Select Board
Osler Peterson, Chair
Eileen Murphy, Member
Gus Murby, Member
Founded:
1651
Settled: 1649
County:
Norfolk
Since 1793
(Metro Southwest Suburb of Boston)
About Medfield, MA
The Town of Medfield (02052) is a 14.59-square-mile community in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, southwest of Boston. It’s beloved for its excellent public schools, family-friendly atmosphere, and abundant parks. It’s home to the Medfield Rhododendron Reservation, a 196-acre nature reserve that contains a stand of the rare rhododendron species Rhododendron Maximum, also known as the rosebay rhododendron or the great laurel.
Medfield is a suburban community that consists mostly of homeowners, with a few rental properties. There are 5 public schools, which include 3 elementary schools (Dale, Ralph Wheelock, and Memorial), one middle school (Thomas Blake Middle School), and a high school (Medfield High School).
Medfield itself, although characteristic of many small New England towns, has some unique attributes. If you sit outside at one of Medfield’s cafes or restaurants for long enough during the warm months, you’ll likely hear a freight train go by on the nearby railway. The trains come about 4 times each day, but the locals will tell you that you get used to the sound pretty quickly if you live there.
Medfield also has a few claims to fame. Boxing fans might remember the famous fight between Medfield native Peter McNeeley and Mike Tyson in 1995. Although the fight only lasted halfway through the first round, McNeeley made sure to take the opportunity to give a literal “shout-out” to his hometown, yelling “…and last, but not least, Medfield!” in commemorations during his pre-fight interview.
Finally, some of the filming for Shutter Island, a psychological thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio, also took place in Medfield. The shuttered (pun intended) Medfield State Hospital was used as a backdrop. If you visit the site with a tablet or smartphone in hand, you can even line up stills of the film with specific buildings on the campus.
Medfield is beloved for its excellent public schools, family-friendly atmosphere, and abundant parks. It’s home to the Medfield Rhododendron Reservation, a 196-acre nature reserve that contains a stand of the rare rhododendron species Rhododendron Maximum, also known as the rosebay rhododendron or the great laurel.
Politics
In the 2024 presidential election, Medfield voted mostly Democratic, like much of the greater Boston area. Specifically, about one-third of voters voted Republican, while two-thirds voted Democrat:
- Republican: 2,500 Trump/Vance
- Democrat: 5,230 Harris/Walz
Source: Medfield Town Page
Taxes
The residential Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2026 is on the medium side at $13.52 per $1,000. This is slightly lower than the Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2025, which was $13.80 per $1,000.
Third-party estimates put the median home value at $911,100, and the yearly median tax bill is about $12,318, or about $1,027 per month.
Sources: Medfield Town Page, MyTownView.com
Commuting
Unfortunately, Medfield does not have a commuter rail stop. You’d have to drive to the stop at Walpole and park to take the train into the city. The station parking lot has the capacity for 345 vehicles, but there are private lots and garages nearby if it’s full.
Driving to Boston from Medfield
Medfield is also isolated from major highways, so Route 109 can get pretty jammed during rush hour.
If you want to take the highway into Boston, your best bet is to take Central Avenue northwest to get to I-95, then jump onto I-90 to go east into Boston. You could also take 109 to I-95 and drive north to I-90, or you could also take I-93 eastward and then northward into Boston.
If you’re driving from Medfield to downtown Boston on a Monday morning, you can expect a commute that lasts anywhere from 50 minutes to almost 2 hours.
Rideshare Availability
Both Lyft and Uber formally list Medfield as an active service area, so they likely provide rideshare services to the town. However, there may not be as many drivers in Medfield as you’d expect closer to the city.
Keep in mind that rideshare companies use contract-based, “freelance” drivers who set their own hours. Availability depends on how many drivers are currently enrolled in these companies’ programs and how often they are active. Even in a town that is technically covered, there may not be any drivers available.
Education
Medfield’s Warrant Committee capped the town’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget growth at 3.64% over Fiscal Year 2025. There was a proposition put forth to override about $1.5 million in funding for schools, and it passed.
The approved budget was about $46.22 million, according to announcements made by Medfield Public Schools.
Source: Medfield Public Schools, Medfield School Committee on Facebook
Early Education Schools
Public Early Education Schools
- Medfield Integrated Preschool at Memorial School: 59 Adams Street, Medfield, MA 02052. https://www.medfield.net/o/memorial-school/page/pre-school-registration
Private Early Education Schools
- Beginning Years Child Development: 50 North Street, 28 Pleasant Street, and 88R South Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
- Castle Hill Academy: 309 North Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
- Medfield Children’s Center: 105 North Meadows Road, Medfield, MA 02052.
- The Goddard School of Medfield: 90 North Meadows Road, Medfield, MA 02052.
Elementary and Middle Schools
Public Elementary Schools
- Memorial School (Kindergarten–Grade 1): 59 Adams Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
- Ralph Wheelock School (Grades 2–3): 17 Elm Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
- Dale Street School (Grades 4–5): 45 Adams Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
Public Middle Schools
- Thomas A. Blake Middle School (Grades 6–8): 24 Pound Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
Private Middle Schools
- Montrose School (Grades 6–12): 29 North Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
High Schools
Public High Schools
- Medfield High School (Grades 9–12): 88R South Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
Private High Schools
- Montrose School (Grades 6–12): 29 North Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
Medfield MCAS Scores
In 2025, Medfield Public Schools met or exceeded pre-pandemic performance levels in several MCAS areas. The town joined a select group of only 63 districts statewide that either met or exceeded pre-pandemic (2019) levels on the MCAS in either ELA or Math (Grades 3-8).
Source: Christine Power, PhD., Director of Instruction and Innovation, Medford Public Schools [PDF]
Housing Stock
Originally a town of farms and mills, Medfield saw the introduction of some industries in the 19th and 20th centuries. But it has long been sparsely populated compared to other Massachusetts towns, which made it ideal for suburban development.
There aren’t many rental properties available in Medfield, and the median home values in Medfield are well above state and national medians. Nonetheless, most residents say it’s an ideal place for settling down and raising a family if you have the opportunity.
As of September 2026, the reported median sale price for a home in Medfield ranges from $972,450 (realtor.com) to $1,149,424 (redfin.com). Prices are up compared with last year, although the reported increase varies by source: 2.31% according to Realtor.com and 5.9% according to Redfin.
Sources: realtor.com, redfin.com
Special Mortgage Financing Available
Medfield buyers may have access to several low-down-payment and first-time-homebuyer programs, subject to borrower, income and property requirements,
Is Medfield USDA Lendable?
Some properties in Medfield may qualify for USDA Rural Development financing. Because eligibility boundaries are address-specific, prospective buyers should check the property’s complete address using the USDA Property Eligibility Tool.
For example, the address below may be available for the Section 502 Guaranteed Loan Program (“Single Family Housing Guaranteed”).
Source: USDA
Is the Town Eligible for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Financing?
Yes. Eligible properties in Medfield can be financed through conventional mortgage programs supported by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, provided the borrower, property and loan meet applicable underwriting requirements.
Medfield is in Norfolk County, where the 2026 conforming loan limit for a one-unit property is $962,550. A mortgage exceeding the applicable county limit would generally require jumbo financing rather than standard Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac financing.singlefamily.fanniemae+1
Qualifying buyers may also access specialized conventional options such as HomeReady and Home Possible, which allow down payments as low as 3% and limit qualifying income to 80% of the area median income.
Separately, qualifying first-time buyers in high-cost areas may receive a waiver of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan-level price adjustments when income does not exceed 120% of area median income.
Source: Fannie Mae
Nightlife
Medfield isn’t well-known for its nightlife, but families with kids won’t be short on activities. If you’re looking for an active bar or nightclub scene, you might have more luck in Walpole, Norwood, or in Boston itself.
That said, there are a handful of bars in Medfield, so you have some options if you only like to go out for a drink with friends and family every once in a while!
Some establishments offer cocktails, live music, trivia, and other events. Popular nighttime establishments include:
- 21North: 21 North Street, Medfield, MA 02052. — An upscale-casual restaurant with a 30-seat bar, craft cocktails and a rotating schedule of live music, comedy and other events.
- 7th Wave Brewing: 120 North Meadows Road, Medfield, MA 02052. — A locally based, solar-powered craft brewery serving rotating beers and wood-fired Neapolitan pizza.
- Avenue: 445 Main Street, Medfield, MA 02052. — A farm-to-table-inspired restaurant and tavern with a first-come, first-served bar, seasonal food and cocktails.
- Noon Hill Grill: 530 Main Street, Medfield, MA 02052. — A casual neighborhood restaurant whose bar offers cocktails, beer and wine.
Dining Scene
Medfield has a modest but varied dining scene, with independent restaurants serving Italian, contemporary American and Asian cuisine. Most options are casual or upscale-casual rather than formal.
Several restaurants combine dinner service with a full bar, so you can choose from the list above as well.
Two popular local restaurants worth mentioning:
- Basil Restaurant, located at 43 Frairy Street
- Wasabi Asian Bistro & Bar, located at 16 North Meadows Road
Basil is a longstanding neighborhood restaurant serving American cuisine with Italian influences. Wasabi is an Asian restaurant and bar offering dine-in and takeout service.
Cell Service
The three major national wireless networks (AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon) provide cellular service in Medfield. Coverage strength and access to 4G LTE, standard 5G, or faster 5G service vary by neighborhood, building and device.
If you’re thinking about moving to Medfield, check each carrier’s coverage map using the exact address of a property.
Sports
Medfield doesn’t have a professional or minor-league sports team, but Medfield High School maintains a robust interscholastic athletics program. Students can compete in baseball, basketball, football, cross country, ice hockey, and other sports.
Community athletics extend beyond the high school. Medfield Youth Soccer offers in-town and travel programs for local children, while other organizations provide youth baseball and softball.
Medfield Parks and Recreation also occasionally offers recreational activities, including seasonal programming (the department does have a dedicated website, but it was not responding at the time of this writing).
Coolest Coffee Shop
Blue Moon Bagel Café
There are a few options for coffee in Medfield, but we chose Blue Moon Bagel Café, located at 236 Main Street, as our “Coolest Coffee Shop” for the town.
Source: https://www.bluemoonbagel.com/about
Blue Moon Bagel Café was opened by Dan and Linda Freedman in 1996 after they operated Freedman’s Bakery in Brookline and Boston. At the time, Dan was a fourth-generation master baker and recipient of numerous baking awards.
Blue Moon was acquired by Medfield natives Alex and Greg Monahan in 2022. They kept the place family-operated. Today, it’s a popular community gathering place serving coffee, scratch-made bagels, artisan breads, muffins, cakes, sandwiches and other breakfast and lunch items.
Its baked goods draw on fourth-generation family recipes and are produced in small batches throughout the day.
Walkability
Downtown Medfield is highly walkable, with shops, restaurants and community destinations clustered around Main and North streets.
Central Medfield has a Walk Score of 78, placing it in the “Very Walkable” category. Most errands in the immediate area can be completed on foot.
However, that score doesn’t extend to the greater area around central Medfield. Unless you live in the town center, you’ll probably need transportation to get around.
Considering a move to Massachusetts? Check out this informative article on relocating into Massachusetts.
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