List of city nicknames in Massachusetts

This partial list of city nicknames in Massachusetts compiles the aliases, sobriquets, and slogans that cities and towns in Massachusetts are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their tourism boards or chambers of commerce. City nicknames can help in establishing a civic identity, helping outsiders recognize a community or attracting people to a community because of its nickname; promote civic pride; and build community unity. Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth" are also believed to have economic value. Their economic value is difficult to measure, but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.

Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.


 * Athol – Tool Town
 * Attleboro – Jewelry Capital of America or Jewelry Capital of the World
 * Belmont – Town of Homes
 * Boston
 * Athens of America – Boston Brahmins' reference to the numerous cultural institutions which separated Boston from its counterparts Also called the Modern Athens.
 * Beantown or Bean Town and variations 'The Bean', 'DA BEAN', BeanCity, B-town, etc.
 * The Hub (or the Hub of the Universe)
 * City of Notions
 * The Cradle of Liberty
 * Puritan City
 * Brockton – The City of Champions
 * Cambridge – The People's Republic of Cambridge
 * Chicopee
 * Kielbasa Capital of the World
 * Duxbury – Deluxebury
 * Fall River – Scholarship City
 * Fitchburg – The Dirty Burg
 * Foxboro - The Gem of Norfolk County
 * Framingham – The Dirty Ham or The Ham
 * Gardner
 * Chair City
 * Furniture Capital of New England
 * Gloucester – Fishtown or Fish City
 * Hadley – Asparagus Capital of the World
 * Hingham
 * Blingham
 * Cha-chingham
 * Holyoke
 * Birthplace of Volleyball
 * Paper City
 * Lawrence - Immigrant City
 * Leominster – Pioneer Plastics City of the World
 * Lexington – The Birthplace of American Liberty
 * Lowell
 * The Mill City
 * City of Spindles
 * Manchester of America
 * Lynn - City of Sin
 * Marshfield - Marshvegas
 * Natick – Home of Champions
 * New Bedford – The Whaling City
 * Newburyport – Clipper City
 * Newton – The Garden City
 * North Adams – The Tunnel City
 * North Andover – Turkey Town
 * Northampton
 * Hamp
 * NoHo
 * The Paradise of America or The Paradise City
 * Orange - Friendly Town, Jump Town
 * Peabody – Leather City, Tanner City
 * Plymouth – America's Hometown
 * Provincetown
 * Like Nowhere Else
 * P-Town
 * Quincy
 * City of Presidents
 * Granite City
 * Salem
 * City of Peace
 * City of Witches or The Witch City
 * Sandwich – Sangy
 * Scituate – The Irish Riviera
 * Sharon – Cowtown
 * Somerville – Slummerville
 * Springfield
 * Birthplace of Basketball
 * City of Firsts
 * City of Homes
 * City of Progress
 * The City in a Forest
 * Garden Spot of the East
 * The Metropolis of Western New England
 * Stoughton – Toughtown
 * Taunton
 * The Christmas City
 * City of Firsts
 * The Silver City
 * Tewksbury – Tewksvegas
 * Waltham – Watch City
 * Wareham – The Gateway to Cape Cod
 * Westfield – The Whip City
 * Westford – The 'Ford
 * Williamstown – The Village Beautiful
 * Winchendon – Toy Town USA
 * Worcester
 * The Heart of the Commonwealth
 * City of Seven Hills
 * Wormtown
 * Paris of the 80's
 * The Woo