Malden is located in the eastern part of the state of Massachusetts and a city in Middlesex County. It is a suburb on the northern side of Boston and sits along the Malden River, which is a branch of the Mystic River. The area where the present-day Malden stands was settled in 1640 and became a party of Charlestown and was referred to as Mystic Side. The area was then incorporated in 1649 as a town and was later named for Malden, a town in England. The city started to develop its industrial center at the start of the 19th century, and the economy became largely service-oriented, which includes telecommunications, government, financial services, and health care. The offices of the Massachusetts Department of Education are situated in the city.