According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,093 square miles (2,830 km2), of which 659 square miles (1,710 km2) is land and 434 square miles (1,120 km2) (40%) is water.[5] It is the third-largest county in Massachusetts by total area.
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 530,819. Of the residents, 21.0% were under the age of 18 and 19.4% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 43.5 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.2 males. 87.5% of residents lived in urban areas and 12.5% lived in rural areas.[12][13][14]
There were 197,288 households in the county, of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
There were 214,770 housing units, of which 8.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.4% were owner-occupied and 24.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.2%.[13]
Plymouth County, Massachusetts – Racial and ethnic composition Note: 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.
At the2010 census, there were 494,919 people, 181,126 households, and 127,925 families in the county.[18] The population density was 750.9 inhabitants per square mile (289.9/km2). There were 200,161 housing units at an average density of 303.7 per square mile (117.3/km2).[19] Theracial makeup of the county was 85.5% white, 7.2% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 3.2% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.2% of the population.[18] In terms of ancestry, 33.7% wereIrish, 15.8% wereItalian, 15.3% wereEnglish, 7.3% wereGerman, and 3.7% wereAmerican.[20]
Of the 181,126 households, 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.4% were non-families, and 23.8% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.18. The median age was 41.1 years.[18]
The median household income was $73,131 and the median family income was $86,251. Males had a median income of $60,303 versus $43,837 for females. The per capita income for the county was $33,333. About 5.0% of families and 7.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.[21]
Population density of Plymouth County by census block (2020)[22]
Of the 168,361 households 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.20% of households were one person and 9.00% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.23.
The age distribution was 26.80% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.
The median household income was $55,615 and the median family income was $65,554 (these figures had risen to $70,335 and $82,560 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[24]). Males had a median income of $45,535 versus $31,389 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,789. About 4.90% of families and 6.60% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.
The leading ancestry group in Plymouth County is Irish, with 31%. Plymouth County, along withNorfolk County, Massachusetts, claims the highest percentage of people with Irish ancestry in the United States.[25]
The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list are reflective if the census designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.[26][27][28]
Plymouth County is governed by three County Commissioners:[29]
Chairman Jared L. Valanzola (R-Plymouth)[30], Commissioner Sandra M. Wright (R-Bridgewater),and Commissioner Gregory M. Hanley (D-Abington)
Other county elected officials include Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. (R-Kingston), District Attorney Timothy Cruz (R-Marshfield), Treasurer Thomas J. O'Brien (D-Plymouth), Register of Deeds John R. Buckley Jr. (D-Scituate), Register of Probate Matthew McDonough (D-Marshfield), and Clerk of Courts Robert Creedon (D-Brockton)
From the late 19th to the mid 20th centuries, Plymouth County was a Republican Party stronghold in presidential elections. From 1876 to 1988, only three Democrats carried the county:Lyndon Johnson,Hubert Humphrey, andJimmy Carter. Since 1992, however, it has become solidly Democratic, though less so relative to other counties in the state. In2012,Mitt Romney lost the county by 4.2 points, the closest a Republican had come to winning a county in Massachusetts since 1988. However, it has become more Democratic afterwards, and in2020,Joe Biden carried the county by 17 points, the largest margin of victory for a Democrat since1996, only forKamala Harris to carry it by only 9% four years later. At the state level, Plymouth County is more of a swing county and frequently splits its tickets in local and state elections.
United States presidential election results for Plymouth County, Massachusetts[31]
The seal was adopted by the Plymouth County Commissioners on March 31, 1931, under the authority of the General Laws, Chapter 34, Section 14, and was designed by Frederic T. Bailey of North Scituate who was, at that time and for many years, chairman of the county commissioners.[32]
Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 17, 2018[33]
The first radio broadcast in history was made in 1906, from theBrant Rock neighborhood in the town ofMarshfield.
TheBrockton Enterprise is the only daily newspaper published in the county, although theQuincy Patriot Ledger has extensive coverage of the South Shore of Massachusetts generally and Plymouth County in particular.
There are numerous weekly newspapers published in the county, including:
Many were operated by theMemorial Press Group, based in Plymouth, until the chain was sold toGateHouse Media in 2006. The flagship of the group was theOld Colony Memorial, the oldest continually published weekly newspaper in New England, first published in 1822.
Plymouth (traditional county seat) (note that Plymouth has surpassed the population of most cities in Massachusetts but continues to use a town-meeting form of government and is still recognized as a town.)[45][46]
^The termshire town is the statutory term for the Massachusetts town having a county court and administration offices, butcounty seat is the standard term used in general communications by the Massachusetts government. See, for example: Secretary of the Commonwealth:A Listing of Counties and the Cities and Towns Within.
^"Find a County". National Association of Counties. RetrievedJune 7, 2011.
D. Hamilton Hurd,History of Plymouth County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men. In Two Volumes. Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis and Co., 1884.Volume 1 |Volume 2
