Maybe you’ve been in Boston for years, but you’re now having kids and looking to relocate. Maybe you’re planning a move to the Boston area from another city in the U.S. or abroad, and you’re trying to make sense of your options. Whatever the case, Boston Moms is here to help with a handy guide to some popular towns in the area! We’ll tell you about the vibe, income levels, schools, and fun insider info to help you figure out the best place for you.

(Also check out our guides to East Arlington, MiltonSalemSomerville, and the South End!)

How we got here

After living in North Carolina for three years and then Pembroke, Mass., for four years, my husband and I were finally ready to buy a home in 2014. We wanted to move closer to our family — most of whom live in the metro west area. North Attleboro felt like a good fit: It was affordable, had a good school program for our autistic son, and was super convenient to a ton of shopping and to our family.

We were excited to move to what we expected to be our forever town. And it really ended up being the perfect fit. What can I say — I love the suburbs.

Vibe :: It’s the ‘burbs

I can call it what it is — the suburbs. (Although I am happy to say North Attleboro does have a rather adorable downtown.) There is a little bit of everything. Parts of town are cookie cutter new subdivisions. Some neighborhoods are older, like mine, which was built in 1950. The historic district of North Attleboro has some of the most beautiful old New England homes I have ever seen. It is a family-friendly town, where you could easily do a nice date night without driving more than seven miles.

Crime is extremely low in town. Our average violent crimes is lower than the national average and the state average according to Neighborhood Scout.

Live :: Mostly single-family homes

North Attleboro has every type of home. According to Trulia, 83% of residents are home owners, and 26% of residents are single. My neighborhood has a mix of long-time homeowners and newer families with young children. There are areas of town with three-family homes and condos, but the town is mostly comprised of single-family homes. The median sales price for a home is $340,000

Learn

North Attleboro has a great school system. There are five elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. Our high school graduation rate is 95%.  

My 6-year-old son has special needs and is on an IEP. We have been extremely happy with the programs, staff, communication, teachers, and therapist in the school system. He continues to make progress, and he loves school.

Play

You may be surprised to find out how much there is to do in North Attleboro and the surrounding towns. We have a brand new movie theater with reclining seats, and you can drink beer and wine while you watch a movie. The Emerald Square Mall is really accessible and has all the typical mall stores you would expect. The Wrentham Outlets have great deals and are so close.

We have some good dining options, too. Table at 10 is my favorite for a date night, and they always have great specials.

A hidden gem in North Attleboro is the National Fish Hatchery. It has a 0.8-mile walking trail that features a story walk (a book children can read page by page throughout the walk), and it is free.

The WWI park is a great playground in North Attleboro. It has multiple climbing structures, an epic covered slide, a sandbox, and farm animals.

Capron Park Zoo is a great spot for kids. It is located in Attleboro and features a great playground, small zoo, and splash pad.

Patriot Place and Gillette Stadium in Foxboro are eight miles away, and Plainridge Park Casino is one town over in Plainville.

There are countless playgrounds, athletic fields, diners, and shopping in North Attleboro. I live between two different Targets, each only seven minutes away, and at least three grocery stores within 10 minutes. Everything you could possibly need is right here!

Go

Since North Attleboro is the suburbs, you will want a car to get around. There is plenty of parking around town and in the downtown area as well. North Attleboro is accessible via routes 495 and 95. Most people who commute into Boston drive or take the MBTA commuter rail.

I hope you’ve found this guide helpful!

Stay tuned for more town guides to clue you in about Greater Boston’s many terrific family-oriented places to live.

Also, see our previous guides to East Arlington, MiltonSalem, Somerville, and the South End.

 

Leah Lynch
Leah was raised in Greater Boston, where she met her husband in 2006. They moved to North Carolina for a few years before deciding their hearts were still in Massachusetts. Leah is a stay-at-home mom and has three children — boy, girl, boy — born in 2011, 2014, and 2017. Her oldest son in autistic. Children with disabilities — and the families raising them — have a special place in Leah's heart. She loves "The Office," date nights, tacos, U.S. history, and the beach. She enjoys sharing her experiences of motherhood, the good and the difficult, to encourage other moms that they are not alone. Loves: Great food (mostly made by her talented husband), playing with the kids, the beach, date nights, The Pats, The Sox, The B’s, new socks and bras, and American history, and movies. Can’t stand: Cotton balls, weeds, broken crayons, and country music

1 COMMENT

  1. Nice piece but sort of a random pick, in the sense that North Attleborough is really more suburb of Providence than it is Boston, especially compared to the other featured on the blog, such as East Arlington. Commute to Boston especially in rush hour traffic would not probably be tenable for most although there is a train nearby. But culturally and otherwise it seems that North Attleborough is more of a Rhode Island town than a Massachusetts one.

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