Stoneham

Volunteers prepare to clear saplings and invasive brush at Middlesex Fells Reservation last winter. (Josh Reynolds for the Boston Globe/File 2007)

Median home price: Single family,$383,500; condominiums,$226,000
Residential tax rate: $10.19
Average tax bill: $4,294
Choice location: The Middlesex Fells Reservation and Spot Pond, where John Winthrop and his fellow European explorers stopped to have lunch in 1632.
Cocktail party nugget: Stoneham was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records during the 1970s for having the highest number of gas stations along a 1-mile strip.
SOURCES: Warren Group, Massachusetts Department of Revenue

THE GOODS: Stoneham is a self-contained community in many ways. A busy commercial sector mixes small, locally owned restaurants and shops with chain stores and supermarkets. Recreational opportunities are also ample, ranging from hiking in the Middlesex Fells Reservation to numerous parks and ball fields. Stoneham's close proximity to Boston makes it a favorite choice for commuters, and its proximity to the intersection of Interstates 93 and 95 adds to its convenience.

PROS: Though it's an older suburb, the housing stock has a nice mix of Victorian-era homes and newer apartment buildings and condominiums. The neighborhoods in the eastern sections of town feature older homes in a higher-density setting of tree-lined streets, while homes on the west side of Route 28 are typically tucked into newer subdivisions. The midmarket offers a wide choice of styles, from plain to period, and smaller ranches and Capes at reasonable prices are not hard to find.

CONS: While Stoneham experienced slow growth right up until the 20th century, the town is nearly built out. Over the past three decades new construction has been almost exclusively limited to condominiums and apartments, as the town's former agricultural heritage has been covered by a high-density suburb.

DAVE COPELAND