Weymouth, Massachusetts

Weymouth is a city[2] in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is one of 13 municipalities in the state to have city forms of government while retaining "town of" in their official names.[3] It is named after Weymouth, Dorset, a coastal town in England, and is the second-oldest settlement in Massachusetts, second only to Plymouth.[4] It is one of the South Shore's more affordable towns and offers a short commute into Boston, MBTA bus and rail service, and a town beach.

Town of Weymouth
City
Town Hall, built in 1928 as a replica of Old State House in Boston
Town Hall, built in 1928 as a replica of Old State House in Boston
Flag of Town of Weymouth
Flag
Official seal of Town of Weymouth
Seal
Motto(s): 
Latin: Laborare Est Vincere
("To Work Is to Conquer")
Location of Weymouth in Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Location of Weymouth in Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°13′15″N 70°56′25″W
Country United States
State Massachusetts
CountyNorfolk
Settled1622
IncorporatedSeptember 2, 1635
Government
 • TypeMayor-council
 • MayorBob Hedlund (R)
Area
[1]
 • Total21.57 sq mi (55.88 km2)
 • Land16.77 sq mi (43.42 km2)
 • Water4.81 sq mi (12.45 km2)
Elevation
200 ft (27 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total57,437
 • Density3,426.01/sq mi (1,322.79/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Codes
02188–02191
Area code339/781
FIPS code25-78865
GNIS feature ID0619462
Websitewww.weymouth.ma.us

At the 2020 census, Weymouth had a total population of 57,437.[5] It also had a crime rate of 12.42 per 1,000 residents.[6]

Demographics
Historical population
YearPop.±%
18403,738—    
18505,369+43.6%
18607,742+44.2%
18709,010+16.4%
188010,570+17.3%
189010,866+2.8%
190011,324+4.2%
191012,895+13.9%
192015,057+16.8%
193020,882+38.7%
194023,868+14.3%
195032,690+37.0%
196048,177+47.4%
197054,610+13.4%
198055,601+1.8%
199054,063−2.8%
200053,988−0.1%
201053,743−0.5%
202057,437+6.9%
* = population estimate.
Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
Source: U.S. Decennial Census[17]

As of the 2010 census, there were 53,743 people, 22,435 households, and 13,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,174.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,225.6/km2). There were 22,573 housing units at an average density of 1,327.1 per square mile (512.4/km2). 64% housing units were owner-occupied and 35% of housing units were renter-occupied. The racial makeup of the city was 82.7% White, 5.2% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 5.7% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.[18]

There were 22,028 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families, 37% of which were non-family households with residents over 65 years of age. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $68,665, and the median income for a family was $52,083. Males had a median income of $42,497 versus $35,963 for females. The per capita income for was $24,976. About 9.1% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Weymouth has the 10th highest Irish population in the United States, at 33%.[19] As "white flight" occurred in inner-city Boston exacerbated by the start of the cross-district busing program, in the 1960s and 70s thousands of white (predominantly of Irish descent) Bostonians moved to middle/working class suburbs such as Weymouth and Quincy. The blue collar city culture (example: The Boston accent) of places like South Boston and Dorchester is prevalent in the neighborhoods of Weymouth. Weymouth has colloquially been referred to as "Suburban Southie" and "Southie on the South Shore" due to the high influx of South Boston residents and Irish Catholic culture in the town. This trend continues in a different way again today as some longtime South Boston residents are now being priced out due to gentrification. Many are moving out to the more affordable towns on the South Shore.

Income
See also: List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income

Data is from the 2009–2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.[20][21][22]

Rank ZIP Code (ZCTA) Per capita
income		 Median
household
income		 Median
family
income		 Population Number of
households
Norfolk County $44,692 $84,916 $108,943 677,296 257,451
1 02190 (South Weymouth) $36,124 $77,329 $98,442 16,733 6,719
2 02188 (Weymouth Landing) $35,954 $68,366 $80,799 14,655 6,220
Massachusetts $35,763 $66,866 $84,900 6,605,058 2,530,147
Weymouth $32,832 $68,113 $81,987 54,366 22,526
3 02191 (North Weymouth) $31,652 $64,365 $86,588 8,369 3,558
4 02189 (East Weymouth) $29,185 $60,059 $78,079 14,609 6,029
United States $28,155 $53,046 $64,719 311,536,594 115,610,216

Geography
Population density and elevation above sea level in Greater Boston (2010). Weymouth is especially vulnerable to sea level rise.

Weymouth is located at 42°12′23″N 70°56′45″W (42.206458, −70.945919).[23]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 21.6 square miles (56 km2), of which 17 square miles (44 km2) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km2) (comprising 21.29%) is water.

Weymouth contains the Weymouth Back River and the Weymouth Fore River; its surroundings, formerly industrial, are now set aside as parks and natural areas, including Webb Memorial State Park. There are many streets named after people and trees.

Weymouth residents often designate which of four "districts" they live in:

  • North Weymouth is considered anything north of the intersection of Church Street, North Street and Green Street. Some of the sites around North Weymouth are Great Esker Park, George Lane Beach, Webb State Park, the Wessagusset Yacht Club, Boston skyline views, and the Abigail Adams Historical Society. Historically North Weymouth was a blue collar area, However, recently it has started to include up-and-coming waterfront property that rivals similar in pricier towns. Many small cottages are being bought up and redone on the waterfront. This is notable on streets such as Regatta Road. North Weymouth is the most densely populated area of the town.
  • South Weymouth is mostly south of Route 3. South Weymouth is home to the former Naval Air base that is being redeveloped into residential and commercial properties and is one of the areas biggest development projects. South Shore Hospital and Weymouth High School are in South Weymouth. South Weymouth has its own town square called Columbian Square.
  • East Weymouth is somewhat in the center of Weymouth, including Whitman's Pond, Jackson Square, and Town Hall. East Weymouth has several fine examples of Victorian homes, including Queen Anne, shingle, and colonial revival homes. Some particularly fine examples of these homes are being restored on Hillcrest Road. East Weymouth has many longtime working class residents who take pride in their hometown.
  • Weymouth Landing spans a mile around Weston Park. After recent years of blight in the main commercial area it is being redeveloped. Weymouth Landing is the border between Weymouth and Braintree and is where the Fore River splits into tributaries.

Weymouth is bordered on the north by Hingham Bay and Boston Harbor. Weymouth's territory includes Grape Island, Slate Island, and Sheep Island, all part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Weymouth is bordered on the west by Quincy, Braintree, and Holbrook. It is bordered on the south by Abington and Rockland. Weymouth is bordered on the east by Hingham.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Weymouth has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[24]

Climate data for Weymouth, Massachusetts
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 39
(4)		 42
(6)		 49
(9)		 59
(15)		 70
(21)		 79
(26)		 85
(29)		 83
(28)		 75
(24)		 65
(18)		 54
(12)		 43
(6)		 61.9
(16.6)
Daily mean °F (°C) 30
(−1)		 32
(0)		 40
(4)		 49
(9)		 59
(15)		 69
(21)		 74
(23)		 73
(23)		 65
(18)		 54
(12)		 45
(7)		 35
(2)		 52.1
(11.2)
Average low °F (°C) 21
(−6)		 23
(−5)		 30
(−1)		 39
(4)		 48
(9)		 58
(14)		 64
(18)		 63
(17)		 55
(13)		 44
(7)		 36
(2)		 26
(−3)		 42.2
(5.7)
Average precipitation inches (cm) 4
(10)		 4
(10)		 4
(10)		 3.9
(9.9)		 3.2
(8.1)		 2.8
(7.1)		 2.8
(7.1)		 3.8
(9.7)		 3.3
(8.4)		 3.8
(9.7)		 4.5
(11)		 4.2
(11)		 44.3
(113)
Source: Weatherbase[25]

Transportation

Weymouth is served by several MBTA bus routes as well as three MBTA Commuter Rail stations: two on the Greenbush Line, at Weymouth Landing and East Weymouth, and one on the Kingston Line at South Weymouth. Numbered routes that pass through Weymouth include Massachusetts Routes 3, 3A, 18, 53, 58 and 139.

Government
First Weymouth Town Hall. It was built in 1852 and destroyed by fire in 1914.

Weymouth was founded in 1635, from the territory known as Wessagusett which was described in 1622—just two years after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. Weymouth held the distinction of having the oldest continuous town meeting form of government, for 365 years. In 1999, Weymouth residents voted to change to a city form of government. David M. Madden was elected as the city's first mayor and took office in 2000.

On July 10, 2007, Mayor David M. Madden announced he would not seek reelection. In 2008, Susan Kay was elected as the new mayor of Weymouth.

On November 3, 2015, Republican state senator Bob Hedlund was elected as the new mayor of Weymouth, succeeding long-incumbent mayor Susan M. Kay. Hedlund assumed office on January 4, 2016.

Weymouth is part of the Massachusetts Senate's Plymouth and Norfolk district.

Weymouth is one of the few places in the United States where self-service gas stations are illegal. The ban was introduced in 1977.[26]

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 15, 2008[27]
Party Number of Voters Percentage
Democratic 12,254 35.45%
Republican 3,690 10.68%
Independent 18,497 53.52%
Libertarian 123 0.36%
Total 34,564 100%

Education

Weymouth High School is the only high school in Weymouth. Prior to 2005, grades eight and nine were housed in Weymouth Junior High while grades ten, eleven, and twelve comprised the High School. This changed with the construction of a new wing on the Junior High building in South Weymouth, which subsequently became the new Weymouth High School housing grades nine through twelve. The old Weymouth High School in East Weymouth was converted into the Maria Weston Chapman Middle School. More than 2,000 students attend the high school. A brand new athletic surface was completed in 2005, giving Weymouth High School an artificial turf field and a track surface.

In 2008 Boston Magazine ranked Weymouth High School eighth among Boston-area high schools in academic performance and eighteenth in cost efficiency.[28] Weymouth High has a high graduation rate of 93.6%, as of 2022.[29] In June 2021, Weymouth High School was placed into a state program for schools or districts that disproportionately suspend nonwhite students or students with disabilities.[30]

There is one Middle School in East Weymouth. It is the rebuild of the Maria Weston Chapman Middle School. It opened in time for the 2022-23 school year.

The two old Middle Schools: Abigail Adams, and the old Chapman are now closed down, with Chapman demolished and Adams with no future plans but has not been torn down.

There are eight primary schools and one early childhood center, five of which are named after Weymouth's Congressional Medal of Honor recipients.

There is one Public Charter School which Weymouth is associated to

  • South Shore Charter Public School (located in Norwell Massachusetts)

In addition, there are four private schools in Weymouth.

  • South Shore Christian Academy, an independent, Christian, college preparatory day school for students in grades K–12. SSCA also operates a pre-school program.
  • Sacred Heart Elementary School, a Catholic elementary school under the direction of the Archdiocese of Boston for grades Pre-K–4. This school is associated with St. Francis Xavier.
  • First Baptist Christian, an elementary school for grades Pre-K–8, under the direction of the First Baptist Church of Weymouth.
  • St. Francis Xavier, a Catholic elementary school under the direction of St. Francis Parish. This school is for grades 5–8 and is associated with Sacred Heart Elementary School

History

A failed colony

Weymouth was settled in 1622 as Wessagusset Colony founded by Thomas Weston, who had been the main financial backer of Plymouth Colony.[31] The settlement was a failure, as the 60 men from London were ill-prepared for the hardships required for survival. They also may have lacked the motivation of the Pilgrims, as this colony was purely economic in motivation and the men had not brought their families.[32]

Bichman House, c. 1650, is likely the oldest surviving house in Weymouth.

By winter, poor planning and bad management led to supplies running out, and the Plymouth colonists had little to share. The situation grew desperate and Weymouth men began to sell their clothes, hire themselves out as laborers, and even steal from the local Massachusett Indians. The Indians were soon taunting the Weymouth men and robbing them of what little food they gathered clamming and foraging in the woods.[33] By now, many in the colony were starving or ill, and law and order had broken down. The lowest point came when a settler was accused of stealing supplies from the Massachusetts, and the Massachusett leaders demanded the thief's execution; the Weymouth men complied, but legend has it that they may have executed a dying, sick settler instead.[33]

By April 1623, word came of conflict between American Indians and the Virginia colonists, and tension increased between the Wessagusset colonists and the Indians. Massachusetts and other tribes began plotting to attack and destroy what was left of the floundering colony and the more successful Plymouth Colony. Wampanoag Chief Massasoit heard about the plot but soon fell ill and nearly died. A party from the Plymouth Colony came to his village and nursed him back to health, and he warned them of the plot.[33] Governor William Bradford decided to preempt the planned attack, and sent Myles Standish to Weymouth with the Plymouth militia and their Indian guide Hobbamock to end the threat. Using the promise of a meal of pork, Standish lured five of the more bellicose Massachusett Indians inside the stockade, including Wituwamat, a large man who had belittled Standish because he was short and had bragged about murdering a number of French shipwreck survivors. Once inside, there was a brief struggle and the Indian leaders were killed.

Ten of the original 60 colonists starved to death and two others were killed in conflicts with the Indians. Forty-five colonists joined Plymouth or went north to Maine, and from there most returned to England. Three men who had left the colony to live among the Indians as laborers could not be warned in time and were subsequently killed by them after Standish had released the women and children.[33]

Robert Gorges attempted to form a colony at the site later that year as the center of a more royalist and Anglican system of government for New England.[32] He brought William Morrell as religious leader and expected Governor Bradford to acknowledge his supremacy and act as his agent.[32] Within weeks, the New England winter caused Gorges to leave with most of the settlers.[31] Those who remained formed the nucleus of the permanent settlement.[34] and the oldest in what would become Massachusetts Bay Colony.[35] In 1630, it was officially incorporated into the Massachusetts Bay Colony; the name was changed to Weymouth in 1635 with the addition of 100 families under the leadership of Joseph Hull. These groups experienced some difficulty integrating together, especially due to conflicting pressures from the Puritans of Boston and the Pilgrims of Plymouth, but Weymouth was a stable and prominent town with its current boundaries by 1635.[32] It was included as part of Suffolk County when it was formed on May 10, 1643. The oldest surviving house in Weymouth is the Bickman House (c. 1650) located at 84 Sea Street.[36]

Post-colonization

Weymouth was heavily involved in the shoemaking industry from the first years of the 18th century right through to 1973, when the Stetson Shoe Company closed its doors. The building is currently being used for medical offices.[37]

The original town hall was destroyed by fire in 1914 and was replaced in 1928 with a town hall that is a replica of the old Massachusetts State House in Boston. In May 2018, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker designated a tract of land near Lakeview Manor and the eastern and northern borders of Whitman's Pond as an "opportunity zone" under the Congressional Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[38]

Points of interest
Abigail Adams birthplace

Parks

Weymouth has 43 parks, playgrounds, memorials, recreation areas and facilities:[39]

Notable people
Abigail Adams
Maria Weston Chapman
Jared Terrell
Booker T. Washington
Frank Lloyd Wright

See also

References
  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  2. Although it is called the "Town of Weymouth," it is a statutory city of Massachusetts. See Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
  3. "CIS: Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates". www.sec.state.ma.us.
  4. Adams, Charles Francis; Nash, Gilbert (1905). Wessagusset and Weymouth. p. 1.
  5. "Census - Geography Profile: Weymouth Town city, Norfolk County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  6. "Crime Overview 2022". ma.beyond2020.com. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  7. "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
  8. "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  9. "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  10. "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  11. "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  12. "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  13. "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  14. "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  15. "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  16. "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  17. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  18. 2010 American Fact Finder
  19. http://www.epodunk.com/top10/irish/index.html ePodunk Irish Index
  20. "SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  21. "ACS DEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING ESTIMATES 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  22. "HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  23. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  24. "Weymouth, Massachusetts Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase.
  25. "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on October 26, 2013.
  26. https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20190426/weymouth-holds-tight-to-41-year-ban-on-self-service-gas-pumps
  27. "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 15, 2008" (PDF). Massachusetts Elections Division. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  28. "The Best Public High Schools". Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  29. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Weymouth Town city, Massachusetts". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  30. Trufant, Jessica (June 11, 2021). "Black students disproportionately suspended at schools in Quincy, Weymouth, Plymouth". The Patriot Ledger. Gannett. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  31. http://www.weymouth.ma.us/history/index.asp?id=2598 Archived 2011-05-04 at the Wayback Machine Weymouth the First Hundred Years by Ted Clark
  32. Nash, Gilbert (1885). Historical Sketch of the Town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, from 1622-1884. A. Mudge & Son, printers.
  33. Mayflower: A story of Courage, Community, and War, Viking Press 2006 by Nathaniel Philbrick, pages 140-153
  34. Jeannette Paddock Nichols; Roy Franklin Nichols. The republic of the United States: a history, Volume 1. p. 48.
  35. Moore, Jacob Bailey (1848). Lives of the governors of New Plymouth, and Massachusetts bay. p. 235.
  36. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  37. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 29, 2006. Retrieved October 24, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  38. Baker, Ed (May 2, 2018). "Opportunity Zone designated near Weymouth's Whitman's Pond". Weymouth News. GateHouse Media. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  39. Parks & Recreation – Weymouth MA, Town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, retrieved June 22, 2017
  40. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Marquis Who's Who. 1967.
  41. Sullivan, Debbie Sargent; Tighe, Joanne Palmieri (2001). Images of America: Weymouth. Portsmouth, NH: Arcadia Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-7385-0926-6.
  42. "Jim Peckham Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020.
  43. Historical Timeline - North Weymouth Civic Association, North Weymouth Civic Association, April 6, 2012, retrieved February 16, 2016
  44. Harlan, Louis R. (1983), Booker T. Washington: The Wizard of Tuskegee, New York, NY: Oxford University Press, p. 282, ISBN 0-19-503202-0
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