Suffolk County, MA

County

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2023 Population

782,172

0.416% 1-year decline

US Senator

Elizabeth Warren

Democratic Party

US Senator

Ed Markey

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

33.8

0.595% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

16.5%

3.33% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$92,859

5.92% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$680,700

4.58% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

439,980

1.17% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Suffolk County, MA had a population of 782k people with a median age of 33.8 and a median household income of $92,859. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Suffolk County, MA declined from 785,443 to 782,172, a −0.416% decrease and its median household income grew from $87,669 to $92,859, a 5.92% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Suffolk County, MA are White (Non-Hispanic) (44.1%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (17.9%), Two+ (Hispanic) (10.6%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (8.92%), and Other (Hispanic) (6.67%).

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.

85.4% of the residents in Suffolk County, MA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Suffolk County, MA are Boston University (12,366 degrees awarded in 2022), Northeastern University (9,235 degrees), and University of Massachusetts-Boston (3,980 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Suffolk County, MA was $680,700, and the homeownership rate was 36.6%.

Most people in Suffolk County, MA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.9 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

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

Population & Diversity

Suffolk County, MA is home to a population of 782k people, from which 85.4% are citizens. As of 2023, 29.2% of Suffolk County, MA residents were born outside of the country (229k people).

In 2023, there were 2.46 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (345k people) in Suffolk County, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 140k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 82.7k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

85.4%

2023 Citizenship

85.1%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 85.4% of Suffolk County, MA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Suffolk County, MA was 85.1%, 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)
345k ± 1.42k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
140k ± 1.96k
Two+ (Hispanic)
82.7k ± 4.08k

22.8%

Hispanic Population

178k people

22.8% of the people in Suffolk County, MA are hispanic (178k 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
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

29.2%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

229k people

29.8%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

234k people

As of 2023, 29.2% of Suffolk County, MA residents (229k 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 Suffolk County, MA was 29.8%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Gulf War (2001-)
4,529 ± 519
Vietnam
4,001 ± 492
Gulf War (1990s)
1,483 ± 309

Suffolk County, MA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.13 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Suffolk County, MA employs 440k people. The largest industries in Suffolk County, MA are Health Care & Social Assistance (76,600 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (63,646 people), and Educational Services (54,734 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($109,722), Finance & Insurance ($104,424), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($99,329).

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

440k

2023 Value

± 5,441

1.17%

1 Year growth

± 1.75%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Suffolk County, MA grew at a rate of 1.17%, from 435k employees to 440k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Suffolk County, MA, are Management Occupations (55,624 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (40,545 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (39,202 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 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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

440k

2023 Value

± 5,441

1.17%

1 Year growth

± 1.75%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Suffolk County, MA grew at a rate of 1.17%, from 435k employees to 440k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Suffolk County, MA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (76,600 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (63,646 people), and Educational Services (54,734 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

$65,526

Median earning men ± $1,418

$53,889

Median earning women ± $1,095

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($106,327), Public Administration ($92,586), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($91,724).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($88,733), Construction ($76,336), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($75,890).

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

1,847
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
1,486
Other Services (except Public Administration)
1,252
Retail Trade

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

$19.6M
Finance and Insurance
$16.5M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$12.7M
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

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.

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 2022, universities in Suffolk County, MA awarded 45,858 degrees. The student population of Suffolk County, MA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 61,428 male students and 90,107 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Suffolk County, MA are White (18,880 and 53.7%), followed by Asian (5,054 and 14.4%), Hispanic or Latino (4,375 and 12.4%), and Black or African American (3,206 and 9.12%).

The largest universities in Suffolk County, MA by number of degrees awarded are Boston University (12,366 and 27%), Northeastern University (9,235 and 20.1%), and University of Massachusetts-Boston (3,980 and 8.68%).

The most popular majors in Suffolk County, MA are General Business Administration & Management (2,311 and 5.04%), General Business (1,287 and 2.81%), and Registered Nursing (1,254 and 2.73%).

The median tuition costs in Suffolk County, MA are $42,925 for private four year colleges, and $7,786 and $31,468 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Suffolk County, MA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 29.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 151,535 (40.5% men and 59.5% 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 2022 there were 151,535 students enrolled in Suffolk County, MA, 40.5% men and 59.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 55,784 records, of which 61.4% were women and 38.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
1,473 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
1,012 degrees awarded
General Business
1,004 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Suffolk County, MA was General Business Administration & Management with 1,473 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
12,366 degrees awarded
Northeastern University
9,235 degrees awarded
University of Massachusetts-Boston
3,980 degrees awarded

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

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 18,232 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Suffolk County, MA, which is 0.66 times less than the 27,626 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 18,880 degrees mean that there were 3.74 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 5,054 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 ($42,925) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($7,065) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

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 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 Suffolk County, MA was $680,700 in 2023, which is 2.24 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $650,900 to $680,700, a 4.58% increase. The homeownership rate in Suffolk County, MA is 36.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Suffolk County, MA have an average commute time of 30.9 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 $92,859. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Suffolk County, MA was Census Tract 9813 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 1201.03 and Census Tract 706, with respective values of $247,533 and $241,008.

In 2023, 23.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Suffolk County, MA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.7%.

Housing

Property

$680,700

Median Property Value 2023

±$7,738

$117,938

Median Property Taxes

±$2,709

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

36.6%

Homeownership

2023

64.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 36.6% of the housing units in Suffolk County, MA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 36.2%.

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 9813
Census Tract 1201.03
Census Tract 706

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Suffolk County, MA was Census Tract 9813 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 1201.03 and Census Tract 706, with respective values of $247,533 and $241,008.

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.

$92,859

Median Household Income

± $2,104

322k

Number of Households

± 4,707

In 2023, the median household income of the 322k households in Suffolk County, MA grew to $92,859 from the previous year's value of $87,669.

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

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 (36.6%)
Public Transit (23.6%)
Worked At Home (17.5%)

In 2023, 36.6% of workers in Suffolk County, MA drove alone to work, followed by those who used public transit to get to work (23.6%) and those who worked at home (17.5%).

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

30.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Suffolk County, MA have a longer commute time (30.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.52% 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 2023, 23.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Suffolk County, MA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.7%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

16.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Suffolk County, MA (122k out of 741k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. 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 2023, 25.1% of the children was living in poverty in Suffolk County, MA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.1%.

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

96.7% of the population of Suffolk County, MA has health coverage, with 51.6% on employee plans, 25.2% on Medicaid, 7.38% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 0.404% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Suffolk County, MA see 667 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.93% increase from the previous year (648 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 424 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 99 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

667 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Suffolk County, MA

Primary care physicians in Suffolk County, MA see an average of 667 patients per year. This represents a 2.93% increase from the previous year (648 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.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.1% under 18 years, 34.1% between 18 and 34 years, 35.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

3.28%

Uninsured

51.6%

Employer Coverage

25.2%

Medicaid

7.38%

Medicare

12.2%

Non-Group

0.404%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Suffolk County, MA declined by 5.91% from 3.48% to 3.28%.

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 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 42.9 in Suffolk County, MA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Suffolk 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 23.3% in Suffolk County, MA.

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