Easton is a Greater Boston suburb with history, beauty and convenience
A sprawling, tree-shaded suburb, Easton is located almost perfectly between Boston and Providence. It’s just 28 miles from both cities and has easy highway access, making convenience a big draw, but the town has plenty to offer within its own borders. “I believe Easton’s greatest appeal lies in its charm and beauty,” says Lisa Cranshaw, a Realtor at William Raveis Real Estate who has lived in Easton for her entire life. “The town boasts many historic buildings, scenic parks and preserved conservation land. Easton truly has it all — a hidden gem for buyers seeking both easy access to the city and the charm of beautiful neighborhoods, top-rated schools, friendly neighbors, and picturesque nature parks.” The town’s abundant restaurants and smattering of shops for essentials add to its convenience.
Forested residential streets with houses starting at $540,000
Even Easton’s barest residential streets are tree-lined, with trees adorning yards and filling the spaces between its colonials, Cape Cods and New Traditional houses. Other streets appear almost wooded. Single-family homes in need of updating start at about $540,000, and many updated homes out at about $900,000. Large New Traditionals, typically measuring in at well over 3,000 square feet with luxury finishes, can sell for as much as $2 million. Easton also has a handful of condos, which typically cost between $300,000 and $500,000.
Diverse extracurriculars at Oliver Ames High, nearby Stonehill College
Easton Public Schools earn an A-minus from Niche. The district has four schools, all of which children will move through during a full educational career. They start off at Blanche A. Ames Elementary School, which has a B-plus, for pre-kindergarten through second grade before moving on to the A-minus-rated Richardson Olmstead School. Easton Middle School and Oliver Ames High School both earn A-minuses. The high school offers extracurriculars like robotics, rugby and feminism clubs.
Stonehill College is a small Catholic college in Easton. With fewer than 3,000 students, the college offers 52 majors and 55 minors, and Cranshaw says it’s an asset to the town.
A short drive to Route 24 or I-425, commuting to Province or Boston
State Route 106 and state Route 123 are Easton’s biggest roads, but it only takes about 10 minutes to reach the Fall River Expressway, also called state Route 24, or Interstate 495. These larger highways lead to neighboring towns like Foxborough and Brockton. About 8 miles away, Brockton is home to the nearest hospital, Boston Medical Center. The drive to Providence takes about 35 minutes, while driving to Boston can take anywhere from 40 minutes to nearly an hour and a half. Alternatively, residents can drive 9 miles to Stoughton to catch the train into Boston.
Abundant parks offer hiking trails and mini farms, swimming in Ames Po
On Easton’s northwest side, Borderland State Park is home to the historic Ames Lodge. It has a disc golf course and a pond for fishing and kayaking. Wooded trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and wintertime cross-country skiing thread through its 1,843 acres. The Sheep Pasture has a network of trails and a farm with animals for kids to interact with. During the summer, swimmers cool off under the watch of lifeguards at Ames Pond. Frothingham Park has athletic spaces alongside its playground. Avid tennis players can join The Brown Billone Club, while golfers gravitate toward Easton Country Club’s 18-hole course. The Children’s Museum in Easton offers interactive exhibits on space, dinosaurs and more for young children. In 2016, the Ames Free Library was one of two finalists for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Best Small Library in America award.
Restaurants, major retailers and fresh produce at Langwater Farm
Easton’s many popular dining spots are scattered across town. The Farmer’s Daughter is the go-to spot for breakfast and brunch and diners settle into Maguire’s Bar & Grill’s laid-back pub atmosphere for its well-known honey hot chicken tenders. Hillards Chocolates has three locations, including its original in Easton, but remains a family-run essential stop for sweets since its start in 1924. The neighborhood has major retailers like Target and T.J. Maxx, and there are groceries at Big Y and Shaw’s. “It’s also home to Langwater Farm, a charming organic farm offering fresh produce, meats, and gourmet foods,” Cranshaw says. The farm offers Community Supported Agriculture shares, where residents get weekly shares of seasonal produce, and hosts a farmers market every Thursday.
An annual fall festival and free concerts
The Easton Harvest Fair features local vendors, live music, pony rides and pumpkin carving at The Sheep Pasture. And on the weekends, Cranshaw says residents gather for free concerts in the Queset Gardens behind the library.
Severe storms can bring heavy rain and high winds
The Federal Emergency Management Agency places scattered patches of Easton in flood zones, though news articles indicate roadways are the most frequent flooding concern during storms. The many trees here also make power outages from downed power lines or other damage from fallen trees a concern.
Written By
Christina Norwood
Photography Contributed By
Colin Gee
