6 Safest Small Communities To Settle In Massachusetts
Massachusetts is famed for its history, sports, academic life, and its Atlantic coast. The state is a mix of urban and small-town life, with college towns, quaint historic villages, and vibrant urban centers. For families and seniors seeking a new location to settle, particularly those looking for a classic New England town, Massachusetts is a great choice. The good news is that many towns are considered safe by most metrics. There are countless communities whose crime statistics, including serious offenses, are far below the national average. Here are six towns in Massachusetts considered to be among the safest, not only in the state, but in the United States.
Clinton
Like so many towns in Massachusetts, Clinton is steeped in history. The first European settlers arrived in the area in 1654, and the town of Clinton was ceded from Lancaster to form its own town in 1850. Historically a mill town, by 1890, Clinton was famed for its carpets and woven wire. Clinton claims the oldest baseball field in the world in continuous use, Fuller Field, built in 1878. Clinton is considered one of the safest communities in Massachusetts, with serious crime rates far below both the state and national averages. For families looking to relocate or retirees seeking a quiet, inexpensive, and safe place, Clinton is ideal.
Located in central Massachusetts and with a population of 15,428, Clinton has enough amenities and attractions for any family. Clinton’s compact size makes it a walkable town, with a vibrant downtown area for shopping, bars, and restaurants. For food, Clintons Bar & Grille is a casual pub in a pleasant setting. For picnicking, hiking, sports, and fishing, Wachusett Dam and Wachusett Reservoir are a beautiful outing. For a fascinating history of icons and Eastern Christian art, there is the Icon Museum and Study Center, considered the best of its kind in the United States.
Sharon
The town of Sharon, southwest of Boston, has the charms of small-town New England life, but with easy access to a major urban center. Sharon is located on Lake Massapoag, which provides a variety of outdoor water activities in the warmer months. The lake has historically been a key part of Sharon’s reputation as a summer resort destination. Sharon is a desirable place to live, given its excellent school system and its low crime rate. The rates for serious crimes are far below both the state and the national rates. For families and retirees looking for a safe place to relocate, Sharon is attractive, as are its amenities, history, and small-town lifestyle.
Lake Massapoag remains a center of outdoor life for both residents and tourists. Memorial Park Beach, located on the lake, is a well-maintained beach with excellent amenities. Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary is the oldest and largest wildlife sanctuary in Mass Audubon’s system. There are forests, wetlands, and many diverse hiking trails, plus a red maple swamp boardwalk. Sharon Woods is 723 acres of trails, and the park features fishing, boating, and golfing. Borderland State Park is centered around a historic mansion built in the early 1900s and features hiking and trails, horseback riding, fishing, and boating.
Medway
Medway is midway between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, and it is claimed that the location inspired the town’s name. Located on the Charles River, European settlement began around 1657, and Medway was incorporated in 1713. With water power coming from the Charles River, cotton and paper mills helped establish the town’s economic base, followed by straw and boot factories. The history and New England beauty of the town are a big draw, as are the high standards of the school system and the low crime rate. Considered one of the safest communities in the area, Medway’s serious crime rate is far below both state and national statistics. The Medfield Affordable Housing Trust is a town action plan to ensure the availability of affordable homes, making the area ideal for families wishing to relocate.
For some hands-on farm experiences, Medway Community Farm occupies 18 acres for growth, conservation, walking trails, and wooded areas. The farm is open for educational activities and operates a produce stand in warmer months. The Medway Historical Society was founded in 1902 and features a collection of artifacts, paintings, journals, and photographs, showcasing local history. They also have a large reference library with works on local, state, and New England History. The Medway Farmer's Market is open weekly at Choate Park, featuring local farms, food vendors, and artisans. For food, Restaurant 45 offers seafood, steak, and pizza.
Winchester
Just north of Boston, the town of Winchester is a historic town with that classic New England ambience people seek out. With excellent schools, Winchester is also known for its safety. Nationally, Winchester is one of the safest communities, with serious crime rates far below state and national statistics, far better than 84% of US cities. Its proximity to Boston makes it an ideal commuter town for those who want to live in a small town. For outdoor activities, the 2,200-acre Middlesex Fells Reservation offers hiking and cycling trails, fishing, kayak and canoe rentals, and off-leash areas for dogs.
European settlement began in the 17th century, and by the 1800s, it was known as Black Horse Village after the tavern and inn in the center of the village. The Middlesex Canal was built, linking the Merrimack River to Boston, with a significant economic impact on the Winchester area. The arrival of the railroad in the late 1830s caused the rapid growth of the community. Winchester was soon an industrial hub. To get a sense of that history, the Winchester Historical Society focuses on local and state history. The Winchester Cultural District is the walkable downtown area, with shops, restaurants, bars, galleries, outdoor sculpture, and the Griffin Museum of Photography, a non-profit art center focusing on historical and contemporary photography.
Scituate
For Scituate, American history and the sea are its twin legacies. Shipbuilding was a key early industry with over 1000 ships having been built on the town’s North River. One of the most famous ships to come from Scituate was the Beaver, the ship at the center of the Boston Tea Party: it was from this ship that the protestors tossed the tea into Boston Harbor. The Columbia, also built in Scituate, was the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe. Scituate is also home to the Mordecai Lincoln Homestead, built in 1691 by the great-great-great-grandfather of President Abraham Lincoln. Along with its history and its sea legacy, Scituate is also known as a family-friendly and safe town. Its violent crime rates fall far below the state and national averages.
To get more of that feel for the sea, visit Old Scituate Light, a lighthouse built in 1811. It played a crucial role in the War of 1812, when Rebecca and Abagail Bates, the daughters of the lighthouse keeper, warded off a British attack by playing a fife and drum loudly. The British thought the sound was from the town militia, and they retreated. For food in Scituate, the lure of seafood is real and easily found in numerous establishments, including Mill Wharf and The Oysterman.
Wellesley
Wellesley has a reputation for academia, being the home of Wellesley College, one of the top Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States. The school system itself is excellent, with much of the focus on post-secondary preparedness. Wellesley also ranks high in safety and security, with serious crime rates well below state and national averages. Being close to Boston, it is an ideal sleeper community that is far enough away to maintain its small-town appeal. Residents invest a great deal in local infrastructure, with two NHL-size hockey rinks and pools at the Wellesley Sports Center. Morses Pond provides walking trails winding throughout the town, with swimming and kayaking in the summer.
For town life, Wellesley Square is the central shopping district, with over 100 shops, restaurants, galleries, and bars. For food options, there are Dryft Wellesley for creative cocktails and fine dining, and black & blue Steak and Crab for creative seafood and steak options in a cozy setting. To gain a sense of history, Wellesley’s Historical Society offers rotating exhibitions, while the estates along Cliff Road provide a different perspective on Wellesley’s history, featuring stately homes with many famous former residents, including Sylvia Plath and songwriter Katharine Lee Bates.
A Safe Haven Along the Atlantic Coast
The appeal of the Atlantic coast and New England is in the romance of small towns, the beauty of four seasons, and outdoor life. When looking for somewhere to relocate, the feel of the location is crucial, but you also want to feel safe. On the whole, crime rates in Massachusetts fall far below national averages. People generally feel safe in Massachusetts, particularly in the small towns. With the appeal of the classic New England town and the peace of mind of living somewhere safe and secure, there are many small towns in Massachusetts worth checking out.
