Speaking of Horses

Town Information

Town of Rochester, Plymouth County

Rochester is located in southeastern Massachusetts, bordered by Lakeville and Middleboro on the north, Wareham and Marion on the east, Mattapoisett on the south and Acushnet and Freetown on the west. Rochester is about 19 miles northeast of New Bedford; 50 miles south of Boston; 49 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island; and 227 miles from New York City.

While buyers continue to vie for country homes in quiet, pristine surroundings, Rochester is a hidden gem that remains small in size – approximately 4,600 residents -- and big in beauty and open space.

Much of the activity centers around Rochester's Town Common, the town hall, First Congregational Church and the Plumb Library. The Plumb Corner Mall sits across from the center, and includes a variety of small shops; the Mall was designed to keep with the architecture of the rest of the Common. Rochester is accessible by highway and is surrounded by several towns, so residents have quick and easy access to neighboring stores, restaurants and services. Civic-minded organizations are abundant in Rochester. The Rochester Green Ways is an ad hoc committee, with a goal to restore the trees that once lined the roads of Rochester. Nearly 100 years ago, elms arched over the roads but died, and the Green Ways hopes to continue replacing the elms with 5 or 6 species of trees. A partnership between Marion and Rochester to preserve land is active year round.

The Trustees of Reservation and the town of Rochester acquired another 53 acres of Eastover Farms in early June. The partnership, which also includes the Rochester Land Trust, the town of Marion and the state, has preserved more than 490 acres in Rochester and Marion.

At the Plumb Library, there are events catering to all ages, such as this year's Summer Reading Program. Open to children and young adults ages 2-18, participants set a summer reading goal, and there are weekly raffles. The program also helps the library earn enough to donate a tree to the town of Rochester.

The summer is a great time to get out and enjoy the natural beauty of Rochester. A good game of golf can be had during any season at the Rochester Golf Course. Mary's Pond is among the town's most picturesque areas, flanked by large pines and a sandy beach, and is an old-fashioned watering hole. One of the year's most popular events is just a few weeks away. The Rochester Country Fair kicks off on August 18 and runs through the 22nd. The five-day fair features children's events, a birdhouse-building contest, arts and crafts, a parade, a woodsmen show, food booths, vendors and a town ball game. Students attend elementary school in Rochester, before heading off to Old Rochester Regional Junior High and High School, which the community shares with Mattapoisett and Marion. Real estate in Rochester can be expensive, with homes starting in the $200,000 range and steeply rising depending on house and acreage size. The market can be difficult to buy into because of the town's size – 33.76 square miles -- and limited new building.

Year incorporated as a town: 1686
Total area square miles: 39
Land area square miles: 36.39
Miles of accepted roads: 64.25: (Does not include State Highway Rtes. 28, 195, 495)
Miles of unaccepted roads: 9 ±
Population: 4,850