Quincy, Massachusetts

Quincy, Massachusetts
Nickname: 
"City of Presidents"
Motto(s): 
"Manet"  (Latin)
"It Remains"
Location of Quincy in Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Quincy
Quincy
Quincy
Coordinates: 42°15′N 71°0′W / 42.250°N 71.000°W / 42.250; -71.000
Country United States
State Massachusetts
CountyNorfolk
RegionNew England
Settled1625
Incorporated (town)1792
Incorporated (city)1888
Named afterJohn Quincy
Government
  TypeMayor–council
  MayorThomas P. Koch (I)
  City Council
  • At-Large: Scott Campbell (I)
  • At-Large: Noel DiBona (D)
  • At-Large: Nina Liang (D)
  • Ward 1: David F. McCarthy (D)
  • Ward 2: Richard Ash (D)
  • Ward 3: Ian C. Cain (president) (R)
  • Ward 4: James Devine (I)
  • Ward 5: Daniel Minton (I)
  • Ward 6: William P. Harris (D)
Area
  Total
26.91 sq mi (69.69 km2)
  Land16.57 sq mi (42.92 km2)
  Water10.33 sq mi (26.77 km2)
Elevation
30 ft (9 m)
Highest elevation
517 ft (158 m)
Lowest elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
101,636
  Density6,132.63/sq mi (2,367.87/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code
02169–02171
Area codes617 and 857
FIPS code25-55745
GNIS feature ID0617701
Websitequincyma.gov

Quincy (/ˈkwɪn.zi/ KWIN-zee) is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest city in the county. Quincy is part of the Greater Boston area as one of Boston's immediate southern suburbs. Its population in 2020 was 101,636, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. Known as the "City of Presidents", Quincy is the birthplace of two U.S. presidentsJohn Adams and his son John Quincy Adams—as well as John Hancock, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence and the first and third governor of Massachusetts.

First settled in 1625, Quincy was briefly part of Dorchester before becoming the North Precinct of Braintree in 1640. In 1792, Quincy was split off from the Town of Braintree and was incorporated separately as the Town of Quincy; the new town was named after Colonel John Quincy, maternal grandfather of Abigail Adams and after whom John Quincy Adams was also named. Quincy became a city in 1888.

For over a century, Quincy was home to a thriving granite quarrying industry; the city was also the site of the Granite Railway, the United States' first commercial railroad. Shipbuilding at the Fore River Shipyard was another key contributor to the city's economy. In the 20th century, both Howard Johnson's and Dunkin' Donuts were founded in the city. Today, Quincy has developed into both a vibrant immigrant destination and a suburban business hub, and is considered attractive due to its safety, relatively large housing stock, and extensive connections to Boston.