Southeastern Massachusetts | |
---|---|
Region of Massachusetts | |
Country | United States |
State | Massachusetts |
Largest city (population) | Brockton (105,643) |
Largest town (area) | Plymouth (134 square miles) |
Subregions | Cape Cod and Islands, South Coast, South Shore |
Area | |
• Total | 4,336.4 sq mi (11,231 km2) |
• Land | 2,352.3 sq mi (6,092 km2) |
• Water | 1,983.9 sq mi (5,138 km2) |
Population | |
• Total | 2,099,851 |
• Density | 480/sq mi (190/km2) |
Southeastern Massachusetts is a region of Massachusetts located south of Boston and east of Rhode Island. It is commonly used to describe areas with cultural ties to both Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, and includes the cities of New Bedford and Fall River and their respective suburbs. Despite the location of Cape Cod and the islands to its south, which are the southeasternmost parts of the state, they are not often grouped in this designation. At its broadest definition, it includes all of Massachusetts south of Boston, southeast of Worcester, and east of Providence, Rhode Island, while at its narrowest definition, it is Bristol County and the Western portion of Plymouth County. The region including Cape Cod roughly corresponds with the location of the historic Plymouth Colony, which became part of Massachusetts in 1691.
As Southeastern Massachusetts is not an official designation, its borders are not exactly defined.
At its broadest definition, it includes all of Plymouth and Bristol counties (particularly the South Coast along Buzzards Bay and the South Shore along Cape Cod Bay), most of the cities and towns in Norfolk County, and even some towns in Worcester County. At its narrowest definition, it includes all of Bristol County, the western part of Plymouth County and the southwestern part of Norfolk County, with the South Shore and Metro-South areas being counted separately.
The terms "Southeastern Massachusetts," "Southeastern New England", and "Southern New England" are much-used by Providence-area broadcasters and other local companies and organizations but are not used as frequently in other parts of Massachusetts.
The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) task force, which concerns Southeastern Massachusetts in its broadest definition, describes:
For this effort, southeastern[ sic ] Massachusetts is defined as fifty-two cities and towns from Bristol, Plymouth and Norfolk Counties. The region is geographically defined by Massachusetts Bay, Buzzards Bay, The[ sic ] Taunton River watershed, and its location relative to Boston, Rhode Island and Cape Cod. Bristol County, Massachusetts and Bristol County, Rhode Island are contiguous and are the only counties in the nation where Portuguese Americans make up the plurality of the population. This is due to the Portuguese-American population, the Portuguese-Brazilian population, and the Portuguese-Cape Verdean population that came to Southern New England in the 19th century to do the much needed whaling work; in fact, New Bedford is called "the Whaling City."
...[it] is home to approximately one million people residing in over 1,300 square miles (3,400 km2). We have been adding 10,000 new residents and consuming 4.7 square miles (12 km2) of undeveloped land each year for the past thirty years, and new transportation improvements (commuter rail, Route 44 and Route 3 & 24 improvements) continue to attract more growth. Southeastern Massachusetts comprises several clearly defined sub-regions, including the South Shore, the South Coast and the Tri-City area around Brockton, Attleboro and Taunton. Despite the diversity within the region, the fifty-two cities and towns all have common concerns and opportunities. [1]
Taunton, Brockton, Fall River, and New Bedford are the largest cities in Southeastern Massachusetts and are close to one another in size. All four have a strong Portuguese presence. In 2000, 43.9% of Fall River residents identified as being of Portuguese heritage. This is the highest percentage of Portuguese Americans in the country. Most of the population claims to be of Azorean origin, many from São Miguel Island. There are smaller, but significant presences of other Portuguese-speaking communities, such as other Azorean Islanders, Portuguese from mainland Portugal, Madeirans, Cape Verdeans, Brazilians, and Angolans. In 2000 New Bedford had the second highest percentage of Portuguese Americans with 38.6% of residents reporting that ancestry. New Bedford is also 8.0% Cape Verdean, 4.39% African American and 7.1% Puerto Rican, and 3% were other Hispanics, In 2000 it was 75% White alone. [2]
Like most of the state, Southeastern Massachusetts is ethnically, racially, linguistically, and religiously diverse. However, Portuguese-speakers are especially well represented in this area (especially Bristol County) due to a pattern of immigration that began in the 19th century and was tied to the whaling industry. Today, many people in Southeastern Massachusetts, most notability Bristol County, trace their ancestry to mainland Portugal and the Azores. Quincy, Milton, and Randolph are all in Norfolk County and are included in the Southeastern Massachusetts definition; they are populated by Irish Americans, British Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans and Latin Americans. Irish Americans dominate Norfolk County, Bristol County and Plymouth County which has been known as the "Irish Riviera". Cape Verdean Americans, Brazilian Americans, Angolan Americans, African Americans, Arab Americans, Irish Americans, British Americans, Portuguese Americans, Asian Americans, Latin Americans, Spanish Americans, Chinese Americans, Russian Americans, Turkish Americans, German Americans, Polish Americans, Swedish Americans, French Americans, Lebanese Americans, Italian Americans, and Greek Americans preside over Brockton, Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford. [3] [4]
Municipality | Type [5] | County [6] | Form of government [5] | Population (2010) [6] | Year established [7] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abington | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 15,985 | 1712 |
Acushnet | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 10,303 | 1860 |
Aquinnah | Town | Dukes | Open town meeting | 311 | 1870 |
Attleboro | City | Bristol | Mayor-council | 43,593 | 1694 |
Avon | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 4,356 | 1888 |
Barnstable | City [8] | Barnstable | Council-manager | 45,193 | 1639 |
Bellingham | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 16,332 | 1719 |
Berkley | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 6,411 | 1735 |
Blackstone | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 9,026 | 1845 |
Bourne | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 19,754 | 1884 |
Braintree | City [8] | Norfolk | Mayor-council | 35,744 | 1640 |
Brewster | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 9,820 | 1803 |
Bridgewater | City [8] | Plymouth | Council-manager | 26,563 | 1656 |
Brockton | City | Plymouth | Mayor-council | 105,643 | 1821 |
Canton | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 21,561 | 1797 |
Carver | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 11,509 | 1790 |
Chatham | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 6,125 | 1712 |
Chilmark | Town | Dukes | Open town meeting | 866 | 1714 |
Cohasset | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 7,542 | 1775 |
Dartmouth | Town | Bristol | Representative town meeting | 34,032 | 1664 |
Dedham | Town | Norfolk | Representative town meeting | 24,729 | 1636 |
Dennis | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 14,207 | 1793 |
Dighton | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 7,086 | 1712 |
Douglas | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 8,471 | 1775 |
Dover | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 5,589 | 1836 |
Duxbury | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 15,059 | 1637 |
East Bridgewater | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 13,794 | 1823 |
Eastham | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 4,956 | 1646 |
Easton | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 23,112 | 1725 |
Edgartown | Town | Dukes | Open town meeting | 4,067 | 1671 |
Fairhaven | Town | Bristol | Representative town meeting | 15,873 | 1812 |
Fall River | City | Bristol | Mayor-council | 88,857 | 1803 |
Falmouth | Town | Barnstable | Representative town meeting | 31,531 | 1686 |
Foxborough | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 16,865 | 1778 |
Franklin | City [8] | Norfolk | Council-administrator | 31,635 | 1778 |
Freetown | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 8,870 | 1683 |
Grafton | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 17,765 | 1735 |
Gosnold | Town | Dukes | Open town meeting | 75 | 1864 |
Halifax | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 7,518 | 1734 |
Hanover | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 13,879 | 1727 |
Hanson | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 10,209 | 1820 |
Harwich | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 12,243 | 1694 |
Hingham | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 22,157 | 1635 |
Holbrook | Town | Norfolk | Representative town meeting | 10,791 | 1872 |
Hopedale | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 5,911 | 1886 |
Hull | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 10,293 | 1644 |
Kingston | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 12,629 | 1726 |
Lakeville | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 10,602 | 1853 |
Mansfield | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 23,184 | 1775 |
Marion | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 4,907 | 1852 |
Marshfield | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 25,132 | 1640 |
Mashpee | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 14,006 | 1870 |
Mattapoisett | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 6,045 | 1857 |
Medfield | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 12,024 | 1651 |
Medway | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 12,752 | 1713 |
Mendon | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 5,839 | 1667 |
Middleborough | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 23,116 | 1669 |
Milford | Town | Worcester | Representative town meeting | 27,999 | 1780 |
Millbury | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 13,261 | 1813 |
Millis | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 7,891 | 1885 |
Millville | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 3,190 | 1916 |
Milton | Town | Norfolk | Representative town meeting | 27,003 | 1662 |
Nantucket | Town | Nantucket | Open town meeting | 10,172 | 1671 |
New Bedford | City | Bristol | Mayor-council | 95,072 | 1787 |
Norfolk | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 11,227 | 1870 |
North Attleborough | Town | Bristol | Representative town meeting | 28,712 | 1887 |
Northbridge | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 15,707 | 1775 |
Norton | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 19,031 | 1711 |
Norwell | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 10,506 | 1849 |
Norwood | Town | Norfolk | Representative town meeting | 28,602 | 1872 |
Oak Bluffs | Town | Dukes | Open town meeting | 4,527 | 1880 |
Orleans | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 5,890 | 1797 |
Pembroke | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 17,837 | 1712 |
Plainville | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 8,264 | 1905 |
Plymouth | Town | Plymouth | Representative town meeting | 56,468 | 1620 |
Plympton | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 2,820 | 1707 |
Provincetown | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 2,942 | 1727 |
Quincy | City | Norfolk | Mayor-council | 92,271 | 1792 |
Randolph | City [8] | Norfolk | Council-manager | 32,112 | 1793 |
Raynham | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 13,383 | 1731 |
Rehoboth | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 11,608 | 1645 |
Rochester | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 5,232 | 1686 |
Rockland | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 17,489 | 1874 |
Sandwich | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 20,675 | 1638 |
Scituate | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 18,133 | 1636 |
Seekonk | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 13,722 | 1812 |
Sharon | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 17,612 | 1775 |
Somerset | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 18,165 | 1790 |
Stoughton | Town | Norfolk | Representative town meeting | 26,962 | 1726 |
Sutton | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 8,963 | 1714 |
Swansea | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 15,865 | 1667 |
Taunton | City | Bristol | Mayor-council | 55,874 | 1639 |
Tisbury | Town | Dukes | Open town meeting | 3,949 | 1671 |
Truro | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 2,003 | 1709 |
Upton | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 7,542 | 1735 |
Uxbridge | Town | Worcester | Open town meeting | 13,457 | 1727 |
Walpole | Town | Norfolk | Representative town meeting | 24,070 | 1724 |
Wareham | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 21,822 | 1739 |
Wellfleet | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 2,750 | 1775 |
West Bridgewater | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 6,916 | 1822 |
West Tisbury | Town | Dukes | Open town meeting | 2,740 | 1892 |
Westport | Town | Bristol | Open town meeting | 15,532 | 1787 |
Westwood | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 14,618 | 1897 |
Weymouth | City [8] | Norfolk | Mayor-council | 53,743 | 1635 |
Whitman | Town | Plymouth | Open town meeting | 14,489 | 1875 |
Wrentham | Town | Norfolk | Open town meeting | 10,955 | 1673 |
Yarmouth | Town | Barnstable | Open town meeting | 23,793 | 1639 |
The following tabular list shows the 12 government divisions of Southeastern Massachusetts which have been officially granted the right to use the city form of government along with the official name in use by each municipality. [Note 1]
Municipality | Official name | Web reference |
---|---|---|
Attleboro | City of Attleboro | [9] |
Barnstable | Town of Barnstable | [10] |
Braintree | Town of Braintree | [11] |
Bridgewater | Town of Bridgewater | [12] |
Brockton | City of Brockton | [13] |
Fall River | City of Fall River | [14] |
Franklin | Town of Franklin | [15] |
New Bedford | City of New Bedford | [16] |
Quincy | City of Quincy | [17] |
Randolph [18] | Town of Randolph | [19] |
Taunton | City of Taunton | [20] |
Weymouth | Town of Weymouth | [21] |
Institutions of higher learning which serve Southeastern Massachusetts communities include:
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The name Cape Cod, coined in 1602 by Bartholomew Gosnold, is the ninth oldest English place-name in the U.S.
Barnstable County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the population was 228,996. Its county seat is Barnstable. The county consists of Cape Cod and associated islands.
Bristol County is a county in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 579,200. The shire town is Taunton. Some governmental functions are performed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, others by the county, and others by local towns and cities.
Berkley is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston and east of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 6,764 according to the 2020 census, making it the least populated town in the county.
Dartmouth is a coastal town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Old Dartmouth was the first area of Southeastern Massachusetts to be settled by Europeans, primarily English. Dartmouth is part of New England's farm coast, which consists of a chain of historic coastal villages, vineyards, and farms. June 8, 2014, marked the 350th year of Dartmouth's incorporation as a town. It is also part of the Massachusetts South Coast. The local weekly newspapers are The Dartmouth/Westport Chronicle and Dartmouth Week. The Portuguese municipality of Lagoa is twinned with the town; along with several other Massachusetts and Rhode Island towns and cities around Bristol County.
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state. It abuts the Rhode Island state line with Tiverton, RI to its south.
Taunton is a city and county seat of Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Taunton is situated on the Taunton River, which winds its way through the city on its way to Mount Hope Bay, 10 miles (16 km) to the south. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 59,408. Shaunna O'Connell is the mayor of Taunton.
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,523 at the 2020 census.
Middleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,245 at the 2020 census. The census-designated place of Middleborough Center corresponds to the main village and commercial center of the town. It is the second largest municipality by land area in Massachusetts and nineteenth largest in New England. Middleborough proclaims itself to be the "Cranberry Capital of the World". Cranberry production remains a significant part of the local economy. In 2015, approximately 1,400 acres of the town were used to grow the crop, accounting for 3% of all land used to harvest cranberry bogs in the United States.
The Narragansett Council of Scouting America serves all of the state of Rhode Island and some of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Its several camps include Camp Yawgoog, Champlin Scout Reservation, and Camp Norse.
The South Shore of Massachusetts is a geographic region stretching south and east from Boston toward Cape Cod along the shores of Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay. It is subject to varying descriptions including municipalities in eastern Norfolk and Plymouth counties. The South Shore is an affluent area. The median income of the region as of 2020 is $104,691. The median home value of the region as of 2020 is $574,831.
Route 24 is a 40.91-mile-long (65.84 km) freeway south of Interstate 93 (I-93) in southeastern Massachusetts, linking Fall River with the Boston metropolitan area. It begins in the south in Fall River at the border with Tiverton, Rhode Island where it connects with Rhode Island Route 24, and runs north to an interchange with I-93/U.S. Route 1 in Randolph. Route 24 is also known as the Fall River Expressway, and officially as the Amvets Highway. Route 24 has a total of 21 interchanges
Greater Boston is the metropolitan region of New England encompassing the municipality of Boston, the capital of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England, and its surrounding areas. The most stringent definition of the region consists of most of the eastern third of mainland Massachusetts, excluding the Merrimack Valley and most of Southeastern Massachusetts, though most definitions include much of these areas and portions of southern New Hampshire.
Area codes 508 and 774 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The numbering plan area comprises south-central and most of southeastern Massachusetts. It includes Worcester, Outer south and southwest Greater Boston, as well as Fall River, New Bedford, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket.
Cape Verdean Americans are an ethnic group of Americans whose ancestors were Cape Verdean. In 2010, the American Community Survey stated that there were 95,003 Americans living in the US with Cape Verdean ancestors.
The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) oversees and coordinates public and medical transportation in the areas of Attleboro and Taunton, Massachusetts and 24 nearby areas. It operates daily fixed bus routes, commuter shuttle services and Dial-A-Ride services for seniors and persons with disabilities within communities in Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth counties. GATRA is based at the Bloom Bus Terminal in Taunton.
Route 28 is a 151.93-mile-long (244.51 km) nominally south–north state highway in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, running from the town of Eastham via Boston to the New Hampshire state line in Methuen. Following the route from its nominally southern end, Route 28 initially heads south to the town of Chatham then turns west to follow along the south shore of Cape Cod. In Falmouth, Route 28 turns north and continues through the western part of Plymouth County and the eastern part of Norfolk County; it then passes through downtown Boston before heading north via Lawrence to the New Hampshire state line, where it continues as New Hampshire Route 28.
The South Coast of Massachusetts is the region of southeastern Massachusetts consisting of the southern part of Bristol and Plymouth counties, bordering Buzzards Bay, and includes the cities of Fall River, New Bedford, the southeastern tip of East Taunton and nearby towns. The Rhode Island towns of Tiverton and Little Compton, located in Newport County, are often included within the South Coast designation due to regional similarities with adjacent communities.
Massachusetts's 16th congressional district is an obsolete district. It was first active 1803–1821 in the District of Maine and again active 1913–1933 in the Cape Cod region. It was eliminated in 1933 after the 1930 census. Its last congressman was Charles L. Gifford, who was redistricted into the 15th district.
The Providence metropolitan area is a region extending into eight counties in two states. Its core is in the states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts; its largest city is Providence, Rhode Island. With an estimated population of 1,622,520, exceeding that of Rhode Island by slightly over 60%, the Providence MSA is the 38th largest metropolitan area in the United States. The MSA covers all of Rhode Island and Bristol County, Massachusetts, with an average population density of 2300 per mi2.