Welcome to Medford

Medford is a city in Middlesex County on the Mystic River, about seven miles from downtown Boston, with neighborhoods on both banks and Medford Square at its historic center. It combines older residential streets with the woods of the Middlesex Fells to the north and direct Green Line and Orange Line service into Boston.

About Medford

Medford was settled in 1630 on land that began as the plantation of Matthew Cradock, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company. Its name is thought to come from "the ford by the meadow," the shallow crossing of the Mystic River just west of today's Medford Square. Paul Revere rode through Medford on the night of April 18, 1775. In the 19th century the city's shipyards along the Mystic built clipper ships, and Medford was known for its rum, brick, and crackers. It was incorporated as a city in 1892.

Tufts University was founded in 1852 on Walnut Hill, the highest point in Medford, and its campus sits on the Medford and Somerville line. Medford borders Somerville to the south, Arlington and Winchester to the west, Stoneham and Melrose to the north, and Malden and Everett to the east.

Getting Around

Medford has stations on three MBTA lines. The Green Line E branch stops at Ball Square and at Medford/Tufts, Wellington station on the Orange Line serves South Medford, and the Lowell Line commuter rail stops at West Medford. MBTA buses connect Medford Square with Davis Station and Sullivan Square. Interstate 93 and Route 16 cross the city, and the Fellsway runs north toward the reservation.

Medford Real Estate

Medford real estate is mostly older housing. Two-family houses are common, along with single-family Colonials and Victorian homes, especially in West Medford. Condominiums range from units in converted houses to newer buildings near the river and the transit stations. The city's neighborhoods include Medford Square, West Medford, Hillside, Lawrence Estates, North Medford and Fulton Heights, Glenwood, South Medford, and Wellington.

Near Wellington station, Station Landing is a mixed-use neighborhood of apartments, condominiums, shops, and offices built on a former office site. Medford buildings on our site include:

• Skyline Condos at Station Landing, a 12-story condominium tower at 100 Station Landing, next to the Orange Line

Living in Medford

The Middlesex Fells Reservation, about 2,575 acres of woods, ponds, and rocky hills shared with four neighboring communities, has miles of trails along the city's northern edge. Paths follow the Mystic River through the city, and on its banks the Condon Shell, an outdoor stage built in 1956, hosts the Medford Farmers Market and summer events. Wright's Pond is a seasonal swimming spot for residents.

History is close by. The Royall House and Slave Quarters, a Georgian mansion with the only known surviving separate slave quarters in the northern United States, is now a museum, and the Peter Tufts House is believed to be one of the oldest brick buildings in New England. Medford Square has restaurants and shops, and the city's smaller squares add more places to eat.

Questions About Medford

What kinds of homes are in Medford?

Medford real estate is mostly older housing. Two-family houses are common, along with single-family Colonials and Victorian homes, especially in West Medford, and condominiums range from units in converted houses to newer buildings near the river and the transit stations.

How do you get to Boston from Medford?

The Green Line E branch stops at Ball Square and Medford/Tufts, Wellington station on the Orange Line serves South Medford, and the Lowell Line commuter rail stops at West Medford. Interstate 93 and Route 16 cross the city.

What is Station Landing?

Station Landing is a mixed-use neighborhood of apartments, condominiums, shops and offices near Wellington station, built on a former office site. It includes the 12-story Skyline Condos tower next to the Orange Line.

To see homes for sale in Medford, browse the listings below. Thinking of buying or selling in Medford? Call (617) 848-9616 or get a free home valuation. Medford is part of our North of Boston guide.