Cohasset is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 8,381.

History

Cohasset was inhabited by the Pokanoket until 1649, when it was conquered by the Wampanoag, and then the Massachusett in 1668.

The area entered the written record in 1614, when Captain John Smith explored the coast of New England and described an encounter of his ship with four Native Americans in a canoe at Quonahasit, two of whom were shot by the Europeans. In 1634, “Conihosset” is listed as a “noted habitation” in New England in a list of both indigenous and colonial settlements, though the area was first settled by English settlers in 1670 suggesting this was a settlement of Massachusett people. The town’s name came from the Massachusett word “Conahasset,” possibly meaning “long rocky place” or “fishing promontory.”

Much of the land was originally granted without consultation of its indigenous inhabitants to the “Conahasset Partners.” At a special town meeting of January 1670, the shares in the new town were apportioned and divided among the new proprietors, many of whom were large Hingham landowners. The largest number of shares (35) went to Hingham Town Clerk Daniel Cushing, with the second largest (25) to Reverend Peter Hobart, Hingham’s minister. Others receiving large grants were: Capt. Joshua Hobart, Peter Hobart’s brother (18 shares); Lieut. John Smith (15 shares); Ensign John Thaxter (16½ shares); and deacon John Leavitt (with 14½ shares). The layout of the town was distinctive. Many lots were laid out in long narrow strips, facilitating more lots with road frontage, and avoiding back lots.

Cohasset became a town separate from Hingham in 1770, 100 years later. Previously, what is today the town of Cohasset was known as Hingham’s Second Parish.

Cohasset was originally part of Suffolk County, and when the southern part of the county was set off as Norfolk County in 1793, it included the towns of Cohasset, Hingham and Hull. In 1803, Hull and Hingham opted out of Norfolk County and became part of Plymouth County, leaving Cohasset as an exclave of Norfolk County.

Education

Cohasset operates its own school department for the town’s approximately 1,500 students. The Osgood Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through second grade. The Deer Hill Elementary School, located adjacent to the Osgood School, serves students from grades 3–5. The town operates a combined Middle/High School, which is located just over Bear Hill from the other two schools. Cohasset’s athletics teams are known as the Skippers, and their colors are navy blue and white. They compete in the South Shore League, and their chief rival is Hull High School.

The athletic programs offered to Cohasset High School students include Baseball, Ice Hockey, Basketball, Cross Country, Tennis, a Competitive Debate Team, Football (which won the 2014 Division VI Super Bowl, and made it to the 2013 Division VI Super Bowl, but lost), Soccer, Competitive Swimming, Track and Field, Sailing, Ski Team, Wrestling and Lacrosse.

High school students may also choose to attend South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover free of charge. There are no private schools in Cohasset, but there are several in neighboring Hingham and the towns west of it.

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, there were 8,373 people, 2,722 households, and 2,024 families residing in the town. The population density was 770.4 inhabitants per square mile (297.5/km). There were 2,980 housing units, of which 258, or 8.7%, were vacant. The racial makeup of the town was 96% White, 0.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.2% some other race, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.

Of the 2,722 households in the town, 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were headed by married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. Of all households, 22.7% were made up of individuals, and 12.8% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74, and the average family size was 3.27.

29.4% of the town’s population were under the age of 18, 4.3% were from 18 to 24, 18.6% were from 25 to 44, 31.6% were from 45 to 64, and 16.0% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

For the period 2013–2017, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $140,000. The median income for a family was $180,345, and the per capita income was $75,885. Male full-time workers earned an estimated $124,420 per year, while females earned $91,103. About 2.5% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

During the 2013–2017 period, the median home value was $852,300. Of the town residents, 98.3% held at least a high school degree, while 73.3% had a bachelor’s degree or higher.