Massachusetts's 8th congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative	Stephen Lynch D–Boston
Population (2024)	784,982[1]
Median household income	$118,563[1]
Ethnicity	66.3%White 9.6%Asian 9.4%Black 6.8%Hispanic 5.8%Two or more races 2.0% other
Cook PVI	D+15[2]

Massachusetts's 8th congressional district is located in easternMassachusetts, including the southern fourth ofBoston. It is represented by DemocratStephen Lynch. For one congressional term (1791–1793), it served as the home district of theDistrict of Maine. The district boundaries were significantly changed, as of the elections of 2012, due to redistricting after the 2010 census, with the old 8th district largely being shifted to the new 7th district.^[3] The new 8th district comprises many of the communities of the old 9th district, as well as some easternmost Norfolk County communities and northernmost Plymouth County communities of the old 10th district.

This district has the distinction of being the only one ever represented by someone who had previously served aspresident of the United States, asJohn Quincy Adams held this office after leaving the presidency from 1843 until his death in 1848.

For the118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the2020 census), the district contains all or portions of four counties and 21 municipalities:^[5]

Bristol County (1)

Easton

Norfolk County (12)

Avon,Braintree,Canton,Dedham,Holbrook,Milton (part; also7th),Norwood,Quincy,Stoughton,Walpole,Westwood,Weymouth

Plymouth County(7)

Abington,Brockton,East Bridgewater,Hingham,Hull,West Bridgewater,Whitman

Suffolk County (1)

Boston (part; also7th)

Representative	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	District location
District created March 4, 1789
Jonathan Grout (Lunenburg)	Anti-Administration	March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1791	1st	Elected in 1788. Redistricted to the7th district and lost re-election.	1789–1793 Worcester County
Vacant		March 4, 1791 – April 4, 1791	2nd
George Thatcher (Biddeford)	Pro-Administration	April 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793		Redistricted from the6th district andre-elected late in 1791. Redistricted to the4th district.
District inactive		March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795	3rd
Fisher Ames (Dedham)	Federalist	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797	4th	Redistricted from the1st district andre-elected in 1794. Retired.	1795–1803 "1st Middle district"
Harrison Gray Otis (Boston)	Federalist	March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1801	5th 6th	Elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Retired.
William Eustis (Boston)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803	7th	Elected in 1800. Redistricted to the1st district.
Lemuel Williams (New Bedford)	Federalist	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805	8th	Redistricted from the5th district andre-elected in 1802. Lost re-election.	1803–1815 "Barnstable district"
Isaiah L. Green (Barnstable)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1809	9th 10th	Elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Retired.
Gideon Gardner (Nantucket)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811	11th	Elected in 1808. Retired.
Isaiah L. Green (Barnstable)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813	12th	Elected in 1810. Lost re-election.
John Reed Jr. (Yarmouth)	Federalist	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815	13th	Elected in 1812. Redistricted to the9th district.
William Baylies (Bridgewater)	Federalist	March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817	14th	Redistricted from the7th district andre-elected in 1814. Retired.	1815–1823 "Plymouth district"
Zabdiel Sampson (Plymouth)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1817 – July 26, 1820	15th 16th	Elected in 1817 on the second ballot. Resigned to become collector of customs inPlymouth.
Vacant		July 26, 1820 – November 24, 1820	16th
Aaron Hobart (Hanover)	Democratic-Republican	November 24, 1820 – March 3, 1823	16th 17th	Elected in 1820. Laterelected on the second ballot to finish Sampson's term and seated December 18, 1820. Redistricted to the11th district.
Samuel Lathrop (West Springfield)	Adams-Clay Federalist	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	18th 19th	Redistricted from the5th district andre-elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1825 on the third ballot. [data missing]	1823–1833 "Hampden district"
	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827
Isaac C. Bates (Northampton)	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1835	20th 21st 22nd 23rd	Elected in 1827 on the third ballot. Re-elected in 1828. Re-elected in 1830. Re-elected in 1833. Retired.
					1833–1843 [data missing]
William B. Calhoun (Springfield)	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837	24th 25th 26th 27th	Elected in 1834. Re-elected in 1836. Re-elected in 1838. Re-elected in 1840. Retired.
	Whig	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843
John Quincy Adams (Quincy)	Whig	March 4, 1843 – February 23, 1848	28th 29th 30th	Redistricted from the12th district andre-elected in 1842. Re-elected in 1844. Re-elected in 1846. Died.	1843–1853 "All the towns in Norfolk County; Abington, North Bridgewater, Hingham, and Hull, in the County of Plymouth; and Brighton, Holliston, Natick, Newton, and Sherburne, in the County of Middlesex."[6]
Vacant		February 23, 1848 – April 2, 1848	30th
Horace Mann (West Newton)	Whig	April 3, 1848 – March 3, 1853	30th 31st 32nd	Elected to finish Adams's term. Re-elected later in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. [data missing]
Tappan Wentworth (Lowell)	Whig	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	33rd	Elected in 1852. [data missing]	1853–1863 "The city of Lowell, and the towns of Acton, Ashby, Ashland, Bedford, Billerica, Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Framingham, Groton, Hopkinton, Lincoln, Littleton, Marlborough, Natick, Pepperell, Shirley, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wayland. Westford, and Weston, in the county of Middlesex; and the towns of Berlin, Bolton, Harvard, Lunenburg, Northborough, Southborough, and Westborough, in the county of Worcester."[7]
Chauncey L. Knapp (Lowell)	Know Nothing	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857	34th 35th	Elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. [data missing]
	Republican	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859
Charles R. Train[8] (Framingham)	Republican	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863	36th 37th	Elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. [data missing]
John D. Baldwin (Worcester)	Republican	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1869	38th 39th 40th	Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. [data missing]	1863–1873 [data missing]
George F. Hoar[9] (Worcester)	Republican	March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1873	41st 42nd	Elected in 1868. Re-elected in 1870. Redistricted to the9th district.
John M. S. Williams (Cambridge)	Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875	43rd	Elected in 1872. [data missing]	1873–1883 "Ashland, Wards 22, 23, 25, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Dedham, Dover, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Sherborn, Southboro', Watertown, Wayland, and Weston."[10]
William W. Warren (Boston)	Democratic	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877	44th	Elected in 1874. Lost re-election.
William Claflin[11] (Newton)	Republican	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1881	45th 46th	Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Retired.
John W. Candler (Brookline)	Republican	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883	47th	Elected in 1880. [data missing]
William A. Russell (Lawrence)	Republican	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	48th	Redistricted from the7th district andre-elected in 1882. [data missing]	1883–1893
Charles H. Allen (Lowell)	Republican	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889	49th 50th	Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Retired.
Frederic T. Greenhalge (Lowell)	Republican	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891	51st	Elected in 1888. Lost re-election.
Moses T. Stevens (North Andover)	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893	52nd	Elected in 1890. Redistricted to the5th district.
Samuel W. McCall[12][13] (Winchester)	Republican	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1913	53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd	Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. [data missing]	1893–1903 Arlington, Boston (Wards 9, 10, 11), Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, Winchester.[14]
					1903–1913 Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, Winchester, Woburn.[15]
Frederick Simpson Deitrick (Cambridge)	Democratic	March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915	63rd	Elected in 1912. [data missing]	1913–1933 Middlesex County: Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham, Wakefield, Watertown, Winchester.[16][17]
Frederick W. Dallinger (Cambridge)	Republican	March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1925	64th 65th 66th 67th 68th	Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. [data missing]
Harry I. Thayer (Wakefield)	Republican	March 4, 1925 – March 10, 1926	69th	Elected in 1924. Died.
Vacant		March 10, 1926 – November 2, 1926
Frederick W. Dallinger (Cambridge)	Republican	November 2, 1926 – October 1, 1932	69th 70th 71st 72nd	Elected to finish Thayer's term andelected to the next term. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Resigned to become judge ofUnited States Customs Court.
Vacant		October 1, 1932 – March 3, 1933	72nd
Arthur D. Healey[18] (Somerville)	Democratic	March 4, 1933 – August 3, 1942	73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th	Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Resigned to become judge ofUS District Court for Massachusetts.	1933–1943 Cambridge (Wards 2, 3), Everett, Malden, Medford, Somerville.[15]
Vacant		August 3, 1942 – January 3, 1943	77th
Angier Goodwin (Melrose)	Republican	January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1955	78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd	Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Lost re-election.	1943–1953 Everett, Lynnfield, Malden, Medford, Melrose, N. Reading, Reading, Saugus, Somerville (Wards 4, 5, 6, 7), Stoneham, Wakefield.[15][19]
					1953–1963 [data missing]
Torbert H. Macdonald (Malden)	Democratic	January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1963	84th 85th 86th 87th	Elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Redistricted to7th district.
Tip O'Neill[20] (Cambridge)	Democratic	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1987	88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th	Redistricted from the11th district andre-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Retired.	1963–1973 Boston (Wards 1, 2, 3, 21, 22), Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville.[15][21]
					1973–1983 Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 5, 21, 22), Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown.[15][22]
					1983–1993 Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 21, 22), Cambridge, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown.[15][23]
Joe Kennedy II[24] (Boston)	Democratic	January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1999	100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th	Elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Retired.
					1993–2003 Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22), Cambridge, Chelsea, Somerville, Watertown.[15]
Mike Capuano (Somerville)	Democratic	January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2013	106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th	Elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the7th district.
					2003–2013 InMiddlesex County:Cambridge, andSomerville. InSuffolk County:Boston, Wards 1, 2, Ward 3, Precincts 1–4, 7, 8, Ward 4, Ward 5, Precincts 1, 2, 6–10, Ward 7, Precinct 10, Wards 8–12, Ward 13, Precincts 1, 2, 4–6, Ward 14, Ward 15, Precincts 1–5, 7–9, Ward 16, Precincts 1, 3, Ward 17, Precincts 1–3, 5–12; Ward 18, Precincts 1–8, 13–15, 21, Ward 19, Precincts 1, 3–6, 8, 9, Wards 21 and 22, (the remainder of Boston is in the9th district), andChelsea.
Stephen Lynch (Boston)	Democratic	January 3, 2013 – present	113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th	Redistricted from the9th district andre-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024.	2013–2023 InBristol County: Precincts 1 and 2 inRaynham. InNorfolk County:Avon,Braintree,Canton,Cohasset,Dedham,Holbrook,Milton:Precincts 2–4, and 6–9,Norwood,Quincy,Randolph,Stoughton,Walpole,Westwood, andWeymouth. InPlymouth County:Abington,Bridgewater,Brockton,East Bridgewater,Hingham,Hull,Scituate,West Bridgewater, andWhitman. InSuffolk County:Boston, Ward 3: Precincts 1–6; Ward 5: Precincts 3–5, 11; Ward 6, Ward 7: Precincts 1–9, Ward 11: Precincts 9 and 10, Ward 13: Precincts 3, 7, and 10, Ward 16: Precincts 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12, Ward 19: Precincts 1–6, 8, and 9, and Ward 20: Precincts 1, 2, and 4–20.
					2023–present

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989).The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982).The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

Wikimedia Commons has media related toMassachusetts's 8th congressional district.

• Rose Institute of State and Local Government,"Massachusetts: 2010 Redistricting Changes: Eighth District",Redistricting by State, Claremont, CA:Claremont McKenna College, archived fromthe original on September 15, 2020
• "Our Campaigns - United States - Massachusetts - MA - District 08".www.ourcampaigns.com. RetrievedDecember 31, 2020.

• Map of Massachusetts's 8th Congressional District, via Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

• CNN.com 2004 election results
• CNN.com 2006 election results

42°11′41″N70°56′38″W / 42.19472°N 70.94389°W /42.19472; -70.94389

• Congressional districts of Massachusetts
• Government of Norfolk County, Massachusetts
• Government of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
• Government of Suffolk County, Massachusetts
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