Hingham, Massachusetts facts for kids

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Hingham

Town

The Old Ship Church, Hingham
(Seventeenth-century English Colonial architecture)

Seal

Nickname(s):

"Bucket Town"

Motto(s):

"History and Pride"

Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts

United States

Settled

1633 (as Bare Cove)

Incorporated

September 2, 1635

Government

• Type

Open town meeting

Area

• Total

26.3 sq mi (68.1 km²)

• Land

22.2 sq mi (57.5 km²)

• Water

4.1 sq mi (10.6 km²)

Elevation

60 ft (18 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

24,284

• Density

923.6/sq mi (356.59/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (Eastern)

ZIP Code

02043

Area code(s)

339/781

FIPS code

25-30210

GNIS feature ID

0618342

Website

Hingham, Massachusetts

Hingham (/ˈhɪŋəm/ HING-əm) is a town in northern Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It is part of the Greater Boston area. Hingham is located on the South Shore of Massachusetts.

In 2020, the town had a population of 24,284 people. Hingham is famous for its old colonial history. It is also known for its location on Boston Harbor. The town was named after Hingham, Norfolk, England. English colonists first settled here in 1633.

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Hingham's Story: A Look at Its History

Perez Lincoln House, built around 1640, in Hingham.

The grave of colonist Josiah Leavitt in the Old Ship Burying Ground.

A deed signed by Colonel Samuel Thaxter of Hingham.

The Old Ordinary was an early Hingham tavern. It was given to the Hingham Historical Society.

The first English colonists called the area "Bare Cove" in 1633. Two years later, in 1635, it officially became a town named "Hingham." The land was given to the English by Wompatuck, a leader of the Wampanoag people, in 1655.

Hingham was part of Suffolk County until 1803. After that, it became part of Plymouth County. In 1770, the eastern part of Hingham became its own town, Cohasset. The town was named after Hingham, England. Many of the first colonists came from there. This included Abraham Lincoln's ancestor, Samuel Lincoln, who arrived in 1637. A statue of President Lincoln is near downtown Hingham Square.

Hingham was founded because of religious disagreements. Many early settlers had to leave their homes in England. Their church leaders, Reverend Peter Hobart and Reverend Robert Peck, had problems with the strict rules of the Church of England. Peck was known for his strong Puritan beliefs. He made changes to the church building that upset authorities.

Hobart, who was born in Hingham, England, also followed Puritan ideas. He and Peck had studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge. The people who moved to America paid a high price. They "sold their possessions for half their value," a writer at the time said. They named their new home after their old one. The town they left behind also suffered. It had to ask for help because so many wealthy citizens had left.

Most early Hingham settlers came from East Anglia, England. However, some, like Anthony Eames, came from the West Country. There were some disagreements between these different groups in Hingham's early years. One conflict in 1645 involved the town's local militia, called a "trainband." Some settlers supported Eames, while others supported Bozoan Allen. This argument became so serious that important leaders like John Winthrop had to get involved.

Even though the town was formed in 1635, the colonists did not buy the land from the Wampanoag people until 30 years later. On July 4, 1665, the Wampanoag chief, Josiah Wompatuck, sold the land to Captain Joshua Hobart and Ensign John Thaxter. These men represented Hingham's colonial residents. The colonists had lived on the land for a long time.

The payment for the land was handled by two Hingham landowners. These were Lieutenant John Smith and Deacon John Leavitt. They had been given 12 acres (about 4.9 hectares) on Hingham's Turkey Hill earlier that year. They were told to pay Josiah Wompatuck for their land grant. This payment also covered the cost of the entire town's land.

The third town clerk of Hingham was Daniel Cushing. He moved to Hingham from Hingham, England, in 1638. Cushing kept very detailed records of early Hingham. These records helped later historians learn a lot about the town's first years and its families. Cushing even included town gossip in his official notes!

Hingham's Location and Natural Beauty

A marker showing distances from Hingham.

Hingham covers a total area of about 68.1 square kilometers (26.3 square miles). About 57.5 square kilometers (22.2 square miles) is land. The remaining 10.6 square kilometers (4.1 square miles), or 15.58%, is water.

Hingham is surrounded by other towns. To the east are Cohasset and Scituate. To the south are Norwell and Rockland. To the west is Weymouth. To the north are Hingham Bay and Hull. Hingham is about 14 miles (23 km) southeast of Boston.

Hingham is located on the southwestern edge of Boston Harbor. The harbor forms a U-shaped curve along the town's northern coast. The Weir River separates Hingham from Hull. This river flows into Straits Pond. The Weymouth Back River forms part of Hingham's border with Weymouth. It also flows into Hingham Bay.

The town has several small ponds and streams. There are also many forests and parks. The largest is Wompatuck State Park. It extends into the nearby towns of Cohasset, Scituate, and Norwell. Hingham also has several protected natural areas. Part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area is in Hingham. This includes islands like Bumpkin Island and World's End Reservation. World's End is a peninsula that reaches into the bay. There is a marina (a place for boats) near the Weymouth Back River. Hingham also has a public beach along the harbor.

Hingham's People: Demographics

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1850	3,980	—
1860	4,351	+9.3%
1870	4,422	+1.6%
1880	4,485	+1.4%
1890	4,564	+1.8%
1900	5,059	+10.8%
1910	4,965	−1.9%
1920	5,604	+12.9%
1930	6,657	+18.8%
1940	8,003	+20.2%
1950	10,665	+33.3%
1960	15,378	+44.2%
1970	18,845	+22.5%
1980	20,339	+7.9%
1990	19,821	−2.5%
2000	19,882	+0.3%
2010	22,157	+11.4%
2020	24,284	+9.6%
2022*	24,130	−0.6%
* = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.

New North Church.

In 2020, Hingham had 24,284 people and 8,873 households. The population density was about 884.8 people per square mile (341.6 per square kilometer).

Most of the people in Hingham are White (97.5%). Other groups include Black or African American (0.40%), Native American (0.04%), and Asian (0.88%). About 0.75% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

About 37.8% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (65.7%) were married couples. About 21.0% of households were single individuals. The average household had 2.72 people.

The population's age range was spread out. About 27.7% were under 18 years old. About 14.1% were 65 years or older. The average age in Hingham was 40 years.

In 2019, the average household income was $142,435. The average family income was $198,900. The income per person in the town was $78,301. About 3.5% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 4.7% of those under 18.

Hingham's Economy: Major Employers

Hingham has many businesses that provide jobs. Here are some of the top employers in the town, based on a 2017 report:

#	Employer	# of employees
1	Blue Cross/Blue Shield	1,456
2	Town of Hingham	985
3	Linden Ponds	802
4	Talbots	461
5	Serono Laboratories	437
6	Harbor House	247
7	Whole Foods	212
8	Stop & Shop	196
9	Russ Electric	191
10	Eat Well	170

Infrastructure: Schools and Transportation

Education in Hingham

Hingham has a strong education system. It is home to seven public schools:

Hingham High School
South Shore Educational Collaborative
Hingham Middle School
East Elementary School
Foster Elementary School
Plymouth River Elementary School
South Elementary School

There are also five private schools in Hingham:

Derby Academy
Notre Dame Academy
St. Paul School
Old Colony Montessori School
Su Escuela Language Academy

Getting Around Hingham: Transportation

South Street in Hingham.

Several major roads pass through Hingham. A small part of Route 3 goes through the southwest. Routes 3A and 53 also cross the town. Route 228 runs north to south.

Hingham has public transportation options. There is a commuter boat ferry service. It goes from Hingham Shipyard to Rowes Wharf in downtown Boston. The MBTA also runs Bus Route 220. Route 222 passes through a small part of town.

The MBTA Commuter Rail also serves Hingham. It connects to Boston South Station via the Greenbush Line. Trains stop at two stations in Hingham: West Hingham and Nantasket Junction. A tunnel was built to carry the trains under historic Hingham Square. This was part of the agreement to bring train service back.

During the summer, ferries also go from Hingham Shipyard to several islands in Boston Harbor. They also go to Pemberton Point in Hull. Hingham does not have its own airport. The closest major airport is Logan International Airport in Boston.

Famous People from Hingham

A historical marker for the Samuel Lincoln House.

The Old Burying Ground in Hingham.

Hingham is connected to many notable people. One famous family line is the Lincolns. They came from England in the 1600s. A bridge in Hingham is named after General Benjamin Lincoln. He was a general in the American Revolutionary War. He is known for accepting the surrender of Cornwallis at the Siege of Yorktown.

The most famous Lincoln connected to Hingham never lived there. This was United States President Abraham Lincoln. He was a descendant of one of the Lincoln families who settled in Hingham. A bronze statue of President Lincoln is located near Lincoln Street and North Street.

Other notable people from Hingham include:

Tony Amonte, a retired hockey player in the NHL.
Bill Belichick, a famous football coach, owns a house in Hingham.
Matty Beniers, a current ice hockey player in the NHL. He was the first draft pick for the Seattle Kraken.
Marc Brown, the author and illustrator who created the children's TV show Arthur.
David McCullough, a well-known author and historian.
Pierre McGuire, an ice hockey analyst and former coach.

Images for kids

The Old Ship Church, Hingham (Seventeenth-century English Colonial architecture)
Seal of Hingham, Massachusetts
Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts
Perez Lincoln House, circa 1640, North Street, Hingham
Grave of colonist Josiah Leavitt, Old Ship Burying Ground, Hingham
A deed signed by Col. Samuel Thaxter of Hingham
The Old Ordinary is an early Hingham tavern that was donated to the Hingham Historical Society by Hingham philanthropist Wilmon Brewer.
Hingham distance marker
New North Church
South Street, Hingham
Historical marker, Samuel Lincoln House
Old Burying Ground