Fall River voted the cultural heart of Massachusetts; Quincy comes in second; here is what they had to say

If Massachusetts had to be summed up by just one town – its accent, its quirks, its food, its humor, the very way it moves – where would you point? Not the capital. Not the biggest city. But the place that locals say feels like us.

That’s exactly what Mondly, a language learning platform, set out to uncover in a survey of 3,012 respondents. They asked: 

‘Which town in your state best represents your cultural identity?’

The results spotlighted what might be called each state’s “spirit town” – the place that speaks your language, cooks your comfort food, and lives by the rhythms that shaped you.

Bay Staters’ top 3 choices were:

#1 Fall River
Mill-town roots, Portuguese bakeries, and no-nonsense locals – Fall River doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s working class, world-weary, and warm in its own way. Behind the grit is a deep sense of history, survival, and humor. If you want to understand the state’s toughness, Fall River tells it straight.

#2 Quincy
Just south of Boston, Quincy is all thick accents, corner bars, and townie pride. Irish-American roots run deep, a cup from Dunkin’ is part of the day, like checking the weather or waving to a neighbor. And loyalty – to family, neighborhood, and sports teams – is non-negotiable. You don’t have to be born here to belong. Quincy is Massachusetts in a Red Sox cap.

#3 Greenfield
Tucked in the Pioneer Valley, Greenfield is unpolished in the best way, practical, and more complex than it looks. There’s a legacy of farming, a current of activism, and just enough weird to make it work. It’s where New England charm meets rust belt resilience – and a place where people still wave at each other on backroads.

Some choices from other states were:

Bayonne, New Jersey
Blunt, loyal, and always ready to tell you where to get the best sub – Bayonne couldn’t be more Jersey if it tried. It’s rowhouses, corner stores, and neighbors who’ve known your family since kindergarten. Scratch the tough surface and there’s a heart under there. A lot of it.

Brooksville, Florida
It’s a bit of a surprise Floridians didn’t pick a beach city like Miami. Brooksville, up in Hernando County, is Florida in its raw, rugged form – oak trees, Spanish moss, backyard grills, and a lifestyle that doesn’t need gloss to shine. It’s the kind of place where locals measure time in county fairs and high school football seasons.

Bluefield, West Virginia
Set deep in the hills, Bluefield carries the soul of southern West Virginia – coal town resilience and a kind of pride you don’t learn, you inherit. People here don’t leave. Or if they do, they find their way back. And that says everything.

Cookeville, Tennessee
In the heart of Tennessee sits Cookeville – part college town, part craft town, all charm. It’s got just enough twang, a porch swing pace, and plenty of ambition humming behind its cafes and workshops. If Tennessee had a middle name, it might just be Cookeville.

“These towns aren’t always the flashiest or the most visited, but they’re where culture is lived, not just performed. They reflect how people talk, what they celebrate, and how they show up for each other. That’s what makes them powerful symbols of identity,” says a language specialist at Mondly.