Suffolk County, MA

County

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2020 Population

801,162

0.572% 1-year growth

US Senator

Elizabeth Warren

Democratic Party

US Senator

Ed Markey

Democratic Party

2018 Median Age

32.7

0.307% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

17.4%

4.4% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$74,881

7.48% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$547,300

10.2% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

442,673

0.377% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Suffolk County, MA had a population of 801k people with a median age of 32.7 and a median household income of $74,881. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Suffolk County, MA grew from 796,605 to 801,162, a 0.572% increase and its median household income grew from $69,669 to $74,881, a 7.48% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Suffolk County, MA are White (Non-Hispanic) (44.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (19.5%), White (Hispanic) (9.02%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (8.82%), and Other (Hispanic) (5.88%).

None of the households in Suffolk 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.

84.7% of the residents in Suffolk County, MA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Suffolk County, MA are Boston University (12,396 degrees awarded in 2020), Northeastern University (7,668 degrees), and Northeastern University Lifelong Learning Network (482705) (4,016 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Suffolk County, MA was $547,300, and the homeownership rate was 36.3%.

Most people in Suffolk County, MA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 31.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Suffolk County, MA was 1 car per household.

Suffolk County, MA borders Essex County, MA, Middlesex County, MA, Norfolk County, MA, and Plymouth County, MA.

Photo by Robert Linsdell

Population & Diversity

Suffolk County, MA is home to a population of 801k people, from which 84.7% are citizens. As of 2020, 29.7% of Suffolk County, MA residents were born outside of the country (238k people).

In 2020, there were 2.29 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (359k people) in Suffolk County, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 157k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 72.3k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

84.7%

2020 Citizenship

84.5%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 84.7% of Suffolk County, MA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Suffolk County, MA was 84.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Suffolk County, MA

White (Non-Hispanic)
359k ± 963
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
157k ± 1.46k
White (Hispanic)
72.3k ± 2.85k

22.9%

Hispanic Population

184k people

22.9% of the people in Suffolk County, MA are hispanic (184k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Suffolk 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
98,663 ± 7,656 people
Dominican Republic
90,760 ± 7,347 people
Brazil
81,000 ± 6,946 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Massachusetts was China, the natal country of 98,663 Massachusetts residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 90,760 and Brazil with 81,000.

Foreign-Born Population

29.7%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

238k people

29.6%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

236k people

As of 2020, 29.7% of Suffolk County, MA residents (238k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Suffolk County, MA was 29.6%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
5,307 ± 453
Gulf War (2001-)
4,665 ± 539
Gulf War (1990s)
1,759 ± 323

Suffolk County, MA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.14 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Suffolk County, MA employs 443k people. The largest industries in Suffolk County, MA are Health Care & Social Assistance (76,734 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (58,317 people), and Educational Services (54,815 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($105,022), Finance & Insurance ($83,404), and Utilities ($81,663).

Males in Massachusetts have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,870. The income inequality in Massachusetts (measured using the Gini index) is 0.48, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

443k

2020 Value

± 5,495

0.377%

1 Year growth

± 1.64%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Suffolk County, MA grew at a rate of 0.377%, from 441k employees to 443k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Suffolk County, MA, are Management Occupations (51,234 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (46,461 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (37,375 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Suffolk County, MA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

443k

2020 Value

± 5,495

0.377%

1 Year growth

± 1.64%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Suffolk County, MA grew at a rate of 0.377%, from 441k employees to 443k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Suffolk County, MA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (76,734 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (58,317 people), and Educational Services (54,815 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Suffolk County, MA, though some of these residents may live in Suffolk County, MA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,725

Median earning men ± $740

$43,353

Median earning women ± $812

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($83,732), Public Administration ($80,761), and Information ($74,219).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,567), Construction ($64,438), and Public Administration ($62,722).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Massachusetts. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

7,084
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
6,525
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
5,610
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$41.3M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$31.2M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$13.7M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

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

In 2020, the top outbound Massachusetts product (by dollars) was Pharmaceuticals with $37.4B, followed by Electronics ($29.6B) and Mixed freight ($28.4B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Massachusetts.

$314B

2020 Value in Massachusetts

$627B

Projected 2050 Value in Massachusetts

99.9% growth

In 2020, total outbound Massachusetts trade was $314B. This is expected to increase 99.9% to $627B by 2050.

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

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

In 2020, the top outbound Massachusetts domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New York with $31B, followed by New Hampshire with $23.4B and Connecticut and $14.9B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Suffolk County, MA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 80.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (17.4%), followed by Other (1.53%).

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. (80.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (17.4%)
Republican Party
Other (1.53%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Suffolk County, MA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 80.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (17.4%), followed by Other (1.53%).

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

Senators 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 Representatives 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 2020, universities in Suffolk County, MA awarded 45,037 degrees. The student population of Suffolk County, MA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 59,549 male students and 85,967 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Suffolk County, MA are White (18,599 and 55.1%), followed by Asian (4,301 and 12.7%), Hispanic or Latino (3,938 and 11.7%), and Black or African American (2,981 and 8.83%).

The largest universities in Suffolk County, MA by number of degrees awarded are Boston University (12,396 and 27.5%), Northeastern University (7,668 and 17%), and Northeastern University Lifelong Learning Network (482705) (4,016 and 8.92%).

The most popular majors in Suffolk County, MA are General Business Administration & Management (2,434 and 5.4%), Registered Nursing (1,364 and 3.03%), and General Business (1,305 and 2.9%).

The median tuition costs in Suffolk County, MA are $38,410 for private four year colleges, and $7,609 and $30,640 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Suffolk County, MA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 37.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 145,516 (40.9% men and 59.1% 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 2020 there were 145,516 students enrolled in Suffolk County, MA, 40.9% men and 59.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 58,216 records, of which 60.2% were women and 39.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
1,538 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
1,046 degree-majors awarded
General Business
975 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Suffolk County, MA was General Business Administration & Management with 1,538 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Boston University
12,396 degrees awarded
Northeastern University
7,668 degrees awarded
Northeastern University Lifelong Learning Network (482705)
4,016 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Boston University with 12,396 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 18,272 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Suffolk County, MA, which is 0.683 times less than the 26,765 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 18,599 degrees mean that there were 4.32 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 4,301 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 ($38,410) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($6,830) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 2-year ($2,008) 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 2020, 0.959% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.04% 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 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.34M), Bachelors Degree (1.3M), and Some college (1.02M).

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 Suffolk County, MA was $547,300 in 2020, which is 2.38 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $496,500 to $547,300, a 10.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Suffolk County, MA is 36.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Suffolk County, MA have an average commute time of 31.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Suffolk County, MA is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Median household income in Suffolk County, MA is $74,881. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Suffolk County, MA was Census Tract 706 with a value of $190,313, followed by Census Tract 1201.03 and Census Tract 401, with respective values of $188,462 and $158,357.

In 2021, 24.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Suffolk County, MA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 2.13%.

Housing

Property

$547,300

Median Property Value 2020

±$7,121

$113,736

Median Property Taxes

±$2,336

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

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

Rent vs Own

36.3%

Homeownership

2020

64.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 36.3% of the housing units in Suffolk County, MA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 36.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Suffolk 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 706
Census Tract 1201.03
Census Tract 401

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Suffolk County, MA was Census Tract 706 with a value of $190,313, followed by Census Tract 1201.03 and Census Tract 401, with respective values of $188,462 and $158,357.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Suffolk 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.

$74,881

Median Household Income

± $1,408

313k

Number of Households

± 4,454

In 2020, the median household income of the 313k households in Suffolk County, MA grew to $74,881 from the previous year's value of $69,669.

The following chart displays the households in Suffolk 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 Suffolk County, MA is from Massachusetts.

0.48

2020 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

0.483

2019 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

In 2020, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.48 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.544% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 2018

Drove Alone (40.7%)
Public Transit (32.5%)
Walked (13.3%)

In 2018, 40.7% of workers in Suffolk County, MA drove alone to work, followed by those who used public transit to get to work (32.5%) and those who walked to work (13.3%).

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

31.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Suffolk County, MA have a longer commute time (31.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 2.25% of the workforce in Suffolk County, MA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

1 car

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Suffolk County, MA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Suffolk County, MA have 1 car.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2021, 24.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Suffolk County, MA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 2.13%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

17.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Suffolk County, MA (132k out of 757k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Suffolk County, MA 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2021, 23.9% of the children was living in poverty in Suffolk County, MA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 2.3%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 752 in Suffolk County, MA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 209 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

96.2% of the population of Suffolk County, MA has health coverage, with 51.3% on employee plans, 26% on Medicaid, 6.83% on Medicare, 11.6% on non-group plans, and 0.491% on military or VA plans.

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

Primary care physicians in Suffolk County, MA see 671 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.593% decrease from the previous year (675 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 450 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 116 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Massachusetts. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Massachusetts, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

671 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Suffolk County, MA

Primary care physicians in Suffolk County, MA see an average of 671 patients per year. This represents a 0.593% decrease from the previous year (675 patients).

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

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Massachusetts across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.4% under 18 years, 35.4% between 18 and 34 years, 34.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 11.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

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

Uninsured People

3.76%

Uninsured

51.3%

Employer Coverage

26%

Medicaid

6.83%

Medicare

11.6%

Non-Group

0.491%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Suffolk County, MA declined by 1.36% from 3.81% to 3.76%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 47.8 in Suffolk County, MA.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, 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 21.4% in Suffolk County, MA.

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

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