These Mass. Towns Want 'City' Status

I always thought Saugus was a city - it's not, it's a town. What constitutes this?

In Massachusetts, every neighborhood has a story, and some towns are growing so fast they want to switch from being a "town" to a "city." This change isn't just about a new name - it's about how people run things.

What is the difference between a town and a city?

A town uses an open town meeting, where residents vote directly on big decisions like budgets and rules. It's like a big family chat. A city, though, has a mayor who leads like a boss and a city council that makes laws, like a mini Congress.

This setup helps handle more people and problems without everyone showing up to vote. Both towns and cities collect taxes and provide services like schools and roads, but cities often feel more organized for busy spots.

Massachusetts break down of towns and cities

Massachusetts has 351 spots in total: 59 cities and 292 towns. That's a mix of big hubs like Boston and quiet villages. Over the years, many towns have grown huge and decided to become cities to manage better.

Back in the 1800s, places like Lowell boomed with factories and hit city status at around 20,000 people. By the 1900s, spots like Quincy grew to 50,000 before changing. Lately, growth has sped up—Framingham, the newest city in 2018, had over 70,000 folks, the biggest town ever to switch. Populations in changing towns often double or triple over decades, from 10,000 in the early days to 50,000+ now, thanks to jobs near Boston and new homes.

Here are some towns that recently want to become cities: