#1Newburyport
Essex County · 19,148 peopleHistory grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall A · #63 of 282 in MA
Newburyport, #1 on this list · Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Massachusetts rankings · History
Most historic towns in Massachusetts
Newburyport ranks first on history among Massachusetts’ 283 towns of 2,500+; 242 of the 283 grade A− or better on history nationally.
The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. How grades work
#1A+
#2Provincetown
Barnstable County · 3,729 peopleHistory grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C− · #251 of 282 in MA
#T3Marblehead
Essex County · 20,583 peopleHistory grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall A+ · #40 of 282 in MA
All 283 towns
History grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 161 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
283 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
T13Manchester-by-the-SeaEssex County · 5,475 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall A+ · #16 of 282
T26Great BarringtonBerkshire County · 7,239 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall C+ · #224 of 282
T26West BrookfieldWorcester County · 3,947 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall C+ · #215 of 282
T38NantucketNantucket County · 14,758 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #202 of 282
T41Winthrop TownSuffolk County · 18,647 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #135 of 282
43Southbridge TownWorcester County · 18,105 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #276 of 282
T47WorcesterWorcester County · 213,862 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #259 of 282
50NorthbridgeWorcester County · 16,799 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #188 of 282
T55WilliamstownBerkshire County · 9,186 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #109 of 282
T61MiddleboroughPlymouth County · 25,149 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #218 of 282
T61North BrookfieldWorcester County · 4,793 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #253 of 282
T66BrookfieldWorcester County · 3,516 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #216 of 282
T81Amherst Town College campusHampshire County · 40,920 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A−
T92North Attleborough TownBristol County · 31,506 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #112 of 282
T92SomervilleMiddlesex County · 84,211 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #204 of 282
T100WinchendonWorcester County · 10,620 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #256 of 282
108Weymouth TownNorfolk County · 59,759 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #186 of 282
T114WestboroughWorcester County · 22,894 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #83 of 282
T124LeicesterWorcester County · 11,428 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #203 of 282
T137Barnstable TownBarnstable County · 50,101 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #244 of 282
T140MarlboroughMiddlesex County · 42,772 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #242 of 282
T147LeominsterWorcester County · 44,194 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #246 of 282
160East BridgewaterPlymouth County · 14,602 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #122 of 282
T161SandwichBarnstable County · 20,575 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #100 of 282
164West BoylstonWorcester County · 7,923 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #69 of 282
T179SouthboroughWorcester County · 10,559 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #9 of 282
T181West Springfield TownHampden County · 28,829 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #269 of 282
183SouthamptonHampshire County · 6,085 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #124 of 282
T184South HadleyHampshire County · 17,768 peopleAbetter than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #129 of 282
186BelchertownHampshire County · 15,265 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #147 of 282
T187Franklin TownNorfolk County · 33,955 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #34 of 282
T189SturbridgeWorcester County · 10,120 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #146 of 282
T193West BridgewaterPlymouth County · 7,872 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #185 of 282
201Braintree TownNorfolk County · 38,957 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #134 of 282
202ChelmsfordMiddlesex County · 38,549 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #98 of 282
T204Palmer TownHampden County · 12,367 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #261 of 282
T208BrewsterBarnstable County · 10,457 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #136 of 282
221LanesboroughBerkshire County · 2,999 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #127 of 282
223WilmingtonMiddlesex County · 23,629 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #108 of 282
225HubbardstonWorcester County · 4,460 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #117 of 282
T227BellinghamNorfolk County · 18,032 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #183 of 282
T227CharltonWorcester County · 13,685 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #125 of 282
237Randolph TownNorfolk County · 34,948 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #239 of 282
257North ReadingMiddlesex County · 16,553 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #51 of 282
261Bridgewater TownPlymouth County · 29,309 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #101 of 282
262East LongmeadowHampden County · 16,581 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #159 of 282
263NorthboroughWorcester County · 16,080 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #47 of 282
268TyngsboroughMiddlesex County · 12,721 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #220 of 282
270BurlingtonMiddlesex County · 26,778 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #131 of 282
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the most historic town in Massachusetts?
Newburyport (Essex County) ranks first on history among 283 towns, with an A+; Provincetown and Marblehead follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a history grade (283 in Massachusetts). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Massachusetts page.
Go deeper
All Massachusetts rankings →More Massachusetts lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
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