Best Cities for Families in Massachusetts

Strong schools, low crime, affordable homes and family-friendly commutes.

Retirees Remote Workers Families Young Professionals Affordability All Rankings →
All United States  ·  Massachusetts

How We Score

Each metric is normalized 0-100 across U.S. cities, then weighted and summed. Cities missing any metric are excluded.

Schools · 25% Safety · 20% Home Affordability · 15% Low Poverty · 10% Jobs · 10% Short Commute · 10% Education · 10%

Top 12 Families Cities in Massachusetts

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 85.9
Sharon, MA
6,022 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 37/100K
Home Affordability $614,300
#2
Score 83.3
Hopkinton, MA
3,142 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 84/100K
Home Affordability $601,900
#3
Score 82
Hopedale, MA
4,126 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 65/100K
Home Affordability $399,100
#4
Score 81.5
Medfield, MA
6,355 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 127/100K
Home Affordability $734,200
#5
Score 81.1
Milton, MA
28,481 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 52/100K
Home Affordability $896,500
#6
Score 81
Lunenburg, MA
2,163 residents
Schools 7.4
Safety 107/100K
Home Affordability $439,600
#7
Score 79.7
Walpole, MA
5,989 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 133/100K
Home Affordability $572,000
#8
Score 79.6
Needham, MA
32,059 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 52/100K
Home Affordability $1,146,000
#9
Score 78.4
Hudson, MA
15,610 residents
Schools 7.4
Safety 158/100K
Home Affordability $457,400
#10
Score 78.2
Dedham, MA
25,109 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 296/100K
Home Affordability $630,400
#11
Score 78.1
Wellesley, MA
29,906 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 34/100K
Home Affordability $1,513,400
#12
Score 77.9
Norwood, MA
31,380 residents
Schools 7.6
Safety 170/100K
Home Affordability $613,500

Full Ranking, Massachusetts

Top 50 cities. Click any city to see its full profile.

1 Sharon MA 85.9
2 Hopkinton MA 83.3
3 Hopedale MA 82
4 Medfield MA 81.5
5 Milton MA 81.1
6 Lunenburg MA 81
7 Walpole MA 79.7
8 Needham MA 79.6
9 Hudson MA 78.4
10 Dedham MA 78.2
11 Wellesley MA 78.1
12 Norwood MA 77.9
13 Foxborough MA 77.4
14 Andover MA 77.4
15 Lexington MA 77.2
16 Shirley MA 77.1
17 Williamstown MA 76.8
18 Burlington MA 76.8
19 Wilmington MA 76.2
20 Bellingham MA 76.1
21 Maynard MA 76
22 Waltham MA 75.9
23 Pepperell MA 75.8
24 Falmouth MA 75.1
25 Hatfield MA 74.9
26 Groton MA 74.6
27 Ayer MA 74.4
28 Milford MA 74.2
29 Sandwich MA 74.2
30 Northborough MA 73.7
31 Woburn MA 73.7
32 Great Barrington MA 73.5
33 Topsfield MA 72.9
34 Dover MA 71.7
35 Granby MA 71.3
36 Framingham MA 71.1
37 Dennis MA 70.8
38 Marlborough MA 70.1
39 Orleans MA 69.9
40 Brewster MA 69.9
41 Ipswich MA 69.8
42 Bourne MA 69.7
43 Rutland MA 69.6
44 Rockport MA 69.4
45 Boxford MA 69
46 Scituate MA 68.8
47 Lenox MA 68.7
48 Essex MA 68.6
49 Salisbury MA 68.4
50 Lee MA 68.4

Sharon, MA tops the list with a composite score of 85.9 out of 100, followed by Hopkinton and Hopedale. MA dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for families.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Schools, Safety, Home Affordability, Low Poverty, Jobs, Short Commute, Education. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to families, and any city missing one or more metrics is excluded to avoid artificially inflated rankings.

Explore Other Best Cities Rankings

Best Cities for Retirees
Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.
Best Cities for Remote Workers
Strong broadband, affordable rent, low traffic and existing remote-work culture.
Best Cities for Young Professionals
High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.

Related Single-Metric Rankings

Safest Cities → Most Affordable → Most Educated →