Massachusetts
Among the top 16% of US states for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 8% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 10% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 84% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 79% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 77% of US states
- top 3% for school quality
- top 8% for airport distance
- bottom 6% for monthly rent
Massachusetts is a U.S. state with about 6,984,000 residents. It grades B+ for safety & wellbeing and F for affordability. Standout strengths include school quality, airport distance, and property crime. It rates lower on commute time and monthly rent.
Official websitemass.gov (opens in new tab)
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$99k96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$69kbetter than 8% of US states
Home Value$518k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 6% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 10% of US states
Property Tax Rate1.14%better than 33% of US states
Income Tax8.99%better than 12% of US states
Sales Tax6.25%better than 68% of US states
Estimated total tax burden16.75%better than 8% of US states
Unemployment5.3%better than 37% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)27°F27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.8 in71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall51.2 inbetter than 16% of US states
Sunny Days190 daysbetter than 10% of US states
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 61% of US states
Comfortable Days87 daysbetter than 62% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk92.3better than 20% of US states
Air Quality41 AQIbetter than 76% of US states
School Quality100.0better than 97% of US states
Violent Crime1048/100kbetter than 60% of US states
Property Crime1077/100kbetter than 92% of US states
Community
Population6,984,20573rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.273rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4453rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9616th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+356th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)68.9%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.6%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)12.6%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.9%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.0%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 8% of US states
Walkability11.2/20better than 88% of US states
Airport Distance24 mibetter than 92% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.7%better than 88% of US states
Amenities Nearby5.51better than 75% of US states
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 29% of US states
Frequently asked questions
- Is Massachusetts an affordable place to live?
- Massachusetts is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $69k, better than 8% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Massachusetts?
- The median home value in Massachusetts is $518k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Massachusetts?
- Median household income in Massachusetts is $99k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Massachusetts?
- Median gross rent in Massachusetts is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Massachusetts safe?
- Massachusetts is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1048/100k (better than 60%). Property crime is 1077/100k.
- What is the weather like in Massachusetts?
- Massachusetts averages 73°F in July and 27°F in January, with 48.8 in of annual precipitation and about 190 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Massachusetts?
- Public-school quality in Massachusetts is above average, scoring better than 97% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Massachusetts?
- The average one-way commute in Massachusetts is 29 min.
Best places to live in Massachusetts
Top cities in Massachusetts
Counties in 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)