Randolph, Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Randolph Town Hall | |
 Seal | |
| Motto: Latin:Fari Quae Sentiat "To Say What One Feels" | |
 Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts | |
| Coordinates:42°09′45″N71°02′30″W / 42.16250°N 71.04167°W /42.16250; -71.04167 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Massachusetts |
| County | Norfolk |
| Settled | 1710 |
| Incorporated | 1793 (T)2010 (C) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-manager |
| • Council president | William Alexopoulos |
| • City manager | Brian P. Howard |
| Area | |
• Total | 10.5 sq mi (27.2 km2) |
| • Land | 10.1 sq mi (26.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.42 sq mi (1.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 184 ft (56 m) |
| Population (2020)[1] | |
• Total | 34,984 |
| • Density | 3,470/sq mi (1,340/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Code | 02368 |
| Area code | 781/339 |
| FIPS code | 25-55955 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0618328 |
| Website | www |
| Randolph charter of 2009[2] | |
Randolph is a suburban city inNorfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census, the city population was 34,984.[3] Randolph adopted a charter effective January 2010 providing for acouncil-manager form of government instead of the traditionaltown meeting. Randolph is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of" in their official names.[4]
It was called Cochaticquom by the local Cochato tribes. The town was incorporated in 1793 from what was formerly the south precinct of the town ofBraintree. According to the centennial address delivered by John V. Beal, the town was named afterPeyton Randolph, first president of theContinental Congress.[5]
Randolph was formerly the home of several largeshoe companies. Many popular styles were made exclusively in Randolph, including the "Randies". At the time of Randolph's incorporation in 1793, local farmers were making shoes and boots to augment household incomes from subsistence farming. In the next half century, this sideline had become the town's major industry, attracting workers from acrossNew England, Canada and Ireland and later from Italy and Eastern Europe, each adding to the quality of life in the town. By 1850, Randolph had become one of the nation's leading boot producers, shipping boots as far away asCalifornia and Australia.
The decline of the shoe industry at the beginning of the twentieth century led to Randolph's evolution as a suburban residential community. Boot and shoe making has been supplanted bylight manufacturing andservice industries. The town's proximity to major transportation networks has resulted in an influx of families fromBoston and other localities who live in Randolph but work throughout the metropolitan area.
Starting in the 1950s, Randolph saw significant growth in its Jewish community with the exodus ofJews from Boston'sDorchester andMattapan neighborhoods. In 1950, fifteen or twenty Jewish families lived in the town; by 1970, Randolph had about 7,000 Jewish residents, and about 9,000 in 1980, the largest such community south of Boston. At its peak, Randolph had akosher butcher, Judaica shop, kosher bakery, and two synagogues. By the early 1990s, the population shrank to about 6,000.[6][7]
The inspiration for the nationally observedGreat American Smokeout came from aRandolph High School guidance councilor, who observed in a 1969 discussion with students that he could send all of them to college if he had a nickel for every cigarette butt he found on the ground. This touched off an effort by the Randolph High School class of 1970, supported by the Randolph Rotary Club, to have local smokers give it up for a day and put the savings toward a college scholarship fund. The event went national in 1977.[8]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.5 square miles (27.2 km2), of which 10.1 square miles (26.1 km2) is land and 0.4 square mile (1.1 km2) (4.10%) is water. It is drained by theCochato River and Blue Hill River, which flow into theNeponset River.
Climate data forBlue Hills Reservation (Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory), 1991−2020 normals, extremes 1893−present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 68 (20) | 71 (22) | 89 (32) | 94 (34) | 96 (36) | 99 (37) | 100 (38) | 101 (38) | 99 (37) | 88 (31) | 81 (27) | 74 (23) | 101 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 56.6 (13.7) | 56.9 (13.8) | 65.6 (18.7) | 79.4 (26.3) | 87.3 (30.7) | 90.0 (32.2) | 92.9 (33.8) | 91.3 (32.9) | 86.9 (30.5) | 77.6 (25.3) | 68.4 (20.2) | 60.0 (15.6) | 94.7 (34.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 34.7 (1.5) | 37.0 (2.8) | 44.1 (6.7) | 56.3 (13.5) | 66.8 (19.3) | 75.4 (24.1) | 81.7 (27.6) | 80.2 (26.8) | 72.7 (22.6) | 61.0 (16.1) | 50.1 (10.1) | 40.2 (4.6) | 58.4 (14.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 26.5 (−3.1) | 28.2 (−2.1) | 35.5 (1.9) | 47.1 (8.4) | 58.5 (14.7) | 66.5 (19.2) | 72.7 (22.6) | 71.4 (21.9) | 64.2 (17.9) | 52.5 (11.4) | 42.0 (5.6) | 32.5 (0.3) | 49.8 (9.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 18.3 (−7.6) | 19.5 (−6.9) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 37.9 (3.3) | 48.2 (9.0) | 57.6 (14.2) | 63.8 (17.7) | 62.6 (17.0) | 55.6 (13.1) | 44.0 (6.7) | 33.8 (1.0) | 24.9 (−3.9) | 41.1 (5.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 0.0 (−17.8) | 3.1 (−16.1) | 10.1 (−12.2) | 26.7 (−2.9) | 37.5 (3.1) | 45.9 (7.7) | 54.9 (12.7) | 53.4 (11.9) | 42.3 (5.7) | 30.5 (−0.8) | 19.6 (−6.9) | 8.7 (−12.9) | −2.5 (−19.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −14 (−26) | −21 (−29) | −5 (−21) | 6 (−14) | 27 (−3) | 36 (2) | 44 (7) | 39 (4) | 28 (−2) | 21 (−6) | 5 (−15) | −19 (−28) | −21 (−29) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.50 (114) | 4.00 (102) | 5.52 (140) | 4.76 (121) | 3.82 (97) | 4.63 (118) | 3.47 (88) | 3.91 (99) | 4.06 (103) | 5.49 (139) | 4.31 (109) | 5.39 (137) | 53.86 (1,367) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 18.6 (47) | 18.2 (46) | 15.0 (38) | 2.8 (7.1) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.7 (1.8) | 1.8 (4.6) | 12.6 (32) | 69.7 (176.5) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 10.6 (27) | 11.5 (29) | 9.8 (25) | 2.6 (6.6) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.3 (0.76) | 1.3 (3.3) | 7.7 (20) | 17.1 (43) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 13.2 | 11.3 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 13.0 | 12.1 | 10.5 | 10.2 | 9.2 | 11.5 | 10.9 | 12.6 | 139.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 8.1 | 7.1 | 5.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 5.3 | 29.2 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 132.1 | 146.7 | 174.0 | 185.6 | 220.2 | 231.8 | 258.1 | 242.5 | 204.1 | 182.1 | 133.3 | 125.9 | 2,236.4 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 46.3 | 50.9 | 48.5 | 47.9 | 50.4 | 52.7 | 58.0 | 58.7 | 56.7 | 55.1 | 47.0 | 45.9 | 51.5 |
| Source 1: NOAA[9][10] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: BHO[11] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 4,741 | — |
| 1860 | 5,760 | +21.5% |
| 1870 | 5,642 | −2.0% |
| 1880 | 4,027 | −28.6% |
| 1890 | 3,946 | −2.0% |
| 1900 | 3,998 | +1.3% |
| 1910 | 4,301 | +7.6% |
| 1920 | 4,756 | +10.6% |
| 1930 | 6,553 | +37.8% |
| 1940 | 7,634 | +16.5% |
| 1950 | 9,982 | +30.8% |
| 1960 | 18,900 | +89.3% |
| 1970 | 27,035 | +43.0% |
| 1980 | 28,218 | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 30,093 | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 30,963 | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 32,112 | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 34,984 | +8.9% |
| 2024* | 35,114 | +0.4% |
| * = population estimate. Source:United States census records andPopulation Estimates Program data.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] | ||
As of thecensus[23] of 2010, there were 32,158 people, 11,564 households, and 8,038 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,184 inhabitants per square mile (1,229/km2). There were 11,564 housing units at an average density of 1,145.4 per square mile (442.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 41.6%White, 38.3%Black orAfrican American, 0.3%Native American, 12.4%Asian (6.3% Vietnamese, 3.3% Chinese, 0.9% Filipino, 0.8% Asian Indian) 0.0%Pacific Islander, 3.7% fromother races, and 3.5% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 6.4% of the population.
Randolph is one of the fastest growing minority-municipalities in the United States. 60% of all students attending Randolph elementary schools are of African descent (black), 21% Latino descent, predominately Dominican, 11% Caucasian descent (white), and 8% East Asian descent.
There were 11,564 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $55,255, and the median income for a family was $61,942. Males had a median income of $41,719 versus $32,500 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $23,413. About 5.5% of families and 6.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
The Turner Free Library serves as the town's public library and is part of the regionalOld Colony Library Network.[24] The library was founded in 1874 in honor of the Turner family,[25] who donated the library building, land, and a fund of $10,000 to the Town of Randolph on the condition that the Town maintain a free public library on the site.[26] The Turner Free Library was opened in 1875.[27]
Sites in Randolph listed on theNational Register of Historic Places include:
Randolph was originally governed by anopen town meeting form of government. In an annual town meeting held on March 11, 1947, attendees voted unanimously to adopt arepresentative town meeting form of government.[28] Under the representative town meeting, the town would be divided into four precincts that would elect 60 town meeting members each.[29] The new form of government went into effect March 7, 1949.[30]
In a special election on April 7, 2009, the town adopted a new charter that became effective in January 2010, changing the town's form of government to acouncil-manager system.[2][31]
The District Councilor/President is Christos Alexopoulos[32][33]
| Registered Voters and Party Enrollment as of February 1, 2023[34] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |||
| Democratic | 10,146 | 44.33% | |||
| Republican | 1,014 | 4.43% | |||
| Unaffiliated | 11,555 | 50.49% | |||
| Libertarian | 50 | 0.22% | |||
| Total | 22,885 | 100% | |||
Education is administered by Randolph Public School District. Schools include:[35]
Holbrook/Randolph station is served by theFall River/New Bedford Line of theMBTA Commuter Rail.
Bus service is provided byMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority andBrockton Area Transit Authority.
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Municipalities and communities ofNorfolk County, Massachusetts,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other villages | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
