Massachusetts

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Population

6.86M

0.705% growth

Median Age

39.5


Median Household Income

$77,385

2.77% growth

Poverty Rate

11.1%


Number of Employees

3.42M

0.919% growth

Median Property Value

$385,400

5.04% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Massachusetts had a population of 6.86M people with a median age of 39.5 and a median household income of $77,385. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Massachusetts grew from 6.81M to 6.86M, a 0.705% increase and its median household income grew from $75,297 to $77,385, a 2.77% increase.

The population of Massachusetts is 71.5% White Alone, 11.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 6.97% Black or African American Alone. 23% of the people in Massachusetts speak a non-English language, and 92% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Massachusetts are Boston University (10,671 degrees awarded in 2016), University of Massachusetts-Amherst (8,265 degrees), and Harvard University (7,908 degrees).

The median property value in Massachusetts is $385,400, and the homeownership rate is 62.3%. Most people in Massachusetts commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 28.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Massachusetts is 2 cars per household.

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

Photo by NikiSublime

United States

Economy

The economy of Massachusetts employs 3.42M people. The largest industries in Massachusetts are Hospitals (217,395 people), Elementary & secondary schools (208,160 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (197,346 people), and the highest paying industries are Support activities for agriculture & forestry ($215,045), Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($162,461), and Pharmaceutical & medicine manufacturing ($143,860).

Median household income in Massachusetts is $77,385. Males in Massachusetts have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $65,619. The income inequality in Massachusetts (measured using the Gini index) is 0.484, which is higher than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$77,385

2017 value

± $907

2.77%

1 Year Growth

± 1.51%

Households in Massachusetts have a median annual income of $77,385, which is more than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $75,297 in 2016, which represents a 2.77% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Massachusetts compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

$86,839

Average Male Salary

± $1,813

$65,619

Average Female Salary

± $1,325

In 2017, full-time male employees in Massachusetts made 1.32 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Massachusetts by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $74,395 ± $4,445

  2. White

    $67,530 ± $1,140

  3. American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races

    $50,403 ± $38,348

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Massachusetts workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.1 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Massachusetts by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

0.484

2017 Wage GINI

0.48

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.484 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.775% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for Massachusetts was higher than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

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Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Norfolk County, MA

  2. Middlesex County, MA

  3. Plymouth County, MA

In 2017, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Massachusetts was Norfolk County, MA with a value of $100,829, followed by Middlesex County, MA and Plymouth County, MA, with respective values of $98,555 and $86,910.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

11.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Massachusetts (728k out of 6.55M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

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.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    453,465 ± 5,238

  2. Hispanic

    202,789 ± 3,186

  3. Black

    98,196 ± 2,397

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

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.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

3.42M

2017 Value

0.919%

1 Year growth

± 0.919%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Massachusetts grew at a rate of 0.919%, from 3.39M employees to 3.42M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Massachusetts, are Miscellaneous managers (119,362 people), Registered nurses (86,220 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (85,360 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Massachusetts.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Massachusetts, by number of employees, are Miscellaneous managers (119,362 people), Registered nurses (86,220 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (85,360 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Massachusetts has an unusually high number of residents working as Medical scientists, & life scientists, all other (5.3 times higher than expected), Computer & information research scientists (3.14 times), and Other Physical Scientists (2.96 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Massachusetts, by average salary, are Logging workers ($245,860), Physicians & surgeons ($241,794), and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents ($218,264).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

3.42M

2017 Value

0.919%

1 Year growth

± 0.919%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Massachusetts grew at a rate of 0.919%, from 3.39M employees to 3.42M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Massachusetts, are Hospitals (217,395 people), Elementary & secondary schools (208,160 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (197,346 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.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Massachusetts, by number of employees, are Hospitals (217,395 people), Elementary & secondary schools (208,160 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (197,346 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Massachusetts has an unusually high number of Software publishing (3.97 times higher than expected), Scientific research & development services (3.45 times), and Navigational, measuring, electromedical, & control instruments manufacturing (3.11 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Massachusetts, by average salary, are Support activities for agriculture & forestry ($215,045), Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($162,461), and Pharmaceutical & medicine manufacturing ($143,860).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Massachusetts to other states, or from other states to Massachusetts.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Gasoline

    $31.5B

  2. Mixed freight

    $27.2B

  3. Electronics

    $24.1B

In 2015, the top outbound Massachusetts product (by dollars) was Gasoline with $31.5B, followed by Mixed freight with $27.2B and Electronics and $24.1B.

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Massachusetts products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

$240B

2015 Value

$364B

Projected 2045 Value

51.4% growth

In 2015, total outbound Massachusetts trade was $240B. This is expected to increase 51.4% to $364B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Massachusetts trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Massachusetts to other states, or from other states to Massachusetts.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. New Hampshire

    $13.2B

  2. New York

    $13.2B

  3. Connecticut

    $12.7B

In 2015, the top outbound Massachusetts domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New Hampshire with $13.2B, followed by New York with $13.2B and Connecticut and $12.7B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Massachusetts shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

97.2% of the population of Massachusetts has health coverage, with 54.1% on employee plans, 19.1% on Medicaid, 10.9% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 0.752% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the state of Massachusetts was $10,559 in 2014. This is a 2.78% increase from the previous year ($10,273).

Primary care physicians in Massachusetts see 954 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.421% increase from the previous year (950 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1010 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 185 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Bristol County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (11.4%). Additionally, Bristol County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (29.1%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

954 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Massachusetts see an average of 954 patients per year. This represents a 0.421% increase from the previous year (950 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 neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

$10,559

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$5,302

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$8,922

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,899

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Massachusetts (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 2.78%, from $10,273 to $10,559.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

2.8%

Uninsured

54.1%

Employer Coverage

19.1%

Medicaid

10.9%

Medicare

12.4%

Non-Group

0.752%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Massachusetts grew by 10.1% from 2.54% to 2.8%.

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.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Bristol County

    11.4% prevalence

  2. Hampden County

    11.1% prevalence

  3. Plymouth County

    10.8% prevalence

Bristol County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Massachusetts, at 11.4%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Massachusetts by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Massachusetts is home to a population of 6.86M people, from which 92% are citizens. As of 2017, 16.2% of Massachusetts residents were born outside of the country.

The ethnic composition of the population of Massachusetts is composed of 4.91M White Alone residents (71.5%), 811k Hispanic or Latino residents (11.8%), 478k Black or African American Alone residents (6.97%), 450k Asian Alone residents (6.56%), 142k Two or More Races residents (2.07%), 61.8k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.9%), 9.44k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.138%), and 953 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0139%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Massachusetts are Spanish or Spanish Creole (550,235 speakers), Portuguese or Portuguese Creole (186,864 speakers), and Chinese (136,070 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

38

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

44

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.5

In 2017, the median age of all people in Massachusetts was 39.5. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 38, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 44. But people in Massachusetts are getting staying the same age. In 2016, the average age of all Massachusetts residents was 40.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

16.2%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

15.8%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

As of 2017, 16.2% of Massachusetts residents were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Massachusetts was 15.8%, 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.

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

  1. China

    92,810 ± 7,429 people

  2. Dominican Republic

    90,391 ± 7,333 people

  3. Brazil

    80,753 ± 6,936 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Massachusetts was China, the natal country of 92,810 Massachusetts residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 90,391 and Brazil with 80,753.

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Citizenship

92%

2017 Citizenship

92.2%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 92% of Massachusetts residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Massachusetts was 92.2%, 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.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    4.91M ± 8.05k

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    811k ± 22.3k

  3. Black or African American Alone

    478k ± 7.44k

In 2017, there were 6.05 times more White Alone residents (4.91M people) in Massachusetts than any other race or ethnicity. There were 811k Hispanic or Latino and 478k Black or African American Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Massachusetts as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. Spanish or Spanish Creole

    550,235 speakers (8.56%)

  2. Portuguese or Portuguese Creole

    186,864 speakers (2.91%)

  3. Chinese

    136,070 speakers (2.12%)

23% of Massachusetts citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is higher than the national average of 21.5%. In 2015, the most common non-English language spoken in Massachusetts was Spanish or Spanish Creole. 8.56% of the overall population of Massachusetts are native Spanish or Spanish Creole speakers. 2.91% speak Portuguese or Portuguese Creole and 2.12% speak Spanish or Spanish Creole, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    104,241 ± 4,329

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    46,068 ± 3,715

  3. Korea

    33,075 ± 2,743

Massachusetts has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.26 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Massachusetts awarded 141,444 degrees. The student population of Massachusetts is skewed towards women, with 221,966 male students and 291,892 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Massachusetts are White (79,390 and 64.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11,331 and 9.16%), Unknown (10,152 and 8.2%), and Asian (9,874 and 7.98%).

The largest universities in Massachusetts by number of degrees awarded are Boston University (10,671 and 7.54%), University of Massachusetts-Amherst (8,265 and 5.84%), and Harvard University (7,908 and 5.59%).

The most popular majors in Massachusetts are General Business Administration & Management (10,264 and 7.26%), Registered Nursing (4,576 and 3.24%), and General Psychology (4,357 and 3.08%).

The median tuition costs in Massachusetts are $35,625 for private four year colleges, and $1,331 and $13,463 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Business Administration & Management

    4,370 degrees awarded

  2. General Psychology

    3,821 degrees awarded

  3. Registered Nursing

    2,609 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Massachusetts was General Business Administration & Management with 4,370 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Boston University

    10,671 degrees awarded

  2. University of Massachusetts-Amherst

    8,265 degrees awarded

  3. Harvard University

    7,908 degrees awarded

$1,331

Median In-State Public

$35,625

Median Private

In 2016, the Massachusetts institution with the largest number of graduating students was Boston University with 10,671 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

58,128

Degrees Awarded to Men

83,316

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 58,128 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Massachusetts, which is 0.698 times less than the 83,316 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Massachusetts by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    79,390 degrees awarded

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    11,331 degrees awarded

  3. Unknown

    10,152 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Massachusetts were to White students. These 79,390 degrees mean that there were 7.01 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 11,331 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Massachusetts was $385,400 in 2017, which is 1.77 times larger than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $366,900 to $385,400, a 5.04% increase. The homeownership rate in Massachusetts is 62.3%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Massachusetts have an average commute time of 28.3 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Massachusetts is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

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

$77,385

Median Household Income

± $907

2.6M

Number of Households

± 25,731

In 2017, the median household income of the 2.6M households in Massachusetts grew to $77,385 from the previous year's value of $75,297.

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.

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Housing

Property Value

$385,400

2017 Median

± $2,465

$366,900

2016 Median

± $2,249

In 2017, the median property value in Massachusetts grew to to $385,400 from the previous year's value of $366,900.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Massachusetts compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Massachusetts the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

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Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Massachusetts 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.

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Rent vs Own

62.3%

2017 Homeownership

62%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 62.3% of the housing units in Massachusetts were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 62%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Massachusetts compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

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, followed by 1 car.

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Commute Time

28.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Massachusetts have a longer commute time (28.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 3.32% 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.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    70%

  2. Public Transit

    10.4%

  3. Carpooled

    7.23%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Massachusetts was Drove Alone, followed by those who Public Transit and those who Carpooled.

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