Former “Jewelry Capital of the World,” now a growing suburb city
Attleboro was known as the “Jewelry Capital of the World” in the early 20th century, a nickname the northwest Bristol County city earned largely thanks to jewelry giants Jostens and Balfour. The two companies were major regional employers until they moved operations away from the area in the ‘90s and 2000s. Metalor, the world’s largest gold refiner, and E.A. Dion Incorporated, an heirloom jewelry maker, keep the city’s industry tied to jewelry, but today’s Attleboro is more than its big employers. Its revitalizing historic downtown, quiet suburban neighborhoods and highly rated school system appeal to homebuyers looking to escape the flurry of Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, metropolises flanking Attleboro. Jack Lank, president and CEO of The United Regional Chamber of Commerce, which serves the cities of Attleboro, North Attleboro and Franklin, says Attleboro’s home prices, low compared to Boston, are central to the smaller city’s allure.
The MBTA line travels through Downtown Attleboro.
Colonial row of homes can date back to the 1700's located in Attleboro, MA.
Attleboro's historic downtown architecture still stands with shops and retail stores.
Once a town visited for its successful jewelry, Attleboro is now home to many businesses.
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Competitive home prices compared to Boston
“Home prices are pretty reasonable in Attleboro,” Lank says. The median single-family home price here is $482,500, below the Massachusetts median of $628,888 and the Boston median of $889,500. Condo prices in Attleboro are also lower, at $334,750 compared to $520,000 and $676,000, respectively. While ranch and raised ranch-style homes built in the mid-20th century are common, the most prominent housing styles are Cape Cods and Colonial Revivals. Federal, Colonial and Victorian homes built in the late 1700s and early 1800s are among the most expensive in the city, running anywhere from $725,000 to more than $1.2 million. Sellers in Attleboro typically receive more than their asking price, and homes tend to stay on the market for an average of 28 days, about a week less than the state average.
Cape Cod are commonly styled homes found in Attleboro.
Large single family homes are available in Attleboro.
Newly renovated farmhouse style homes take part in Attleboro's variety of homes.
Split level homes in Attleboro are one of the most common types of homes.
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A growing downtown business and dining scene
Attleboro’s historic downtown is at the heart of the city’s burgeoning shopping, dining and entertainment scenes. Between 2019 and 2024, the storefront occupancy rate climbed from less than 65% to more than 80%. The turn-of-the-20th-century brick buildings are filling up with offices, small family-owned businesses and restaurants serving fare from Hawaiian-inspired poke bowls to classic Mexican. At the north end of Main Street, the Colonel Blackinton Inn restaurant is popular for its upscale New England-inspired menu and summertime live music on the garden terrace. The 1850s-era Greek Revival hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of Lank’s favorite local restaurants is a few blocks away: Burgundian, which began as a food truck. Its brick-and-mortar café serves all-day Liège waffles, a type of Belgian street waffle. The Attleboro Area Industrial Museum and the Attleboro Art Museum are also in downtown, not far from the Attleboro Community Theatre. National chains are available in surrounding shopping centers, including the Emerald Square Mall in nearby North Attleboro.
Aerial view of Attleboro's shopping plazas located in Attleboro, MA.
Emerald Square Mall in Attleboro is a well visited place for shopping.
Colonel Blackinton Inn restaurant is popular for its upscale New England-inspired menu.
Try out their popular Liege Waffle at Burgundian, located in Attleboro, MA.
Try out the Pinku Mochi donuts and coffee found in Attleboro, MA.
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Wilderness reserves, the historic Capron Park Zoo and annual events
The Attleboro Parks & Forestry Department maintains the city’s public parks, including playgrounds, sports fields, and rustic recreation areas such as Manchester Reservoir and the Andrew Lawrence Wildlife Preserve. Both the reservoir and preserve offer loop-trail hiking. And fishing is permitted in Manchester Pond, swimming with large and smallmouth bass, chain pickerel and bullhead catfish. Rehoboth State Forest, about 7 miles southeast of town, also offers rustic outdoor recreation, with a 1-mile hiking loop and seasonal hunting for deer, bear and turkey. Visitors are encouraged to wear blaze orange during hunting season.
At the heart of Attleboro, the Capron Park Zoo is home to about 100 animals representing 44 different species. The nearly 100-year-old public park hosts events from food truck festivals to concert series in the summer. And Attleboro’s annual Holiday Happening Parade & Family Fun Day takes place in early December just west of the park. In November, the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette celebrates Christmas with the annual Festival of Lights. The Roman Catholic church’s grounds are aglow with 300,000 lights during the event; Lank says they draw crowds of more than 100,000 people each year. La Salette also hosts the Attleboro Farmers Market on Saturdays between June and October. “It’s such a great market,” Lank says. “You can catch up with friends and shop for fresh produce, honey and locally made jewelry.”
At the heart of Attleboro, the Capron Park Zoo is home to about 100 animals.
Families can go for walks and have picnics at Capron Park in Attleboro.
Attleboro Skate Park can be found in the neighborhood of Attleboro.
Enjoy outdoor trail walks at Anthony Lawrence Wildlife Preserve located in Attleboro.
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New Attleboro High School building opened in 2022
The Attleboro Public Schools district earns a B from Niche. It serves nearly 6,000 students across 11 elementary, middle and high schools, with an average student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. Open enrollment is available, meaning kids can apply to attend any school in the district. Attleboro High is the only high school in the district, and offers career/technical education courses in subjects such as welding, robotics and graphic design. The high school’s new $260 million campus, complete with vocational shops and adaptable learning rooms, opened in 2022. Attleboro has several private schools as well, including A-minus-graded Bishop Feehan, a co-ed Catholic high school.
Hill Robert Elementary School is located in Attleboro offers excellent education.
Robert J. Coello Middle School in Attleboro focuses on creating a bright future for students
Students who primarily live in the Attleboro neighborhood would attend Attleboro High School.
Located in Attleboro, Brennan Middle School is a distinguished public school.
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Attleboro Station runs commuter trains to Providence and Boston
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Attleboro Station offers “Mass by Train” commuter rail service from the middle of Attleboro to Boston and Providence. Lank says commuting into either bigger city is easy on the train – there’s no traffic on the rails. By car, the nearly 40-mile drive northeast to Boston can take about an hour with no traffic on Interstate 95. The highway runs through Attleboro, connecting southwest to Rhode Island, too. Providence is slightly more than 13 miles away, a drive that takes less than 30 minutes if there’s no traffic on I-95. Greater Attleboro & Taunton Regional Transit Authority, or GARTA, bus service connects Taunton with the three Attleboros, North, South and central.
Enjoy a walk through historical buildings and grad the commuter train in Downtown Attleboro, MA.
Attleboro's train station hub has connected the community since its establishment.
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Attleboro Police Department reports decline in crimes against property
According to the Attleboro Police Department, in 2023, there were 9.3 crimes against persons per 1,000 residents. The department’s data also shows that the number of crimes against persons increased by less than a percent from 2022 to 2023. During the same period, the number of crimes against property declined by 1.6%. The Attleboro Police Department reports 26.2 crimes against property per 1,000 residents in 2023.
Liana Williams' love for Real Estate started when she was nine and her family purchased and renovated an abandoned brownstone in the South End. When the time came for her to buy her first home, she also started with a fixer upper where she still lives, even after becoming a widow and being the sole provider for her children. Liana believes everyone should be able to own their own home if they choose. Liana Williams is best known for her talent in building meaningful, deep relationships with her clients - many of which have lasted over thirty years. Although many of these connections were professional, the same holds true for the children she has fostered through the Department of Child and Family Services and foreign exchange students who have lived under her roof and been considered members of her family. Liana is well versed in the neighborhoods of Boston, beyond the city lines and is always willing to look harder and stretch the imagination to find her clients their forever home.
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