Town of Leicester, Massachusetts

Leicester currently is town with a population of approximately 11,000, of which 1,900 are school age, and 2,200 are senior citizens. Although the majority of the residents commute to work in other cities or towns, there are over 300 businesses in town, including restaurants, working farms, golf courses, Frisbee golf courses, a nursing and rehabilitation facility, gymnastics training, numerous personal and professional service businesses, and national retailers.

The Town of Leicester, for the majority of its visitors and residents, appears to be a town that throughout its history has remained largely rural and agricultural. However, a closer look at the community reveals Leicester’s industrial past.

Purchased in 1686 by a group of businessmen from Roxbury, Leicester was settled February of 1713 and incorporated in 1722. The town was first called Towtaid, which was the name given to this place by the Nipmuc group that had sold the land, and later Strawberry Hill since wild strawberries grew in great quantities. The name Leicester was finally settled upon, after Leicester, England where the father of the first selectman, Thomas Green, had originated.


The area was abundant with small rivers and streams feeding into both the Blackstone and Quinneboag River Valleys. This abundance of water allowed numerous grist, fulling, and saw mills to be constructed by time of the American Revolution.

Leicester currently is town with a population of approximately 11,000, of which 1,900 are school age, and 2,200 are senior citizens. Although the majority of the residents commute to work in other cities or towns, there are over 300 businesses in town, including several restaurants, several working farms, three golf courses, two Frisbee golf courses, a nursing and rehabilitation facility, gymnastics training, numerous personal and professional service businesses, numerous other small businesses, plus Tractor Supply, Inc, and Walmart.


Becker College has an active and growing campus in town. There is a section of town around the Town Common that has been designated a Historic District, including the May House on the Becker Campus.

Town Government operates under a New England Town Meeting style with a Town Administrator managing the day to day activities overseen by a board of five selectmen.