Lynn grades D overall, ranked 266th of 282 in Massachusetts, mostly because of schools and safety. Its public schools trail 92% of Massachusetts towns on state tests and graduation. Its police reported 580 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 76% of U.S. towns. One bright spot: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 98% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 98% of U.S. towns, with 29 places on the National Register. Lynn’s trail density is 3.2 miles per square mile, against 1.8 in Massachusetts’ towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Mary Baker Eddy House and Lydia Pinkham House. On health, just 16 of Massachusetts’ 321 towns do worse.

StrongestA⁺History A⁺Walkability AOutdoorsWeakestDSchools C⁻Cost of living C⁻Safety

What makes Lynn stand out

Where Lynn beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Mary Baker Eddy House

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1629

A history going back 397 years.

WalkabilityA⁺

More walkable than 98% of U.S. towns

11.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Lynn schools

School	Grades	Students
Ingalls	K–5	719
E J Harrington	PK–5	687
Cobbet Elementary	PK–5	616

Worth knowing · SchoolsD

On state tests and graduation

NCES · EDFacts.

Mary Baker Eddy House · National Register of Historic Places

Lynn’s story

397 years in pictures

Mary Baker Eddy House is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1629, comes before those of 94% of the Massachusetts towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 2,291 in 1790, 101,253 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1820 and 7 maps from 1892 on.

29 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1629Lynn is settled

Explore the history →

Named after King's Lynn

Lynn takes its name from King's Lynn in Norfolk, England, 3,260 miles across the Atlantic.

UKUK edition

Norfolk, EnglandKing's LynnA large town of 47,604

Photo: Richard Humphrey · CC BY-SA 2.0

Lynn, settled in 1629, takes its name from King's Lynn, a large town in Norfolk, England.

Lynn, MA3,260 miles · King's Lynn, Norfolk

People47,604104,236 here

Typical home£219,000$577,000 here

Listed buildings31613 of them Grade I

TownGradeDagainst UK towns#39 of 51 in Norfolk · here D against U.S. towns

Explore King's Lynn, Norfolk

Named after: each U.S. town’s Wikipedia article. Grades compare each town with towns in its own country, so they aren’t a head-to-head.

How Lynn grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Massachusetts), ordered by how far Lynn is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.5 of 20; 17.2% of households have no carA⁺Open →SchoolsDOpen →Cost of livingC⁻Open →SafetyC⁻Open →HealthLess healthy than 63% of U.S. towns; North Shore Medical Center 3.8 miles awayC⁺Open →Jobs & income$75K median household income; 22,763 jobs based hereBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 43% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors11% conserved landAOpen →History49 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life1.2 library visits per resident; 1.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market23 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.5; 24% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Fenway Park and 159 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lynn. Close and well known come first.

All 237 attractions →

Big draw11 mi Stadium & arenaFenway Park

Big draw31 mi Stadium & arenaGillette Stadium

Big draw12 mi MuseumIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum

9 mi AttractionFreedom Trail

9 mi MuseumBunker Hill Monument

10 mi GardenBoston Common

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Fenway Park: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gillette Stadium: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Sean Dungan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Freedom Trail: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bunker Hill Monument: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Boston Common: Phillip Capper from Wellington, New Zealand, CC BY 2.0

Getting set up

Moving to Lynn: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Lynn, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerNational Grid33.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterLynn Water and Sewer CommNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpEvery other weekCurbside recyclingTown site

SchoolsLynn School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Massachusetts you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 10 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereLynn City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025

ZIP codes01902, 01905, 01904, 0190101902 50% · 01905 27% · 01904 20% · 01901 3%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Lynn.

Lynn reports more crime than Revere and its other graded neighbors, but it scores below Revere and its other neighbors on health and trails Lynnfield and its other neighbors on schools.

OutdoorsA

Conserved land covers 11.3% of Lynn

43 miles of trail in 30 parks and preserves. The biggest place to walk is Lynn Woods Reservation, 1,665 acres with 35.9 miles of trail.

#49for trails in MA

11.3%

conserved · 976 of 8,602 acres

43 mi

of trails · 3.2 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Lynn Woods Reservation	35.9 mi	1,665
2. Spring Pond Water Department Land	0.4 mi	8
3. Lynn Heritage State Park	0.4 mi	5

Full pageLynn’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map43 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk35.9 miles of trail · Lynn Woods Reservation Conserved land11.3% conserved · 976 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Lynn?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsD

Lynn’s grade for schools is a D

Each of its 6 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its D, Lynnfield highest at A.

Its public schools are run by the Lynn school district. Two of its 30 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

8%of MA districts it outscoresDSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Thurgood Marshall MidLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	1,310	D
Lynn English HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	2,062	C⁻

Full pageLynn’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsLynn Vs. the neighborsBehind its 6 graded neighbors Every school30 schools · Ingalls Questions“Are Lynn’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within MA on state tests and graduation

SafetyC⁻

Lynn’s grade for safety is a C−

Each of the 6 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Revere (C) to Nahant (A−). At 32.2 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 94% of Massachusetts’s graded towns. Reported crimes rose from 1,465 to 1,728 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

Lynn’s violent crime rate is 5.6 per 1,000 residents, above both Massachusetts’ towns (1.4) and U.S. towns (1.6). Lynn reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 76% report less. Lynn’s property crime rate is 11.1 per 1,000 residents.

24%of U.S. towns report more crimeC⁻Safety Grade

	Lynn	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	5.6 per 1,000 residents	1.4	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	11.1 per 1,000 residents	4.9	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Lynn5.6

Massachusetts3

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Lynn11.1

Massachusetts10.4

U.S.15.5

24th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

6th

percentile among MA towns

580

violent crimes reported in 2025

1,148

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageLynn’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type5.6 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsUp since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 6 graded neighbors Questions“Is Lynn, MA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

Most of Lynn’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them

Most working residents leave Lynn for work: only 16% work in town. 14% of Lynn residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Boston (19%), Peabody (5%) and Salem (4%).

16%work in town

	Lynn	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	7.9%	18%	11%
Below the poverty line	14%	6%	9.6%
Median household income	$75,000	$120,000	$80,000
Average trip to work	32 minutes	30 minutes	25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Lynn16%

Boston19%

Peabody5%

Salem4%

Danvers4%

9 mi

median commute distance

22,763

jobs based in Lynn

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: more walkable than 98% of U.S. towns

Full pageLynn’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here22,763 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work16% work in Lynn Commute times32 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 9 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Lynn has four seasons and pleasant summers

Lynn has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Lynn is 81°F.

39″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter22–39°

Spring38–56°

Summer60–79°

Fall44–62°

Oct 20

typical first frost

Apr 25

typical last frost

+1.9°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageLynn’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 81°, January lows 20°Rain & snow39″ of snow a winter · 48 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HealthC⁺

Lynn stands out in Massachusetts and nationally, with more of its adults who worry about having enough food

All 6 graded neighbors score healthier than its C+, from Revere (B) to Lynnfield (A+).

25% of adults worry about having enough food in Lynn. Lynn beats the Massachusetts average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 19. 40% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Lynn.

37%healthier than U.S. townsC⁺Health Grade

	Lynn	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	25%	9.1%	14%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	32%	19%	25%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	40%	33%	36%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	24%	15%	19%

32 measures vs. Massachusetts

1 better12 too close to call19 worse

What stands out	Lynn	MA
Fewer adults who have had cancer	6.4%	8.5%
More uninsured adults	11.8%	5.2%

North Shore Medical Center

3.8 mi away · emergency room

1 of 3

care shortages: primary care

5th

percentile among MA towns

Full pageLynn’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby3.8 miles to an ER · North Shore Medical Center How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than MA on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade C⁻

Homes in Lynn are worth about $577K, by Zillow’s estimate

The typical Lynn home is worth about $577,000, up 0.7% in a year, 12% below the Massachusetts typical home.

$577KZillow home value

	Lynn	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	48%	79%	73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	60%	52%	48%
Median rent	$1,722 a month	$1,682 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Lynn$577K

Massachusetts$655K

Market temperature

days on market

101.6%

sale-to-list price

+0.7%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageLynn’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 0.7% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 7.7 years of income Rents$1,722 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of all 6 graded neighbors

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B

Lynn faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

251 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 44 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 251 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lynn.

43risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes

251

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageLynn’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims251 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters14 federal disasters · Paid out in Lynn Get ready2.7 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Lynn

20pages on Lynn

The big questions

SchoolsDBehind 92% of MA districts · 30 schools SafetyC⁻5.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC⁺Better than MA on 1 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁻$577K typical home · up 0.7% in a year Work & commuteB$75K median household income · 22,763 jobs here Natural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 43% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA43 mi of trails · 11% conserved land PlacesAttractions237 nearby · Lynn Heritage State Park under 1 mi LibraryD⁻1.2 library visits per resident CollegesSalem State University is 4.1 mi away

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1629 · 29 on the National Register Famous people49 born in Lynn Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 36 residents Climate81° summer highs · 39″ of snow

Day to day

News3 recent stories about Lynn WeatherHandbookZIP code 01901, 01902, 01903 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

42 within 15 miles of the center of Lynn

Salem State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Salem4.1 mi$12,338 in-state tuition Montserrat College of ArtUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Beverly6.8 mi$40,690 tuition North Shore Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Danvers8 mi$5,352 in-state tuition

About 5 of every 100 Lynn residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Massachusetts.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A growing town

Lynn has grown 15% since 2010

90,329 counted in 2010 and 101,253 in 2020; an estimated 104,236 in 2025.

90,3292010

101,2532020

104,2362025 est.

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025

Landmarks

29 places in Lynn on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Mary Baker Eddy HouseBuilt 1871 · National Historic Landmark

Lydia Pinkham HouseNational Historic Landmark

Charles Lovejoy House

G.A.R. Hall and Museum

Famous people from Lynn

49 notable people were born in Lynn.

See all 49 →

Walter BrennanAmerican actor · 1894–1974

Ruth RomanAmerican actress · 1922–1999

Frederick Irving HerzbergAmerican psychologist · 1923–2000

Tammy GrimesAmerican actress and singer · 1934–2016

Verna BloomAmerican actress · 1938–2019

Zari ElmassianAmerican singer · 1906–1990

About Lynn

City in Essex County, Massachusetts, US

Official town website ↗

Lynn is the eighth-largest municipality in Massachusetts, United States, and the largest city in Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, 3.7 miles (6.0 km) north of the Boston city line at Suffolk Downs, Lynn is part of Greater Boston's urban inner core and is a major economic and cultural center of the North Shore. Settled by Europeans in 1629, Lynn is the 5th oldest colonial settlement in the Commonwealth. An early industrial center, Lynn was long colloquially referred to as the "City of Sin", owing to its historical reputation for crime and vice. Today, however, the city is known for its immigrant population, historic architecture, downtown cultural district, loft-style apartments,…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1629
Area: 14 sq mi
Elevation: 30 ft
ZIP code: 01901, 01902, 01903

Lynn’s neighbors

6 towns share a border with Lynn.

Explore the map →

All 6 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D; Revere (C−) is closest. Swampscott next door grades higher for schools (B to Lynn’s D) and lower for cost of living (D− to C−).

SaugusNahantLynnfieldSwampscottPeabodyRevereLynn

Saugus

W · 2% of Lynn workers commute here

Nahant

Lynnfield

Swampscott

Peabody

N · 5% of Lynn workers commute here

Visit

Revere

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	MA rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Lynn	#266	D	C⁻	C⁻	D	C⁺
Saugus	#233	C⁺	D	C⁺	C	B⁺
Nahant	#81	A	D	A⁻	B⁺	A
Lynnfield	#64	A	D	B⁺	A	A⁺
Swampscott	#110	A⁻	D⁻	B⁺	B	A
Peabody	#221	C⁺	D	B⁻	C⁻	A⁻
Revere	#255	C⁻	D	C	C⁻	B

Compare Lynn with a neighbor →

Questions about Lynn

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Lynn, MA a good place to live?

Lynn grades D overall, better than 9% of U.S. towns and #266 of 282 in Massachusetts. It grades C+ for health, C− for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Lynn, MA expensive?

Yes. That is 5 years of the area's median household income ($115,863 across the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.

What is Lynn, MA known for?

49 notable people were born here, including Walter Brennan and Ruth Roman.

Post to Lynn

Check your email

LynnMA

Is Lynn a good place to live?

What makes Lynn stand out

397 years in pictures

Named after King's Lynn

How Lynn grades

Fenway Park and 159 more within 40 miles

Moving to Lynn: who provides what

The data

Conserved land covers 11.3% of Lynn

Lynn’s grade for schools is a D

Lynn’s grade for safety is a C−

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Most of Lynn’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them

Where working residents work

Lynn has four seasons and pleasant summers

Typical low → high °F

Lynn stands out in Massachusetts and nationally, with more of its adults who worry about having enough food

Homes in Lynn are worth about $577K, by Zillow’s estimate

Typical home value

Lynn faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Everything we know about Lynn

Colleges nearby

Lynn has grown 15% since 2010

Landmarks

Famous people from Lynn

About Lynn

Lynn’s neighbors

Questions about Lynn