Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Among the top 12% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 5% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 25% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 81% of US counties
- top 1% for walkability
- top 1% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for cost of living
Suffolk County is a county in Massachusetts with about 785,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on monthly rent and cost of living.
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
57%44%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in3.8 in
humid 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$88k93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$82kbetter than 1% of US counties
Home Value$651k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 2% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.67%better than 68% of US counties
Income Tax9.00%better than 9% of US counties
Sales Tax6.25%better than 77% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden16.01%better than 6% of US counties
Unemployment6.7%better than 19% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)29°F34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.3 in70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall54.3 inbetter than 9% of US counties
Sunny Days181 daysbetter than 6% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 69% of US counties
Comfortable Days95 daysbetter than 86% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk93.5better than 6% of US counties
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 41% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime2314/100kbetter than 4% of US counties
Property Crime1861/100kbetter than 17% of US counties
Community
Population785,44398th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6898th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9412th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+641st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)43.8%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)18.5%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)23.5%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)8.7%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.5%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time31 minbetter than 13% of US counties
Walkability15.0/20better than 99% of US counties
Airport Distance4 mibetter than 99% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.1%better than 84% of US counties
Amenities Nearby34.99better than 98% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 22% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Suffolk County an affordable place to live?
- Suffolk County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $82k, better than 1% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Suffolk County?
- The median home value in Suffolk County is $651k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Suffolk County?
- Median household income in Suffolk County is $88k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Suffolk County?
- Median gross rent in Suffolk County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Suffolk County safe?
- Suffolk County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2314/100k (better than 4%). Property crime is 1861/100k.
- What is the weather like in Suffolk County?
- Suffolk County averages 73°F in July and 29°F in January, with 49.3 in of annual precipitation and about 181 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Suffolk County?
- Public-school quality in Suffolk 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 Suffolk County?
- The average one-way commute in Suffolk County is 31 min.
Other counties in Massachusetts
Explore Massachusetts
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)