Middlesex County vs Suffolk County
Middlesex County, Massachusetts versus Suffolk County, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Middlesex County and Suffolk County score about the same overall (43 vs 40 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Middlesex County | Suffolk County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $121k | $88k |
| Cost of Living | $79k | $82k |
| Home Value | $654k | $651k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.08% | 0.67% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.86% | 16.01% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 6.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.1 in | 49.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 55.5 in | 54.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 198 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 96.9 | 93.5 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 593/100k | 2314/100k |
| Property Crime | 1014/100k | 1861/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,623,109 | 785,443 |
| Median Age | 38.8 | 33.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.68 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+64 |
| White (%) | 68.3% | 43.8% |
| Black (%) | 4.9% | 18.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.4% | 23.5% |
| Asian (%) | 12.9% | 8.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.5% | 5.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 31 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 15.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 24 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.4% | 89.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.75 | 34.99 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Middlesex County or Suffolk County more affordable?
- Middlesex County has the lower cost of living: its index is $79k, compared with Middlesex County's $79k and Suffolk County's $82k. Median rent is $2k in Middlesex County versus $2k in Suffolk County.
- Is Middlesex County or Suffolk County safer?
- Middlesex County has the lower violent crime rate. Middlesex County reports 593/100k and Suffolk County reports 2314/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Middlesex County or Suffolk County?
- The median home value is $654k in Middlesex County and $651k in Suffolk County, so homes are more affordable in Suffolk County.