Massachusetts population, race, income and education

Massachusetts had 7,154,084 residents on July 1, 2025, according to the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates. That is the 16th largest population among the 50 states and DC, 2.09%¹ of the national total, and the highest the state has ever recorded. This page covers the state as a whole; figures for cities and towns are outside its scope.

The 2025 count and the long climb

At the first census in 1790, Massachusetts counted 378,787 people, which placed it 4th of 18 among the present states with a count that year. It has grown at every census since, but more slowly than the country, so its rank has drifted down: 7th of 51 in 1900, 9th of 51⁹ in 1950 and 15th of 51⁶ in 2020.

The decade to 2020 broke that pattern. Massachusetts grew by 7.4% between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, the same as the US figure (7.4%) and highest in the Northeast⁶. Growth since April 2020 has been slower: 1.72% in just over five years, 1.4 percentage points below the US figure (3.10%). In the latest year the state added 15,524 people, a rate of 0.22%, the 13th lowest¹ among the states.

MassachusettsConnecticutNew HampshireRhode IslandUnited States

Source: Census Bureau, Intercensal Estimates of the Resident Population for States, 2000-2010; Census Bureau, Intercensal Estimates of the Resident Population for States, 2010-2020; Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. July 1 estimates: intercensal series for 2000–2019, Vintage 2025 for 2020–2025.

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Year	Massachusetts	Connecticut	New Hampshire	Rhode Island	United States
2010	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
2011	100.9	100.4	100.4	100.4	100.8
2012	101.9	100.7	100.8	100.8	101.6
2013	102.9	100.8	101.1	101.3	102.4
2014	103.8	101.0	101.7	101.7	103.2
2015	104.5	100.9	102.0	102.1	104.0
2016	105.2	100.8	102.6	102.6	104.8
2017	105.9	100.8	103.2	102.9	105.6
2018	106.5	100.9	103.6	103.5	106.2
2019	106.8	100.7	104.2	103.8	106.7
2020	106.3	100.0	104.7	103.9	107.2
2021	106.5	100.8	105.4	104.0	107.3
2022	106.9	101.1	106.0	104.1	108.0
2023	107.7	101.7	106.4	104.4	108.8
2024	108.7	102.6	106.9	105.3	109.9
2025	108.9	103.0	107.5	105.6	110.5

What percent of Massachusetts is white? Three answers

The answer depends on how "white" is counted. The Census Bureau publishes three measures, and the gap between the narrowest and the broadest is large.

• White and not Hispanic: 63.7% (±0.2 percentage points) in the 2025 American Community Survey, 8.7 percentage points above the US figure (55.0%)². This is the measure most comparisons use.
• White alone, of any ethnicity: 76.3%¹² in the Census Bureau's July 2025 population estimates. It includes Hispanic residents who report white as their only race.
• White alone or in combination with another race: 76.3%¹³ in the 2025 survey. The two broader measures come from different sources and happen to match.

The share has fallen steadily. In 2005, 79.7% of residents were non-Hispanic white; by 2015 it was 73.0%¹⁴, and in 2025 it was 63.7%, down from 65.0% in 2024². The population estimates, built with a different method, show the same direction: down from 70.0% in 2020¹².

MassachusettsUnited States

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2005-2019 and 2021-2025. ACS 1-year estimates; no standard 1-year release for 2020. Shaded band: 90% margin of error.

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Year	Massachusetts	United States
2005	79.7% ±0.1	66.8% ±0.0
2006	79.3% ±0.1	66.2% ±0.0
2007	79.1% ±0.1	65.8% ±0.0
2008	78.5% ±0.1	65.4% ±0.0
2009	78.2% ±0.1	64.9% ±0.0
2010	76.3% ±0.1	63.7% ±0.0
2011	75.8% ±0.1	63.3% ±0.0
2012	75.3% ±0.1	62.8% ±0.0
2013	74.6% ±0.1	62.4% ±0.0
2014	73.8% ±0.1	61.9% ±0.0
2015	73.0% ±0.1	61.5% ±0.0
2016	72.4% ±0.1	61.1% ±0.0
2017	71.5% ±0.1	60.6% ±0.0
2018	70.7% ±0.1	60.2% ±0.0
2019	70.3% ±0.1	60.0% ±0.0
2021	67.5% ±0.2	58.1% ±0.0
2022	67.0% ±0.2	57.7% ±0.0
2023	65.9% ±0.2	57.1% ±0.0
2024	65.0% ±0.2	56.3% ±0.0
2025	63.7% ±0.2	55.0% ±0.0

Puerto Rican, Dominican, Chinese and Cambodian communities

Hispanic or Latino residents of any race make up 14.3% of the population, up from 14.0% in 2024 and 6.2 percentage points below the US figure (20.5%)². The mix differs sharply from the national one. Over 2020–2024, people of Puerto Rican origin were 4.6% of all residents (2.8 percentage points above the US figure (1.8%)) and people of Dominican origin 2.7% (2.0 percentage points above the US figure (0.7%)). Mexican-origin residents were only 0.8%, a share tied for 3rd lowest¹⁵ among the states.

Single group (adds to 100%)Alone or in combination with other races

White, not Hispanic63.7% 76.3%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)14.3%

Asian, not Hispanic8.0% 9.6%

Black, not Hispanic6.7% 11.0%

Two or more races, not Hispanic5.7%

Some other race, not Hispanic1.4%

American Indian and Alaska Native, not Hispanic0.1% 1.6%

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, not Hispanic0.0% 0.2%

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B03002; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B02009. The dark bars are mutually exclusive and add to 100%. The light bars count everyone who reported the race, alone or with another race and of any ethnicity, so they overlap and add to more than 100%.

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Group	Share (single group)	MOE	Alone or in combination
White, not Hispanic	63.7%	±0.2	76.3%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	14.3%		–
Asian, not Hispanic	8.0%	±0.1	9.6%
Black, not Hispanic	6.7%	±0.2	11.0%
Two or more races, not Hispanic	5.7%	±0.3	–
Some other race, not Hispanic	1.4%	±0.2	–
American Indian and Alaska Native, not Hispanic	0.1%		1.6%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, not Hispanic	0.0%		0.2%

Non-Hispanic Asian residents are 8.0% of the population, up from 7.6% in 2024 and 1.5 percentage points above the US figure (6.5%)²; the share was 4.7%¹⁴ in 2005. Chinese residents (190,144 in 2025) and Asian Indian residents (149,288) are the largest groups. The Cambodian community, 39,801 people (±7,236¹⁷), is the 2nd largest in the country, and on 2020–2024 data its share of the population is the 2nd highest¹⁸ of any state.

Non-Hispanic Black residents account for 6.7%, up from 6.3% in 2024². Including people who report Black together with another race, the share is 11.0%, 3.5 percentage points below the US figure (14.5%)¹⁶.

Five straight years of net losses to other states

Every year since 2020 more people have moved from Massachusetts to other states than the reverse: −9,433 in the year to June 2021, −47,954 in 2022, −35,360 in 2023, −19,195 in 2024 and −33,340 in 2025. The total since April 2020, −182,145, is the 5th lowest of any state. Relative to its size, the 2025 figure of −4.7 per 1,000 residents was the 6th lowest¹.

Tax returns tell the same story. Between the 2022 and 2023 filing years, 145,183 people on returns left the state and 116,816 arrived, a net change of −28,367. Departing households reported $11.5 billion in income against $7.5 billion for arriving ones, a net balance of −$4.0 billion, the 4th lowest²⁰ among the states.

Moved to Massachusetts from

New York18,697 ±3,077

Rhode Island15,235 ±4,211

California13,810 ±2,866

New Hampshire11,286 ±2,887

Florida10,580 ±2,788

Connecticut9,936 ±1,952

Maine6,746 ±2,201

New Jersey6,536 ±1,517

Left Massachusetts for

Florida21,834 ±4,803

New Hampshire20,310 ±3,696

New York17,862 ±2,974

California15,720 ±3,343

Connecticut11,612 ±2,586

Rhode Island11,568 ±2,985

Texas9,454 ±2,933

Maine6,723 ±2,509

Source: Census Bureau, State-to-State Migration Flows, 2024. People aged 1 and over who lived in another state a year earlier (and the reverse). Survey estimates: whiskers show the 90% margin of error.

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State	Moved in from	Moved out to
New York	18,697 ±3,077	17,862 ±2,974
Rhode Island	15,235 ±4,211	11,568 ±2,985
California	13,810 ±2,866	15,720 ±3,343
New Hampshire	11,286 ±2,887	20,310 ±3,696
Florida	10,580 ±2,788	21,834 ±4,803
Connecticut	9,936 ±1,952	11,612 ±2,586
Maine	6,746 ±2,201	6,723 ±2,509
New Jersey	6,536 ±1,517	–
Texas	6,191 ±1,928	9,454 ±2,933

The Census Bureau's 2024 survey of movers counted 182,315 people (±11,306) leaving for other states and 151,762 (±9,967²¹) arriving. Florida and New Hampshire were the most common destinations, and the largest net losses, after allowing for sampling error, were to those two states. New York, Rhode Island and California sent the most new arrivals.

Immigration fills the gap

Net international migration has more than offset those losses. Since April 2020 it added 286,765 residents, the 7th highest total in the country, while births exceeded deaths by 26,617. Together they outweighed the domestic outflow, leaving a net gain of 120,972¹ people.

Births+356,541

Deaths−329,924

Net domestic migration−182,145

Net international migration+286,765

Residual (estimation adjustment)−10,265

Total change+120,972

Source: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. Each bar starts where the previous one ended. The residual is the part of the change the Census Bureau cannot assign to a component.

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Component	People
Births	356,541
Deaths	−329,924
Net domestic migration	−182,145
Net international migration	286,765
Residual (estimation adjustment)	−10,265
Total change	120,972

The inflow from abroad fell by about half in the latest year, from 77,957 in the year to June 2024 to 40,240, in step with the national drop from 2,734,468 to 1,262,202. Even so, the 2025 rate of 5.6 per 1,000 residents was tied for 4th highest, behind only Florida, Washington and the District of Columbia. Natural increase, 8,419¹ in 2025, was the largest of the five years, but on its own it would not have kept the population rising: without migration from abroad the state would have shrunk.

Florida7.7

Washington5.8

District of Columbia5.7

Massachusetts5.6

New Jersey5.6

Rhode Island5.3

Texas5.3

New York4.8

Connecticut4.8

Virginia4.6

Source: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. Period: July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.

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State	Net international migration rate per 1,000
Florida	7.7
Washington	5.8
District of Columbia	5.7
Massachusetts	5.6
New Jersey	5.6
Rhode Island	5.3
Texas	5.3
New York	4.8
Connecticut	4.8
Virginia	4.6

Small, dense and almost entirely urban

Massachusetts has 7,801 square miles of land, the 6th smallest among the 50 states, and water covers 26.1% of its total area, the 4th highest²² share. With 917.1 people per square mile, it is the 3rd most densely populated among the 50 states²³, after New Jersey and Rhode Island. At the 2020 Census, 91.3% of residents lived in urban areas and 8.7% in rural ones, a rural share lower than every bordering state (Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont)²⁴.

Household income brackets: almost a quarter above $200,000

A typical Massachusetts household, the one in the middle of the income distribution, had $106,539 in 2025 (±$1,459), $21,759 (26%) above the US figure ($84,780). Allowing for the survey's margins of error, the state ranks between 1st and 6th. After inflation it was not statistically different from $107,586 in 2024 (in 2025 dollars)⁴. For families, the median was $138,434, 2nd highest²⁵ in the country.

What sets Massachusetts apart is the top of the distribution. 673,506 households, 23.8% of the total, had income of $200,000 or more, the highest of any state (the District of Columbia is higher) and 9.0 percentage points above the US figure (14.8%). Fewer households than nationally fall in the middle brackets: 22.9% had at least $50,000 but less than $100,000, against 27.8%²⁶ nationally. Tax data point the same way: 7.6 per 1,000 tax returns reported $1 million or more of income in 2023, the 3rd highest²⁷ rate.

MassachusettsUnited States

Under $25,00012.8% 14.0%

$25,000–$49,99911.1% 15.4%

$50,000–$99,99922.9% 27.8%

$100,000–$199,99929.4% 28.0%

$200,000 or more23.8% 14.8%

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B19001. Share of households in each band of income in the past 12 months, in 2025 dollars.

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Household income	Massachusetts	MOE	United States
Under $25,000	12.8%	±0.5	14.0%
$25,000–$49,999	11.1%	±0.4	15.4%
$50,000–$99,999	22.9%	±0.6	27.8%
$100,000–$199,999	29.4%	±0.7	28.0%
$200,000 or more	23.8%	±0.4	14.8%

Income is spread unevenly, but not more unevenly than in the country as a whole: the Gini index of 0.486 is not statistically different from the US figure (0.482)²⁸. The official poverty rate was 9.8% (±0.4 percentage points), 2.0 percentage points below the US figure (11.8%)⁵, and the share of residents below twice the poverty line, 19.9%, is the 2nd lowest²⁹. The Supplemental Poverty Measure, which accounts for local housing costs, taxes and benefits, tells a different story: averaged over 2023 to 2025 it was 12.5%, not statistically different from the US figure (13.0%), and 3.4 percentage points³⁰ above the official rate from the same survey.

Prices: housing and utilities drive the gap

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts Massachusetts prices at 105.8 for 2024 (US = 100), the 7th most expensive level, more expensive than Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; less expensive than New York. The gap comes from two categories. Housing costs stand at 128.1, 27% above the US figure (100.6), and utilities at 152.1, the 3rd most expensive of any state. Goods, at 98.8, are priced 1% below the US figure (99.6)³¹.

Adjusted for those prices, personal income per person was $71,629 in 2024, still the 4th highest of any state and $12,434 (21%) above the US figure ($59,195)³¹.

Catholic Massachusetts, smaller than in 2010

Massachusetts has the second-highest Catholic share of any state. The 2020 U.S. Religion Census counted 2,497,737 Catholic adherents, 35.5% of residents and 73.0% of everyone on a congregation's books. The share is down from 44.9% in 2010; methods differed between the two studies, but no other state's Catholic share fell as far. Evangelical Protestant churches counted only 3.7%, the 2nd lowest³² share.

Synagogues counted 70,832 members (1.01%, the 6th highest share), and the mosque study estimated 131,749 people taking part in mosques. In all, Christian congregations counted 45.0%³² of residents. Counts kept by congregations are not a survey of belief; the religion overview explains why.

Degrees: the highest share of any state

Almost half of adults aged 25 and older, 49.2% (±0.6 percentage points), hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the highest of any state (the District of Columbia is higher) and 11.8 percentage points above the US figure (37.4%). The share was 36.9% in 2005 and rose to 41.5%¹⁴ by 2015. In 2025 it was up from 48.3% in 2024³³, a statistically significant gain.

District of Columbia64.9% ±2.2

Massachusetts49.2% ±0.6

Colorado47.1% ±0.6

Maryland45.5% ±0.6

New Jersey45.0% ±0.5

Virginia44.7% ±0.5

Vermont44.5% ±1.5

Connecticut43.6% ±0.8

New York42.0% ±0.3

New Hampshire41.5% ±1.1

United States37.4% ±0.1

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B15003. Whiskers show the 90% margin of error; states whose whiskers overlap may not differ significantly. Period: 2025.

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State	Bachelor's degree or higher	MOE
District of Columbia	64.9%	±2.2
Massachusetts	49.2%	±0.6
Colorado	47.1%	±0.6
Maryland	45.5%	±0.6
New Jersey	45.0%	±0.5
Virginia	44.7%	±0.5
Vermont	44.5%	±1.5
Connecticut	43.6%	±0.8
New York	42.0%	±0.3
New Hampshire	41.5%	±1.1
United States	37.4%	±0.1

Advanced degrees are just as concentrated. 23.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, again the highest of any state (the District of Columbia is higher), and 3.7% hold a doctorate, 1.9 percentage points above the US figure (1.8%)³³. In public high schools, 90% of students graduated within four years in the 2021–2022 school year, which places the state between 2nd and 8th³⁴ among the states.

Age: a large working-age population and few children

The median age is 40.4 years, 0.9 years above the US figure (39.5 years), the 18th oldest³ among the states. What stands out is the balance between age groups. Residents aged 18 to 64 make up 61.6% of the population, the 4th highest share and higher than every bordering state (Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont). Children under 18 are only 18.6%, the 6th lowest share, down from 19.6% in 2020¹².

MenWomenUnited States

MenWomen

85+

80–84

75–79

70–74

65–69

60–64

55–59

50–54

45–49

40–44

35–39

30–34

25–29

20–24

15–19

10–14

5–9

0–4

Source: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. Share of the total population in each age group. Vertical ticks: the United States.

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Age	Men (%)	Women (%)	US men (%)	US women (%)
0-4	2.50	2.36	2.76	2.65
5-9	2.56	2.47	2.96	2.83
10-14	2.67	2.58	3.08	2.95
15-19	3.15	3.08	3.31	3.16
20-24	3.50	3.57	3.43	3.28
25-29	3.59	3.60	3.46	3.37
30-34	3.49	3.50	3.41	3.38
35-39	3.40	3.53	3.38	3.40
40-44	3.10	3.23	3.21	3.27
45-49	2.77	2.96	2.93	3.03
50-54	2.76	2.97	2.83	2.96
55-59	2.99	3.24	2.86	3.02
60-64	3.14	3.43	2.96	3.21
65-69	2.84	3.20	2.75	3.08
70-74	2.32	2.73	2.26	2.64
75-79	1.77	2.22	1.71	2.08
80-84	1.04	1.43	1.00	1.32
85+	0.84	1.47	0.78	1.28

The older population is growing. 1,421,793 residents were 65 or older in July 2025, up from 1,230,428 in 2020, and they make up 19.9% of the population, 1.0 percentage points above the US figure (18.9%). Women outnumber men by 210,542³⁵: there are 93.9 males for every 100 females, 3% below the US figure (96.4)¹².

Irish, Portuguese, Brazilian and Cape Verdean ancestry

Asked about their ancestry in 2025, 17.2% of residents reported Irish roots and 10.2%³⁶ Italian. On 2020–2024 data, both shares rank near the top: Irish 2nd highest after New Hampshire, Italian 4th highest³⁷.

Several smaller groups are more concentrated here than almost anywhere else. Massachusetts has the highest share of residents of Brazilian ancestry (93,691 people in 2025) and the largest Cape Verdean population (55,329³⁶). Its shares of people with Portuguese, Haitian, Greek and Lebanese ancestry are each the 2nd highest of any state, and its share with Albanian ancestry is the highest³⁷.

Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian at home

1,368,806 residents, 19.1% of the population, were born abroad, the 6th highest share and 4.4 percentage points above the US figure (14.7%). Compared with the US, more of them come from Europe (15.8%) and Africa (9.6%) and fewer from Latin America (41.4%), though Latin America is still the largest region of birth. 53.6% are naturalized citizens, not statistically different from the US figure (53.9%)³⁸.

A language other than English is spoken at home by 26.3% of residents aged 5 and older. Spanish leads and Portuguese comes second; Massachusetts has the largest number of Portuguese speakers of any state. Chinese and Haitian follow, and the share of residents who speak Haitian at home is the 2nd highest⁴⁰ in the country. Overall 9.7% of residents speak English less than "very well", down from 10.4% in 2024³⁹.

Later marriage, fewer births, few divorces

38.5% of residents aged 15 and older have never married, the 5th highest⁴² share. Women have children later than nationally: the birth rate among women aged 25 to 29 is 56.7 per 1,000 women aged 25 to 29, 37% below the US figure (89.5 per 1,000 women aged 25 to 29), while among women aged 30 to 34 it is 102.4 per 1,000 women aged 30 to 34, 9% above the US figure (93.7 per 1,000 women aged 30 to 34). The total fertility rate, 1.38 children per woman in 2024, is tied for 6th lowest, and the teen birth rate of 5.4 per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 is the 2nd lowest⁴³.

Divorce is uncommon. The divorce rate of 1.5 per 1,000 residents in 2024 was the 3rd lowest⁴⁴ among the states that report divorces. Married couples make up 45.1% of households, and 30.4%⁴⁵ of households are one person living alone. The average household has 2.43⁴⁶ people.

Homes: old, expensive and often rented

The median owner-occupied home was worth $626,900 in 2025, the 4th most expensive⁴⁷ value, and 18.2%⁴⁸ of owned homes were worth $1 million or more. Median gross rent was $1,962, $405 (26%) above the US figure ($1,557)⁴⁹. Only 62.8% of households own their home, tied for 8th lowest⁵⁰ among the states, and 52.5% of renters spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing, not statistically different from the US figure (51.8%)⁵¹.

The housing stock is among the oldest anywhere: 30.0% of homes were built before 1940, 18.7 percentage points above the US figure (11.3%), and just 9.6%⁵² in 2010 or later. Half of all housing units (50.2%) are detached single-family houses, against 60.9%⁵³ nationally.

The lowest uninsured rate and long lives

Only 2.7% of residents had no health insurance in 2025, the lowest in the nation, ahead of Vermont (3.8%). Among children the share was 1.5%⁵⁴. Medicaid covers 16.7% of residents in the survey, not statistically different from the US figure (16.6%)⁵⁵.

Life expectancy at birth was 79.8 years in 2022, the 2nd longest of any state. Men had the longest life expectancy of any state, 77.4 years, 2.6 years above the US figure (74.8 years); women reached 82.2 years, the 2nd longest⁵⁶. Infant mortality, 3.5 per 1,000 live births in 2024, was the 3rd lowest⁵⁷. Adult obesity, at 27.0%, is 7.2 percentage points below the US figure (34.2%)⁵⁸.

Work, commuting, veterans and assistance

66.5% of residents aged 16 and older were in the labor force in 2025, 4.1 percentage points above the US figure (62.4%), and the unemployment rate averaged 4.5%⁵⁹. Commutes are long, 30.8 minutes each way on average, the 4th longest⁶⁰, and 8.4% of workers take public transit, the 4th highest⁶¹ share. One household in eight (12.2%⁶²) has no vehicle.

Veterans are a small group: 222,521 people, 3.8% of civilian adults, the 4th lowest⁶³ share.

SNAP is the federal food assistance program. In fiscal year 2025, 1,087,752 people received SNAP benefits, 15.2% of the population and the 7th highest⁶⁴ share; 52.9%⁶⁵ of recipient households include someone aged 60 or older. HUD's January 2025 count found 28,311 people experiencing homelessness, 39.6 per 10,000 residents and the 8th highest rate among the states. Almost all were in shelters: only 6.2% were unsheltered, against 35.7%⁶⁶ nationally.