List of settlements in Massachusetts facts for kids

This is a list of cities and towns in Massachusetts, a state in the United States. Massachusetts is known for its rich history, beautiful coastlines, and famous cities like Boston. This list helps you explore the many different places that make up this exciting state.

What's the Difference: City vs. Town in Massachusetts?

In Massachusetts, a place is called a city or a town based on how its local government is set up, not just how many people live there.

How Cities Are Governed

Cities usually have a mayor and a city council. The mayor is like the chief executive, making big decisions and running the city's daily business. The city council makes laws and approves budgets. This system is often used in places with more people.

• Examples of Cities in Massachusetts:

* Boston: The capital and largest city, famous for its history. * Worcester: A large city in central Massachusetts. * Springfield: Another major city, known for being the birthplace of basketball. * Cambridge: Home to famous universities like Harvard University and MIT.

How Towns Are Governed

Towns in Massachusetts often use a "town meeting" form of government. This means that citizens can directly vote on local laws and budgets at special meetings. For bigger towns, they might have a "representative town meeting" where elected citizens vote for everyone. Towns also have a board of selectmen or a town manager to handle daily tasks.

• Examples of Towns in Massachusetts:

* Plymouth: Famous for where the Pilgrims landed. * Concord: Known for its role in the American Revolution. * Framingham: A large town that acts a lot like a city. * Nantucket: An island town known for its historic charm.

Exploring Massachusetts's Places by Letter

Here's a look at some of the cities and towns you can find in Massachusetts, organized by the first letter of their name. This isn't a complete list, but it gives you an idea of the many communities here!

Places Starting with A

• Cities:

* Agawam * Amesbury * Attleboro

• Towns:

* Abington * Acton * Amherst * Andover * Arlington

Places Starting with B

• Cities:

* Barnstable * Beverly * Boston * Brockton

• Towns:

* Bedford * Belmont * Billerica * Bourne * Brookline

Places Starting with C

• Cities:

* Cambridge * Chelsea * Chicopee

• Towns:

* Canton * Carver * Chelmsford * Clinton * Concord

Places Starting with D

• Towns:

* Dalton * Danvers * Dartmouth * Dedham * Duxbury

Places Starting with E

• Cities:

* Easthampton * Everett

• Towns:

* East Longmeadow * Eastham * Easton * Edgartown

Places Starting with F

• Cities:

* Fall River * Fitchburg * Franklin

• Towns:

* Fairhaven * Falmouth * Foxborough * Framingham

Places Starting with G

• Cities:

* Gardner * Gloucester * Greenfield

• Towns:

* Georgetown * Grafton * Great Barrington * Groton

Places Starting with H

• Cities:

* Haverhill * Holyoke

• Towns:

* Hadley * Hanover * Hingham * Holliston * Hopkinton * Hudson

Places Starting with I, K

• Towns:

* Ipswich * Kingston

Places Starting with L

• Cities:

* Lawrence * Leominster * Lowell * Lynn

• Towns:

* Lakeville * Lancaster * Lexington * Longmeadow * Ludlow

Places Starting with M

• Cities:

* Malden * Marlborough * Medford * Melrose * Methuen

• Towns:

* Mansfield * Marblehead * Marshfield * Milford * Milton * Monson

Places Starting with N

• Cities:

* New Bedford * Newburyport * Newton * North Adams * Northampton

• Towns:

* Nantucket * Natick * Needham * Norfolk * North Andover * Norwood

Places Starting with O, P, Q

• Towns:

* Oak Bluffs * Orange * Oxford

• Cities:

* Palmer * Peabody * Pittsfield * Quincy

• Towns:

* Pembroke * Plymouth * Provincetown

Places Starting with R

• Cities:

* Revere

• Towns:

* Randolph * Reading * Rehoboth * Rockland * Rockport

Places Starting with S

• Cities:

* Salem * Somerville * Southbridge * Springfield

• Towns:

* Sandwich * Saugus * Scituate * Sharon * Shrewsbury * South Hadley * Stoughton * Sudbury

Places Starting with T, U

• Cities:

* Taunton

• Towns:

* Tewksbury * Tisbury * Townsend * Truro * Upton * Uxbridge

Places Starting with W, Y

• Cities:

* Waltham * Watertown * West Springfield * Westfield * Weymouth * Winthrop * Woburn * Worcester

• Towns:

* Wakefield * Walpole * Wareham * Wayland * Wellesley * Westborough * Westford * Weston * Whitman * Williamstown * Wilmington * Winchester * Wrentham * Yarmouth