Three U.S. Towns Named Stoughton: Massachusetts, Wisconsin & North Dakota

Only three incorporated municipalities in the United States bear the name "Stoughton"—each with distinct character and history.

1. Stoughton, Massachusetts

Population: ~29,000 (2020)
County: Norfolk
Vibe: Boston suburb with industrial roots. Settled 1713, incorporated 1726. Known for:

• Historic downtown (National Register district)
• Stoughton Musical Society (oldest choral society in U.S., founded 1786)
• Commuter rail to Boston (Providence/Stoughton Line)
• Annual 4th of July parade (one of New England's oldest)

2. Stoughton, Wisconsin

Population: ~13,000 (2020)
County: Dane
Vibe: Norwegian heritage capital. Settled 1847, incorporated 1868. Highlights:

• Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day) festival — largest in Midwest
• Stoughton Norwegian Dancers (high school folk dance troupe)
• Historic opera house (1901), restored
• Yahara River waterfront, coffee roasters, craft breweries
• 20 mins from Madison

3. Stoughton, North Dakota

Population: ~30 (2020)
County: McHenry
Vibe: Tiny unincorporated community (often listed as a town). Founded 1905 as Soo Line railroad stop. Named for railroad official. Essentially a grain elevator, a few homes, and wide prairie skies.

Name Origin

All three likely trace to William Stoughton (1631–1701), Massachusetts Bay Colony lieutenant governor and chief justice during Salem witch trials—or descendants bearing the surname. The Wisconsin town was explicitly named by a settler from Massachusetts.

No other Stoughtons appear in USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) as populated places.