do movies, take their pets, and roller skate!... Read 71 reviews

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• Population 39,814

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 4.19 out of 5  27 reviews

Current Resident: This is a great little town with a pretty tight community. There are shared values of community, volunteering, and helping others.... Read 27 reviews

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• Population 6,158

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 3.6 out of 5  58 reviews

Current Resident: The town of Suffield is a beautiful rural community. It is a very close community with very supportive neighbors. You will often see people out walking their dogs, biking, and jogging by. It is known to be very safe and has excellent schools. The town essentially has one main road traveling through it. On that road are three of the four schools with the fourth one road away. The schools are beautifully maintained and always look their best. We have a beautiful green in the center of the town where people often gather for prom pictures, parades, farmers markets, and other town celebrations. It is a town you would be proud to say you belong to. Go Suffield Wildcats!... Read 58 reviews

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• Population 15,863

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.84 out of 5  56 reviews

Current Resident: West Springfield is a great city. It is a very suburban city and has a great community feel. It has access to various highways and outstanding local and mainstream restaurants and shops. Furthermore, the town is very kept up, and is very safe! I wish the downtown area were aided a little more financially to help some families and to assist in some upkeep.... Read 56 reviews

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• Population 28,814

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.72 out of 5  82 reviews

Current Resident: Best town we have lived in to date! Schools are top notch. My son loves participating in band and chorus. Park and recs are well maintained. Soccer program is amazing for my 10 year old. Pool is clean, accessible, and great. Dog park is a treat for our pup. tax rate is very reasonable. having six flags in our backyard is great for entertaining the kiddos. I do wish there were more child care options especially for infants/toddlers and for lower income families like us. Overall very happy we made the move from CT to MA and Agawam was a wonderful choice of towns.... Read 82 reviews

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• Population 28,715

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.67 out of 5  42 reviews

Current Resident: Southwick is a friendly town and has a good school but there is not much to do here. There is almost no diversity and everyone hangs out outside of town.... Read 42 reviews

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• Population 9,292

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 3.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Niche User: Some bad areas but good in most areas.... Read 5 reviews

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• Population 7,875

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.71 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: Long time resident! Excellent schools and even better green space! Lovely quiet area! Many generations of my family has grown up in or around here and I can see why! Very safe neighborhoods and we are always looking out for each other!... Read 7 reviews

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• Population 6,110

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.85 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: I grew up in this little, quiet town. It is surrounded by multiple other towns which expands it's job opportunities and night life dramatically. Hampden is a rural, old farm town that is starting to grow and change with the times. The people are friendly, mostly families with children. The educational system is highly recommended which makes it a prime spot for new families. The homes are all sizes but mostly average and are spread out from one another, making it private and cozy. There are no traffic lights here, only stop signs which makes the town even more quaint. There are many old historical homes still present on Main Street and are appreciated by all who live here. I truly have been blessed to have called this small town my home! What a great place to grow up in.... Read 13 reviews

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• Population 4,991

• Suburb of Springfield, MA

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  Rating 3.97 out of 5  32 reviews

Current Resident: Easthampton is overlooked by Mount Tom which displays a gorgeous fall changing colors of the trees. Nashawanuk Pond offers a beautiful relaxing body of water to fish, kayak, canoe, and pedal boat in. Easthampton also has a bike path connecting to the Northampton bike trail that is very well cared for and pretty to walk, run, roller blade, or bike on.... Read 32 reviews

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• Population 16,120

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 3.95 out of 5  38 reviews

Former Resident: A small town when I was growing up, very friendly; felt very safe. Could roam up and down my home street; woodlands, with no fears. Felt very at ease there. Still have lifelong friends in town. Wish them all the best. Just do something about traffic light at 190 & 83, please!!... Read 38 reviews

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• Population 10,398