This Small Town Named Lightning Strike Capital of Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a fantastic place to live and visit. From picturesque Cape Cod beaches to the iconic Boston skyline and west to the beautiful mountains of the Berkshires, Massachusetts truly has something for everyone.

One of the best parts about living in Massachusetts is it's overall safety. Not just safety in the sense of low crimes rates, but safe from natural disasters and predators as well. For example, when it comes to weather, the Bay State has it pretty good. Yes, the winters can be long and brutal, and there a few oppressive weeks of humidity in the summer, but compared to some of the catastrophic weather the rest of the country can experience, we're doing alright. Tornados, Earthquakes, Floods, and devastating hurricanes are a rarity in Massachusetts, which residents are thankful for.

Something Massachusetts does experience just like any other state? Lightning strikes! While by definition, they are a rare occurrence, but lighting strikes do occur in our state. While Florida remains the capital of lighting strikes in the U.S. one small Massachusetts town was named the Lightning Strike Capital of the state.

Very Small Massachusetts Town is the Lightning Strike Capital of the State

Vaisala, which operates the worlds most accurate national lightning detection network, recently released it's report of state lightning capitals. Their long range network has the ability to detect lightning anywhere on Earth, with an accuracy within one kilometer.

Florida sees the most lightning strikes, followed by Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama and Louisiana. But what about Massachusetts?

According to Vaisala, the lightning strike capital of Massachusetts is Phillipston. Never heard of it? You're not alone. The central Massachusetts town is home just under 2000 people and covers a total land area of just over 24 square miles and is located about 45 northwest of Worcester.

Last year, in 2024, Phillipston was home to 22 recorded lightning strikes, the most in Massachusetts.