Overview

Introduction to Arlington, Massachusetts

Arlington, Massachusetts, in Middlesex county, is 2 miles W of Medford, Massachusetts (center to center) and 6 miles NW of Boston, Massachusetts. The city is bordered by the Mystic River and the Mystic Lakes. Arlington has a large number of sites included in the List of Registered Historic Places. The modern community has kept its historic small town appeal. Residents have easy access to Boston and Cambridge. The commuter rail and Red Line subway are popular with commuters.

Arlington History

The colonists acquired land from the Indian tribal leader Nanepashemt's widow. They paid ten pounds with the agreement that the Indians would be able to stay on a portion of the land situated near the Mystic Lakes and be allowed to keep farming and hunting. Arlington was originally established as Menotomy by Europeans in 1635, inside the borders of Cambridge Massachusetts. Paul Revere's renowned ride took him through Menotomy. In 1867 it was renamed Arlington in tribute to those buried at the Arlington National Cemetery.

Captain George Cook constructed the area's first mill in 1637. A battle between the Colonists and the British occurred in Menotomy. In the early days, Arlington was a flourishing farming community. During the middle of the 1800's the ice industry was thriving. A large portion of the ice was transported to the Caribbean and to India by Frederic Tudor. In 1979 the first spreadsheet software program known as VisiCalc was created in Arlington.

Arlington Attractions

  • The Old Schwamb Mill is a notable historic location.
  • The Jason Russell House is a colonial home that has been converted into a museum.
  • Kensington Park Historic District.
  • Prince Hall Mystic Cemetery is the only black Freemason Cemetery in the nation.
  • The water tower located at Park Circle is a replica of the ancient Greek Arsinoeon of Samothrace.
  • Pierce Farm Historic District.
  • The Uncle Sam Memorial Statue pays tribute to native son Samuel Wilson who some regard as the original Uncle Sam.
  • The Cyrus E. Dallin Museum is named after the notable artist and showcases his artwork and sculpture.
  • Arlington Center Historic District.
  • There are a large number of Arlington houses included in the List of Registered Historic Places.
  • Calvary Methodist Church is an historic structure.
  • Locke School is a notable old building.
  • Orvis Road Historic District.

Arlington Activities

Menotomy Rocks Park includes Hills Pond and features trails which traverse through the forest. The Great Meadow includes a swamp area and forest acreage. Spy Pond Park features a scenic trail and the pond is popular for kayaking and canoeing. The Magnolia Field is a popular destination for families. The Minuteman Bikeway is a rail-trail and runs through numerous Arlington neighborhoods.

Demographics

People

Total Population45,147
Male Share of the Population46.5%
Female Share of the Population53.5%
Senior Citizens16.3%
Employed Population 16+24,714
Age of the Population41

Families

% of people married55.1%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher64.2%
Median Earnings25+$68,687
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$26,278
Median Earnings With High School Degree$45,829

Wealth

Median Family Income$142,985
% Above Poverty Level94.6%
% Below Poverty Level5.4%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time33 minutes
% Working from Home7%
% Walking and Biking to Work6.1%
% Using Public Transportation19.5%

Housing

People Living Alone31%
Median Gross Rent$1,645
Median House Value$609,800

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)24.4%
Irish21.8%
Italian13.5%
English10.9%
German8.1%
Polish4%
French Except Basque3.9%
Russian2.9%
Canadian2.4%
Portuguese2.3%
Scottish2%
Greek1.9%
Arab1.3%
Dutch1.3%
Swedish1.2%
Ukrainian1%
African0.9%
Slovak0.7%
US/American0.7%
Norwegian0.7%
Lithuanian0.6%
Iranian0.5%
Austrian0.5%
Finnish0.5%
Danishn0.5%
Swiss0.4%
Egyptian0.4%
Hungarian0.4%
Czech0.4%
Welsh0.4%
Syrian0.4%
Brazilian0.3%
West Indian0.3%
Croatian0.3%
Lebanese0.3%
Turkish0.3%
Ethiopian0.2%
Albanian0.2%
Sudanese0.2%
Haitian0.1%
Macedonian0.1%
Estonian0.1%
Australian0.1%
Belgian0.1%
Moroccan0.1%
Icelander0.1%
Romanian0.1%
New Zealand0.1%
Jordanian0.1%
Serbian0.1%
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Arlington Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyMiddlesex County
Standard Zip Codes02476, 02474
Phone Area Codes3,39,781
Time ZoneAmerica/New_York
Approximate Latitude42.41
Approximate Longitude-71.16

Arlington Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationREADING
Distance7.1 miles
Jan Temp16 to 35 F
Apr Temp35 to 58 F
Jul Temp60 to 83 F
Oct Temp39 to 62 F
Annual Precip48.3 inches
StationBEDFORD
Distance8 miles
Jan Temp16 to 35 F
Apr Temp36 to 58 F
Jul Temp60 to 83 F
Oct Temp39 to 62 F
Annual Precip46.9 inches
StationMIDDLETON
Distance14.6 miles
Jan Temp17 to 38 F
Apr Temp37 to 58 F
Jul Temp62 to 83 F
Oct Temp42 to 64 F
Annual Precip45.3 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Belmont26,043$154,968
Lexington33,480$206,591
Medford57,771$112,133
Somerville80,434$103,953
Winchester22,677$202,532

Arlington Public Libraries

Robbins Library
700 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE
Arlington, Massachusetts
(781) 316-3200

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More Information for Librarians

Arlington Public Schools

M Norcross Stratton
180 Mountain Avenue
ZIP: 2174
(781) 316-3754
Primary
Total Enrollment 408
Peirce
85 Park Avenue Ext
ZIP: 2174
(781) 316-3736
Primary
Total Enrollment 267
Hardy
52 Lake Street
ZIP: 2474
(781) 316-3781
Primary
Total Enrollment 392
John A Bishop
25 Columbia Road
ZIP: 2474
(781) 316-3791
Primary
Total Enrollment 415
Thompson
187 Everett Street
ZIP: 2474
(781) 316-3769
Primary
Total Enrollment 392
Arlington High
869 Mass Avenue
ZIP: 2476
(781) 316-3591
High
Total Enrollment 1217
Brackett
66 Eastern Avenue
ZIP: 2476
(781) 316-3705
Primary
Total Enrollment 497
Cyrus E Dallin
185 Florence Avenue
ZIP: 2476
(781) 316-3722
Primary
Total Enrollment 456
Menotomy Preschool
869 Massachusetts Avenue
ZIP: 2476
(781) 316-3593
Primary
Total Enrollment 57
Ottoson Middle
63 Acton Street
ZIP: 2476
(781) 316-3745
Middle
Total Enrollment 1107

Arlington Private Schools

Arlington Catholic High School
16 Medford St
ZIP: 2474
Secondary
Total Enrollment 729
Covenant School
9 Westminster Ave
ZIP: 2474
Elementary
Total Enrollment 38
Dearborn Academy
34 Winter St
ZIP: 2474
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 90
Lesley Ellis School
41 Foster St Apt 5
ZIP: 2474
Elementary
Total Enrollment 103
St Agnes School
39 Medford St
ZIP: 2474
Elementary
Total Enrollment 315
Arlington Children's Center
17 Irving St
ZIP: 2476
Elementary
Total Enrollment 20
Germaine Lawrence
18 Claremont Ave
ZIP: 2476
Secondary
Total Enrollment 31
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