Although the designation "Commonwealth" forms part of the state's official name, it has no practical implications in modern times,[80] and Massachusetts has the same position and powers within the United States as other states.[81]John Adams may have chosen the word in 1779 for the second draft of what became the 1780Massachusetts Constitution; unlike the word "state", the word "commonwealth" had the connotation of arepublic at the time. This was in contrast to themonarchy the former colonies were fighting against during theAmerican Revolutionary War. The name "State of Massachusetts Bay" appeared in the first draft, which was ultimately rejected. It was also chosen to include the "Cape Islands" in reference toMartha's Vineyard andNantucket—from 1780 to 1844, they were seen as additional and separate entities confined within the Commonwealth.[82]
The firstEnglish colonists in Massachusetts Bay Colony landed with Richard Vines and spent the winter in Biddeford Pool near Cape Porpoise (after 1820 the State of Maine) in 1616. ThePuritans arrived atPlymouth in 1620. This was the second permanentEnglish colony in the part of North America that later became the United States, after theJamestown Colony. The"First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Puritans after their first harvest in the "New World" and lasted for three days. They were soon followed by other Puritans, who colonized theMassachusetts Bay Colony—now known as Boston—in 1630.[89]
The Puritans believed theChurch of England needed to be furtherreformed alongProtestantCalvinist lines, and experienced harassment due to the religious policies ofKing Charles I and high-ranking clergy such asWilliam Laud, who would become Charles'sArchbishop of Canterbury, whom they feared were re-introducing"Romish" elements to the national church.[90] They decided to colonize to Massachusetts, intending to establish what they considered an "ideal" religious society.[91] TheMassachusetts Bay Colony was colonized under a royal charter, unlike the Plymouth colony, in 1629.[92] Both religious dissent and expansionism resulted in several new colonies being founded, shortly after Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, elsewhere in New England. The Massachusetts Bay banished dissenters such asAnne Hutchinson andRoger Williams due to religious and political conflict. In 1636, Williams colonized what is now known asRhode Island, and Hutchinson joined him there several years later. Religious intolerance continued, and among those who objected to this later that century were the English Quaker preachersAlice and Thomas Curwen, who were publicly flogged and imprisoned in Boston in 1676.[93][94]
In 1646,John Winthrop the Younger established theSaugus Iron Works, which was the first integrated ironworks in North America. It included a blast furnace, forge, rolling mill, shear, slitter and a quarter-ton trip hammer, all of which has been restored and is now a museum.
By 1641, Massachusetts had expanded inland significantly. The Commonwealth acquired theConnecticut River Valley settlement ofSpringfield, which had recently disputed with—and defected from—its original administrators, theConnecticut Colony.[95] This established Massachusetts's southern border in the west.[96] However, this became disputed territory until 1803–04 due to surveying problems, leading to the modernSouthwick Jog.[97]
In 1652 theMassachusetts General Court authorized Boston silversmithJohn Hull to producelocal coinage in shilling, sixpence and threepence denominations to address a coin shortage in the colony.[98] Before that point, the colony's economy had been entirely dependent on barter and foreign currency, including English, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and counterfeit coins.[99] In 1661, shortly after therestoration of the British monarchy, the British government considered the Boston mint to be treasonous.[100] However, the colony ignored the English demands to cease operations until at least 1682, when Hull's contract as mintmaster expired, and the colony did not move to renew his contract or appoint a new mintmaster.[101] The coinage was a contributing factor to the revocation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony charter in 1684.[102]
In 1691, the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth were united (along with present-dayMaine, which had previously been divided between Massachusetts andNew York) into theProvince of Massachusetts Bay.[103] Shortly after, the new province's first governor,William Phips, arrived. TheSalem witch trials also took place, where a number of men and women were hanged for allegedwitchcraft.[104]
Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence fromGreat Britain. Colonists in Massachusetts had long had uneasy relations with the British monarchy, including open rebellion under theDominion of New England in the 1680s.[103] Protests against British attempts to tax the colonies after theFrench and Indian War ended in 1763 led to theBoston Massacre in 1770, and the 1773Boston Tea Party escalated tensions.[107] In 1774, theIntolerable Acts targeted Massachusetts with punishments for the Boston Tea Party and further decreased local autonomy, increasing local dissent.[108] Anti-Parliamentary activity by men such asSamuel Adams andJohn Hancock, followed by reprisals by the British government, were a primary reason for the unity of theThirteen Colonies and the outbreak of theAmerican Revolution in 1775.[109]
On the coast, Salem became a center forprivateering. Although the documentation is incomplete, about 1,700letters of marque, issued on a per-voyage basis, were granted during the American Revolution. Nearly 800 vessels were commissioned as privateers, which were credited with capturing or destroying about 600 British ships.[113]
This five-shilling note was issued by Massachusetts in 1779.
BostonianJohn Adams, known as the "Atlas of Independence",[114] was highly involved in both separation from Britain and theConstitution of Massachusetts, which effectively (theElizabeth Freeman andQuock Walker cases as interpreted byWilliam Cushing) made Massachusetts the first state to abolish slavery.David McCullough points out that an equally important feature was its placing for the first time the courts as a co-equal branch separate from the executive.[115] (TheConstitution of Vermont, adopted in 1777, represented the first partial ban on slavery among the states. Vermont became a state in 1791 but did not fully ban slavery until 1858 with the Vermont Personal Liberty Law. ThePennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780[116] madePennsylvania the first state to abolish slavery by statute – the second English colony to do so; the first having been the Colony of Georgia in 1735.) Later, Adams was active in early American foreign affairs and succeeded Washington as the secondpresident of the United States. His son,John Quincy Adams, also from Massachusetts,[117] would go on to become the nation's sixth president.
TheFriendship of Salem atSalem Maritime National Historic Site in Salem, is a replica of an 18th-centuryEast Indiaman. Salem was a major port and the spice trade was very lucrative, resulting in Salem having the highest per capita income in the United States in the early 1800s. TheFriendship was owned byJerathmeil Peirce and Aaron Waite. Peirce's mansion in Salem is preserved by thePeabody Essex Museum.
From 1786 to 1787, an armed uprising led by Revolutionary War veteranDaniel Shays, now known asShays' Rebellion, wrought havoc throughout Massachusetts and ultimately attempted to seize the federalSpringfield Armory.[52] The rebellion was one of the major factors in the decision to draft a stronger national constitution to replace theArticles of Confederation.[52] On February 6, 1788, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify theUnited States Constitution.[118]
During the 19th century, Massachusetts became a national leader in the AmericanIndustrial Revolution, with factories around cities such asLowell andBoston producing textiles and shoes, and factories around Springfield producing tools, paper, and textiles.[120][121] The state's economy transformed from one based primarily on agriculture to an industrial one, initially making use of water-power and later thesteam engine to power factories. Canals and railroads were being used in the state for transporting raw materials and finished goods.[122] At first, the new industries drew labor fromYankees on nearby subsistence farms, though they later relied uponimmigrant labor from Europe and Canada.[123][124]
Although Massachusetts was the first slave-holding colony with slavery dating back to the early 1600s, the state became a center ofprogressivist andabolitionist (anti-slavery) activity in the years leading up to theAmerican Civil War.Horace Mann made the state's school system a national model.[125]Henry David Thoreau andRalph Waldo Emerson, bothphilosophers and writers from the state, also made major contributions to American philosophy.[126] Furthermore, members of thetranscendentalist movement within the state emphasized the importance of the natural world and emotion to humanity.[126]
Although significant opposition to abolitionism existed early on in Massachusetts, resulting in anti-abolitionist riots between 1835 and 1837,[127] abolitionist views there gradually increased throughout the next few decades.[128][129] AbolitionistsJohn Brown andSojourner Truth lived in Springfield and Northampton, respectively, whileFrederick Douglass lived in Boston andSusan B. Anthony inAdams. The works of such abolitionists contributed to Massachusetts's actions during the Civil War. Massachusetts was the first state to recruit, train, and arm aBlack regiment withWhite officers, the54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment.[130] In 1852, Massachusetts became the first state to passcompulsory education laws.[131]
20th century
Although theU.S. stock market had sustained steep losses the last week in October 1929,Tuesday, October 29 is remembered as the beginning of the Great Depression. TheBoston Stock Exchange, drawn into the whirlpool of panic selling that beset the New York Stock Exchange, lost over 25 percent of its value in two days of frenzied trading. The BSE, nearly 100 years old at the time, had helped raise the capital that had funded many of the Commonwealth's factories, railroads, and businesses. "[132] Governor of MassachusettsFrank G. Allen appointedJohn C. Hull the first Securities Director of Massachusetts.[133][134][135] Hull would assume office in January 1930, and his term would end in 1936.[136]
With the departure of several manufacturing companies, the state's industrial economy began to decline during the early 20th century. By the 1920s, competition from theAmerican South andMidwest, followed by theGreat Depression, led to the collapse of the three main industries in Massachusetts: textiles, shoemaking, and precision mechanics.[137] This decline would continue into the latter half of the 20th century. Between 1950 and 1979, the number of Massachusetts residents involved in textile manufacturing declined from 264,000 to 63,000.[138] The 1969 closure of theSpringfield Armory, in particular, spurred an exodus of high-paying jobs from Western Massachusetts, which suffered greatly as it de-industrialized during the century's last 40 years.[139]
Massachusetts manufactured 3.4 percent of total United States military armaments produced duringWorld War II, ranking tenth among the 48 states.[140] After the world war, the economy ofeastern Massachusetts transformed from one based on heavy industry into aservice-based economy.[141] Government contracts, private investment, and research facilities led to a new and improved industrial climate, with reduced unemployment and increased per capita income. Suburbanization flourished, and by the 1970s, theRoute 128/Interstate 95 corridor was dotted withhigh-tech companies who recruited graduates of the area's many elite institutions of higher education.[142]
In 1987, the state received federal funding for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Commonly known as "theBig Dig", it was, at the time, the biggest federal highway project ever approved.[143] The project included making theCentral Artery, part ofInterstate 93, into a tunnel under downtown Boston, in addition to the re-routing of several other major highways.[144][failed verification] The project was often controversial, with numerous claims of graft and mismanagement, and with its initial cost of$2.5 billion finalized at over$15 billion. Nonetheless, the Big Dig changed the face ofDowntown Boston[143] and connected areas that were once divided by elevated highway. Much of the raised old Central Artery was replaced with theRose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. The project also improved traffic conditions along several routes.[143][144]
Politicians
John F. Kennedy was a Massachusetts native, and 35th President of the United States from 1961 to 1963.
Other Massachusetts politicians on the national level includedJoseph W. Martin Jr.,Speaker of the House (from 1947 to 1949 and 1953 to 1955) and leader of House Republicans from 1939 to 1959 (where he was the only Republican to serve as Speaker between 1931 and 1995),[149]John W. McCormack, Speaker of the House in the 1960s, andTip O'Neill, whose service as Speaker of the House from 1977 to 1987 was the longest continuous tenure in United States history.[150]
In 2004, Massachusetts senatorJohn Kerry, who had won the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, lost to incumbentGeorge W. Bush. Eight years later, former Massachusetts governorMitt Romney (the Republican nominee) lost to incumbentBarack Obama in 2012. Another eight years later, Massachusetts senatorElizabeth Warren became a frontrunner in the Democratic primaries for the 2020 presidential election. However, she later suspended her campaign and endorsed presumptive nomineeJoe Biden.[151]
The primarybiome of inland Massachusetts istemperate deciduous forest.[163]Although much of Massachusetts had been cleared for agriculture, leaving only traces ofold-growth forest in isolated pockets, secondary growth has regenerated in many rural areas as farms have been abandoned.[164] Forests cover around 62% of Massachusetts.[165] The areas most affected by human development include the Greater Boston area in the east and the Springfield metropolitan area in the west, although the latter includes agricultural areas throughout the Connecticut River Valley.[166] There are 219endangered species in Massachusetts.[167]
A number of species are doing well in the increasingly urbanized Massachusetts.Peregrine falcons utilize office towers in larger cities as nesting areas,[168] and the population ofcoyotes, whose diet may include garbage and roadkill, has been increasing in recent decades.[169]White-tailed deer,raccoons,wild turkeys, andeastern gray squirrels are also found throughout Massachusetts. In more rural areas in the western part of Massachusetts, larger mammals such asmoose andblack bears have returned, largely due toreforestation following the regional decline in agriculture.[170]
Massachusetts is located along theAtlantic Flyway, a major route for migratorywaterfowl along the eastern coast.[171] Lakes in central Massachusetts provide habitat for many species of fish and waterfowl, but some species such as thecommon loon are becoming rare.[172] A significant population oflong-tailed ducks winter offNantucket. Small offshore islands and beaches are home toroseate terns and are important breeding areas for the locally threatenedpiping plover.[173] Protected areas such as theMonomoy National Wildlife Refuge provide critical breeding habitat for shorebirds and a variety of marine wildlife including a large population ofgrey seals. Since 2009, there has been a significant increase in the number ofGreat white sharks spotted and tagged in the coastal waters off ofCape Cod.[174][175][176]
Most of Massachusetts has ahumid continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. Far southeast coastal areas are the broad transition zone toHumid Subtropical climates. The warm to hot summers render theoceanic climate rare in this transition, only applying to exposed coastal areas such as on the peninsula ofBarnstable County. The climate ofBoston is quite representative for the commonwealth, characterized by summer highs of around 81 °F (27 °C) and winter highs of 35 °F (2 °C), and is quite wet. Frosts are frequent all winter, even in coastal areas due to prevailing inland winds. Boston has a relatively sunny climate for a coastal city at its latitude, averaging over 2,600 hours of sunshine a year.
Climate change in Massachusetts will affect both urban and rural environments, including forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and coastal development.[181][182][183] The Northeast is projected to warm faster than global average temperatures; by 2035, according to the U. S. Global Change Research Program, the Northeast is "projected to be more than 3.6°F (2°C) warmer on average than during the preindustrial era".[183] As of August 2016, the EPA reports that Massachusetts has warmed by over two degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.1 degrees Celsius.[184]
Shifting temperatures also result in the shifting of rainfall patterns and the intensification of precipitation events. To that end, average precipitation in the Northeast United States has risen by ten percent from 1895 to 2011, and the number of heavy precipitation events has increased by seventy percent during that time.[184] These increased precipitation patterns are focused in the winter and spring. Increasing temperatures coupled with increasing precipitation will result in earlier snow melts and subsequent drier soil in the summer months.[185]
The shifting climate in Massachusetts will result in a significant change to the state's built environment and ecosystems. InBoston alone, costs of climate change-related storms will result in $5 to $100 billion in damage.[184]
Warmer temperatures will also disrupt bird migration and flora blooming. With these changes, deer populations are expected to increase, resulting in a decrease in underbrush which smaller fauna use as camouflage. Additionally, rising temperatures will increase the number of reportedLyme disease cases in the state.Ticks can transmit the disease once temperatures reach 45 degrees, so shorter winters will increase the window of transmission. These warmer temperatures will also increase the prevalence ofAsian tiger mosquitoes, which often carry theWest Nile virus.[184]
To fight this change, theMassachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has outlined a path todecarbonize the state's economy. On April 22, 2020, Kathleen A. Theoharides, the state's Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, released a Determination of Statewide Emissions limits for 2050. In her letter, Theoharides stresses that as of 2020, the Commonwealth has experienced property damage attributable to climate change of more than $60 billion. To ensure that the Commonwealth experiences warming no more than 1.5 °C of pre-industrialization levels, the state will work towards two goals by 2050: to achievenet-zero emissions, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent overall.[186]
The State of Massachusetts has developed a plethora of incentives to encourage the implementation ofrenewable energy and efficient appliances and home facilities. The Mass Save program, formed in conjunction with the State by several companies that provide power and gas in Massachusetts, provides homeowners and renters with monetary incentives toretrofit their homes with efficient HVAC equipment and other household appliances. Appliances such as water heaters, air conditioners, washers and driers, and heat pumps are eligible for rebates in order to incentivize change.[187]
The concept of MassSave was created in 2008 by the passing of the Green Communities Act of 2008, duringDeval Patrick's tenure asgovernor. The main goal of the Green Communities Act was to reduce the consumption offossil fuels in the State and to encourage new, more efficient technologies. Among others, one result of this act was a requirement for Program Administrators of utilities to invest in saving energy, as opposed to purchasing and generating additional energy where economically feasible. In Massachusetts, eleven Program Administrators, includingEversource,National Grid,Western Massachusetts Electric, Cape Light Compact, Until, and Berkshire Gas, jointly own the rights to this program, in conjunction with theDepartment of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC).[188]
The State Revenue Service provides incentives for the installation ofsolar panels. In addition to the Federal ResidentialRenewable energy credit, Massachusetts residents may be eligible for a tax credit of up to 15 percent of the project.[189] Once installed, arrays are eligible fornet metering.[190] Certain municipalities will offer up to $1.20 per watt, up to 50 percent of the system's cost on PV arrays 25 kW or less.[191] The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources also offered low-interest, fixed-rate financing with loan support for low-income residents until December 31, 2020.[192]
As a part of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources' effort to incentivize the usage ofrenewable energy, the Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV) initiative was created. With this incentive, residents may qualify for a state-provided incentive of up to $2,500 for the purchase or lease of anelectric vehicle, or $1,500 for the purchase or lease of aplug-in hybrid vehicle.[193] This rebate is available in addition to the tax credits offered by theUnited States Department of Energy for the purchase of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.[194]
For income-eligible residents, Mass Save has partnered with Massachusetts Community Action Program Agencies and Low-Income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN) to offer residents assistance with upgrades to their homes that will result in more efficient energy usage. Residents may qualify for a replacement of their heating system, insulation installation, appliances, and thermostats if they meet the income qualifications provided on Mass Save's website. For residents of 5+ family residential buildings, there are additional income-restricted benefits available through LEAN. If at least 50 percent of the residents of the building qualify as low income,energy efficiency improvements like those available through Mass Save are available. Residential structures operated by non-profit organizations, for profit operations, or housing authorities may take advantage of these programs.[195]
In late 2020, the administration of Massachusetts governorCharlie Baker released a decarbonization roadmap to aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The plan calls for major investments inoffshore wind and solar energy. It would also require all new cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions (electric orhydrogen powered) by 2035.[196][197]
Massachusetts population density map. The centers of high-density settlement, from east to west, are Boston, Worcester, Springfield, andPittsfield, respectively.
Most Massachusetts residents live within the Boston metropolitan area, also known asGreater Boston, which includes Boston and its proximate surroundings but also extending toGreater Lowell and toWorcester. TheSpringfield metropolitan area, also known as Greater Springfield, is also a major center of population. Demographically, thecenter of population of Massachusetts is located in the town ofNatick.[203][204]
Like the rest of theNortheastern United States, the population of Massachusetts has continued to grow in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Massachusetts is the fastest-growing state inNew England and the 25th fastest-growing state in the United States.[205] Population growth has been driven primarily by the relatively high quality of life and a large higher education system.[205]
Foreign immigration is also a factor in the state's population growth, causing the state's population to continue to grow as of the2010 census (particularly inMassachusetts gateway cities where costs of living are lower).[206][207] Forty percent of foreign immigrants were fromCentral orSouth America, according to a 2005 Census Bureau study, with many of the remainder fromAsia. Many residents who have settled in Greater Springfield claimPuerto Rican descent.[206] Many areas of Massachusetts showed relatively stable population trends between 2000 and 2010.[207]Exurban Boston and coastal areas grew the most rapidly, whileBerkshire County in farWestern Massachusetts and Barnstable County onCape Cod were the only counties to lose population as of the2010 census.[207] In 2018, The top countries of origin for Massachusetts's immigrants wereChina, theDominican Republic,Brazil,India andHaiti.[208]
By sex, 48.4% were male, and 51.6% were female in 2014. In terms of age, 79.2% were over 18 and 14.8% were over 65.[202]
The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 95.4% in 1970 to 67.6% in 2020.[202][16]
Ethnic origins in Massachusetts
As of 2011, non-Hispanic whites were involved in 63.6% of all the births, while 36.4% of the population of Massachusetts younger than age1 was minorities (at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white).[211] One major reason for this is that non-Hispanic whites in Massachusetts recorded atotal fertility rate of 1.36 in 2017, the second-lowest in the country after neighboring Rhode Island.[212]
As late as 1795, the population of Massachusetts was nearly 95% of English ancestry.[214] During the early and mid-19th century, immigrant groups began arriving in Massachusetts in large numbers; first from Ireland in the 1840s;[215] today the Irish and part-Irish are the largest ancestry group in the state at nearly 25% of the total population. Others arrived later from Quebec as well as places in Europe such as Italy, Portugal, and Poland.[216] In the early 20th century, a large percentage of black immigrants were from the Caribbean island of Barbados, and mostly settled in Cambridge and Boston's South End. In theGreat Migration of 1910 to 1970, African Americans migrated to Massachusetts, although in somewhat fewer numbers than many other northern states.[217] Later in the 20th century, immigration from Latin America increased considerably. More than 156,000Chinese Americans made their home in Massachusetts in 2014,[218] and Boston hosts a growingChinatown accommodating heavily traveledChinese-owned bus lines to and fromChinatown, Manhattan inNew York City. Massachusetts also has largeDominican,Puerto Rican,Haitian,Cape Verdean andBrazilian populations.[219] Boston'sSouth End andJamaica Plain are bothgay villages, as is nearbyProvincetown, Massachusetts on Cape Cod.[220]
The largest ancestry group in Massachusetts are theIrish, at 22.5% of the population, who live in significant numbers throughout the state but form more than 40% of the population along the South Shore in Norfolk and Plymouth counties.
Scituate has aSaint Patrick's Day parade, as the municipality with the highest percentage identifyingIrish ancestry in the United States, at 47.5% in 2010.[221]Irish Americans constitute the largest ethnicity in Massachusetts.
In both counties overall, Irish-Americans comprise more than 30% of the population).Italians form the second-largest ethnic group in the state (13.5%), but form a plurality in some suburbs north of Boston and in a few towns in the Berkshires.English Americans, the third-largest (11.4%) group, form a plurality in some western towns.French andFrench Canadians also form a significant part (10.7%),[222] with sizable populations in Bristol, Hampden, and Worcester Counties, along with Middlesex county especially concentrated in the areas surrounding Lowell and Lawrence.[223][224]Lowell is home to the second-largestCambodian community of the nation.[225] Massachusetts is home to a small community ofGreek Americans as well, which according to theAmerican Community Survey there are 83,701 of them scattered along the state (1.2% of the total state population).[226] There are alsoseveral populations ofNative Americans in Massachusetts. TheWampanoag tribe maintains reservations atAquinnah on Martha's Vineyard and atMashpee on Cape Cod—with an ongoingnative language revival project underway since 1993, while theNipmuc maintain two state-recognized reservations in the central part of the state, including one atGrafton.[227]
Largest Ethnicity in Massachusetts by Municipality Based on 2020 Census
The US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race, and "NH" means "Non-Hispanic".
As of 2010, 78.93% (4,823,127) of Massachusetts residents5 and older spoke English at home as afirst language, while 7.50% (458,256) spoke Spanish, 2.97% (181,437)Portuguese, 1.59% (96,690) Chinese (which includesCantonese andMandarin), 1.11% (67,788) French, 0.89% (54,456)French Creole, 0.72% (43,798) Italian, 0.62% (37,865) Russian, andVietnamese was spoken as a primary language by 0.58% (35,283) of the population over5. In total, 21.07% (1,287,419) of Massachusetts's population5 and older spoke a first language other than English.[202][235]
As of the 2014 Pew study, Christians made up 57% of the state's population, withProtestants making up 21% of them.Roman Catholics made up 34% and now predominate because of massive immigration from primarily Catholic countries and regions—chiefly Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Quebec, and Latin America. Both Protestant and Roman Catholic communities have been in decline since the late 20th century, due to the rise ofirreligion inNew England. It is the most irreligious region of the country, along with theWestern United States; for comparison and contrast however, in 2020, the Public Religion Research Institute determined 67% of the population were Christian reflecting a slight increase of religiosity.[241] A significant Jewish population immigrated to the Boston and Springfield areas between 1880 and 1920.Jews make up 3% of the population.Mary Baker Eddy made theBoston Mother Church ofChristian Science serve as the world headquarters of thisnew religious movement.Buddhists,Pagans,Hindus,Seventh-day Adventists,Muslims, andMormons may also be found.The Satanic Temple has its headquarters in Salem.Kripalu Center inStockbridge, the Shaolin Meditation Temple in Springfield, and the Insight Meditation Center inBarre are examples of non-Abrahamic religious centers in Massachusetts. According to 2010 data from TheAssociation of Religion Data Archives, (ARDA) the largest single denominations are theCatholic Church with 2,940,199 adherents; theUnited Church of Christ with 86,639 adherents; and theEpiscopal Church with 81,999 adherents.[242]
In 2014, 32% of the population identified as having no religion;[243] in a separate 2020 study, 23% of the population identified as irreligious, and 67% of the population identified as Christians (including 26% as white Protestants and 20% as white Catholics).[241] As of 2022, a plurality of Massachusettsans wereirreligious,[241] and the state is considered to be a part of theUnchurched Belt.[244]
Native American tribes
What became Massachusetts was originally inhabited by the Wampanoag, the Nipmuc, the Massachusett, the Pocumtuc, the Nauset, the Pennacook, and a few other tribes.[245][246] Some of these tribes are still represented among the population of the state.
The largest Native American tribes in Massachusetts according to the 2010 census are listed in this table.[247]
Tribal groupings with over 600 members in Massachusetts in 2010 census
Towns in Massachusetts by combined mean SAT of their public high school district for the 2015–2016 academic year[248]
In 2018, Massachusetts's overall educational system was ranked the top among all fifty U.S. states byU.S. News & World Report.[249] Massachusetts was the first state in North America to require municipalities to appoint a teacher or establish a grammar school with the passage of theMassachusetts Education Law of 1647,[250] and 19th century reforms pushed byHorace Mann laid much of the groundwork for contemporary universal public education[251][252] which was established in 1852.[131] Massachusetts is home to the oldest school in continuous existence in North America (The Roxbury Latin School, founded in 1645), as well as the country's oldest public elementary school (The Mather School, founded in 1639),[253] its oldest high school (Boston Latin School, founded in 1635),[254] its oldest continuously operating boarding school (The Governor's Academy, founded in 1763),[255] its oldest college (Harvard University, founded in 1636),[256] and its oldest women's college (Mount Holyoke College, founded in 1837).[257] Massachusetts is also home to the highest ranked private high school in the United States,Phillips Academy inAndover, Massachusetts, which was founded in 1778.[258]
Massachusetts's per-student public expenditure for elementary and secondary schools was eighth in the nation in 2012, at $14,844.[259] In 2013, Massachusetts scored highest of all the states in math and third-highest in reading on theNational Assessment of Educational Progress.[260] The state's public school students are in the top tier of global academic performance.[70] In 2022, Massachusetts was first or second in the reading and mathematics average scores and proficiency percentages of the evaluated 4th and 8th graders.[261]
The United StatesBureau of Economic Analysis estimates that the Massachusettsgross state product in 2020 was $584billion.[268] Theper capita personal income in 2012 was $53,221, making it the third-highest state in the nation.[269] As of January 2023, Massachusetts state generalminimum wage is $15.00 per hour while the minimum wage for tipped workers is $6.75 an hour, with a guarantee that employers will pay the difference should a tipped employee's hourly wage not meet or exceed the general minimum wage.[270] These minimum wage levels came about in January 2023, as part of a series of minimum wage amendments passed in 2018 that saw the minimum wage increase slowly every January up to 2023.[271]
Sectors vital to the Massachusetts economy include higher education,biotechnology,information technology, finance, health care, tourism, manufacturing, and defense. TheRoute 128 corridor and Greater Boston continue to be a major center forventure capital investment,[279] andhigh technology remains an important sector. In recent years tourism has played an ever-important role in the state's economy, with Boston andCape Cod being the leading destinations.[280] Other popular tourist destinations includeSalem,Plymouth, andthe Berkshires. Massachusetts is the sixth-most popular tourist destination for foreign travelers.[281] In 2010, the Great Places in Massachusetts Commission published '1,000 Great Places in Massachusetts' that identified 1,000 sites across the commonwealth to highlight the diverse historic, cultural, and natural attractions.[282]
While manufacturing comprised less than 10% of Massachusetts's gross state product in 2016, the Commonwealth ranked 16th in the nation in total manufacturing output in the United States.[283] This includes a diverse array of manufactured goods such as medical devices, paper goods, specialty chemicals and plastics, telecommunications and electronics equipment, and machined components.[284][285]
The more than 33,000 nonprofits in Massachusetts employ one-sixth of the state's workforce.[286] In 2007, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a state holiday, Nonprofit Awareness Day.[287]
In February 2017,U.S. News & World Report ranked Massachusetts the best state in the United States based upon 60metrics including healthcare, education, crime, infrastructure, opportunity, economy, and government. Massachusetts ranked number one in education, number two in healthcare, and number five in the handling of the economy.[288]
Taxation
Depending on how it is calculated, state and local tax burden in Massachusetts has been estimated among U.S. states and Washington D.C. as 21st-highest (11.44% or $6,163 per year for a household with nationwide median income)[289] or 25th-highest overall with below-average corporate taxes (39th-highest), above-average personal income taxes, (13th-highest), above-average sales tax (18th-highest), and below-average property taxes (46th-highest).[290] In the 1970s, the Commonwealth ranked as a relatively high-tax state, gaining the pejorative nickname "Taxachusetts". This was followed by a round of tax limitations during the 1980s—a conservative period in American politics—includingProposition 2½.[291]
As of January 1, 2020, Massachusetts has a flat-rate personal income tax of 5.00%,[292] after a 2002 voter referendum to eventually lower the rate to 5.0%[293] as amended by the legislature.[294] There is atax exemption for income below a threshold that varies from year to year. The corporate income tax rate is 8.8%,[295] and the short-termcapital gains tax rate is 12%.[296] An unusual provision allows filers to voluntarily pay at the pre-referendum 5.85% income tax rate, which is done by between one and two thousand taxpayers per year.[297]
The state imposes a 6.25%sales tax[295] on retail sales of tangible personal property—except for groceries, clothing (up to $175.00), and periodicals.[298] The sales tax is charged on clothing that costs more than $175.00, for the amount exceeding $175.00.[298] Massachusetts also charges ause tax when goods are bought from other states and the vendor does not remit Massachusetts sales tax; taxpayers report and pay this on their income tax forms or dedicated forms, though there are "safe harbor" amounts that can be paid without tallying up actual purchases (except for purchases over $1,000).[298] There is noinheritance tax and limited Massachusettsestate tax related to federal estate tax collection.[296]
Massachusetts'selectricity generation market was made competitive in 1998, enabling retail customers to change suppliers without changing utility companies.[299] In 2018, Massachusetts consumed 1,459trillionBTU,[300] making it the seventh-lowest state in terms of consumption of energy per capita, and 31 percent of that energy came fromnatural gas.[300] In 2014 and 2015, Massachusetts was ranked as the most energy efficient state the United States[301][302] while Boston is the most efficient city,[303] but it had the fourth-highest average residential retail electricity prices of any state.[300] In 2018, renewable energy was about 7.2 percent of total energy consumed in the state, ranking 34th.[300]
As of 2022, there were 7,083 farms in Massachusetts whose products sold had a market value of around $607 million. The farms encompassed a total of 464,451 acres (1,880 km2), averaging 66 acres (27 hectares) apiece.[304]Greenhouse,floriculture, andsod products—includingthe ornamental market—make up more than one third of the state's agricultural output.[305][306] Massachusetts is also the second highest domestic producer ofcranberries.[307] Sweet corn and apples are also produced in large quantities.[306] Fruit cultivation is an important part of the state's agricultural revenues,[308] and Massachusetts is the second-largest cranberry-producing state afterWisconsin.[309]
For federal funding purposes, Massachusetts has 10 regionalmetropolitan planning organizations and three non-metropolitan planning organizations covering the remainder of the state;[310] statewide planning is handled by theMassachusetts Department of Transportation. Transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector in Massachusetts.[311]
Fifteen other regional transit authorities provide public transportation in the form of bus services in the rest of the state.[316] Fourheritage railways are also in operation:
Outside of Boston, Amtrak connects several cities across Massachusetts, along the aforementionedAcela,Northeast Regional,Lake Shore Limited, andDowneaster lines, as well as other routes in central and western Massachusetts. TheAmtrakHartford Line connectsSpringfield toNew Haven, operated in conjunction with theConnecticut Department of Transportation, and theValley Flyer runs a similar route but continues further north toGreenfield. Several stations in western Massachusetts are also served by theVermonter, which connectsSt. Albans, Vermont to Washington DC.[321]
Amtrak carries more passengers between Boston and New York than all airlines combined (about 54% of market share in 2012),[323] but service between other cities is less frequent. There, more frequent intercity service is provided by private bus carriers, with the largest beingPeter Pan Bus Lines,Greyhound Lines, andFlixBus. VariousChinatown bus lines depart for New York from South Station in Boston.[324]
On the southern shore of the state, several different passenger ferry lines connectMartha's Vineyard to ports along the mainland, includingWoods Hole,Hyannis,New Bedford, andFalmouth, all in Massachusetts, as well asNorth Kingstown in Rhode Island,Highlands in New Jersey, andNew York City in New York.[329] Similarly, several different lines connectNantucket to ports including Hyannis, New Bedford,Harwich, and New York City.[330] Service between the two islands is also offered. The dominant companies serving these routes includeThe Steamship Authority,Hy-Line Cruises, andSeastreak, the former of which regulates all passenger services in the region and is also the only company permitted to offer freight ferry services to the islands.[331]
Other ferry connections in the state include a water taxi connecting various points inFall River,[332] seasonal ferry service connectingPlymouth to Provincetown,[333] and a service between New Bedford andCuttyhunk.[334]
As of 2018, a number offreight railroads were operating in Massachusetts, with Class I railroadCSX being the largest carrier, and another Class 1,Norfolk Southern serving the state via itsPan Am Southern joint partnership. Several regional and short line railroads also provide service and connect with other railroads.[335] Massachusetts has a total of 1,110 miles (1,790 km) of freight trackage in operation.[336][337]
There are a total of 36,800 miles (59,200 km) ofinterstates and other highways in Massachusetts.[343]Interstate90 (I-90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike), is the longest interstate in Massachusetts. The route travels 136 mi (219 km) generally west to east, entering Massachusetts at the New York state line in the town ofWest Stockbridge, and passes just north ofSpringfield, just south ofWorcester and throughFramingham before terminating near Logan International Airport in Boston.[344] Other major interstates includeI-91, which travels generally north and south along theConnecticut River;I-93, which travels north and south through central Boston, then passes throughMethuen before entering New Hampshire; andI-95, which connectsProvidence, Rhode Island with Greater Boston, forming a partialloopconcurrent withRoute128 around the more urbanized areas before continuing north along the coast into New Hampshire.[345]
I-495 forms a wide loop around the outer edge of Greater Boston. Other major interstates in Massachusetts includeI-291,I-391,I-84,I-195,I-395,I-290, andI-190. Major non-interstate highways in Massachusetts includeU.S. Routes1,3,6, and20, and state routes2,3, 9,24, and 128. A great majority of interstates in Massachusetts were constructed during the mid-20th century, and at times were controversial, particularly the intentto route I-95 northeastwards from Providence, Rhode Island, directly through central Boston, first proposed in 1948. Opposition to continued construction grew, and in 1970 GovernorFrancis W. Sargent issued a general prohibition on most further freeway construction within the I-95/Route 128 loop in the Boston area.[346] A massive undertaking to bring I-93 underground in downtown Boston, called theBig Dig, brought the city's highway system under public scrutiny for its high cost and construction quality.[143]
Massachusetts politics since the second half of the 20th century have generally been dominated by theDemocratic Party, and the state has a reputation for being the mostliberal state in the country.[351] In 1974,Elaine Noble becamethe first openly lesbian or gay candidate elected to a state legislature in US history.[352] The state's12th congressional district elected the first openly gay member of theUnited States House of Representatives,Gerry Studds, in 1972[353] and in 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allowsame-sex marriage.[64] In 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to approve a law that provided for nearly universal healthcare.[354][355] Massachusetts has a pro-sanctuary city law.[356] As of 2024, Massachusetts has a Democratic Governor, two Democratic Senators, and all nine Congressional Representatives are Democrats. Massachusetts is a blue state;Ronald Reagan was the last Republican to win the state in1984.
In a 2020 study, Massachusetts was ranked as the 11th easiest state for citizens to vote in.[357]
TheGovernment of Massachusetts is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Thegovernor of Massachusetts heads the executive branch, while legislative authority vests in a separate but coequal legislature. Meanwhile, judicial power is constitutionally guaranteed to the independent judicial branch.[358]
Executive branch
As chief executive, the governor is responsible for signing or vetoing legislation, filling judicial and agency appointments, granting pardons, preparing an annual budget, and commanding theMassachusetts National Guard.[359] Massachusetts governors, unlike those of most other states, are addressed as His/Her Excellency.[359] The governor isMaura Healey and the incumbent lieutenant governor isKim Driscoll. The governor conducts the affairs of state alongside a separateGovernor's Council made up of thelieutenant governor and eight separately elected councilors.[359] The council is charged by the state constitution with reviewing and confirming gubernatorial appointments and pardons, approving disbursements out of the state treasury, and certifying elections, among other duties.[359]
Aside from the governor and Governor's Council, the executive branch also includes four independently elected constitutional officers: asecretary of the commonwealth, anattorney general, astate treasurer, and astate auditor. The commonwealth's incumbent constitutional officers are respectivelyWilliam F. Galvin,Andrea Campbell,Deb Goldberg andDiana DiZoglio, allDemocrats. In accordance with state statute, the secretary of the commonwealth administers elections, regulates lobbyists and the securities industry, registers corporations, serves as register of deeds for the entire state, and preserves public records as keeper of thestate seal.[360] Meanwhile, the attorney general provides legal services to state agencies, combats fraud and corruption, investigates and prosecutes crimes, and enforces consumer protection, environment, labor, and civil rights laws as Massachusetts chief lawyer and law enforcement officer.[361] At the same time, the state treasurer manages the state's cash flow, debt, and investments as chief financial officer, whereas the state auditor conducts audits, investigations, and studies as chief audit executive in order to promote government accountability and transparency and improve state agency financial management, legal compliance, and performance.[362][363]
Legislative branch
TheMassachusetts House of Representatives andMassachusetts Senate comprise the legislature of Massachusetts, known as theMassachusetts General Court.[359] The House consists of 160 members while the Senate has 40 members.[359] Leaders of the House and Senate are chosen by the members of those bodies; the leader of the House is known as the Speaker while the leader of the Senate is known as the President.[359] Each branch consists of several committees.[359] Members of both bodies are elected to two-year terms.[364]
Judicial branch
TheMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (a chief justice and six associates) are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Governor's Council, as are all other judges in the state.[359]
In U.S. presidential elections since 2012, Massachusetts has been allotted 11 votes in theelectoral college, out of a total of 538.[368] Like most states, Massachusetts's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.[369]
Massachusetts is one of the most Democratic states in the country. The Democratic Party predominates throughout, except for a handful of Republican-leaning towns in the central and southern parts of the state. Republicans once dominated in the northern and western suburbs of Boston; however, both areas heavily swung Democratic in the era ofDonald Trump. The state as a whole has not given itsElectoral College votes to a Republican in apresidential election sinceRonald Reagan carried it in1984, and not a single county has voted for a Republican presidential candidate since1988. While supporting Reagan twice, Massachusetts provided his smallest margins of victory in both the1980[372] and 1984 elections.[373] Massachusetts had been the only state to vote for DemocratGeorge McGovern in the1972 presidential election. In2020, Biden received 65.6% of the vote, the best performance in over 50 years for a Democrat.[374]
Democrats have an absolute grip on the Massachusetts congressional delegation; there are no Republicans elected to serve at the federal level. Both Senators and all nine Representatives are Democrats; only one Republican (former SenatorScott Brown) has been elected to either house of Congress from Massachusetts since 1994. Massachusetts is the most populous state to be represented in theUnited States Congress entirely by a single party.[375]
After the 2018 elections, the Democratic Party held a super-majority over the Republican Party inboth chambers of theMassachusetts General Court (state legislature). Out of thestate house's 160 seats, Democrats hold 127 seats (79%) compared to the Republican Party's 32 seats (20%), anindependent sits in the remaining one,[376] and 37 out of the 40 seats in thestate senate (92.5%) belong to the Democratic Party compared to the Republican Party's three seats (7.5%).[377] Both houses of the legislature have had Democratic majorities since the 1950s.[378]
Despite the state's general Democratic lean, Massachusetts has frequently elected Republicans asGovernor: only two Democrats (Deval Patrick andMaura Healey) have won the governorship since 1991, and among gubernatorial election results from 2002 to 2022, Republican nominees garnered 48.4% of the vote compared to 45.7% for Democratic nominees.[380] These have been considered to be among the most moderate Republican leaders in the nation;[381][382] they have received higher net favorability ratings from the state's Democrats than Republicans.[383]
A number of contemporary national political issues have been influenced by events in Massachusetts, such as the decision in 2003 by the state Supreme Judicial Courtallowing same-sex marriage[384] anda 2006 bill which mandated health insurance for all Massachusetts residents.[355] In 2008, Massachusetts voters passedan initiative decriminalizing possession of small amounts ofmarijuana.[385] Voters in Massachusetts also approved a ballot measure in 2012 that legalized the medical use of marijuana.[386] Following the approval of a ballot question endorsing legalization in 2016, Massachusetts began issuing licenses for the regulated sale of recreational marijuana in June 2018. The licensed sale of recreational marijuana became legal on July 1, 2018; however, the lack of state-approved testing facilities prevented the sale of any product for several weeks.[387] However, in 2020, a ballot initiative to implementRanked-Choice Voting failed, despite being championed by manyprogressives.[388]
Massachusetts is one of the mostpro-choice states in the Union. A 2014Pew Research Center poll found that 74% of Massachusetts residents supported the right to anabortion in all/most cases, making Massachusetts the most pro-choice state in the United States.[389]
In 2020, the state legislature overrode GovernorCharlie Baker's veto of the ROE Act, a controversial law that codified existing abortion laws in case theSupreme Court overturnedRoe v. Wade, dropped the age of parental consent for those seeking an abortion from 18 to 16, and legalized abortion after 24 weeks, if a fetus had fatal anomalies, or "to preserve the patient's physical or mental health."[390]
Massachusetts has contributed to American arts and culture. Drawing from itsNative American andYankee roots, along with later immigrant groups, Massachusetts has had several writers, artists, and musicians. It has major museums and important historical sites, and the state's history and heritage are celebrated by events and festivals.[400]
Massachusetts became an early center of theTranscendentalist movement, which emphasized intuition, emotion, human individuality and a deeper connection with nature.[126]Ralph Waldo Emerson, who was born in Boston but spent much of his later life inConcord, largely created the philosophy with his 1836 workNature, and continued to be a key figure in the movement for the remainder of his life. Emerson's friend,Henry David Thoreau, who was also involved in Transcendentalism, recorded his year spent alone in a small cabin at nearbyWalden Pond in the 1854 workWalden; or, Life in the Woods.[401]
Boston's annualSt. Patrick's Day parade and "Harborfest", a week-longFourth of July celebration featuring a fireworks display and concert by the Boston Pops as well as a turnaround cruise in Boston Harbor by theUSSConstitution, are popular events.[422] TheNew England Summer Nationals, anauto show in Worcester, draws tens of thousands of attendees every year.[423] TheBoston Marathon is also a popular event in the state drawing more than 30,000 runners and tens of thousands of spectators annually.[424]
The USSConstitution fires asalute during its annual Fourth of July turnaround cruise.
TheOld Ship Church inHingham was built in 1681, and is the oldest church in America in continuous ecclesiastical use.[431] The Massachusetts population has since become one of the mostirreligious of US states.[432]
Massachusetts has the largest population of theNew England states. New Englander culture and identity remains strong in Massachusetts (Flag of New England pictured above).[433]
There are two major television media markets located in Massachusetts. The Boston/Manchester market is the fifth-largest in the United States.[434] The other market surrounds the Springfield area.[435]WGBH-TV in Boston is a major public television station and produces national programs such asNova,Frontline, andAmerican Experience.[436][437]
The Boston Globe,Boston Herald,Springfield Republican, and theWorcester Telegram & Gazette are Massachusetts's largest daily newspapers.[438] In addition, there are many community dailies and weeklies. TheAssociated Press maintains a bureau in Boston, and localnews wire theState House News Service feeds coverage of state government to other Massachusetts media outlets. There are a number of majorAM andFM stations which serve Massachusetts,[439] along with many more regional and community-based stations. Some colleges and universities also operate campus television and radio stations, and print their own newspapers.[440][441][442]
The average Medicare reimbursement per enrollee for the counties is mapped.[443]
Massachusetts generally ranks highly among states in most health and disease prevention categories. In 2015, theUnited Health Foundation ranked the state as third-healthiest overall.[444] Massachusetts has the most doctors per 100,000 residents (435.38),[445][446] the second-lowestinfant mortality rate (3.8),[447][448] and the lowest percentage of uninsured residents (children as well as the total population).[449][450][451] According toBusiness Insider, commonwealth residents have an average life expectancy of 80.41 years, thefifth-longest in the country.[452][453] 36.1% of the population is overweight and 24.4% is obese,[454] and Massachusetts ranks sixth-highest in the percentage of residents who are considered neither obese nor overweight (39.5%).[454] Massachusetts also ranks above average in the prevalence ofbinge drinking, which is the 20th-highest in the country.[455][456]
^Herman, Jennifer (2008).Massachusetts Encyclopedia. State History Publications, LLC. p. 7.Various nicknames have been given to describe Massachusetts, including the Bay State, the Old Bay State, the Pilgrim State, the Puritan State, the Old Colony State, the Spirit of America, and, less often, the Baked Bean State
^Quinn, Garrett (June 25, 2015)."Rejoice! Oxford English Dictionary Adds 'Masshole'".Boston.My fellow Massholes, we've finally arrived. The Oxford English Dictionary, the authoritative book on the English language, has included "Masshole" in its list of 500 new words to be officially added to its pages.
^Buell, Spencer (November 1, 2018).""We're Massholes, Not Assholes": A New Question 3 Ad Stars a Foul-Mouthed Bostonian".Boston."I know some people question the use of our words," says Kelly Fredrickson, president of MullenLowe Boston. "But I'm from here and I'm a proud Masshole. I've been raised in a state that protects all our liberties and I want those to exist for my kids."
^Buell, Spencer (August 19, 2019)."Ken Jennings' Gentle and Sweet Redefinition of "Masshole"".Boston.In a tweet on Sunday, Jennings offered his take on the word, which is sometimes used as an insult, but just as often worn as a badge of honor.…But ours is not a state that historically listens to dictums from the British, and "term of contempt" or not, locals seem to have adopted "Masshole" as a descriptor.
^Faraone, Chris; Pramas, Jason (November 12, 2020)."Editor's Note: Gloves Off"(PDF).DigBoston.Running a state is hard at the best of times and these are worse times than most Mass residents have ever experienced.…We're all just one big happy Masshole family, right?
^"Why Boston Will Be the Star of The AI Revolution".VentureFizz. October 24, 2017. Archived fromthe original on November 9, 2023. RetrievedNovember 9, 2023.Boston startups are working to overcome some of the largest technical barriers holding AI back, and they're attracting attention across a wide variety of industries in the process.
^ab[1]Times Higher Education. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
^abKamaron McNair (April 6, 2024)."10 U.S. states where Americans earn the lowest incomes—only 2 aren't in the South".CNBC. RetrievedApril 6, 2024.More education typically correlates with higher earnings, which helps explain why Massachusetts — the most-educated state, with nearly 47% of its population holding a bachelor's degree or higher — is also the highest-paid, according to the St. Louis Fed.
^Liz Rosenberg (August 22, 2025)."N.J. high schools place third in the nation, according to new report". NJ Advanced Media. RetrievedAugust 23, 2025.Massachusetts led the rankings with 43% of its schools ranked in the top quarter of U.S. high schools, followed by Connecticut with 41% and New Jersey with 40%.
^Kamaron McNair (June 14, 2025)."A family of 4 needs over $300,000 a year to live comfortably in this state". CNBC. RetrievedJune 16, 2025.In Massachusetts, the most expensive state in the U.S., a family of four needs more than $300,000 per year to meet that threshold. Costs of living grew by over 4% in that state from 2024, slightly more than the national average of 3.87%, SmartAsset's analysis found.
^Salwen, Bert, 1978.Indians of Southern New England and Long Island: Early Period. In "Northeast", ed. Bruce G. Trigger. Vol. 15 of "Handbook of North American Indians", ed. William C. Sturtevant, pp. 160–76. Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution. Quoted in: Campbell, Lyle. 1997.American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 401
^Bright, William (2004).Native American Place Names of the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, p. 270
^"Why is Massachusetts a Commonwealth?". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. January 2, 2009. RetrievedApril 21, 2015.The term 'Commonwealth' does not describe or provide for any specific political status or legal relationship when used by a state. Those [U.S. states] that do use it are equal to those that do not. Legally, Massachusetts is a commonwealth because the term is contained in the Constitution.
"A previous draft of the state constitution, proposed by the Legislature and rejected, had used the name 'State of Massachusetts Bay'. At the time, the word was used to mean 'republic', and there might have been some antimonarchical sentiment in using it, according to theMassachusetts secretary of state's website."
^Barrows, Charles Henry (1911).The History of Springfield in Massachusetts for the Young: Being Also in Some Part the History of Other Towns and Cities in the County of Hampden. The Connecticut Valley Historical Society. pp. 46–48. US 13459.5.7.
^290 Acts, 1929. — Chap. 287. Chap. 2S7 An Act to provide for the more effective enforcement of the Sale of Securities Act. Identifier: actsresolvespass1929mass"Section 1. Chapter twenty- five of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding thereto, under the heading, Securities Division, There shall be in the department, and under its general supervision and control, a securities division which shall be under the charge of a director." John C. Hull was the first Securities Director appointed January 1930. His term would end in 1936. Publication date 1927–1928. pg. 102
^"MESA List Overview". Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs. February 7, 2013. Archived fromthe original on April 23, 2015. RetrievedApril 22, 2015.
^"Peregrine Falcon"(PDF). Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. RetrievedMay 9, 2015.
^abDupigny-Giroux, L.A.; E.L. Mecray; M.D. Lemcke-Stampone; G.A. Hodgkins; E.E. Lentz; K.E. Mills; E.D. Lane; R. Miller; D.Y. Hollinger; W.D. Solecki; G.A. Wellenius; P.E. Sheffield; A.B. MacDonald; C. Caldwell (2018). "Northeast". In Reidmiller, D.R.; C.W. Avery; D.R. Easterling; K.E. Kunkel; K.L.M. Lewis; T.K. Maycock; B.C. Stewart (eds.). Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II (Report). Washington, DC, US: U.S. Global Change Research Program. pp. 669–742.doi:10.7930/NCA4.2018.CH18 (inactive July 30, 2025).{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
^"State Centers of Population". howderfamily.com. February 5, 2012. RetrievedApril 26, 2015.I'll... examine some individual state centers of population.
^United States Department of Commerce . International Trade Administration . Enforcement and Compliance."List of Foreign-Trade Zones by State".enforcement.trade.gov. Archived fromthe original on October 30, 2013. RetrievedMarch 16, 2018.
^Gianoulis, Tina (October 13, 2005)."Noble, Elaine". glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. Archived fromthe original on October 30, 2007. RetrievedSeptember 24, 2007.
^National Center for Health Statistics (February 16, 2022)."Massachusetts".Key Health Indicators. CDC. RetrievedJune 19, 2022.All 2020 data are final. 2020 birth data come from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) via CDC WONDER; 2020 death data, including leading causes of death, firearm mortality, homicide, drug overdose mortality, and infant mortality, come from the NVSS via CDC WONDER and rankings and rates are based on 2020 age-adjusted death rates. For more information on age-adjustment, refer to this reportpdf icon. Where ranked, states are categorized from highest rate to lowest rate. Although adjusted for variations in age-distribution and population size, differences by state do not take into account other state specific population characteristics that may affect the level of the birth characteristic or mortality. When the number of deaths or births events is small, differences by state may be unreliable due to instability in rates. When the number of deaths is small, rankings by state may be unreliable due to instability in death rates.
^Kaiser Family Foundation (2022)."Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0–18, 2019".kff.org. San Francisco. Archived fromthe original on May 9, 2017. RetrievedJune 19, 2022.For more current data using the Current Population Survey, see Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0–18 (CPS). The majority of KFF health coverage topics are based on analysis of the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) by KFF. 2008–2019 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates includes a 1% sample of the US population and allows for precise state-level estimates. The ACS asks respondents about their health insurance coverage at the time of the survey. Respondents may report having more than one type of coverage; however, individuals are sorted into only one category of insurance coverage. See definitions on web page for more detail on coverage type.
^Kaiser Family Foundation (September 21, 2021)."Health Insurance Coverage of the Total Population (CPS)".kff.org. San Francisco. RetrievedJune 19, 2022.For 2020, the majority of KFF health coverage topics are based on analysis of the Census Bureau's March Supplement to the Current Population Survey (the CPS Annual Social and Economic Supplement or ASEC). Previously, KFF source for these data was the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS); however, release of the ACS data has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although health coverage and population estimates using ACS are still available for 2008–2019, the 2020 data from CPS cannot be compared to prior year estimates from ACS. Due to known data quality issues with the 2019 CPS ASEC data, which was collected in March 2020 just at the onset of the pandemic and experienced low response rates, KFF have chosen not to report the 2019 data. KFF provide trend data for 2016, 2018, and 2020 using the CPS.
^abNational Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health (2015)."BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data"(Online).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Atlanta. RetrievedJune 19, 2022.2020 Weight classification by Body Mass Index (BMI) (variable calculated from one or more BRFSS questions) (Crude Prevalence)
Brettell, Caroline (2003).Anthropology and Migration:Essays on Transnational Ethnicity and Identity. Walnut Creek, CA:AltaMira Press.ISBN978-0-7591-0320-7.
Sokolow, Alvin D (1997). "Town and Township Government: Serving Rural and Suburban Communities".Handbook of Local Government Administration. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker.ISBN978-0-8247-9782-9.
Further reading
Overviews and surveys
Hall, Donald. ed.The Encyclopedia of New England (2005)
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![The Old Ship Church in Hingham was built in 1681, and is the oldest church in America in continuous ecclesiastical use.[431] The Massachusetts population has since become one of the most irreligious of US states.[432]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aOldShipEntrance.jpg)
![Massachusetts has the largest population of the New England states. New Englander culture and identity remains strong in Massachusetts (Flag of New England pictured above).[433]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNE_Flag_red.jpg)
