Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Among the top 15% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 5% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 11% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 85% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
- top 2% for walkability
- top 3% for broadband access
- bottom 1% for monthly owner costs
Middlesex County is a county in Massachusetts with about 1,623,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, broadband access, and school quality. It rates lower on monthly rent and monthly owner costs.
- The median home value in Middlesex County is $654k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Middlesex County is $121k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Middlesex County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Middlesex County has a violent crime rate of 593/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Middlesex County is 30 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
63%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in3.8 in
humid 85%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$121k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$79kbetter than 1% of US counties
Home Value$654k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$387kbetter than 1% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.08%better than 34% of US counties
Income Tax9.00%better than 9% of US counties
Sales Tax6.25%better than 77% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden16.86%better than 5% of US counties
Unemployment4.4%better than 57% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)27°F29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.1 in66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall55.5 inbetter than 9% of US counties
Sunny Days198 daysbetter than 15% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 70% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk96.9better than 3% of US counties
Air Quality39 AQIbetter than 70% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime593/100kbetter than 63% of US counties
Property Crime1014/100kbetter than 45% of US counties
Community
Population1,623,10999th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.826th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4775th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9831st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+462nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)68.3%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.9%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)8.4%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)12.9%99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.5%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 15% of US counties
Walkability12.0/20better than 98% of US counties
Airport Distance24 mibetter than 94% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.4%better than 97% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.75better than 33% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 50% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Middlesex County an affordable place to live?
- Middlesex County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $79k, better than 1% of comparable areas. Median rent is $2k.
- Is Middlesex County safe?
- Middlesex County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 593/100k (better than 63%). Property crime is 1014/100k.
- What is the weather like in Middlesex County?
- Middlesex County averages 73°F in July and 27°F in January, with 48.1 in of annual precipitation and about 198 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Middlesex County?
- Public-school quality in Middlesex County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Middlesex County?
- The average one-way commute in Middlesex County is 30 min.