Groveland is a small residential community which retains all of the characteristics of a friendly rural town in the setting of a convenient suburb. The town was incorporated 1850, late in the state's history, after spending the 17th and 18th centuries attached first to Rowley and then to Bradford. Groveland changed gradually during the 20th century from an agricultural community to one which is almost wholly residential, serving now as a suburb of nearby cities.

Town residents have easy access to 95 and 495 and many of them commute to their jobs in Lynn or Boston. The most dramatic changes in town occurred in the 1960's when a number of good size developments were built. There are now about 5200 people and about 1700 homes in town. Groveland has an open town meeting, "the fairest form of town government", residents note, and an excellent elementary school system which was independent until last year and is now integrated into the regional school district. Townspeople are very proud of their schools, of the friendliness of their town and of the recreation facilities along the Merrimac River. The town supports baseball and soccer fields, picnic areas and parks as well as boating facilities along the river, and these are heavily used by residents. One long-time local official said, in describing the community, "you don't feel like a stranger here."