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Westwood, Massachusetts
Town
From left to right: Westwood First Parish Church, inscription on town clock, Fisher School House, Hale Reservation, Town Hall, and the Old Burial Ground
From left to right: Westwood First Parish Church, inscription on town clock, Fisher School House, Hale Reservation, Town Hall, and the Old Burial Ground
Official seal of Westwood, Massachusetts
Seal
Motto(s): 
"Committed to service"
Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts
Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts
Country  United States
State  Massachusetts
County Norfolk
Settled 1641
Incorporated 1897
Government
 • Type Open town meeting
Area
 • Total 28.8 km2 (11.1 sq mi)
 • Land 28.4 km2 (11.0 sq mi)
 • Water 0.4 km2 (0.2 sq mi)
Elevation
67 m (220 ft)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 16,266
 • Density 572.7/km2 (1,478.7/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
02090
Area code(s) 339 / 781
FIPS code 25-78690
GNIS feature ID 0618333
Website www.townhall.westwood.ma.us

Westwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a friendly community with a population of 16,266 people, based on the 2020 United States Census.

History of Westwood

Westwood was first settled way back in 1641. It used to be part of a larger town called Dedham. Back then, it was known as 'West Dedham'.

How Westwood Became Its Own Town

The people living in the 'Clapboard Trees Precinct' area of Dedham wanted to become their own town. They felt their views were different from those in the main village of Dedham. So, they asked to separate.

Westwood officially became its own town in 1897. It was the very last area to split off from the original town of Dedham.

What Was Westwood Almost Named?

When the town was about to be formed, it was almost called "Nahatan." However, another town named Nahant thought the names sounded too much alike. To avoid any problems and make sure the new town could be formed quickly, they changed the name to Westwood.

Westwood: A Great Place to Live

In July 2005, a group called CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood as one of the best places to live in the United States. It was placed 13th on their list of the 100 Best Places to Live!

Geography of Westwood

Westwood is located in eastern Massachusetts. It covers a total area of about 11.1 square miles (28.8 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 11.0 square miles (28.4 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.2 square miles (0.4 square kilometers), is water.

Towns Near Westwood

Westwood shares its borders with several other towns:

  • To the north, you'll find Needham.
  • To the east, it borders Dedham.
  • To the southeast is Canton.
  • To the south, you'll find Norwood.
  • To the southwest, it borders Walpole.
  • To the west, it's next to Dover.

People and Population in Westwood

Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1900 1,112 —    
1910 1,266 +13.8%
1920 1,358 +7.3%
1930 2,097 +54.4%
1940 3,376 +61.0%
1950 5,837 +72.9%
1960 10,354 +77.4%
1970 12,750 +23.1%
1980 13,212 +3.6%
1990 12,557 −5.0%
2000 14,117 +12.4%
2010 14,618 +3.5%
2020 16,266 +11.3%
2022* 16,231 −0.2%
* = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.

As of 2020, there were 16,266 people living in Westwood. The average household had about 2.94 people.

Diversity in Westwood

Most of the people in Westwood are White (79.5%). There are also people of Asian (11.8%), African American (2.9%), and other backgrounds. About 3.4% of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino.

Age Groups in Westwood

The population in Westwood is made up of different age groups:

  • About 25.6% of residents are under 18 years old.
  • About 56.0% are between 18 and 65 years old.
  • About 18.4% are 65 years old or older.
  • Slightly more than half of the population (51.6%) are female.

Education in Westwood

Westwood has a strong focus on education with several public and private schools.

Public Schools in Westwood

Westwood has four public elementary schools for younger students:

  • Downey
  • Pine Hill
  • Martha Jones
  • William E. Sheehan

For middle schoolers, there is Thurston Middle School. Westwood High School is the only public high school in town.

Westwood High School Campus

Westwood High School was rebuilt in 2005. The new campus includes a refurbished gymnasium and swimming pool from the old school. It also has a modern artificial turf field and a running track, which are open for public use.

Private Schools in Westwood

Westwood is also home to private schools:

  • Xaverian Brothers High School is an all-boys Catholic school that prepares students for college.
  • Westwood Montessori School is a preschool for younger children.

Cool Places to Visit in Westwood

Westwood has several interesting spots to explore:

  • Hale is a large private area with over 1,100 acres of land. It has beaches and walking trails, perfect for outdoor activities.
  • The Westwood Library is a modern building that opened in 2013. It's a great place to find books and learn.
  • Colburn School is a historic building from 1877. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  • University Station is a newer outdoor mall. It has restaurants, shops, and places to live. It's also right next to Route 128 station, a train station.
  • Buckmaster Pond is a scenic pond in the town.

Places of Worship in Westwood

Westwood has many different places where people can worship:

  • First Baptist Church of Westwood
  • First Parish of Westwood United Church
  • Temple Beth David
  • St. Denis Parish
  • St. John's Episcopal Church
  • St. Margaret Mary Parish

The town also has an active Interfaith Council, which helps different religious groups work together.

Getting Around Westwood

Westwood has good transportation options:

  • Route 128 station is a train station in Westwood. You can catch MBTA Commuter Rail trains (Providence/Stoughton Line) and Amtrak trains (Acela and Northeast Regional) here.
  • Islington station is another train station served by the MBTA Franklin/Foxboro Line.
  • The MBTA bus route 34E also runs through Westwood on Washington Street.

Fun Facts About Westwood

  • Westwood was a "dry town" until 2005. This means restaurants could not sell alcohol. Now, they can apply for special licenses to do so.
  • The town is home to the oldest animal pound in the United States. An animal pound is a place where stray animals are kept.
  • Maj. Robert Steele, a drummer boy during the Battle of Bunker Hill in the Revolutionary War, is buried in the old Westwood Cemetery.

Notable People from Westwood

Many interesting people have connections to Westwood:

  • Leo Beranek: An engineer who helped start a famous internet company.
  • Mike Cafarella: A computer scientist who co-founded the Apache Hadoop project.
  • Jon Finn: A talented guitarist and rock musician.
  • Fern Flaman: A former professional hockey player who won the Stanley Cup.
  • Kenny Florian: A famous Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter and sports analyst.
  • Matt Hasselbeck: A former NFL quarterback.
  • Paul LaCamera: A four-star general in the United States Army.
  • Andrew Mackiewicz: An Olympic saber fencer.
  • Jackie MacMullan: A well-known sportswriter and NBA columnist for ESPN.
  • Josh McDaniels: An American Football coach.
  • Milt Schmidt: Another former professional hockey player and Hockey Hall of Famer.
  • Mike Woicik: A strength and conditioning coach for the Dallas Cowboys, who has won many Super Bowl rings.
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