Massachusetts

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Population

6.9M

0.617% growth

Median Age

39.5


Median Household Income

$79,835

3.17% growth

Poverty Rate

11.1%


Number of Employees

3.45M

1.04% growth

Median Property Value

$400,700

3.97% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2018, Massachusetts had a population of 6.9M people with a median age of 39.5 and a median household income of $79,835. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Massachusetts grew from 6.86M to 6.9M, a 0.617% increase and its median household income grew from $77,385 to $79,835, a 3.17% increase.

The population of Massachusetts is 70.7% White Alone, 12.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 7.01% Black or African American Alone. 24.3% of the people in Massachusetts speak a non-English language, and 92% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Massachusetts are Boston University (10,645 degrees awarded in 2017), Harvard University (8,797 degrees), and University of Massachusetts-Amherst (8,788 degrees).

The median property value in Massachusetts is $400,700, and the homeownership rate is 61.8%. Most people in Massachusetts commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 28.9 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

Median household income in Massachusetts is $79,835. Males in Massachusetts have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $66,042. The income inequality in Massachusetts (measured using the Gini index) is 0.483, which is higher than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$79,835

2018 value

± $970

3.17%

1 Year Growth

± 1.64%

Households in Massachusetts have a median annual income of $79,835, which is more than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $77,385 in 2017, which represents a 3.17% 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

$89,637

Average Male Salary

± $1,937

$66,042

Average Female Salary

± $1,326

In 2018, full-time male employees in Massachusetts made 1.36 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

    $78,414 ± $4,378

  2. White

    $68,799 ± $1,194

  3. Two or More Races

    $52,931 ± $4,910

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Massachusetts workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.14 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

0.483

2018 Wage GINI

0.484

2017 Wage GINI

In 2018, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.483 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.101% decline from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2018 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. Middlesex County, MA

  2. Norfolk County, MA

  3. Plymouth County, MA

In 2018, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Massachusetts was Middlesex County, MA with a value of $100,517, followed by Norfolk County, MA and Plymouth County, MA, with respective values of $100,356 and $90,484.

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 13.1%. 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

3.45M

2018 Value

1.04%

1 Year growth

± 1.04%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Massachusetts grew at a rate of 1.04%, from 3.42M employees to 3.45M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Massachusetts, are Other managers (100,811 people), Registered nurses (90,520 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (89,228 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 Other managers (100,811 people), Registered nurses (90,520 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (89,228 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 (3.64 times higher than expected), Railtrack laying & maintenance equipment operators (3.63 times), and Natural sciences managers (3.62 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Massachusetts, by average salary, are Dentists ($251,882), Physicians ($221,671), and Aircraft pilots & flight engineers ($219,870).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

3.45M

2018 Value

1.04%

1 Year growth

± 1.04%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Massachusetts grew at a rate of 1.04%, from 3.42M employees to 3.45M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Massachusetts, are Elementary & secondary schools (219,121 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (218,139 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (202,380 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 Elementary & secondary schools (219,121 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (218,139 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (202,380 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Massachusetts has an unusually high number of Footwear manufacturing (4.1 times higher than expected), Scientific research & development services (3.35 times), and Software publishing (3.33 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Massachusetts, by average salary, are Paint, coating, & adhesive manufacturing ($212,431), Other information services, except libraries & archives, & internet publishing & broadcasting & web search portals ($173,228), and Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($159,495).

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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

    $30.9B

  2. Mixed freight

    $29.2B

  3. Electronics

    $27.7B

In 2015, the top outbound Massachusetts product (by dollars) was Gasoline with $30.9B, followed by Mixed freight ($29.2B) and Electronics ($27.7B).

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

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Domestic Trade Growth

$260B

2020 Value

$364B

Projected 2045 Value

40% growth

In 2020, total outbound Massachusetts trade was $260B. This is expected to increase 40% 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 York

    $14.6B

  2. Connecticut

    $13.9B

  3. New Hampshire

    $13.9B

In 2015, the top outbound Massachusetts domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New York with $14.6B, followed by Connecticut with $13.9B and New Hampshire and $13.9B.

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 6.9M people, from which 92% are citizens. As of 2017, 16.2% of Massachusetts residents were born outside of the country (1.11M people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Massachusetts is composed of 4.88M White Alone residents (70.7%), 847k Hispanic or Latino residents (12.3%), 484k Black or African American Alone residents (7.01%), 469k Asian Alone residents (6.79%), 154k Two or More Races residents (2.23%), 53.8k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.779%), 10.8k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.156%), and 2.19k Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0317%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Massachusetts are Spanish (615,909 speakers), Portuguese (205,164 speakers), and Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (142,602 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

38

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

44

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.4

In 2018, 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 2017, the average age of all Massachusetts residents was 40.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

16.2%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

1.11M people

15.8%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

1.07M people

As of 2017, 16.2% of Massachusetts residents (1.11M people) 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

    100,431 ± 7,724 people

  2. Dominican Republic

    97,136 ± 7,598 people

  3. Brazil

    81,900 ± 6,984 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Massachusetts was China, the natal country of 100,431 Massachusetts residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 97,136 and Brazil with 81,900.

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Citizenship

92%

2018 Citizenship

92%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 92% of Massachusetts residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Massachusetts was 92%, 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

    4.88M ± 6.19k

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    847k ± 24.6k

  3. Black or African American Alone

    484k ± 6.1k

In 2018, there were 5.77 times more White Alone residents (4.88M people) in Massachusetts than any other race or ethnicity. There were 847k Hispanic or Latino and 484k 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

    615,909 speakers (9.41%)

  2. Portuguese

    205,164 speakers (3.13%)

  3. Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)

    142,602 speakers (2.18%)

24.3% of Massachusetts citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is higher than the national average of 21.9%. In 2018, the most common non-English language spoken in Massachusetts was Spanish. 9.41% of the overall population of Massachusetts are native Spanish speakers. 3.13% speak Portuguese and 2.18% speak Spanish, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    101,255 ± 4,312

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    48,182 ± 3,893

  3. Korea

    28,721 ± 2,619

Massachusetts has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.1 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Massachusetts awarded 142,519 degrees. The student population of Massachusetts is skewed towards women, with 221,037 male students and 289,219 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Massachusetts are White (77,871 and 62.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12,148 and 9.81%), Asian (10,414 and 8.41%), and Black or African American (10,004 and 8.08%).

The largest universities in Massachusetts by number of degrees awarded are Boston University (10,645 and 7.47%), Harvard University (8,797 and 6.17%), and University of Massachusetts-Amherst (8,788 and 6.17%).

The most popular majors in Massachusetts are General Business Administration & Management (10,646 and 7.47%), Registered Nursing (4,769 and 3.35%), and General Psychology (4,145 and 2.91%).

The median tuition costs in Massachusetts are $36,954 for private four year colleges, and $1,372 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

    4,563 degrees awarded

  2. General Psychology

    3,666 degrees awarded

  3. Registered Nursing

    2,679 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Massachusetts was General Business Administration & Management with 4,563 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

    10,645 degrees awarded

  2. Harvard University

    8,797 degrees awarded

  3. University of Massachusetts-Amherst

    8,788 degrees awarded

$1,372

Median In-State Public

$36,954

Median Private

In 2017, the Massachusetts institution with the largest number of graduating students was Boston University with 10,645 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

58,820

Degrees Awarded to Men

83,699

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 58,820 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Massachusetts, which is 0.703 times less than the 83,699 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

    77,871 degrees awarded

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    12,148 degrees awarded

  3. Asian

    10,414 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Massachusetts were to White students. These 77,871 degrees mean that there were 6.41 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 12,148 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Massachusetts was $400,700 in 2018, which is 1.74 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $385,400 to $400,700, a 3.97% increase. The homeownership rate in Massachusetts is 61.8%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Massachusetts have an average commute time of 28.9 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.

Housing

Property Value

$400,700

2018 Median

± $2,804

$385,400

2017 Median

± $2,465

In 2018, the median property value in Massachusetts grew to to $400,700 from the previous year's value of $385,400.

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 $500k - $750k range.

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Household Income

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

$79,835

Median Household Income

± $970

2.62M

Number of Households

± 24,735

In 2018, the median household income of the 2.62M households in Massachusetts grew to $79,835 from the previous year's value of $77,385.

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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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

61.8%

2018 Homeownership

62.3%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 61.8% of the housing units in Massachusetts were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 62.3%.

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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Commute Time

28.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Massachusetts have a longer commute time (28.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 3.57% 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

    69.8%

  2. Public Transit

    10.2%

  3. Carpooled

    7.44%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Massachusetts was Drove Alone (69.8%), followed by those who Public Transit (10.2%) and those who Carpooled (7.44%).

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.

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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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