MetroWest: A Great Place for Business
Geography
MetroWest is a cluster of towns located west of Boston, MA, and east of Worcester, in a region known for its industry, scenery, and high-demographic communities. Coined in 1983 by the Middlesex News, the phrase “MetroWest” has become synonymous with growth and prosperity.
The MetroWest Economic Research Center at Framingham State College defines MetroWest as the nine towns of Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Natick, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, and Wayland, representing a total population of approximately 184,000. With the exception of Southborough in Worcester County, the towns of MetroWest are part of Middlesex County.
The 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership offers a broader view of the region and marks it as stretching from Route 2 in the North to Route 1 in the South. They identify 32 municipalities, including 23 additional towns.
View MetroWest map for complete town listing.
Demographics
According to the Partnership, this region is home to half a million people. Nearly 50% of those aged 25 and older are college graduates and 20% have secured advanced degrees.
During the past decade, 55,000 people moved to MetroWest, representing a 12.1% growth rate – twice what Massachusetts experienced as a whole.
The Partnership reports that the local economy supports an annual payroll of $16.4 billion which counts for one of every 10 payroll dollars in Massachusetts. Of the 285,500 jobs in the region, most are concentrated in NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) supersectors: 21% are in Trade, Transportation and Utilities; 18.8% in Professional & Business Services, and 15.6% in Manufacturing.
Corporate headquarters for prominent firms like EMC, Sepracor, Bose, Staples, TJX, BJ’s Wholesale Clubs, and Boston Scientific are anchored here, and a wide swath of smaller companies utilize nearly 107 million square feet of leasable office and industrial space.
Growth
Media and business leaders have affectionately followed the growth of MetroWest, dubbing Rt.128/95 on the east as the “High Tech Highway” and Interstate 495 on the west as the “Arc of Innovation.” A Boston Globe article from 1991 cited 88 business listings in local phone books using the term “MetroWest.” Today, the quest for a regional identity is even stronger. In 2006, the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority formed and more recently, the Worcester Airport lobbied to change its name to the Worcester-MetroWest-Boston Airport.
The Commercial Division of RE/MAX Executive Realty is proud to reside in and serve such a distinguished region. Business people coming to the area might find these 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership resources of value.