Woburn

With lush parks sprinkled throughout the neighborhood of Cummingsville, it may be hard to believe that it lies less than 13 miles from downtown Boston. Along the community’s meandering suburban streets and cul-de-sacs, mid-1900s homes sit on grassy, quarter-acre lots. The area offers a convenient location for accessing major highways and proximity to shopping centers and malls. Playgrounds, parks and other recreation centers provide many opportunities for residents to stay active. The local district, Woburn Public Schools, has a curriculum rich in language instruction and a variety of extracurricular activities. Housing in Cummingsville mainly consists of single-family homes constructed during the mid-to-late 1900s. A blend of Garrison-style colonials, Cape Cods and split-levels lines the maze-like residential streets of the community. There are also a few 21st-century Colonial Revival-style and new traditional-style houses. Single-family prices generally fall somewhere between $550,000 and $1.1 million. “Woburn real estate is hot,” says Patricia Marsh, broker and Realtor with Realty Executives Marsh & Associates and a Woburn resident since 1983. “We have very low taxes, and the same home that would cost $1 million in Woburn would go for $3 million in Winchester.” There are also a few townhouse developments, most of which were built prior to 1980. Listings for these often range between $600,000 and $850,000. In Cummingsville, residential streets are interspersed with pocket parks and larger community parks, as well as indoor recreation facilities. The largest tract is Whispering Hill Park, a 75-acre swath of protected land whose features include a network of trails and several sports fields. “Woburn is an active community,” Marsh says. “Soccer is big, and so is lacrosse.” At Rag Rock Hill Park, a short hike to the peak offers a prime spot for watching sunsets. Smaller green spaces, such as Battle Road Woodland Area, have forested paths for dog walking or birding. The North Suburban YMCA on Lexington Street has an indoor pool and basketball court, as well as a full range of fitness equipment. The neighborhood’s O'Brien Ice Rink is open year-round for figure skaters to hone their skills, and in winter months, hockey teams from Burlington, Woburn and Medford compete there. Neighborhood schools include Reeves Elementary School, which receives a B-minus rating on Niche. Daniel L. Joyce Middle School carries a C-plus score. Woburn Memorial High School earns a B-minus and has a solid performing arts department, with courses in world dance, video production and podcast storytelling. The school also offers a world languages program, through which students can achieve a seal of biliteracy in Spanish, French, Italian or Latin. Restaurants in Cummingsville are centered around Four Corners — the place where Russell, Cambridge and Lexington streets converge. Boston King Coffee, which serves a variety of sandwiches and drinks, and Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub, known for its menu of casual comfort food, are both located at Four Corners. “The neighborhood is mostly residential, but it’s close to so much,” Marsh says. About 2 miles north is the Burlington Mall, which is the second-largest mall in Massachusetts. In addition to the mall’s nearly 200 shops and restaurants, there are several stores in the area surrounding it as well. Within a 2-mile radius of Cummingsville, there are multiple grocery stores, including Trader Joe’s, H Mart, Market Basket and Whole Foods. One of Cummingsville's defining features is that U.S. Route 3 bisects it and provides a north-south artery to Interstate 95 and Boston. Two Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail stations are within a 4-mile drive of the area: one in Mishawum and the other in Winchester Center. Though proximity to Boston allows Cummingsville to serve as a bedroom community, not all residents commute into the city for work. Nearby employers include the Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, located about 4 miles from the neighborhood. It recently achieved recognition as a Magnet® hospital. Marsh says that there are several office parks and lab spaces in Woburn which offer additional employment opportunities. One of the most popular city events is Woburn’s annual Festival on the Common, which takes place just after Thanksgiving. The festival includes performances by local schoolchildren, hayrides and visits with Santa. In October, the Lions Club organizes a Halloween parade down Main Street. The Woburn Recreation Department holds Mayor’s Field Day each August to mark the end of summer. Past activities on field day have included face painting and rock climbing. There is an active Superfund site about 3 miles east of Cummingsville. The area is under remediation due to the existence of trichloroethylene (TCE) within the soil and surrounding waterways. Ongoing cleanup efforts have involved removing contaminated soil and water, per the plan from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Approximately 10 miles north of Boston is Downtown Woburn, a historic urban enclave that’s seen a steady increase in development over the past several decades. Originally settled in 1640, the city of Woburn is one of the oldest communities in the New England area. “Woburn has grown; the population is currently around 40,000, and the city is about 12 square miles,” says Kathy Devine, a real estate agent with ERA Key Realty Services and Woburn resident of 20 years. Devine also says that the city’s history and modern growth can be seen in its array of residential properties: “You’ve got houses ranging from historic styles like the Baldwin Estate, which was built in 1661, all the way up to larger, newer construction.” The Woburn Public School system, a range of culinary options and convenient public transit are all additional draws to the area. Downtown Woburn has an overall CAP Index crime score of 4 out of 10, which is on par with the national average. “The houses in Downtown are often older and give a broad range in terms of housing styles,” Devine says. “The streets are well laid out, and there are quite a few multifamily homes in the area.” Other styles include ranch-style properties, classic Cape Cod dwellings and a handful of condominiums. There are also a number of homes with Colonial-style architecture, some of which date back centuries. Condo units often cost between $350,000 and $800,000, while a majority of single-family properties sell between $500,000 and $900,000. Recently, the city has seen an influx of larger new-build single-family homes that sell for over a million, which Devine says is one of the more noticeable changes happening in Woburn: “If I told someone in the 1970s that there was a house on the market for $1 million, they would’ve thought I was talking about the whole block.” Woburn Public Schools consists of five elementary schools, two junior high schools and one high school, many of which have been recently renovated. For kindergarten through fifth grade, young learners can attend either Shamrock Elementary or Malcolm White Elementary School, which are rated B-minus and C, respectively. Daniel L. Joyce Middle School, rated C-plus, and Kennedy Middle School, rated B-minus, are the two junior highs that accommodate grades six through eight. Woburn Memorial High School (WMHS) is the city’s secondary institution and receives a B-minus rating; the high school is also home to a visual and performing arts department with tailored creative classes for students. Downtown Woburn is home to Woburn Public Library, a major focal point of the city and a designated National Historic Landmark. Built in 1856, the Romanesque Revival building is covered in intricately detailed stone features like columns and rounded entryways. “The library had an addition built a few years ago, which is beautiful and doesn’t detract from the original building,” Devine says. The library provides resources and activities for people of all ages and strengthens the community through programs such as #WoburnUnites. Most of the restaurants and shopping areas in Downtown Woburn are located along Main Street and Winn Street; local stores include National Music Inc., a family-owned music supply store, and Central Woburn Meat Market, a butcher shop. “Woburn is very diverse in its culinary tastes – we have Portuguese, Greek, Italian and Mexican restaurants,” Devine says. “I don’t think there’s a culture we don’t represent in terms of culinary factor. You can find everything from a pizza place and sub shop to gourmet dining.” For American cuisine, locals can stop by The Brickyard, which features an extensive outdoor patio area, or The Restaurant, which serves classic comfort foods in a laid-back diner setting. Just north of the neighborhood across Interstate 95 is a Stop & Shop supermarket offering a wide selection of groceries, a bakery and a deli. Downtown Woburn encompasses the Horn Pond Recreation Area and Horn Pond walking path, which Devine says is about 2.5 miles around: “There’s always people walking around the pond, and there’s a smattering of fitness stations sprinkled along the pathway.” There are also several smaller parks throughout the area, including Clapp Park, Green Street Playground, Library Park and Red Rock Hill Park. Adjacent to the Horn Pond Recreation Area are the Woburn Community Gardens and the Woburn Country Club, a public golf course established in 1922. “There’s a lot of activities for kids in the area: hockey is big in Woburn, soccer has come a long way, there’s a boys and girls club, and we have a YMCA which has a pool and offers classes,” Devine says. June 2024 marks the return of Flag Day, a popular holiday festival: Sam Walker’s American Tavern collaborates with the Kiwanis Club of Woburn to put together the summertime celebration, which is full of crafts, live entertainment, food trucks and local artisan vendors. In October, the Woburn Host Lions Club, a local philanthropic organization, puts together the Woburn Halloween Parade, which draws thousands of attendees: “The parade is always on the last Sunday of October, but if you go down Main Street on Friday afternoon, you’ll see people already have their chairs out,” Devine says. Downtown Woburn is close to two major highways: Route 128, Interstate 95, and Interstate 93. “During rush hour, it could take you 40 minutes to get to Boston, but in the middle of the day, it can take only 20,” Devine says. “We also have several bus lines and the commuter rail, so it’s a really good position for people who are looking to be close enough to work in Boston but not too close.” The nearby Winchester Center train station offers service along the MBTA Commuter Rail Lowell and Haverhill Lines; MBTA also operates bus services through the Downtown area via Route 354 and 134. Less than a mile outside the neighborhood is the Winchester Hospital, which offers numerous healthcare services and operates a 24-hour emergency room.

With immediate access to two major highway corridors and an MBTA commuter rail, the suburban Mishawum neighborhood in Woburn has a notably desirable location. “I don’t know if there’s anywhere else in the area that’s as convenient as we are,” says Eileen Doherty, a Realtor with Lamacchia Realty and Mishawum resident. The neighborhood is situated just north of the city’s center and encompasses several outdoor parks and shopping centers, although a majority of the properties here are a mix of older and newer single-family homes. The overall CAP Index crime score for Mishawum is 3 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4. Residents are a 4-mile drive away from Winchester Hospital, which features a 24/7 emergency services department. Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are served by Woburn Public Schools, which receives an overall C-plus rating from Niche. Doherty says that homes at the “beginning of Mishawum Road area represent much more of a historic area with some Victorian homes,” some of which “date back to the 1800s.” She adds that as residents travel farther up the road, they’ll start to come across more recent developments and new builds. Most homes here are single-family, with only a small portion of residential properties being made up of apartments, most of which are townhouses. Colonial-influenced homes are one of the most common architectural styles, with some reflecting historic Colonial-era architecture and others being described as contemporary Colonials. Ranch-style dwellings and mid-century Cape Cods can also be found throughout the area. Single-family homes tend to range in price between $550,000 and $950,000, but a handful are sold for over $1 million. “One of our biggest events is the annual Woburn Halloween Parade, which typically happens on the last Sunday before Halloween, depending on the weather,” Doherty says. “We’ve seen upwards of 100,000 people come here for Halloween.” The parade is usually preceded by a road race called the Monster Dash, a 2.5-mile costume walk featuring live music and prizes. October 2024 marks the Woburn Halloween Parade’s 70th anniversary. Both the race and the parade are organized by the Woburn Host Lions Club, a group dedicated to promoting year-round philanthropy events and fundraisers throughout the city. “Mishawum is just so convenient to everything,” Doherty says. “We have both Interstate 95 – sometimes called Route 128 – and Interstate 93 running through here.” The neighborhood encompasses the intersection where these two major thoroughfares meet, where commuters can hop onto I-93 traveling to Downtown Boston, located approximately 12 miles away. Mishawum residents also have proximity to the Anderson/Woburn train station, a stop along both the MBTA Commuter Rail Haverhill Line and Lowell Line, which travels all the way to Boston’s North Station, a major transit hub. The Anderson/Woburn station also offers service for Amtrak’s Downeaster line, a regional route that connects to the town of Brunswick in Maine. There is a Mishawum station located centrally in the neighborhood, but the station was closed at the start of the pandemic and, as of April 2024, has not resumed service. For various outdoor recreation activities, Doherty says people can head to Weafer Park, which offers a small playground area that sits across from the well-maintained ballfield complex where Woburn Little League games take place. Weafer Park is also connected to a nearly 40-acre conservation area called Forest Park, which has seven short hiking trails. “The end of Mishawum Road leads you to The Woburn Village shopping center,” Doherty says, adding that the area used to be called Woburn Mall but underwent extensive renovations recently to accommodate a larger mix of commercial and residential buildings. “And it’s still in the process of being built and so it continues to expand.” There are several beauty salons and chain restaurants in the center, as well as a Sephora, T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods for retail shopping. Also in the Woburn Village is Market Basket, a grocery store chain with a produce section. For popular local restaurants, Doherty says residents can head to the nearby downtown area, where they can dine at places such as The Brickyard, a classic American eatery serving pub grub, and Adega, which serves traditional Portuguese dishes. Kindergarten through fifth grade students can kick off their academic journeys at either the B-rated Linscott Elementary School or Malcolm White Elementary School, rated C. Sixth, seventh and eighth graders attend Kennedy Middle School, while those in grades nine through 12 go to Woburn Memorial High School; both the middle and high school receive B-minus ratings. Woburn Memorial High has a visual and performing arts department with tailored creative classes for students.

Less than 2 miles from downtown lies North Woburn, a quiet residential neighborhood close to commuting options and Woburn entertainment. The winding streets have a large number of homes including residences built as early as the 1700s and townhouses built in 2023. These homes are just a short walk away from Main Street, which has many local schools, parks and shopping options along its sides. Other than Main Street and the surrounding interstates, the neighborhood is a very quiet area with both commuter rail and bus options for those who do not want to drive into downtown Woburn or Boston. “A lot of people who grew up in North Woburn settle there just because it’s very family-oriented,” says local broker Patricia Marsh of Realty Executives Marsh & Associates. When driving around the streets of North Woburn, residents can notice that many of the houses in the area have a symmetrical design. Most are Colonial Revival styles with some saltbox homes scattered around the neighborhood. Many homes are even more historic than they look and were built in the 1920s or earlier. These older homes sit right alongside townhouses and condos that were constructed in the last few years, as early as 2023. “There’s really not any rundown areas of Woburn,” Marsh says. Properties line winding streets dotted with mature maple and oak trees, and prices commonly range from around $500,000 to just over $1 million. North Woburn students can start their education at Altavesta Elementary School before continuing on to John F Kennedy Middle School. Students can then finish up their education at Woburn Memorial High School, which has been serving the community for over 165 years. All schools receive a B-minus rating on Niche. Fun seekers do not have to go far in this quiet neighborhood to reach Ferullo Field. Residents can take the kids to the playground and the pool or spark up a game of tennis or basketball with a friend. Ferullo Field features a dog park as well, which includes separate areas for large and small dogs. Wimbledon fans can also apply for a membership at the Woburn Racquet Club and make use of one of their ten indoor courts. Hungry residents are just a short drive from both takeout and sit-down restaurants like Teresa's Ristorante Bar & Pizzeria, popular for its authentic Italian-style dishes served at lunch and dinner. Date night and after-work get-togethers are also easy, with the neighborhood being home to The Baldwin Bar, a popular event spot for enjoying hand-crafted cocktails with friends. Daily necessities can be grabbed at the local Stop & Shop or CVS up the road. The neighborhood is also just across the street from Showcase Cinema de Lux Woburn for fans seeking the next summer blockbuster. Main Street is the largest street in the neighborhood, quickly connecting homes to shopping, dining and other larger roads in the area. “It’s convenient to get to the highway as well,” Marsh says, with Main Street connecting to both Interstates 95 and 93. Commuters can quickly hop on I-93 by bus or car to access Boston from Woburn. For commuters not wanting to hop on the interstate, the Mishawum and Anderson/Woburn commuter rail stations are a short walk or drive away. For trips outside of the state, Logan International Airport is 16 miles south, and Winchester Hospital Urgent Care – Woburn is at the neighborhood’s southern end. With the neighborhood being just a short drive from downtown Woburn, residents are just a hop and a skip away from tons of events, including a massive Halloween Parade down Main Street that is full of themed floats and costumes. The event draws tens of thousands of people each year and is a great way to start the spooky season. Locals can also head to the library’s lawn for Juneteenth Woburn, an event full of food trucks and artists alongside public speakers and musical performances. Kids can also head inside the library for crafts throughout the whole day.

At the intersection of Winchester, Woburn, and Lexington, Shaker Hill is a suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of Boston with a warm community spirit. “It’s the kind of place where you can go for a walk and people will come out of their homes to say hi,” said Eileen Doherty, who has worked in the area for 40 years. “You don’t often find a neighborhood like that. People will get a sense of the community and how friendly it is, and they tell all their friends.”<br><br>Home styles vary from one street to the next. Some streets are lined with stately, grandiose Colonial-style homes, while others feature more humble split-level and single-story homes. Few of the residential streets have sidewalks, and the hilly terrain means that stairs and retaining walls are common. Many of the homes were built in the mid-20th century, but new construction of condos make the most use of limited land. 3-bedroom homes built in the 1950s may sell for around $600,000, while larger 4-bedroom homes usually sell for more than $1 million. Condos and townhomes built since 2019 sell for around $950,000.<br><br>Depending on where in Shaker Hill they live, students may attend Winchester or Lexington Public Schools, both of which have A+ ratings from Niche. Students on the eastern side of the neighborhood may attend Vinson-Owen Elementary, a prekindergarten through fifth-grade. From there, students move on to McCall Middle, where the world languages department features French, Italian, Mandarin, and Spanish. The district's Winchester High offers almost six dozen clubs for students, ranging from anime club to finance club. All schools earn an A+ rating from Niche.<br><br>Shaker Hill is close to several parks, including the popular recreation spot of Whipple Hill. The 120-acre park includes 4 miles of trails, and the park’s namesake summit offers views of the Boston skyline. McClennen Park, which is adjacent to Whipple Hill, includes a playground, a skate park, multiple athletic fields and trails. Members can enjoy Winchester Swim and Tennis Club, a private facility within the neighborhood that includes a 25-yard pool and five tennis courts. The Club offers swim and tennis lessons for those who want to learn, and leagues for those who want to compete.<br><br>Shaker Hill is a quiet residential area, so there are no restaurants or retailers within the neighborhood boundaries. However, Doherty says that the dining options nearby include plenty of popular high-end eateries. Café Escadrille is a popular destination for the upscale continental fare like roast rack of lamb, and is located less than 3 miles north of the neighborhood. At the Burlington Mall, about 4 miles north of the neighborhood, residents can shop at high-end retailers like Nordstrom and eat at sophisticated steakhouses like Smith & Wollensky.<br><br>The Woburn Plaza shopping center, about a 2-mile drive east from Shaker Hill, includes a Whole Foods for grocery shopping and a Walgreens pharmacy. 3 miles north of the neighborhood, the Burlington Crossroads shopping center offers access to a Target and a MOM's Organic Market. There’s also a Trader Joe’s and a Market Basket supermarket within 4 miles of the neighborhood.<br><br>Downtown Lexington, 3 miles west of Shaker Hill, offers plenty of things to do within a 10-minute drive. The Lexington Venue theater shows independent films and is available for rental for private parties. The Lexington Arts and Crafts society puts on exhibitions for local artists and holds classes and workshops including jewelry-making, painting and pottery. For families, there is a Launch trampoline park and amusement center about 3 miles from the neighborhood. The Cary Memorial Library, 3 miles west of the neighborhood, also hosts programs like book clubs, conversation groups for English language learners, and rotating arts exhibits. The library also offers free or discounted passes to museums in Boston, Arlington and Lexington.<br><br>Shaker Hill is located about 12 miles north of Boston, a commute that will take between 25 and 45 minutes depending on traffic. There are several bus stops along Cambridge street, on the eastern side of the neighborhood, but commuters to Boston will have to change buses in order to complete the route. The Boston Logan International Airport is 14 miles from Shaker Hill and is served by more than 40 airlines. The Lahey Hospital and Medical Center is located about 4 miles southwest of Shaker Hill and offers personalized cancer care at the Lahey Health Cancer Institute.