The Town of Clinton, Massachusetts

Clinton, incorporated as a town in 1850, lies in central Massachusetts, straddling the valley of the south branch of the Nashua River and is the site of the Wachusett Reservoir, formed by damming the river in 1905 to provide drinking water for the City of Boston. Clinton's terrain was partly shaped by retreating glaciers which created the present landscape.

The town is 35 miles west of Boston, with a population of approximately 13,500 residents living within its seven square miles. The highways that cross the town - Routes 62, 70 and 110 along with nearby Interstates 190 and 495 - connect Clinton to the large cities of Worcester, 13 miles south and Fitchburg, 16 miles north.

The town developed primarily in the 19th century as a major center of textile manufacturing. Even today, the old impressive mill buildings remain and have been adapted to other manufacturing and residential purposes.

Though many homes were demolished with construction of the reservoir, some historic buildings remain. These include churches, public buildings and homes of prominent citizens. Horatio and Erastus Bigelow were mill owners who left an important legacy in the town and helped to shape it into what it is today. The brothers, whose crowning achievement was the development of the carpet loom, revolutionized industry in this once rural farming community. Their carpet mill is now office space and the former Bigelow Mechanics Institute is the Bigelow Free Library. Horatio Bigelow also donated the land for Central Park, bordered by Walnut, Chestnut, Union and Church Streets. The park features war memorials to the Civil War and the Spanish American War.

These sites as well as other landmarks are concentrated in a quaint historic district around the Common and can be enjoyed on a short walking tour.

Statistics

Last updated September 2006

Total area - 7.29 sq. miles, land area - 5.70 sq. miles
Public road miles - 48.63
Elevation - 366 ft.
Latitude - 422500N; Longitude - 0714100W
Normal temperature in January - 23.4°F
Normal temperature in July - 71.3°F
Normal annual precipitation - 47.0"
Avg. single family tax bill - $2,473
Avg. single family property value - $182,925
Total population - 13,847
% male - 48%
% female - 52%
Median age - 37
% graduated college - 13%
% with Graduate Degree - 10%
% of households with children - 34%
% of dwellings rental-occupied - 38%
Annual residential turnover - 19%
Median dwelling age - 60
Median household income - $48,753
Avg. household income - $63,530
Total crime index - 49
Air pollution index - 101

Government

Utilities & services

Electricity and gas to entire town
Private wells and sewers
Full-time police department
Full-time fire department and ambulance service
Curbside trash pickup and recycling center

Education

Pre-Kindergarten through Fourth: Clinton Elementary School
Fifth through Eighth: Clinton Middle School
Ninth through Twelfth: Clinton Senior High School
Private School N-08; St. Mary's Elementary School
School Enrollment (2001): 2241 (Mass Rank= 152)
Classrooms On Internet: 98%; Students With Computers: 2.6%
Clinton Public Schools website
Clinton Early Childhood Resource Center

Churches

Please see our church guide.

Transportation

Principal highways are State Routes 62, 70, 110, I-190 and I-495
Freight rail service is available from Conrail and from the Springfield Terminal Railway; contact number for Conrail: 617-783-6222, contact number for the Springfield Terminal Railway: 978-663-1073
Clinton is a member of the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA), which provides fixed route service between Clinton and Worcester
The Worcester Regional Airport, a Primary Commercial (PR) facility with scheduled passenger service, is easily accessible.
MassHighway projects
2001 traffic data

Healthcare