Straddling suburban development and New England countryside
When East Longmeadow resident Bill Fiore travels out of state and tells people he’s from Massachusetts, he clarifies he’s not from Boston. “I say, ‘I’m from Western Massachusetts, where we keep the cows.’” There’s not as much livestock grazing these days in East Longmeadow, a one-time farming village that’s developed into a suburban town stretching from Springfield’s southern limits to the Connecticut state line. “You go down a side street, and there will be a development. Most of those have been farms,” says Fiore, a sales associate with William Raveis Real Estate. The town’s character has changed, but traces of its country roots remain. A few horse pastures still dot East Longmeadow, as do farms that serve kids locally churned ice cream after summer baseball games and sell families Christmas trees every fall and winter. This blend of rustic trimmings and bedroom community has made the town of 16,000 people a desirable destination for homebuyers working in the Springfield and Hartford areas; homes sell in an average of 22 days, twice as fast as the national average. In fact, Fiore says East Longmeadow is one of the three most in-demand communities around Springfield among buyers.
New housing developments in East Longmeadow are built on land once used for cattle grazing.
East Longmeadow consists of many industrial parks with manufacturers and distributors.
Homes in East Longmeadow are perched on a hillside glowing in the afternoon sun.
The Apple Place in East Longmeadow is a family-owned orchard and is open seasonally.
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Homes on former farmland
East Longmeadow has newer, larger housing developments than Springfield or the neighboring town of Longmeadow. Midcentury subdivisions full of ranches and minimal traditional homes are common in the town's northern half. The trend of converting farmland to housing is still happening on the southern side of East Longmeadow, where colonial-inspired new traditional homes have popped up since the ‘90s. Like many Western Massachusetts communities, East Longmeadow is known for its relative affordability among New England markets. The median sales price of $380,000 is more expensive than in Springfield, but it’s much lower than the median Massachusetts price: $650,000. “This area is like an isolated pocket,” Fiore says. “The closer you get to Boston or the closer you get to Hartford, the higher the prices go. Here, prices have stayed — I don’t want to say inexpensive — but comparatively less expensive.”
Former farmland in East Longmeadow has been converted into new housing developments.
Colonial inspired new traditional homes in East Longmeadow are gaining popularity.
A ranch style home in East Longmeadow has an attached garage and large front yard.
A minimal traditional style home in East Longmeadow features a brick and clapboard facade.
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Restaurants and shops at Center Square Plaza
East Longmeadow has two primary shopping and dining districts. Small businesses are more common in the center of town, where restaurants and cafes occupy street corners and small shopping centers such as Center Square Plaza. The plaza is modern, but it was designed in a Cape Cod-inspired style to give it a vintage Massachusetts look. Center Square Grill is one of the plaza’s standout options, while down the street, The Depot at Graham Central Station brews coffee and scoops ice cream in an 1870s train depot. The other commercial hub is on North Main Street, where two shopping centers house chain restaurants, HomeGoods and Big Y, a Springfield-based supermarket chain known for selling New England-grown produce.
After generations of Springfield residents moved from the city to suburbs like East Longmeadow decades ago, some longstanding businesses followed them. Fiore points to Frigo’s Gourmet Foods and La Fiorentina Pastry Shop, which both opened on Springfield’s South End more than 60 years ago, as examples. “In my parents’ generation, the South End was where most of the Italian immigrants settled. As these people moved out of downtown, the businesses started to say, ‘A lot of our clients are no longer here, so maybe we should open new locations.’” Both businesses have opened East Longmeadow shops in the last two decades. Several manufacturers operate out of an industrial park on the south side of town. This tax base takes some of the burden off homeowners, and it’s a reason East Longmeadow property tax rates tend to be lower than in Longmeadow.
Center Square Grill in East Longmeadow serves modern takes on American steakhouse fare.
The Depot at Graham Central Station in East Longmeadow is located in an 1870s train depot.
A worker at Frigo's Gourmet Foods in East Longmeadow displays the contents of a sub.
La Fiorentina in East Longmeadow specializes in Italian pastries and baked goods.
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A new high school building on the horizon
East Longmeadow Public Schools operates the town’s five public schools, and the district gets a B from Niche. East Longmeadow is typically considered one of the most desired school systems in the area, Fiore says. The district broke ground on a new East Longmeadow High School in 2024. The campus featuring a culinary arts lab, auditorium and six-lane indoor swimming pool is expected to open in 2026. Taxpayers have to cover $95 million of the construction costs, and the local government estimates the average homeowner will see their annual property tax bill increase by about $800 as a result. Three neighboring school systems allow students who live outside their districts to apply to enroll: Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District, Longmeadow Public Schools and Springfield Public Schools.
Meadowbrook Elementary School in East Longmeadow is a public school for grades pre-k to 5th.
Mountain View School in East Longmeadow is a public elementary school for grades 3-5.
Birchland Park Middle School in East Longmeadow serves 598 students in grades 6-8.
East Longmeadow High School is undergoing construction for a brand new high school.
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Pedestrians, cyclists travel the Redstone Rail Trail
Nearly 500 acres of parks cover East Longmeadow, according to the Trust for Public Lands. The Redstone Rail Trail follows an abandoned railroad bed for nearly 2 miles, with multiple entry points around town for pedestrians and cyclists. The East Longmeadow Recreation Department runs youth baseball, lacrosse and other sports leagues throughout the year. The three golf courses in the area range from the public Franconia Golf Course to the private fairways of Twin Hills Country Club.
All four seasons pass through Western Massachusetts. Mild springs and warm summers give way to brisk falls highlighted by red and gold foliage. Winter temperatures commonly dip below freezing, and the region averages about 50 inches of snowfall every winter. Indoor recreation options include locally owned bowling alley Shaker Bowl in East Longmeadow and the Adult Center in Longmeadow. The Adult Center opened in 2021 as a senior center, but any adult 18 or older can use its fitness center, basketball courts and pickleball courts on Saturday afternoons. Members don’t have to live in Longmeadow to join.
A person takes a stroll down the Redstone Rail Trail in East Longmeadow.
Residents of East Longmeadow can choose from 7 golf clubs like the Twin Hills Country Club.
Shaker Bowl is a bowling alley for open bowl, leagues and night sessions in East Longmeadow.
The Longmeadow Adult Center in East Longmeadow hosts programs for senior citizens.
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Annual summer concerts and fall festivals
The East Longmeadow Rotary Club is behind many of the town’s annual events. It has organized a series of free concerts every summer since the ‘80s, recently using an online poll to find out which bands people want to return the following year. The Rotary Club also gathers more than 50 vendors and musical performers for Celebrate East Longmeadow, an October fall festival with hayrides and pumpkin picking.
Roadways converge at the rotary
Most people get around by car, and traffic typically isn’t bad — except at the community’s most notorious intersection. Seven roads converge in the middle of town at the East Longmeadow rotary, a traffic circle that the Guinness Book of World Records once called the nation’s most dangerous intersection. Drivers enter the circle from seven directions as they try to interpret a smattering of stop signs and yield signals, often creating enough confusion to cause accidents. Locals like Fiore eventually find cut-throughs around town that allow them to avoid the rotary.
Interstate 91 runs through the neighboring town of Longmeadow, and drivers can take the interstate north to Springfield; the trip to downtown takes 15 to 30 minutes. I-91 also extends 20 miles south to Bradley International Airport and 12 miles farther to Hartford. The commute to Hartford can take 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic. Pioneer Valley Transit Authority buses shuttle from Big Y on North Main Street to Springfield.
Relatively low crime rate
East Longmeadow’s crime rate is lower than in nearby Springfield and the statewide average. Larceny and fraud accounted for more than half the crimes reported in 2023. The East Longmeadow Police Department launched a program called Meet the Detective in 2024. Detectives from Longmeadow and East Longmeadow hold talks around town to give residents tips for protecting themselves against cryptocurrency scams, break-ins and other crimes.
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