Middlesex County, MA

County

Add Comparison

2023 Population

1.62M

0.0131% 1-year decline

US Senator

Elizabeth Warren

Democratic Party

US Senator

Ed Markey

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

38.9

0.258% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

7.52%

1.04% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$126,779

4.51% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$687,200

5.03% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

897,476

0.122% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Middlesex County, MA had a population of 1.62M people with a median age of 38.9 and a median household income of $126,779. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Middlesex County, MA declined from 1.62M to 1.62M, a −0.0131% decrease and its median household income grew from $121,304 to $126,779, a 4.51% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Middlesex County, MA are White (Non-Hispanic) (66.7%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (13.1%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.97%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.81%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (3.44%).

None of the households in Middlesex County, MA 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.

88.9% of the residents in Middlesex County, MA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Middlesex County, MA are Harvard University (11,095 degrees awarded in 2023), Boston College (5,118 degrees), and University of Massachusetts-Lowell (4,932 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Middlesex County, MA was $687,200, and the homeownership rate was 61.6%.

Most people in Middlesex County, MA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30 minutes. The average car ownership in Middlesex County, MA was 2 cars per household.

Middlesex County, MA borders Essex County, MA, Norfolk County, MA, Suffolk County, MA, Worcester County, MA, and Hillsborough County, NH.

About the photo: Evening traffic on I-93, north of Boston

Photo by Robbie Shade

United States Massachusetts Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Population & Diversity

Middlesex County, MA is home to a population of 1.62M people, from which 88.9% are citizens. As of 2023, 22.6% of Middlesex County, MA residents were born outside of the country (366k people).

In 2023, there were 5.07 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.08M people) in Middlesex County, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 213k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 80.7k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

88.9%

2023 Citizenship

89.1%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 88.9% of Middlesex County, MA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Middlesex County, MA was 89.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Middlesex County, MA

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.08M ± 3.19k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
213k ± 2.01k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
80.7k ± 3.38k

8.99%

Hispanic Population

146k people

8.99% of the people in Middlesex County, MA are hispanic (146k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Middlesex County, MA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Massachusetts.

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

22.6%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

366k people

22.2%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

360k people

As of 2023, 22.6% of Middlesex County, MA residents (366k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Middlesex County, MA was 22.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
15,836 ± 802
Gulf War (2001-)
8,717 ± 818
Gulf War (1990s)
4,990 ± 576

Middlesex County, MA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.82 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Middlesex County, MA employs 897k people. The largest industries in Middlesex County, MA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (156,295 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (125,658 people), and Educational Services (119,675 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($122,324), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($117,298), and Finance & Insurance ($110,385).

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

Occupations

897k

2023 Value

± 7,673

0.122%

1 Year growth

± 1.21%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Middlesex County, MA grew at a rate of 0.122%, from 896k employees to 897k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Middlesex County, MA, are Management Occupations (130,856 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (75,275 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (72,551 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Middlesex County, MA.

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

897k

2023 Value

± 7,673

0.122%

1 Year growth

± 1.21%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Middlesex County, MA grew at a rate of 0.122%, from 896k employees to 897k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Middlesex County, MA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (156,295 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (125,658 people), and Educational Services (119,675 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Middlesex County, MA, though some of these residents may live in Middlesex County, MA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$83,239

Median earning men ± $833

$61,083

Median earning women ± $738

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($120,996), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($119,028), and Information ($117,237).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($91,128), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($85,461), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($84,821).

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

4,334
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
3,368
Construction
2,826
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

$24.2M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$11.7M
Information
$9.09M
Management of Companies and Enterprises

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Middlesex County, MA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 71% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (26.1%), followed by Other (1.67%).

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. (71%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (26.1%)
Republican Party
Other (1.67%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Middlesex County, MA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 71% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (26.1%), followed by Other (1.67%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Middlesex County, MA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Massachusetts

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for 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 2023, universities in Middlesex County, MA awarded 41,700 degrees. The student population of Middlesex County, MA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 56,445 male students and 66,110 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Middlesex County, MA are White (18,000 and 54%), followed by Asian (4,989 and 15%), Hispanic or Latino (3,824 and 11.5%), and Unknown (2,742 and 8.22%).

The largest universities in Middlesex County, MA by number of degrees awarded are Harvard University (11,095 and 26.6%), Boston College (5,118 and 12.3%), and University of Massachusetts-Lowell (4,932 and 11.8%).

The most popular majors in Middlesex County, MA are General Business Administration & Management (3,321 and 7.96%), Computer Science (1,829 and 4.39%), and Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (1,380 and 3.31%).

The median tuition costs in Middlesex County, MA are $52,997 for private four year colleges, and $8,410 and $20,863 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Middlesex County, MA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 21.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 27.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 122,555 (46.1% men and 53.9% women).

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

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 122,555 students enrolled in Middlesex County, MA, 46.1% men and 53.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 51,185 records, of which 54.1% were women and 45.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer Science
481 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
2,228 degrees awarded
Management Science
852 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Middlesex County, MA was Computer Science with 481 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Masters Degree from schools in Middlesex County, MA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Harvard University
11,095 degrees awarded
Boston College
5,118 degrees awarded
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
4,932 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Harvard University with 11,095 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 18,706 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Middlesex County, MA, which is 0.814 times less than the 22,994 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 18,000 degrees mean that there were 3.61 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 4,989 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 ($52,997) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($5,690) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,200) 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

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

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

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population 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 Middlesex County, MA was $687,200 in 2023, which is 2.26 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $654,300 to $687,200, a 5.03% increase. The homeownership rate in Middlesex County, MA is 61.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Middlesex County, MA have an average commute time of 30 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Middlesex County, MA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Middlesex County, MA is $126,779. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Middlesex County, MA was Census Tract 3384 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 3385 and Census Tract 3587, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2023, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Middlesex County, MA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.55%.

Housing

Property

$687,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,534

$388,864

Median Property Taxes

±$3,553

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 Middlesex County, MA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Middlesex County, MA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

61.6%

Homeownership

2023

61.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 61.6% of the housing units in Middlesex County, MA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Middlesex County, MA 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)

Census Tract 3384
Census Tract 3385
Census Tract 3587

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Middlesex County, MA was Census Tract 3384 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 3385 and Census Tract 3587, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Middlesex County, MA 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.

$126,779

Median Household Income

± $1,428

631k

Number of Households

± 6,080

In 2023, the median household income of the 631k households in Middlesex County, MA grew to $126,779 from the previous year's value of $121,304.

The following chart displays the households in Middlesex County, MA 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

The closest comparable wage GINI for Middlesex County, MA is from Massachusetts.

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 2023

Drove Alone (56%)
Worked At Home (22.2%)
Public Transit (7.95%)

In 2023, 56% of workers in Middlesex County, MA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (22.2%) and those who used public transit to get to work (7.95%).

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

30 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Middlesex County, MA have a longer commute time (30 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.32% of the workforce in Middlesex County, MA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Middlesex County, MA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.55%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

7.52% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Middlesex County, MA (118k out of 1.57M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. 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 Middlesex County, MA is White, followed by Hispanic and Asian.

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, 8.3% of the children was living in poverty in Middlesex County, MA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living 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

97.6% of the population of Middlesex County, MA has health coverage, with 60.8% on employee plans, 13.1% on Medicaid, 10.8% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 0.523% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Middlesex County, MA see 779 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.384% decrease from the previous year (782 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 966 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 152 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

779 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Middlesex County, MA

Primary care physicians in Middlesex County, MA see an average of 779 patients per year. This represents a 0.384% decrease from the previous year (782 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.3% under 18 years, 23.2% between 18 and 34 years, 39.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

2.43%

Uninsured

60.8%

Employer Coverage

13.1%

Medicaid

10.8%

Medicare

12.4%

Non-Group

0.523%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Middlesex County, MA declined by 3.53% from 2.52% to 2.43%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Middlesex County, MA 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 25.3 in Middlesex County, MA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Middlesex County, MA.

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 20.9% in Middlesex County, MA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Middlesex County, MA.