Board of selectman:
Cherry C. Karlson, Chairman
Population:
13,954
Founded:
1780
County:
Middlesex
About Wayland, MA
Wayland is a 15.9 square mile town in Middlesex Country, Massachusetts, located in the MetroWest area around Boston. Wayland was the first settlement of the Sudbury Plantation (as it was originally known), which was established in 1638. If it sounds familiar, it might be because the town was immortalized in the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “Puritan Village: The Formation of a New England Town” by Sumner Chilton Powel, published in 1963.
Today, Wayland is a wealthy suburban town with an excellent school system. At first glance, it might look like other New England towns, but according to locals, there are a few things that make Wayland stand out from other small New England towns. For one, people actually smile and wave to you on the street, which is almost unheard of in some places!
Wayland is also more sparsely populated, which sets it apart from the dense suburbs you see around most of Boston. This makes the town less friendly to pedestrians, but it also means more privacy and quieter surroundings. If you’re used to living in the noisy city, you might be surprised when you hear crickets outside your window at night after moving to Wayland.
Wayland’s residents are passionate about their town and active in both town meetings and school activities. You’ll find some of the best homes in New England here, too. They tend to be on the pricey side, but the area is generally regarded as one of the best places to live and raise a family in Massachusetts.
At first glance, it might look like other New England towns, but according to locals, there are a few things that make Wayland stand out from other small New England towns. For one, people actually smile and wave to you on the street, which is almost unheard of in some places!
In the 2016 presidential election, Wayland voted:
Republican: 1,679
Democrat: 6,043
The residential Tax Rate in Wayland is on the high side at $17.76 per thousand with an average home tax bill of $14,214 (annual tax on homes range from $4K to $15K in eastern Massachusetts).
Wayland used to have a rail stop from 1965 to 1971, but the station was eventually closed due to poor track conditions. Currently, Wayland does not have its own stop on any commuter rail line. The closest stops are in Lincoln (about a 10-minute drive) and in Natick Center (about a 13-minute drive).
If you plan on driving into Boston on your commute, there are multiple ways to do so. The most direct route is probably to take US-20 East to I-95 South, then transfer to I-90 East into Boston. You can also stay on US-20 East the entire way if you so choose.
Alternatively, you could head north on I-95, then transfer over to the Concord Turnpike (MA-2) to get into the city. A third route takes you on I-95 all the way up to where it connects with I-93, heading south into the city.
Wayland is well within the coverage maps for Uber and Lyft’s Boston services, but there probably won’t be as many drivers available in Wayland as there are closer to the city. There are no Zipcar lots in Wayland, either.
Wayland invested $49.2 million in teachers and schools through its annual budget in 2018.
Wayland has 3 elementary schools (Happy Hollow, Claypit Hill, Loker Kindergarten), a middle school (Wayland Middle School), and a high school (Wayland High School).
The MCAS Tests from the most recent year shows that Wayland’s performance is below the state average Proficient category, but above the state average for the Advanced and Proficient or Higher categories. Wayland is also below the state average for the Needs Improvement, Warning/Failing categories.
Please note “Advanced” and “Proficient” are both subsets of “Proficient or Higher”. The numbers are percentages of Wayland students in each testing result category.
Wayland is a beautiful, sparse suburban area that is mostly filled with single-family homes. The home prices are high compared to other towns outside of Boston, but many of the houses in the area are spacious and elegant. The locals say it’s a close-knit, family-friendly community that offers plenty of peace and quiet.
Wayland is a suburban, family-oriented town, so it isn’t oriented toward the raucous nightlife. However, there are a few restaurants for families who like to eat out occasionally, and there are bars available if you’d like to go out for a drink.
If you’re interested in a nice steak dinner with a glass of fine wine, the Coach Grill Restaurant has been providing fine dining experiences since the 1930s. For a more casual atmosphere, try The Local Wayland or The Dudley Chateau. If you need more options, you can always head over to Waltham, Natick, or Framingham.
According to their own maps, Verizon and AT&T have considerable 4G LTE coverage in Wayland, even in the sparsely populated areas. But T-Mobile and Sprint customers may have a weak signal in areas outside of town. Sprint doesn’t currently have LTE coverage in certain parts of Wayland.
If you’re a golfer, Wayland has two country clubs to choose from, each with an adjoining golf course. These are the Wayland Country Club and the Sandy Burr Country Club. Sandy Burr even has a program for junior golfers.
Wayland Town Beach on Lake Cochituate allows locals to swim during the summer months. Just south of the beach is the Wayland Town Ramp, which you can use to launch small boats onto the lake.
Wayland High School also has varsity and junior varsity teams that compete as the Wayland Warriors. If you have a student at the school, you might see them compete in baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, and more.
Walkscore.com gives downtown Wayland a score of 50, which means some errands can be accomplished on foot. But that’s only if you live close to the intersection of Boston Post Road and Cochituate Road. As the rest of Wayland is mostly suburban, you’ll need a vehicle to get around if you live away from downtown.