Saugus's standout: it has 31 miles of trail. Overall it grades C+, 233rd of 282 graded towns in Massachusetts. The median household earns $102K and it is more walkable than 92% of U.S. towns. Its weakest subject is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $683K for a typical one and 5.9 times the Boston metro’s $116K median household income. Saugus’ trail density is 2.6 miles per square mile, where Massachusetts’ towns sit at 1.8 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Only 10 of Massachusetts’ 325 towns score lower on hazard risk. Saugus has 4 places on the National Register.

StrongestA⁺Outdoors AWalkability AHistoryWeakestDCost of living C⁻Hazard risk CSchools

What makes Saugus stand out

Where Saugus beats most towns.

Boardman House

HistoryA

Settled in 1629

A history going back 397 years.

WalkabilityA

More walkable than 92% of U.S. towns

5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Boardman House · National Register of Historic Places

Saugus’s story

397 years in pictures

Boardman 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: 748 in 1820, 28,619 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1898 and 6 maps from 1893 on.

4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1629Saugus is settled

Explore the history →

How Saugus grades

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

How grading works

Cost of livingDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.5 of 20; 5.3% of households have no carAOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC⁻Open →HealthMelrosewakefield Healthcare 2.5 miles awayB⁺Open →SchoolsCOpen →SafetyC⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors19% conserved landA⁺Open →History22 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life2.8 library visits per resident; 2.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →

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

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 44.5; 31% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Fenway Park and 163 more within 40 miles

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

All 238 attractions →

Big draw9 mi Stadium & arenaFenway Park

Big draw29 mi Stadium & arenaGillette Stadium

Big draw10 mi MuseumIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum

8 mi AttractionFreedom Trail

7 mi MuseumBunker Hill Monument

10 mi MuseumMuseum of Fine Arts Boston477K visitors a year

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 · Museum of Fine Arts Boston: Martin~jawiki at Japanese Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Saugus: who provides what

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

The full setup list →

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

WaterSaugus Water Dept. (Mwra)No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpC.H.a.R.M. CenterDrop-offTown site

SchoolsSaugus 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 hereSaugus Town ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025

ZIP code0190601906 100%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 Saugus.

Saugus is safe by national standards but not by Massachusetts’s and is healthy by national standards but behind most towns in Massachusetts; it also carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Massachusetts (mostly inland flooding).

OutdoorsA⁺

Conserved land covers 18.8% of Saugus

The biggest place to walk is Breakheart Reservation, 608 acres with 11.5 miles of trail.

#68for trails in MA

18.8%

conserved · 1,406 of 7,481 acres

31 mi

of trails · 2.6 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Breakheart Reservation	11.5 mi	608
2. Lynn Woods Reservation	4.2 mi	326
3. Rumney Marsh Reservation	2.2 mi	521

Full pageSaugus’ outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map31 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk11.5 miles of trail · Breakheart Reservation Conserved land18.8% conserved · 1,406 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Saugus?”

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

SchoolsC

Saugus’ public schools trail 71% of Massachusetts districts

Its public schools are run by the Saugus school district. Three of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Saugus High, with 744 students.

29%of MA districts it outscoresCSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Belmonte STEAM AcademyLargest public elementary schoolGrades 2–5	Grades 2–5	814	–
Saugus HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	744	B⁻
Pioneer Charter School of Science IITop results in townGrades K–12	Grades K–12	621	A⁻

Full pageSaugus’ schools pageOpen the page

The districtsSaugus Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 4 graded neighbors Every school6 schools · Belmonte STEAM Academy Questions“Are Saugus’s schools good?”

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

Work & commuteJobs & income grade A

With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of Saugus’ workers commute out

Most working residents leave Saugus for work: only 7% work in town. Saugus’ median household income is $102,000, below the Massachusetts town median ($120,000) but above the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Since 2013, Saugus has lost 687 jobs, to 9,305 in 2023.

7%work in town

	Saugus	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Median household income	$102,000	$120,000	$80,000
Average trip to work	30 minutes	30 minutes	25 minutes
Work from home	14%	18%	11%
Below the poverty line	6%	6%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Saugus7%

Boston24%

Cambridge4%

Lynn3%

Peabody3%

8 mi

median commute distance

9,305

jobs based in Saugus

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 92% of U.S. towns

Full pageSaugus’ work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here9,305 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work7% work in Saugus Commute times30 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 8 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C⁻

Saugus stands out in Massachusetts and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most

FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 97% of Massachusetts towns, with expected losses of about $395 per resident a year; that rating is what its C− for hazard risk is built on. 281 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 46 properties have flooded more than once.

The FEMA risk score in Saugus is 78 of 100. Since 1978, 281 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Saugus.

78risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingCoastal flooding

281

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageSaugus’ hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims281 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters10 federal disasters · Paid out in Saugus Get ready2.7 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthB⁺

On CDC estimates, Saugus is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns

Within Massachusetts it is less healthy than 74% of the 279 graded towns: Massachusetts sets a high bar.

Saugus beats the Massachusetts average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 30% of adults have obesity in Saugus.

74%healthier than U.S. townsB⁺Health Grade

	Saugus	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	30%	28%	35%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	16%	17%	16%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	24%	19%	25%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)	81%	82%	79%

32 measures vs. Massachusetts

1 better28 too close to call3 worse

What stands out	Saugus	MA
More adults seeing a dentist	72.7%	69.8%
More adults with COPD	7%	5.9%

Melrosewakefield Healthcare

2.5 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

26th

percentile among MA towns

Full pageSaugus’ health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby2.5 miles to an ER · Melrosewakefield Healthcare How adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distress Every CDC estimateBetter than MA on 1 of 32

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

Climate

Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Saugus

Saugus has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. Saugus’ July high is 82°F.

64″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter22–39°

Spring37–57°

Summer60–80°

Fall43–62°

Oct 17

typical first frost

Apr 25

typical last frost

+1.9°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageSaugus’ climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 82°, January lows 19°Rain & snow64″ 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

SafetyC⁺

Crime per resident in Saugus is higher than in 57% of U.S. towns

At 21.7 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 79% of Massachusetts’s graded towns.

43%of U.S. towns report more crimeC⁺Safety Grade

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Saugus1.7

Massachusetts3

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Saugus12.7

Massachusetts10.4

U.S.15.5

43rd

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

21st

percentile among MA towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

370

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageSaugus’ safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type1.7 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsSteady since 2023 Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 4 graded neighbors Questions“Is Saugus, MA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HousingCost of living grade D

Saugus’ grade for cost of living is a D

The typical Saugus home is worth about $683,000, up 1.1% in a year, close to the Massachusetts typical home.

$683KZillow home value

	Saugus	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$2,241 a month	$1,682 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	72%	79%	73%

Typical home value

Saugus$683K

Massachusetts$655K

+1.1%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageSaugus’ housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 1.1% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 6.7 years of income Rents$2,241 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsBehind its 4 graded neighbors

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Saugus

20pages on Saugus

The big questions

SchoolsCBehind 71% of MA districts · 6 schools SafetyC⁺1.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB⁺Better than MA on 1 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD$683K typical home · up 1.1% in a year Work & commuteA$102K median household income · 9,305 jobs here Natural hazardsC⁻FEMA risk higher than 78% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁺31 mi of trails · 19% conserved land PlacesAttractions238 nearby · Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site under 1 mi LibraryD2.8 library visits per resident CollegesLawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing is 5.8 mi away

The story

HistoryASettled 1629 · 4 on the National Register Famous people22 born in Saugus Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 47 residents Climate82° summer highs · 64″ of snow

Day to day

News3 recent stories about Saugus WeatherHandbookZIP code 01906 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

49 within 15 miles of the center of Saugus

Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of NursingCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Medford5.8 mi$31,038 tuition Salem State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Salem6.8 mi$12,338 in-state tuition Bunker Hill Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Boston7.1 mi$6,168 in-state tuition

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

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

By the sea

Saugus lives by the ocean

Coastal flooding makes up 14% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.

14%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding

99thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally

281paid flood-insurance claims since 1978

7storm & flood disasters paid out here

On the water

Rumney Marsh Reservation Directions ↗

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap

Landmarks

4 places in Saugus on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Boardman HouseNational Historic Landmark

Saugus Iron Works National Historic SiteNational Historic Landmark

Saugus Town Hall

Breakheart Reservation Parkways-Metropolitan Park System of Greater Boston

Famous people from Saugus

22 notable people were born in Saugus.

See all 22 →

William Moulton MarstonAmerican psychologist, lawyer, inventor, and comic book writer · 1893–1947

Gustavus FoxAmerican naval officer · 1821–1883

James Franklin JeffreyAmerican diplomat · born 1946

Sandra Whyte SweeneyAmerican ice hockey player · born 1970

Tracee ChimoAmerican actress · born 1979

Mike VecchioneAmerican ice hockey player · born 1993

About Saugus

Town in the United States

Official town website ↗

Saugus (, SAW-gəs) is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. The population was 28,619 at the 2020 census. Saugus is known as the site of the first integrated iron works in North America.

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

Established: 1629
Area: 12 sq mi
Elevation: 20 ft
ZIP code: 01906

Saugus’s neighbors

4 towns share a border with Saugus.

Explore the map →

RevereWakefieldLynnLynnfieldSaugus

Revere

Visit

Wakefield

NW · 2% of Saugus workers commute here

Visit

Lynn

E · 3% of Saugus workers commute here

Visit

Lynnfield

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	MA rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Saugus	#233	C⁺	D	C⁺	C	B⁺
Revere	#255	C⁻	D	C	C⁻	B
Wakefield	#66	A	D	A⁻	B⁺	A⁺
Lynn	#266	D	C⁻	C⁻	D	C⁺
Lynnfield	#64	A	D	B⁺	A	A⁺

Compare Saugus with a neighbor →

Questions about Saugus

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Saugus, MA a good place to live?

Saugus grades C+ overall, better than 35% of U.S. towns and #233 of 282 in Massachusetts. It grades B+ for health, C+ for safety and C for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Saugus, MA safe?

Massachusetts has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Saugus sits nearer the middle.

Is Saugus, MA expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Saugus, MA known for?

22 notable people were born here, including William Moulton Marston and Gustavus Fox.

Post to Saugus

Check your email

SaugusMA

What should you know before moving to Saugus?

What makes Saugus stand out

397 years in pictures

How Saugus grades

Fenway Park and 163 more within 40 miles

Moving to Saugus: who provides what

The data

Conserved land covers 18.8% of Saugus

Saugus’ public schools trail 71% of Massachusetts districts

With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of Saugus’ workers commute out

Where working residents work

Saugus stands out in Massachusetts and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most

On CDC estimates, Saugus is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns

Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Saugus

Typical low → high °F

Crime per resident in Saugus is higher than in 57% of U.S. towns

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Saugus’ grade for cost of living is a D

Typical home value

Everything we know about Saugus

Colleges nearby

Saugus lives by the ocean

Landmarks

Famous people from Saugus

About Saugus

Saugus’s neighbors

Questions about Saugus