Foxborough is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Boston metropolitan area, about 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Boston. The population was 18,618 at the 2020 census.

“Foxborough” is the official spelling of the town name per local government, but the abbreviated spelling “Foxboro” is common and is used by the United States Postal Service.

Foxborough is best known as the site of Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL) and the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer (MLS).

History

Settled in 1704 and incorporated in 1778, the town of Foxborough was named for Charles James Fox, a Whig member of Parliament and a staunch supporter of the Colonies in the years leading up to the American Revolution.

The town was once home to the world’s largest straw hat factory. Founded by local businessman E.P. Carpenter, the Union Straw Works burned to the ground in the early 20th century. The town post office now stands on the site.

Foxborough was composed of small neighborhood communities until the early 1900s. These included Foxvale/Paineburgh, which remained semi-independent until the early twentieth century; Quaker Hill in South Foxborough; and Lakeview/Donkeyville in West Foxborough.

Schaefer Stadium (later known as Sullivan Stadium, then Foxboro Stadium) opened in 1971 as the home of the New England Patriots, after the football team spent its first eleven seasons playing at various stadiums in Boston. The family of Billy Sullivan owned both the Patriots and the stadium until they sold the team in 1988. The stadium, however, lapsed into bankruptcy and was then bought by paper magnate Robert Kraft. With Kraft in control of Foxboro Stadium, he prevented the Patriots from relocating to St. Louis in 1994 by refusing to let the team break their lease, then bought the Patriots outright. Kraft then founded the New England Revolution, one of the charter clubs of Major League Soccer, in 1996.

Gillette Stadium opened in 2002 as a replacement for Foxboro Stadium. The Patriot Place shopping plaza, built on land surrounding the stadium bought by Kraft, completed construction in 2009. The plaza includes a variety of restaurants, clothing stores, and other retailers.

Foxborough hosted multiple matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup at Foxborough Stadium and will do so again during the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Gillette Stadium.

Education

Public schools

Foxborough has a public school system. The Foxborough Public Schools (FPS) district currently has an enrollment of over 3,000 children in grades from preschool to grade 12.

Foxborough public schools:

Foxborough High School offers a wide variety of sports including golf, track and field, football, soccer, cross country, volleyball, swim, basketball, wrestling, hockey, indoor track, cheerleading, lacrosse, baseball, tennis, and softball.

The mascot of the high school is the Warriors, whose colors are navy blue and gold. Foxborough’s rival is neighboring Mansfield High School.

The football team has won the Hockomock League title numerous times, and has won 5 state championships (1987, 1988, 1991, 2006, 2023). Longtime head coach Jack Martinelli is one of only seven head coaches in Massachusetts history to ammass 300 wins in their career. During the 1987 and 1988 seasons, the Warriors won back-to-back Division 3 Super Bowls and went undefeated in 1988. This team featured five players who went on to play Division 1 college football (Chris Cady, Eric Matckie, Tom Nalen, Dan Sullivan, and Rob Turenne).

The cheerleading team has also earned recognition, making it to nationals for the first time in 2004 and again in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

The golf team has produced many all-scholastic players and state champions, as has the wrestling team. The boys’ indoor track team were the Hockomock Champions in the 2006/2007 season. The field hockey team have been the Hockomock Champions several times in recent years.

Foxborough High School is also known for its music program, which includes a string orchestra, symphony orchestra, chorus, marching band, concert band, symphonic winds, winds ensemble and jazz band/choir. Many of these groups regularly place in competitions, but the Jazz Ensemble has been recognized in several Essentially Ellington competitions. The top 15 jazz bands in the country send in recordings of themselves for judging. Foxborough has placed in the top 15 for several years.

Private schools

Demographics

Entire town

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,246 people, 6,141 households, and 4,396 families residing in the town. The population density was 809.1 inhabitants per square mile (312.4/km²). There were 6,299 housing units at an average density of 313.7 per square mile (121.1/km). The racial makeup of the town was 97.09% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.06% of the population.

There were 6,141 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. Of all households 23.4% were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the town, 26.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.0% was from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $64,323, and the median income for a family was $78,811. Based on data from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, these figures have risen to $92,370 as the median income for a household in the town and $108,209 as the median income for a family. Males had a median income of $51,901 versus $35,748 for females. The per capita income for the town was $32,294, but this figure has risen to $42,236. About 2.3% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Foxborough CDP

The built-up central business district is designated by the United States Census Bureau as the Foxborough Census Designated Place for record keeping purposes (this is common among many larger population New England towns).

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,509 people, 2,486 households, and 1,372 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 730.9/km² (1,895.7/mi). There were 2,576 housing units at an average density of 341.8/km² (886.4/mi). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.57% White, 1.42% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.60% of the population.

There were 2,486 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. Of all households 37.8% were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the CDP, 21.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.3% was from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $50,431, and the median income for a family was $58,924. Males had a median income of $42,030 versus $35,370 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $31,245. About 4.1% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.