16 MA Santander Branches To Close: See Where

MASSACHUSETTS — Santander Bank will close 16 branches across Massachusetts, according to a state filing first reported by the Boston Business Journal.

According to the report, Santander will close locations in downtown Boston and Dorchester, Marlborough, Bedford, Ayer, Braintree, Chestnut Hill, Dracut, Holliston, Lawrence, Needham and Weston. The company had also previously announced the closure of an Attleborough branch.

A larger number of customers banking online is driving the closures, a spokesperson company said. The bank did not say if branches in other states would also be closing.

"Like many industries, our customers’ preferences have changed, with more customers choosing to bank with us online," the company said in a statement Tuesday. "Therefore, we are reimagining the customer and employee experience by simplifying our processes, refining our branch footprint, and increasing our investment in digital capabilities to align with the evolving needs of our customers."

Santander operates branches and ATMs in nine states, including all New England states except Vermont and Maine. The company has it's U.S. base in Boston, and took over the Sovereign Bank retail chain in the early 2000s, and later renamed all the branches. The bank counts about 160 million members worldwide, according to the 2022 annual report.

In Massachusetts alone, Santander has over 170 branches or ATMs in cities and towns across the state.