Located in Worcester County
Holden is a quickly growing suburb of Worcester that attracts families looking to settle in a quiet neighborhood with well-rated schools. “Holden is a desirable town. The main reason people are moving here is the school system, and it’s close to the city,” says Thomas Davis, Holden local and real estate agent at Rick McPhee Real Estate. “But it’s expensive. It’s more expensive than Worcester.”
Holden has a mix of new and old homes in various styles. Ranches and split levels are especially popular in more established neighborhoods. An older, three-bedroom home built in the 1960s usually costs around $500,000 to $600,000. Large colonial revival homes are the preferred style in recently constructed neighborhoods. A three-bedroom house built within the last 10 years usually costs $600,000 to $700,000 or more. “They don’t build anything new in Holden unless it’s $600,000 plus. New houses are still selling, and they’re building left and right,” Davis says. Larger homes often have additions and two-car garages, and most homes in the area are in well-shaded subdivisions.
“Holden has an excellent regional school system, the Wachusett Regional School District. The percentage of students who graduate and go to college is very high,” Davis says. Students in Holden may attend Davis Hill Elementary School, which earned a B-plus from Niche and is one of three elementary schools in the town. Mountview Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade and also earned an A-minus. Wachusett Regional High School is a highly regarded high school in Holden and also serves students from the surrounding towns of Paxton, Princeton, Rutland and Sterling. It earned an A-minus and has an excellent graduation rate of nearly 97%.
Holden has several lakes, ponds and reservoirs for locals to enjoy. Residents can hike the Appleton and Asnebumskit Loops at Eagle Lake to walk through the woods, look at the water, and listen to woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees. Families in Holden visit the Holden Community Garden and Kaitlyn E. Stone Memorial Playground behind Holden Town Hall to spend some time outdoors. Residents can also park in designated areas and walk along the Rail Trail through Holden. “People like to walk their dogs on the Rail Trail,” Davis says. “We also aren’t far from Wachusett Ski Area. Wachusett Mountain is in Princeton, about 12 miles north."
Each August, Holden holds its townwide celebration, “Holden Days.” The event on Main Street includes vendors, musical performances, kid's games and crafts, food and more. Holden also has a farmers market on Main Street every Tuesday from May through October. Gale Free Library is also a popular gathering spot for families. “They do special events for kids through the library,” Davis says. “They do an event a couple of times a year where they bring out all the fire trucks and equipment for the kids to see. It’s very popular.”
For dining in Holden, Quinn’s Blue Plate is a popular sports bar and restaurant with decadent American food like loaded nachos, buffalo chicken mac and cheese, and wings. Mexicali Cantina Grill is a Mexican restaurant with a colorful interior and a dozen kinds of margaritas on the menu. Seven Saws Brewing Company is also a common hangout spot, with abundant indoor and outdoor seating and made-in-house brews. “There are no major shopping plazas in Holden. Most people are going into Worcester for shopping,” Davis says. However, residents can pick up groceries locally at the Big Y World Class Market in Holden.
Holden is about 8 miles north of Worcester, and commuters have an easy drive south to downtown on Route 122A. "People in Holden like that they’re just 15 minutes away from UMASS Medical, a huge hospital facility in Worcester,” Davis says. Some people in Holden commute to Boston, which is about 50 miles away. Because traffic to Boston is heavy, many commuters take the train: “It’s a half-hour drive to the train station in Worcester, then an hour ride into Boston from there," Davis says. Hartford is about 65 miles from Holden, and commuter traffic south is usually lighter.
Kathy McSweeney
Lamacchia Realty, Inc.
(774) 341-5503
62 Total Sales
2 in Holden
$451K - $545K Price Range
Karen Jewett
LAER Realty Partners
(774) 252-8526
23 Total Sales
1 in Holden
$490,000 Price
Shannon Forsythe
Century 21 Your Way
(781) 661-5343
100 Total Sales
1 in Holden
$550,000 Price
Saad Munir
Torii, Inc.
(774) 458-7735
124 Total Sales
1 in Holden
$545,000 Price
Michael Nugent
RE/MAX Prof Associates
(774) 479-4459
60 Total Sales
1 in Holden
$735,000 Price
James Bahnan
RE/MAX Partners
(508) 978-4087
11 Total Sales
1 in Holden
$870,000 Price
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