Boylston #11: Central MA’s Best Communities

Thursday, June 28, 2012

GoLocalWorcester Best Communities Team

Boylston

#11ranked Boylston is a beautiful town, from the peaceful waters of the Wachusett Reservoir to the Town Common dominated by a typical New England church and well kept 18th and 19th century homes. The rural landscape and community spirit makes this a great place to live. A small, rural town, Boylston takes great pride in its natural beauty. The town is crisscrossed by numerous streams and beautiful fields full of wild flowers and is known to be a haven for commuters who leave the hectic cities they work in to reside in a more peaceful town.

Boylston is ranked 2nd for arts and culture, 17th for educational achievement and 19th for affordability. The town comes in near the bottom of the rankings for safety (#66) and restaurants (#55).

The First Congregational Church of Boylston, as seen from the town common.

Boylston by the numbers

Established: 1786
Population: 4,355
Median household income: $88,214
Median housing price: $206,750

2012 Best Communities rankings
Overall ranking: 11
Affordability ranking: 19
Education ranking: 17
Economic condition ranking: 23
Safety ranking: 66
Arts & Culture ranking: 2
Restaurant ranking: 55

History in a nutshell:

Settled by English and Scots-Irish families in 1722 and incorporated in 1786, Boylston has become more ethnically and racially diverse yet has remained its rural and agricultural identity. The Town Common, identified by a typical New England church, is surrounded by streams, flora and fauna and the Wachusett Reservoir. The small town's history was dominated by its rural status, sending its men off to defend America and giving rise to the famous 19th century temperance orator, John B. Gough.

Famous residents:

John B. Gough, Temperance orator

Famous residents source: Wikipedia
Additional reporting by Grace Fenton