Massachusetts

State

Add Comparison

2022 Population

6.98M

0.109% 1-year decline

US Senator

Elizabeth Warren

Democratic Party

US Senator

Ed Markey

Democratic Party

2022 Median Age

39.8

0.505% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

9.93%

0.297% 1-year increase

2022 Median Household Income

$96,505

8.4% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$483,900

13.9% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

3.46M

0.323% 1-year decline

About

In 2022, Massachusetts had a population of 6.98M people with a median age of 39.8 and a median household income of $96,505. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Massachusetts declined from 6.99M to 6.98M, a −0.109% decrease and its median household income grew from $89,026 to $96,505, a 8.4% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Massachusetts are White (Non-Hispanic) (68.9%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (6.93%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (6.58%), Two+ (Hispanic) (4.1%), and Other (Hispanic) (3.96%).

24.5% of the households in Massachusetts reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

92% of the residents in Massachusetts are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Massachusetts are Boston University (12,366 degrees awarded in 2022), Harvard University (11,075 degrees), and University of Massachusetts-Amherst (9,752 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in Massachusetts was $483,900, and the homeownership rate was 62.4%.

Most people in Massachusetts drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Massachusetts was 2 cars per household.

Massachusetts borders Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Photo by NikiSublime

United States

Population & Diversity

Massachusetts is home to a population of 6.98M people, from which 92% are citizens. As of 2022, 17.6% of Massachusetts residents were born outside of the country (1.23M people).

In 2022, there were 9.93 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (4.81M people) in Massachusetts than any other race or ethnicity. There were 484k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 460k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary langauge in households in Massachusetts are Spanish (627,748 households), Portuguese (211,156 households), and Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (141,112 households).

Population & Diversity

Population by Location

Sex

RACE/ETHNICITY

The 3 PUMAS with the highest resident population

In 2022 there were 6,932,411 residents in Massachusetts.

The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) with the highest resident population were Bristol County (South)--New Bedford, Dartmouth & Westport PUMA, MA (162,179 people), Middlesex County--Woburn, Melrose & Reading PUMA, MA (161,314 people), and Essex County (Central)--Peabody, Danvers & Saugus PUMA, MA (160,159 people).

The following map shows all of the states in Massachusetts colored by the resident population.

Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY

3,537,198

Women

51%

3,395,213

Men

49%

The resident population of United States in 2022 was 6,932,411 inhabitants, with 49% men, and 51% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in the United States.

With the upper buttons you can add a filter by race.

Citizenship

92%

2022 Citizenship

92.1%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 92% of Massachusetts residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Massachusetts was 92.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Massachusetts compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Massachusetts

White (Non-Hispanic)
4.81M ± 5.13k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
484k ± 2.82k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
460k ± 3.99k

12.6%

Hispanic Population

879k people

12.6% of the people in Massachusetts are hispanic (879k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Massachusetts as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

China
102,973 ± 7,820 people
Dominican Republic
99,956 ± 7,706 people
Brazil
93,519 ± 7,457 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Massachusetts was China, the natal country of 102,973 Massachusetts residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 99,956 and Brazil with 93,519.

Foreign-Born Population

17.6%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.23M people

17.5%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

1.22M people

As of 2022, 17.6% of Massachusetts residents (1.23M people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Massachusetts was 17.5%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Massachusetts compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages

Spanish
627,748 households (9.46%)
Portuguese
211,156 households (3.18%)
Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)
141,112 households (2.13%)

24.5% of the households in Massachusetts reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language, which is higher than the national average of 21.7%. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

In 2022, the most common non-English language spoken in households in Massachusetts was Spanish. 9.46% of the households in Massachusetts reported speaking Spanish at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
91,984 ± 2,347
Gulf War (2001-)
46,168 ± 1,707
Gulf War (1990s)
30,647 ± 1,480

Massachusetts has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.99 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Massachusetts employs 3.46M people. The largest industries in Massachusetts are Elementary & secondary schools (221,273 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (209,491 people), and Construction (186,836 people), and the highest paying industries are Prefabricated wood buildings & mobile homes ($270,716), Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals ($222,083), and Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($200,972).

Males in Massachusetts have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $81,902. The income inequality in Massachusetts (measured using the Gini index) is 0.48, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Workforce Diversity

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

1,691,450

Women

49.4%

1,729,448

Men

50.6%

The workforce of Massachusetts in 2020 was 3,420,898 people, with 49.4% woman, and 50.6% men.

The visualization shows the distribution of the workforce by gender and age in Massachusetts.

With the upper buttons you can see the distribution of the average salary and add a filter by race.

Workforce and Wage by Location

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

In 2022 there were 3,464,293 people working in Massachusetts. The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) that concentrated the largest workforce were Boston City--Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, East Boston, Central & South End PUMA, MA (91,440 people), Middlesex County--Woburn, Melrose & Reading PUMA, MA (84,496 people), and Essex County (Central)--Peabody, Danvers & Saugus PUMA, MA (82,483 people).

The following map shows all of the PUMAs in Massachusetts colored by workforce or average wage.

With the upper buttons you can see the yearly change and add a filter by race.

Occupations

3.46M

2022 Value

−0.323%

1 Year decline

± −0.323%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Massachusetts declined at a rate of −0.323%, from 3.48M employees to 3.46M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Massachusetts, are Other managers (115,596 people), Registered nurses (82,995 people), and Software developers (71,059 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Massachusetts.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Massachusetts (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

3.46M

2022 Value

−0.323%

1 Year decline

± −0.323%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Massachusetts declined at a rate of −0.323%, from 3.48M employees to 3.46M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Massachusetts, are Elementary & secondary schools (221,273 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (209,491 people), and Construction (186,836 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Massachusetts, though some of these residents may live in Massachusetts and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$67,538

Median earning men ± $375

$48,855

Median earning women ± $421

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($103,044), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($95,399), and Information ($93,994).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,733), Public Administration ($69,946), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($68,225).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

Y-Axis

2.61%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.67M people employed in Massachusetts. This represents a 2.61% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 17.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Massachusetts.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

15,186
Construction
14,260
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
11,774
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$52.1M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$39.7M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$33M
Finance and Insurance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Massachusetts went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 65.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (31.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.29%).

The most partisan county was Suffolk County, MA with 80.2% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are the senators currently representing the state of Massachusetts. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Massachusetts is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (65.1%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (31.9%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.29%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Massachusetts went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 65.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (31.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.29%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Massachusetts for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Joseph R Biden Jr.

Popular Vote for Massachusetts

65.1% for the Democratic Party

Most Partisan Counties in Massachusetts

Suffolk County, MA
80.2% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
Dukes County, MA
77% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
Berkshire County, MA
72% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in Massachusetts was Suffolk County, MA with 80.2% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

The following map shows the counties in Massachusetts colored by their party leaning.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Massachusetts

Elizabeth Warren

Senator from Massachusetts

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Ed Markey

Senator from Massachusetts

Assumed office on July 16, 2013
Elected to the seat to succeed Mo Cowan, who had been appointed to the seat following the resignation of John Kerry, who had become Secretary of State.

Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are the senators currently representing Massachusetts.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Massachusetts over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Massachusetts

Massachusetts is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Massachusetts have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Massachusetts awarded 143,862 degrees. The student population of Massachusetts in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 199,509 male students and 274,275 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Massachusetts are White (72,677 and 59.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14,169 and 11.6%), Asian (12,782 and 10.5%), and Black or African American (9,760 and 8%).

The largest universities in Massachusetts by number of degrees awarded are Boston University (12,366 and 8.6%), Harvard University (11,075 and 7.7%), and University of Massachusetts-Amherst (9,752 and 6.78%).

The most popular majors in Massachusetts are General Business Administration & Management (9,736 and 6.77%), Registered Nursing (5,239 and 3.64%), and General Psychology (3,881 and 2.7%).

The median tuition costs in Massachusetts are $45,815 for private four year colleges, and $1,030 and $8,513 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Massachusetts, the percentage of applicants admitted was 36.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 20.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 473,784 (42.1% men and 57.9% women).

The map shows the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

The line chart below shows the annual evolution of the indicator by gender.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 473,784 students enrolled in Massachusetts, 42.1% men and 57.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 221,542 records, of which 58.4% were women and 41.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
4,125 degrees awarded
General Psychology
3,489 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
2,727 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Massachusetts was General Business Administration & Management with 4,125 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Massachusetts according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Boston University
12,366 degrees awarded
Harvard University
11,075 degrees awarded
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
9,752 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Boston University with 12,366 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 58,633 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Massachusetts, which is 0.688 times less than the 85,229 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 72,677 degrees mean that there were 5.13 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 14,169 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($45,815) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($9,884) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private for-profit, less-than 2-year ($2,325) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Measure

In 2022, 1.17% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.24% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of Massachusetts in 2022 were Bachelors Degree (1.35M), High School or Equivalent (1.34M), and Graduate Degree (1.03M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Massachusetts was $483,900 in 2022, which is 1.72 times larger than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $424,700 to $483,900, a 13.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Massachusetts is 62.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Massachusetts have an average commute time of 29.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Massachusetts is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Massachusetts is $96,505. In 2022, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Massachusetts was Nantucket County, MA with a value of $135,590, followed by Middlesex County, MA and Norfolk County, MA, with respective values of $121,304 and $120,621.

In 2023, 17.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Massachusetts. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.81%.

Housing

Property

$483,900

Median Property Value 2022

±$1,329

$1.71M

Median Property Taxes

±$9,030

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Massachusetts the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Massachusetts compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

62.4%

Homeownership

2022

62.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 62.4% of the housing units in Massachusetts were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 62.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Massachusetts compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2022, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Massachusetts was Nantucket County, MA with a value of $135,590, followed by Middlesex County, MA and Norfolk County, MA, with respective values of $121,304 and $120,621.

The following map shows all of the counties in Massachusetts colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$96,505

Median Household Income

± $551

2.74M

Number of Households

± 12,851

In 2022, the median household income of the 2.74M households in Massachusetts grew to $96,505 from the previous year's value of $89,026.

The following chart displays the households in Massachusetts distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

0.48

2022 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

0.48

2021 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

In 2022, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.48 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.047% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Massachusetts was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Massachusetts in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Massachusetts across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (64.2%)
Worked At Home (14.6%)
Public Transit (7.56%)

In 2022, 64.2% of workers in Massachusetts drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14.6%) and those who used public transit to get to work (7.56%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

29.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Massachusetts have a longer commute time (29.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 3.2% of the workforce in Massachusetts have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Massachusetts compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Massachusetts distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Massachusetts have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 17.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Massachusetts. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.81%.

The map show the severe housing problems rate in the counties of California. The graph underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

9.93% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Massachusetts (672k out of 6.77M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Massachusetts is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 12.8% of the children was living in poverty in Massachusetts. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.6%.

The map show the children in poverty rate in the counties of California. The graph underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the percentage of children in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

97.3% of the population of Massachusetts has health coverage, with 54.1% on employee plans, 18.3% on Medicaid, 11.5% on Medicare, 12.7% on non-group plans, and 0.681% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Massachusetts see 966 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.625% increase from the previous year (960 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 930 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 142 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

966 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Massachusetts

Primary care physicians in Massachusetts see an average of 966 patients per year. This represents a 0.625% increase from the previous year (960 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Massachusetts in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.3% under 18 years, 22.6% between 18 and 34 years, 39.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

2.69%

Uninsured

54.1%

Employer Coverage

18.3%

Medicaid

11.5%

Medicare

12.7%

Non-Group

0.681%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Massachusetts declined by 3.29% from 2.78% to 2.69%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Massachusetts changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 31.1 in Massachusetts.

The map shows the distribution of the indicator in the counties of Massachusetts and the graphic underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in Massachusetts.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 24.5% in Massachusetts.

The map shows the distribution of the indicator in the counties of Massachusetts and the graphic underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in Massachusetts.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 3.16% in Massachusetts.

The map shows the distribution of the indicator in the counties of Massachusetts and the graphic underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in Massachusetts.

Keep Exploring

New York

State

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

MSA

Connecticut

State

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA