Burlington

Burlington sent Peter and Kitty Carruthers to the 1984 Winter Olympics where they won a silver medal in figure skating. (UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL/FILE/1983)

THE GOODS Few towns benefited more from the construction of Route 128. Passed over by early railroad expansion, Burlington made up for the slight when it became the state's fastest growing town between 1955 and 1965 as a direct result of the highway. These days, it's holding steady. The highway and nearby roads host a series of office parks, the Burlington Mall seems to be ever-expanding, and a new shopping destination, Wayside Commons, opened in 2006. Top-shelf Lahey Clinic is located here too. Despite all the commercial activity, the back streets are attractive, and the town center is a tranquil common bordered by Simonds Park, which offers athletic fields and an indoor skating rink.

PROS Newer homes, apartment complexes, and condos are evident throughout, and construction of one-family homes continues. Lots of ordinary looking mid-priced homes to choose from. Also commercial development remains active, and the large number of such properties supplements Burlington's tax base.

CONS: Burlington suffers from an identity crisis. As in, "Like, in Vermont?" or "The place with the mall?" The few locally owned businesses clamor for attention amongst the chains that dominate Burlington's retail landscape. That lack of character is also reflected in some of the housing, which isn't as distinguished or historic as that in neighboring communities.

DAVE COPELAND