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{{About|the U.S. state}} {{Short description|U.S. state}}
{{About|the U.S. state|the Indigenous people|Massachusett|other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{pp-move-indef}} {{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox U.S. state {{Infobox U.S. state
| Name = Massachusetts | name = Massachusetts
| Fullname = Commonwealth of Massachusetts | official_name = Commonwealth of Massachusetts
| image_flag = File:Flag of Massachusetts.svg
| Flag = Flag_of_Massachusetts.svg
| Flaglink = ] | flag_link = Flag of Massachusetts
| Seal = Seal_of_Massachusetts.svg | image_seal = Seal of Massachusetts.svg
| Map = Massachusetts in United States.svg | image_map = Massachusetts in United States (zoom).svg
| nickname = The Bay State (official)<br />The Pilgrim State; The Puritan State<br />The Old Colony State<br />The Baked Bean State<ref>{{cite book|title=Massachusetts Encyclopedia|last=Herman|first=Jennifer|page=7|year=2008|publisher=State History Publications, LLC.|quote=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}}</ref>
| Nickname =The Bay State, The Old Colony, The Codfish State<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19361018&id=A65QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ASIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7015,741245</ref>
| Motto = ] (]) | motto = {{lang|la|]}} (])<br /><small>By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty</small>
| anthem = "]"
| MottoEnglish = By the sword she seeks peace under liberty
| population_demonym = Bay Stater (official)<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 2, Section 35: Designation of citizens of commonwealth |url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleI/Chapter2/Section35 |publisher=The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts |access-date=July 21, 2021}}</ref>
| Former = Province of Massachusetts Bay
Masshole<ref>{{cite web
| Demonym = ] (official)<ref>{{cite web| title = Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 2, Section 35: Designation of citizens of commonwealth|url=http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/2-35.htm|publisher=The Commonwealth of Massachusetts| accessdate =February 29, 2008}}</ref> Massachusite (traditional)<ref>_____, page 435. ''Collections'', ]. MHS, Boston; 1877. Additional on-line source: .</ref><ref>Jones, Thomas, page 465. ''History of New York During the Revolutionary War'', ]. Edward Floyd DeLancey, Ed., New York; 1879. Additional on-line source: </ref> Massachusettsian (archaic)<ref>http://en.wiktionary.org/Massachusettsian</ref>
|title='Massachusettsan?' Bay Staters and Massholes are perplexed by this word for Mass. natives
| Capital = ]
|last=Gavin
|first=Christopher
|date=August 5, 2019
|website=]
|publisher=]
|url=https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2019/08/05/massachusetts-nickname/
|quote=If you hail from Massachusetts, you may consider yourself a few things. A Bay Stater. A Bostonian, perhaps. Maybe even a Masshole.}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine
|title=Rejoice! Oxford English Dictionary Adds 'Masshole'
|last=Quinn
|first=Garrett
|date=June 25, 2015
|magazine=]
|url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2015/06/25/masshole-added-oxford-english-dictionary/
|quote=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.}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine
|title="We're Massholes, Not Assholes": A New Question 3 Ad Stars a Foul-Mouthed Bostonian
|last=Buell
|first=Spencer
|date=November 1, 2018
|magazine=]
|url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2018/11/01/massholes-not-assholes-question-3/
|quote=“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.”}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine
|title=Ken Jennings' Gentle and Sweet Redefinition of "Masshole"
|last=Buell
|first=Spencer
|date=August 19, 2019
|magazine=]
|url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2019/08/19/ken-jennings-masshole
|quote=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.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|title=Editor's Note: Gloves Off
|last1=Faraone
|first1=Chris
|last2=Pramas
|first2=Jason
|date=November 12, 2020
|newspaper=]
|url=https://digboston.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/DM_1108web.pdf
|quote=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?}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|title=Day trips in Massachusetts: Hikes, history made fun, ice cream and unofficial hot dog tours
|last1=McGinnes
|first1=Meagan
|last2=Scalese
|first2=Roberto
|last3=Creamer
|first3=Lisa
|last4=Kaufman
|first4=Jill
|date=June 25, 2024
|newspaper=]
|url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/06/25/massachusetts-day-trips-cape-boston-worcester-springfield-berkshires
|quote=There are the North and South shores, which to an untrained eye look alike but to a Masshole are completely different planets.}}</ref>
Massachusite (traditional)<ref>{{cite web |page=435 |title=Collections |publisher=] |place=Boston |year=1877 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rdbnCkXB2RwC |access-date=June 10, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Thomas |page= |title=History of New York During the Revolutionary War |publisher=] |editor-first=Edward Floyd |editor-last=DeLancey |place=New York |year=1879 |url=https://archive.org/details/historynewyorkd01jonegoog |access-date=June 10, 2015}}</ref>
Massachusettsan (recommended by the ])<ref name="gpo">{{cite book |title= U.S. Government Publishing Office Style Manual |year= 2016|at= §5.23 |url= https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016}}</ref>
| seat = ]
| LargestCity = capital | LargestCity = capital
| LargestCounty = ]
| LargestMetro = ] | LargestMetro = ]
| Governor = ] (D) | Governor = ] (])
| Lieutenant Governor = ] (D) | Lieutenant Governor = ] (D)
| Legislature = ] | Legislature = ]
| Upperhouse = ] | Upperhouse = ]
| Lowerhouse = ] | Lowerhouse = ]
| Judiciary = ]
| Senators = ] (D) <!-- John Kerry is the current senior senator from Massachusetts, his name goes first; please leave it this way. --><br />] (R)
| Senators = {{nowrap|] (])}}<br />{{nowrap|] (D)}}
| Representative=10 Democrats
| Representative = 9 Democrats
| PostalAbbreviation = MA
| postal_code = MA
| TradAbbreviation = Mass. | TradAbbreviation = Mass.
| OfficialLang = ]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schwarz |first1=Hunter |title=States where English is the official language |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/08/12/states-where-english-is-the-official-language/ |access-date=December 29, 2014 |newspaper=] |date=August 12, 2014}}</ref>
| OfficialLang = None
| Languages = * ] 75.00%
| AreaRank = 44th
* ] 9.55%
| TotalAreaUS = 10,555<ref name=2000census/><!--To nearest sqmi., from USCensus web page-->
* ] 3.43%
| TotalArea = 27,336 <!--conversion to nearest km²-->
* ] 2.05%<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/state-profiles/state/language/MA |title=Massachusetts Language & Education|publisher=] |access-date=March 14, 2024}} |</ref>
| LandAreaUS = 7,840
| LandArea = 20,306 | area_rank = 44th
| area_total_sq_mi = 10,565<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25000.html |publisher=] |access-date=June 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150821061951/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25000.html |archive-date=August 21, 2015 }}</ref>
| WaterAreaUS = 2,715
| area_total_km2 = {{convert|10565|sqmi|km2|0|disp=output number only}}
| WaterArea = 7,031
| area_land_sq_mi = 7,800<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/2010/geo/state-area.html | title=State Area Measurements and Internal Point Coordinates }}</ref>
| PCWater = 25.7 <!--calculation: Water area over Total area-->
| PopRank = 14th | area_land_km2 = 20,202
| area_water_sq_mi = 2,715
| 2000Pop = 6,587,536 (2011 est)<ref name=PopEstUS/>
| DensityRank = 3rd | area_water_km2 = 7,032
| area_water_percent = 26.1
| 2000DensityUS = 840
| population_as_of = 2024
| 2000Density = 324
| population_rank = 16th
| MedianHouseholdIncome = $65,401 (2008)
| 2020Pop = {{Increase}} 7,136,171<ref name=MassachusettsQuickFacts>{{cite web |title=United States Census Bureau QuickFacts Massachusetts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/MA |publisher=]}}</ref>
| IncomeRank = 6th |
| 2020DensityUS = 914.89
| 2020Density = 353.24
| population_density_rank = 3rd
| MedianHouseholdIncome = $99,858<ref name=MassachusettsHighestMedianHouseholdIncome>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewdepietro/2024/10/14/here-are-the-richest-places-in-massachusetts-based-on-the-latest-census-data/|work=]|title=Here Are The Richest Places In Massachusetts, Based On The Latest Census Data|date=October 14, 2024|access-date=December 21, 2024}}</ref>
| IncomeRank = 1st<ref name=MassachusettsHighestMedianHouseholdIncome/>
| Former = ]
| AdmittanceOrder = 6th | AdmittanceOrder = 6th
| AdmittanceDate = February 6, 1788 | AdmittanceDate = February 6, 1788
| TimeZone = ]: ]]/] | timezone1 = ]
| utc_offset1 = −05:00
| Latitude = 41° 14′ N to 42° 53′ N
| timezone1_DST = ]
| Longitude = 69° 56′ W to 73° 30′ W
| utc_offset1_DST = −04:00
| LengthUS = 113
| Latitude = 41°14′ N to 42°53′ N
| Length = 182
| Longitude = 69°56′ W to 73°30′ W
| WidthUS = 183
| Width = 295 | length_mi = 190
| length_km = 296
| HighestPoint = ]<ref>{{cite ngs|name=Greylock RM 1 Reset|id=MZ1957}}</ref><ref name=USGS>{{cite web|url=http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html|title=Elevations and Distances in the United States|publisher=]|year=2001|accessdate=October 21, 2011}}</ref><ref name=NAVD88>Elevation adjusted to ].</ref>
| HighestElevUS = 3,489 | width_mi = 115
| HighestElev = 1063.4 | width_km = 184
| elevation_max_point = ]<ref>{{cite ngs| name=Greylock RM 1 Reset| pid=MZ1957}}</ref>{{efn|Elevation adjusted to ].}}
| MeanElevUS = 500
| elevation_max_ft = 3,489
| MeanElev = 150
| elevation_max_m = 1063.4
| LowestPoint = Atlantic Ocean<ref name=USGS/>
| LowestElevUS = 0 | elevation_ft = 508
| LowestElev = 0 | elevation_m = 150
| elevation_min_point = Atlantic Ocean
| ISOCode = US-MA
| elevation_min_ft = 0
| Website = http://www.mass.gov/
| elevation_min_m = 0
| iso_code = US-MA
| website = https://mass.gov
| Capital = Boston
| Representatives =
}} }}
{{Infobox U.S. state symbols
|Name = Massachusetts
|Bird = ], ]
|Fish = ]
|Flower = ]
|Insect = ]
|Mammal = ], ], ], ]
|Reptile = ]
|Tree = ]
|Beverage = ]
|Colors = Blue, Green, Cranberry
|Dance = ]
|Food = ], Corn ], ], ], ], ]
|Fossil = ]
|Gemstone = ]
|Mineral = ]
|Poem =
|StateRock = ]
|Shell = Wrinkled ]
|Ships = '']''
|Slogan = ''Make It Yours'',<br />''The Spirit of America''
|Soil = ]
|Song = '']''
|Sport = ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/08/09/can_you_guess_the_state_sport_of_massachusetts/ |title=Can you guess the state sport of Massachusetts? |author=Michael Levenson |date=August 9, 2006 |work=Boston Globe |accessdate=February 14, 2012}}</ref>
|Route Marker = MA Route 24.svg
|Quarter = 2000 MA Proof.png
|QuarterReleaseDate = 2000
}}
Basically, this state is under the supreme dictorial control of Commander General Christian Mills. This man is widely known for his amazing victories in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, The U.S. Civil War, World War I, World War II, The Korean police action, and The Vietnam War. He invaded and took control in July of 6574. This was done with aid from the Tyrannosaurus' Peoples Republic & The Grand Empire of the Robotic Regime, which he later conqured,personifying world domination by doing so. His first act as supreme world Dicator that effected the New England Territory was the American Eastern Seaboard Removal Plan. He did this with technology aquired from the Grand War of Western Asia. He literally shot FREAKIN LAZA BEAMS into the ground, detaching it from the mainland. He then attached 999 Trillion sharks to ocean side, and had them pull the Eastern Seabord into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. In heinsight, this plan was not a good one, as it created many Earthquakes, Volcanic Eruptions, and the 14th World War. After the revolts from the Zombie Union were put down by him single-handedly, the Unicorn Pact was put into place, saying that anyone who protested the goverment was to be sent to the nuclear wasteland once known as "Australlia" where the radiation-infected Kangaroos and Koala Bears would have there ways. The main exports are Beans & Cornbread.'''Massachusetts''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Massachusetts.ogg|ˌ|m|æ|s|ə|ˈ|tʃ|uː|s|ɨ|t|s}}), officially the '''Commonwealth of Massachusetts''', is a ] in the ] region of the ] ]. It is bordered by ] and ] to the south, ] to the west, and ] and ] to the north; at its east lies the ]. Massachusetts is the ], but the ] and the ] of the ]. The commonwealth features two separate metropolitan areas: ] in the east and the ] metropolitan area in the west.


{{Infobox region symbols|country=United States
Approximately two thirds of the commonwealth's population lives in Greater Boston, most of which is either urban or suburban. ] features one urban area – the ] along the ] – and a mix of ] and rural areas. Many of Massachusetts' towns, cities, and counties ]. Massachusetts is the most populous of the six New England states and has the US's sixth highest ]
| state = Massachusetts
| image_flag = File:Flag of Massachusetts.svg
| image_seal = File:Seal of Massachusetts.svg
| bird = ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Black-Capped Chickadee:Massachusetts State Bird |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-bird/black-capped-chickadee |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 17, 2015}}</ref> ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Wild Turkey: Massachusetts State Game Bird |date=May 22, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-bird/wild-turkey |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 17, 2015}}</ref><ref name=MassFacts>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Facts |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf1a.htm |publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref>
| fish = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Cod: Massachusetts State Fish |date=May 21, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-fish-aquatic-life/cod |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| flower = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Mayflower: Massachusetts State Flower |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-flower/mayflower |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| insect = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Ladybug: Massachusetts State Insect |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-insect/ladybug |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| mammal = ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Right Whale: Massachusetts State Marine Mammal |date=May 26, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-fish-aquatic-life-state-mammal/right-whale |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Morgan Horse: Massachusetts State Horse |date=May 21, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-horse-state-mammal/morgan-horse |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Tabby Cat: Massachusetts State Cat |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-dog-cat-state-mammal/tabby-cat |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref> ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Boston Terrier: Massachusetts State Dog |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-dog-cat-state-mammal/boston-terrier |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| reptile = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Garter Snake: Massachusetts State Reptile |date=May 21, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-reptile/garter-snake |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| tree = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=American Elm: Massachusetts State Tree |date=May 22, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-tree/american-elm |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| beverage = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Cranberry Juice: Massachusetts State Beverage |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-food-agriculture-symbol/cranberry-juice |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| colors = Blue, green, cranberry<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Blue—Green—Cranberry: Massachusetts State Colors |date=May 26, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-colors/blue-green-cranberry |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| dance = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Square Dance: Massachusetts State Folk Dance |date=May 26, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-dance-music-symbol/square-dance |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| food = ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Cranberry: Massachusetts State Berry |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-food-agriculture-symbol/cranberry |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref> ],<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Corn Muffin: Massachusetts State Muffin |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-food-agriculture-symbol/corn-muffin |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Baked Navy Bean: Massachusetts State Bean |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-food-agriculture-symbol/baked-navy-bean |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Boston Creme Pie: Massachusetts State Dessert |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-food-agriculture-symbol/boston-cream-pie |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Chocolate Chip Cookie: Massachusetts State Cookie |date=May 21, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-food-agriculture-symbol/chocolate-chip-cookie |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref> ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Boston Cream Donut: Massachusetts State Donut |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-food-agriculture-symbol/boston-cream-donut |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref>
| fossil = ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Dinosaur Tracks: Massachusetts State Fossil |date=May 20, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-dinosaur-fossil/dinosaur-tracks |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref>
| gemstone = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Rhodonite: Massachusetts State Gem |date=May 21, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-gem-gemstone/rhodonite |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref>
| mineral = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Babingtonite: Massachusetts State Mineral |date=May 26, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-mineral-rock/babingtonite |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref>
| poem = ]<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Blue Hills of Massachusetts: Massachusetts State Poem |date=May 26, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-language-poetry/blue-hills-massachusetts |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref>
| rock = Roxbury Puddingstone<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=Official State Rock of Massachusetts
|date=May 21, 2014 |url=https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-mineral-rock/roxbury-puddingstone |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=November 28, 2019}}</ref>
| shell = ], ''Neptunea lyrata decemcostata''<ref name=MassFacts/><ref>{{cite web |title=New England Neptune: Massachusetts State Shell |date=May 19, 2014 |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/massachusetts/state-fish-aquatic-life/new-england-neptune |publisher=StateSymbolsUSA.org |access-date=April 23, 2015}}</ref>
| ship = '']''<ref name=MassFacts/>
| slogan = ''Make It Yours'',<br />''The Spirit of America''<ref>{{cite web |title=State Slogans |url=http://www.ereferencedesk.com/resources/state-slogans/ |publisher=Ereferencedesk.com |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref>
| soil = ]<ref name=MassFacts/>
| sport = Basketball<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/08/09/can_you_guess_the_state_sport_of_massachusetts/ |title= Can you guess the state sport of Massachusetts? |first=Michael |last=Levenson |date=August 9, 2006 |newspaper=] |access-date=February 14, 2012|archive-date=February 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216041222/http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/08/09/can_you_guess_the_state_sport_of_massachusetts/}}</ref>
| image_route = MA Route 28.svg
| image_quarter = 2000 MA Proof.png
| quarter_release_date = 2000<ref>{{cite news |title=The Official Massachusetts State Quarter |newspaper=The Us50 |url=http://www.theus50.com/massachusetts/quarter.php |publisher=theus50.com |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref>
}}


'''Massachusetts''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Massachusetts.ogg|ˌ|m|æ|s|ə|ˈ|tʃ|uː|s|ɪ|t|s}} {{IPAc-en|-|z|ɪ|t|s}} {{respell|MASS|ə|CHOO|sits|,_-|zits}}; {{langx|wam-Latn|label=]|]}} {{IPA-all|məhswatʃəwiːsət|}}), officially the '''Commonwealth of Massachusetts''',{{efn|Massachusetts is one of ] to use the term "Commonwealth" in its official name, along with ], ], and ].}} is a ] in the ] region of the ]. It borders the ] and ] to its east, ] and ] to its south, ] and ] to its north, and ] to its west. Massachusetts is the ]. With a 2024 ]-estimated population of 7,136,171,<ref name=MassachusettsQuickFacts/> its highest estimated count ever, Massachusetts is the most populous state in New England, the ] in the United States, and the ], after ] and Rhode Island.
Massachusetts has played a significant historical, cultural, and commercial role in ]. ] was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims, passengers of the '']''. ], founded in 1636, is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. In 1692, the towns surrounding ] experienced one of America's most infamous cases of mass hysteria, the ].


Massachusetts was a site of early ]. The ] was founded in 1620 by the ] of the '']''. In 1630, the ], taking its name from the Indigenous ], also established settlements in Boston and Salem. In 1692, the town of ] and surrounding areas experienced one of America's most infamous cases of ], the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=The 1692 Salem Witch Trials |url=http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/education |publisher=Salem Witch Trials Museum |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref> In the late 18th century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty"<ref>{{cite web |title=Faneuil Hall |url=http://www.celebrateboston.com/sites/faneuil-hall.htm |access-date=April 21, 2015 |publisher=Celebrateboston.com}}</ref> for the agitation there that later led to the ]. In 1786, ], a populist revolt led by disaffected ] veterans, influenced the ].<ref name="shay">{{cite web |title=Shays' Rebellion |url=http://www.ushistory.org/us/15a.asp |publisher=ushistory.org |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref> Originally dependent on ], ], and ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Maritime Commerce |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/maritime/commerce.htm |access-date=April 21, 2015 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref> Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Lowell, Massachusetts |url=http://www.lowell.com/city-of-lowell/lowell-history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405013026/http://lowell.com/city-of-lowell/lowell-history/ |archive-date=April 5, 2010 |publisher=City of Lowell |access-date=April 21, 2015 }}</ref> Before the ], the state was a center for the ], ],<ref>{{cite web |title=The Temperance Issue in the Election of 1840: Massachusetts |url=http://www.teachushistory.org/second-great-awakening-age-reform/articles/temperance-issue-election-1840-massachusetts |publisher=Teachushistory.org |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref> and ]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Packer |first1=Barbara |title=The Transcendentalists |publisher=University of Georgia Press; First edition (April 25, 2007) |isbn=978-0-8203-2958-1|year=2007 }}</ref> movements.<ref>{{cite web |title=Images of the Antislavery Movement in Massachusetts |url=http://www.masshist.org/online/abolition/index.php |publisher=Masshist.org |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref> During the 20th century, the state's economy ];<ref>{{cite web |title=Staying Power: The Future of Manufacturing in Massachusetts |url=http://masstech.org/sites/mtc/files/documents/Staying_Power.pdf |publisher=The Center for Urban and Regional Policy School of Social Science, Urban Affairs, and Public Policy Northeastern University |access-date=April 21, 2015 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071505/http://masstech.org/sites/mtc/files/documents/Staying_Power.pdf }}</ref> and in the 21st century, Massachusetts has become the global leader in ],<ref name="MassachusettsLargestBiotechHubWorld">{{cite web|url=https://www.epmscientific.com/blog/2023/02/boston-is-now-the-largest-biotech-hub|title=Boston is Now the Largest Biotech Hub in the World|publisher=EPM Scientific|date=February 2023|access-date=January 9, 2024}}</ref> and also excels in ],<ref name="BostonAIHub">{{cite web|url=https://venturefizz.com/stories/boston/why-boston-will-be-star-ai-revolution#:~:text=Boston%20startups%20are%20working%20to,include%20Lightmatter%20and%20Forge.ai.|title=Why Boston Will Be the Star of The AI Revolution|date=October 24, 2017 |publisher=VentureFizz|access-date=November 9, 2023|quote=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.}}</ref> ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Housing and Economic Development: Key Industries |url=http://www.mass.gov/hed/economic/industries/ |publisher=mass.gov |access-date=April 21, 2015 |archive-date=April 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422015358/http://www.mass.gov/hed/economic/industries/ }}</ref>
In the 18th century, the Protestant ], which swept the Atlantic world, originated from the pulpit of ] preacher ]. In the late 18th century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty" for the agitation there that led to the ] and the ] of the United States from ]. In 1777, General ] founded the ], which during the ] catalyzed numerous important technological advances, including ]. In 1786, ], a populist revolt by Western Massachusetts farmers, led directly to the ].


The state's capital and ], as well as its cultural and ], is ]. Other major cities are ], ] and ]. Massachusetts is also home to the ] core of ], the largest metropolitan area in New England and a region profoundly influential upon American ], ], and the ].<ref name="GreaterBoston">{{cite web |last1=Douglas |first1=Craig |title=Greater Boston gains population, remains 10th-largest region in U.S |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2010/03/22/daily22.html?page=all |work=Boston Business Journal |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref> Massachusetts has a reputation for social and political ];<ref>{{Cite web |title=Does 'Massachusetts liberal' label still matter? |url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-07-25-mass-liberal_x.htm |access-date=April 26, 2023 |website=www.usatoday.com}}</ref> becoming the only U.S. state with a ] law, and the first U.S. state, and one of the earliest ]s in the world to legally recognize ].<ref name="CNNmarriage">{{cite news |date=November 18, 2003 |title=Massachusetts court strikes down ban on same-sex marriage |publisher=] |agency=Reuters |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/11/18/gay.marriage.reut/ |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref> ] in ] is the ],<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Harvard University |url=http://www.harvard.edu/history |publisher=] |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref> with the largest ] of any university in the world.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/us/harvards-endowment-remains-biggest-of-all.html|title=Harvard's Endowment Remains Biggest of All |first=Tamar |last=Lewin |newspaper=] |date=January 28, 2015 |access-date=March 6, 2015}}</ref> Both ] and ], also in Cambridge, are perennially ranked as either the most or among the most highly regarded ]s in the world.<ref name="AcademicRanking2"> ''Times Higher Education''. Retrieved December 3, 2016.</ref> Massachusetts's public-school students place among the top tier in the world in academic performance.<ref name="AcademicRanking3" />
Before the ], Massachusetts was a center for the ], ], and ] movements. In 1837, ], the United States' first college for women, was opened in the ] town of ]. In the late 19th century, the (now) Olympic sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in the Western Massachusetts cities of ] and ], respectively. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legally recognize ] as a result of the decision of the commonwealth's Supreme Judicial Court. The commonwealth has contributed many prominent politicians to national service, including members of the ] and of the ].


Massachusetts is the most educated<ref name=MassachusettsMostEducatedAndHighestPaidState/><ref name=MassachusettsMostIntelligentStates>{{cite web|url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/smartest-states|title=Smartest States 2024|publisher=World Population Review|access-date=December 17, 2024|quote=Massachusetts is the smartest state in the U.S. Massachusetts has the highest percentage of Bachelor’s degree holders at 42.1% of adults and graduate or professional degree holders at about 32.4%. Additionally, Massachusetts is home to MIT, Harvard, and several other high-ranked institutions.}}</ref> and one of the most highly developed and wealthiest U.S. states, ranking first in the ] or ], first on both the ] and the ], ], and first in ], both by ] and individually.<ref name=MassachusettsHighestMedianHouseholdIncome/><ref name=MassachusettsMostEducatedAndHighestPaidState>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/06/us-states-where-americans-earn-lowest-wages.html|title=10 U.S. states where Americans earn the lowest incomes—only 2 aren't in the South|author=Kamaron McNair|publisher=]|date=April 6, 2024|access-date=April 6, 2024|quote=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.}}</ref> Consequently, Massachusetts typically ranks as the top U.S. state,<ref name=MassachusettsBestStateToLive>{{cite web|url=https://wrnjradio.com/wallethub-new-jersey-is-2024s-3rd-best-state-to-live-in/|title=WalletHub: New Jersey is 2024's 3rd best state to live in|author=Jay Edwards|publisher=WRNJ Radio|date=August 12, 2024|access-date=August 13, 2024}}</ref> as well as the most expensive state, for residents to live in.<ref name=MassachusettsMostExpensiveState>{{cite web|url= https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/20/the-salary-a-family-of-4-needs-to-get-by-in-every-us-state.html#:~:text=These%20are%20the%20most%20expensive,Connecticut%3A%20%24139%2C924|title=The salary a family of 4 needs to get by in every U.S. state—it's more than $150,000 in the most expensive one|author=Mike Winters|publisher=]|date=June 20, 2024|access-date=June 22, 2024}}</ref>
Originally dependent on fishing, agriculture, and trade, Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution. During the 20th century, the commonwealth's economy shifted from manufacturing to services. In the 21st century, Massachusetts is a leader in higher education, health care technology, high technology, and ].


==Name== ==Etymology==
The ] was named after the ] population, the ] or ], whose name likely derived from the ] word ''muswachasut'', segmented as ''mus(ây)'' "big" + ''wach'' "mountain" + ''-s'' "diminutive" + -''ut'' "locative".<ref>{{cite thesis|url= http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/8740|title= Introduction to Wampanoag Grammar|last= Fermino|first= Jessie Little Doe|year= 2000|publisher= Massachusetts Institute of Technology|hdl= 1721.1/8740|type= Thesis}}</ref> This word has been translated as "near the great hill",<ref>{{cite book| first= William Wallace| last= Tooker| url= https://archive.org/details/jstor-533961| page= | title= Algonquian Names of some Mountains and Hills| publisher= American Folk-lore Society| year= 1904| access-date= June 10, 2015}}</ref> "by the blue hills", "at the little big hill", or "at the range of hills", in reference to the ]—namely, the ], located on the boundary of ] and ].<ref>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</ref><ref>Bright, William (2004). ''Native American Place Names of the United States''. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, p. 270</ref> ''Massachusett'' has also been represented as ''Moswetuset''. This comes from the name of the ] (meaning "hill shaped like an arrowhead") in ], where ] commander ] (a hired English military officer) and ] (a member of the ] of the ], who have since died off due to contagious diseases brought by colonists) met Chief ] in 1621.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://thomascranelibrary.org/htm/436.htm |title= East Squantum Street (Moswetuset Hummock) |year= 1986 |website= Quincy, Mass. Historical and Architectural Survey |publisher= ] |access-date= June 24, 2009 |archive-date= June 26, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090626232221/http://thomascranelibrary.org/htm/436.htm }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Neal |first= Daniel |title= The history of New-England |publisher= A. Ward |location= London |year= 1747 |edition= 2 |volume= 2 |page= 216 |chapter= XIV: The Present State of New England |oclc= 8616817 |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=u3opAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA216 |access-date= June 24, 2009}}</ref>
]
The ] was named after the indigenous population, the ], whose name can be segmented as ''mass-adchu-s-et'', where ''mass-'' is "large", ''-adchu-'' is "hill", ''-s-'' is a ] suffix meaning "small", and ''-et'' is a ] suffix, identifying a place. It has been translated as "near the great hill",<ref>William Wallace Tooker. . 1904.</ref> "by the blue hills", "at the little big hill", or "at the range of hills", referring to the ], or in particular, ], located on the boundary of ] and ].<ref name="Camp">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. 160–176. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. Quoted in: Campbell, Lyle. 1997. ''American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pg. 401</ref><ref>Bright, William (2004). ''Native American Place Names of the United States''. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pg. 270</ref> Alternatively, Massachusett has been represented as ''Moswetuset'', from the name of the ] (meaning "hill shaped like an arrowhead") in ] where ] commander ] and ], a ], met Chief Chickatawbut in 1621.<ref name="tcpl-hummock">{{cite web|url=http://thomascranelibrary.org/htm/436.htm|title=East Squantum Street (Moswetuset Hummock)|year=1986|work=Quincy, Mass. Historical and Architectural Survey|publisher=]|accessdate=June 24, 2009}}</ref><ref name="neal-history-of-ne">{{cite book|last=Neal|first=Daniel|title=The history of New-England|publisher=Printed for A. Ward|location=London|year=1747|edition=2|volume=2|page=216|chapter=XIV: The Present State of New England|oclc=8616817|url=http://books.google.com/?id=u3opAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA216|accessdate=June 24, 2009}}</ref>


The official name of the state is the "] of Massachusetts".<ref>{{cite web | title = Part One: Concise Facts – Name | publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf1a.htm}}</ref> Colloquially, it is often referred to simply as "the Commonwealth". While this designation is part of the state's official name, it has no practical implications. Massachusetts has the same position and powers within the United States as other states.<ref>{{cite web | title = Kentucky as a Commonwealth | publisher=Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.kdla.ky.gov/resources/KYCommonwealth.htm}}</ref> Although the designation "Commonwealth" forms part of the state's official name, it has no practical implications in modern times,<ref>{{cite web |title= Why is Massachusetts a Commonwealth? |url= http://www.mass.gov/anf/research-and-tech/legal-and-legislative-resources/why-is-massachusetts-a-commonwealth.html |publisher= Commonwealth of Massachusetts |access-date= April 21, 2015 | quote = The term 'Commonwealth' does not describe or provide for any specific political status or legal relationship when used by a state. Those that do use it are equal to those that do not. Legally, Massachusetts is a commonwealth because the term is contained in the Constitution.}}</ref> and Massachusetts has the same position and powers within the United States as other states.<ref>{{cite web |title= Kentucky as a Commonwealth |publisher= Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives |access-date= May 22, 2010 |url= http://kdla.ky.gov/resources/kycommonwealth.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110131061313/http://kdla.ky.gov/resources/kycommonwealth.htm |archive-date= January 31, 2011}}</ref> ] may have chosen the word in 1779 for the second draft of what became the 1780 ]; unlike the word "state", the word "]" had the connotation of a ] at the time. This was in contrast to the ] the former colonies were fighting against during the ]. 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 to ] and ]—from 1780 to 1844, they were seen as additional and separate entities confined within the Commonwealth.<ref>
{{Cite news
|url= https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/01/23/why-call-massachusetts-commonwealth-blame-john-adams/8n9gWNMBkFr55xi91HkcnI/story.html |url-access=subscription
|title= Why do we call Massachusetts a 'commonwealth'? Blame John Adams
|first= Martin |last= Finucane|work= The Boston Globe
}}
* "A previous draft of the state constitution, proposed by the Legislature and rejected, had used the name 'State of Massachusetts Bay'.<br />At the time, the word was used to mean 'republic', and there might have been some antimonarchical sentiment in using it, according to the ."</ref>


==Geography== ==History==
{{Main|Geography of Massachusetts}} {{Main|History of Massachusetts|Native American tribes in Massachusetts}}
Massachusetts is the ] state in the United States. It is located in the ] region of the northeastern United States, and has an area of {{convert|10555|sqmi|km2}}.<ref name=2000census>{{cite web | url = http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=n&_lang=en&mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_US9S&format=US-9S&_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1-R&ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&geo_id=01000US | title = Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density (geographically ranked by total population): 2000 | publisher=United States Census Bureau | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref> Several large ] distinctly shape its coast. Boston is the largest city, at the inmost point of ], the mouth of the ], which is the longest river entirely within Massachusetts. The commonwealth extends from the mountains of the ] system in the west to the sandy beaches and rocky shorelines of the Atlantic coast.


===Pre-colonization===
The ] administers a number of natural and historical ].<ref name=NPS1>{{cite web | title = Massachusetts | publisher=] | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.nps.gov/state/MA/}}</ref> Along with twelve national historic sites, areas, and corridors, the National Park Service also manages the ] and the ].<ref name=NPS1/> In addition, the ] maintains a number of parks, trails, and beaches throughout the commonwealth.<ref>{{cite web | title = Massachusetts State Parks | publisher=] | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dcr/listing.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Trail Maps | publisher=] | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Getting Wet! | publisher=] | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/swimming.htm}}</ref>


Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the ], including the ], ], ], ], ], and ].{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=6–7}}<ref name=Mohican>{{cite web |title=Origin & Early Mohican History |publisher=Stockbridge-Munsee Community—Band of Mohican Indians |access-date=October 21, 2009 |url=http://mohican-nsn.gov/Departments/Library-Museum/Mohican_History/origin-and-early.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912122346/http://mohican-nsn.gov/Departments/Library-Museum/Mohican_History/origin-and-early.htm |archive-date=September 12, 2009 }}</ref> While cultivation of crops like ] and ] were an important part of their diet, the people of these tribes ], ], and searched the forest for most of their food.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=6–7}} Villagers lived in lodges called ]s as well as ]s.<ref name="Mohican" /> Tribes were led by male or female elders known as ]s.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=7}}
===Ecology===
The primary ] of inland Massachusetts is ].<ref>{{cite web | title = A Short Introduction to Terrestrial Biomes | publisher=nearctica.com | accessdate =October 17, 2009 | url = http://www.nearctica.com/ecology/habitats/biointro.htm}}{{dead|date=August 2012}}</ref> Although much
of the commonwealth had been cleared for agriculture, leaving only traces of ] in isolated pockets,
secondary growth has regenerated in many rural areas as farms have been abandoned.<ref>Stocker, Carol. ''Old growth, grand specimens drive big-tree hunters'' '']''. November 17, 2005. . Retrieved October 17, 2009.</ref> Currently, forests cover around 62% of Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web | title = Current Research&nbsp;— Working Landscapes | publisher=The Center for Rural Massachusetts&nbsp;— The ] | accessdate =March 19, 2009 | url= http://www.umass.edu/ruralmass/currentresearch.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Massachusetts Forests | publisher=MassWoods Forest Conservation Program&nbsp;— The ] | accessdate =March 19, 2009 | url = http://www.masswoods.net/index.php/forests}}</ref> The areas most affected by human development include the Greater Boston area in the east, the smaller Springfield metropolitan area in the west, and the largely agricultural Pioneer Valley.<ref>{{cite web | title = Northeastern Coastal Zone&nbsp;— Ecoregion Description | publisher=] | accessdate =October 17, 2009 | url = http://landcovertrends.usgs.gov/east/eco59Report.html}}</ref> Animals that have become locally extinct over the past few centuries include ], ], ], and ].<ref name=mammallist>{{cite web | title = State Mammal List | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife | accessdate =October 17, 2009 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/facts/mammals/mammal_list.htm}}</ref>


===Colonial period===
].]]
A number of species are doing well despite (and in some cases because of) the increased urbanization of the commonwealth. ] utilize office towers in larger cities as nesting areas,<ref>{{cite web | title = Peregrine Falcon | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/species_info/nhfacts/falco_peregrinus.pdf}}</ref> and the population of ], whose diet may include garbage and roadkill, has been increasing in recent decades.<ref>{{cite web | title = Eastern Coyote in Massachusetts | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/living_with_coyotes.htm}}</ref> ], ]s, ]s and ]s are also found throughout Massachusetts.<ref name=mammallist/><ref>{{cite web | title = Wild Turkey in Massachusetts | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/pdf/living%20_with_turkeys.pdf}}</ref> In more rural areas in the western part of the commonwealth, larger mammals such as ] and ] have returned, largely due to reforestation following the regional decline in agriculture.<ref>{{cite web | title = Moose in Massachusetts | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/living_with_moose.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Black Bears in Massachusetts | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/living_with_bears.htm}}</ref>


{{Main|Mayflower Compact|Plymouth Colony|Massachusetts Bay Colony|New England Confederation|Dominion of New England|Province of Massachusetts Bay}}
Massachusetts is located along the ], a major route for migratory waterfowl along the Atlantic coast.<ref>{{cite web | title = Atlantic Flyway | publisher=University of Nebraska | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.unl.edu/nac/atlas/Map_Html/Biodiversity/National/Atlantic_flyway/Atlantic_Flyway.htm}}</ref> Lakes in central Massachusetts provide habitat for the ], especially ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Common Loon | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife | accessdate =May 28, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/species_info/nhfacts/gavia_immer.pdf}}</ref> while a significant population of ] winter off ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Telemetry Research:Long-Tailed Ducks | publisher=Mass Audubon | accessdate =May 28, 2010 | url = http://www.massaudubon.org/Conservation_Science/Tracking/LTDUresearch.php}}</ref> Small offshore islands and beaches are home to ]s and are important breeding areas for the locally threatened ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Roseate Tern | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife | accessdate =May 28, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/species_info/nhfacts/roseate_tern.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Coastal Waterbird Program | publisher=Mass Audubon | accessdate =May 28, 2010 | url = http://www.massaudubon.org/cwp/}}</ref> Protected areas such as the ] provide critical breeding habitat for shorebirds and a variety of marine wildlife including a large population of ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge – Wildlife and Habitat | publisher=] | accessdate =May 26, 2010 | url = http://www.fws.gov/northeast/monomoy/wildlife.html}}</ref>
] ''in Plymouth Harbor'' by ] (1882). The ] founded ] in 1620.]]


In the early 1600s, ] caused ]s such as ], ], ], and perhaps ] in what is now known as the ] of the United States.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hoxie |first=Frederick E |title=Encyclopedia of North American Indians |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |year=1996 |location=Boston |page= |isbn=978-0-395-66921-1 |oclc=34669430 |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofno00hoxi |url-access=registration |access-date=July 30, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.3201/e0di1602.090276 |last1=Marr |first1=JS |last2=Cathey |first2=JT |title=New hypothesis for cause of an epidemic among Native Americans, New England, 1616–1619 |journal=Emerging Infectious Diseases |date=February 2010 |volume=16 |issue=2 |pages=281–286|pmid=20113559 |pmc=2957993 |doi-access=free | issn=1080-6040}}</ref> Between 1617 and 1619, a disease that was most likely ] killed approximately 90% of the ] ].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Smallpox: The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scourge|last=Kaplow|first=David|publisher=University of California Press|year=2003|isbn=978-0-520-24220-3|page=13}}</ref>
Freshwater fish species in the commonwealth include ], ], ], and ],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/fishing/best_bets/best_bets_home.htm | title = Best Bets for Fishing | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Wildlife & Fisheries | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref> while saltwater species such as ], ] and ] populate offshore waters.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/recreationalfishing/species.htm | title = Species Profiles | publisher=Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref> Other marine species include ], the endangered ]s, as well as ], ]s, ] and ].<ref name=mammallist/>


The first ] 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. The ], arrived at ] in 1620. This was the second permanent ] in the part of North America that later became the United States, after the ]. The ] was celebrated by the Puritans after their first harvest in the "]" and lasted for three days. They were soon followed by other Puritans, who colonized the ]—now known as Boston—in 1630.{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|p=30}}
==History==
{{Main|History of Massachusetts}}
] ''in Plymouth Harbor'' by ] (1882) The ] were a group of ] who founded ] in 1620.]]


The Puritans believed the ] needed to be further ] along ] ] lines, and experienced harassment due to the religious policies of ] and high-ranking churchmen such as ], who would become Charles's ], whom they feared were re-introducing ] elements to the national church.<ref name=puritans>{{cite web |title=The New England Colonies |url=http://www.ushistory.org/us/3.asp |publisher=ushistory.org |access-date=April 24, 2015}}</ref> They decided to colonize to Massachusetts, intending to establish what they considered an "ideal" religious society.{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|p=29}} The ] was colonized under a royal charter, unlike the Plymouth colony, in 1629.<ref>{{cite web |title=Charter Of Massachusetts Bay 1629 |url=http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1600-1650/charter-of-massachusetts-bay-1629.php |publisher=let.rug.nl |access-date=April 24, 2015}}</ref> 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 as ] and ] due to religious and political conflict. In 1636, Williams colonized what is now known as ], 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 preachers ], who were publicly flogged and imprisoned in Boston in 1676.<ref>Michael Mullett: "Curwen, Thomas ({{circa|1610–1680}})", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford, UK: OUP, 2004) </ref>{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=30–32}}
===Early===
Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the ] such as the ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name=BT67>Brown and Tager, pp. 6–7.</ref><ref name=Mohican>{{cite web | title = Origin & Early Mohican History | publisher=Stockbridge-Munsee Community&nbsp;— Band of Mohican Indians | accessdate =October 21, 2009 | url = http://mohican-nsn.gov/Departments/Library-Museum/Mohican_History/origin-and-early.htm}}</ref> While cultivation of crops like ] and ] supplemented their diets, these tribes were generally dependent on hunting, gathering and fishing for most of their food supply.<ref name=BT67/> Villages consisted of lodges called ] as well as ]s,<ref name=Mohican/> and tribes were led by male or female elders known as ]s.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 7.</ref>


By 1641, Massachusetts had expanded inland significantly. The Commonwealth acquired the ] settlement of ], which had recently disputed with—and defected from—its original administrators, the ].<ref>{{cite book |last=Barrows |first=Charles Henry |title=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 |publisher=The Connecticut Valley Historical Society |year=1911 |pages=46–48 |id=US 13459.5.7}}</ref> This established Massachusetts's southern border in the west.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921185345/http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/pynchon.html |date=September 21, 2013 }}. Bio.umass.edu. Retrieved September 7, 2013.</ref> However, this became disputed territory until 1803–04 due to surveying problems, leading to the modern ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Connecticut's "Southwick Jog" |url=http://www.ctstatelibrary.org/subjectguides/connecticuts-southwick-jog |publisher=Connecticut State Library |access-date=June 10, 2015}}</ref>
===Colonial period (1620-1780)===
]'' (cover page shown), also called the '']'', was the first Bible printed in British North America.]]
In the early 1600s (after contact had been made with Europeans, but before permanent settlements were established), large numbers of the ] in the northeast of what is now the United States were killed by ] such as ], ], ], and perhaps ].<ref name="hoxie-164">{{cite book|last=Hoxie|first=Frederick E.|title=Encyclopedia of North American Indians|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|year=1996|location=Boston|page=164|isbn=978-0-395-66921-1|oclc=34669430|url=http://books.google.com/?id=o-BNU7QuJkYC&pg=PA164|accessdate=July 30, 2009}}; {{doi|10.3201/e0di1602.090276}} Marr, JS and Cathey, JT, "New hypothesis for cause of an epidemic among Native Americans, New England, 1616–1619," ''Emerging Infectious Disease'', 2010 Feb.</ref> In 1617–1619, smallpox reportedly killed 90% of the ] ].<ref>Koplow, p. 13.</ref>
In 1652 the ] authorized Boston silversmith ] to produce ] in shilling, sixpence and threepence denominations to address a coin shortage in the colony.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barth|2014|p=499}}</ref> Before that point, the colony's economy had been entirely dependent on barter and foreign currency, including English, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and counterfeit coins.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Clarke |first1=Hermann F. |year=1937 |title=John Hull: Mintmaster |journal=The New England Quarterly |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=669;673 |doi=10.2307/359931 |jstor=359931}}</ref> In 1661, shortly after the ], the British government considered the Boston mint to be treasonous.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barth|2014|p=500}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barth|2014|p=514}}</ref> The coinage was a contributing factor to the revocation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony charter in 1684.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barth|2014|p=520}}</ref>


In 1691, the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth were united (along with present-day ], which had previously been divided between Massachusetts and ]) into the ].{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|p=66}} Shortly after, the new province's first governor, ], arrived. The ] also took place, where a number of men and women were hanged for alleged ].{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=50}}
The first English settlers in Massachusetts, the ], established their settlement at ] in 1620, and developed friendly relations with the native ].<ref>Goldfield, et al., pp. 29–30.</ref> This was the second successful permanent English colony in North America, after the ]. The Pilgrims were soon followed by ]s who established the ] at present-day Boston in 1630.<ref>Goldfield, et al., p. 30.</ref>


The ] known to date in ] occurred on November 18, 1755, causing considerable damage across Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite news|last=Perley |first=Sidney |agency=] |title=Historic Earthquakes |publisher=Earthquake Hazards Program |date=April 18, 2014 |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/events/1755_11_18_hs.php |access-date=February 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110190706/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/events/1755_11_18_hs.php |archive-date=November 10, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Memorandum |newspaper=] |date=November 24, 1755 |page=1}}</ref>
The Puritans, who believed the ] was too hierarchical (among other disagreements) came to Massachusetts for religious freedom,<ref>Goldfield, et al., p. 29.</ref> although, unlike the Plymouth colony, the bay colony was founded under a royal charter. Both religious dissent and expansionism resulted in several new colonies being founded shortly after Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay elsewhere in New England. Dissenters such as ] and ] were banished due to religious disagreements; (Hutchinson held meetings in her home discussing flaws in the Puritan beliefs, while Williams believed that the Puritan beliefs were wrong, and the Indians must be respected.) In 1636, Williams founded the colony of ] and Hutchinson joined him there several years later.<ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 30–32.</ref>


===The Revolutionary War===
In 1691, the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth were united (along with present-day ], which had previously been divided between Massachusetts and ]) into the ].<ref name=Goldfield66>Goldfield, et al., p. 66.</ref> Shortly after the arrival of the new province's first governor, Sir ], the ] took place, in which a number of men and women were hanged.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 50</ref>


{{Main|American Revolutionary War|Boston campaign|Lee Resolution|United States Declaration of Independence|Northern theater of the American Revolutionary War after Saratoga|Articles of Confederation#Ratification|Treaty of Paris (1783)}}
The ] yet known in ] occurred in 1755, causing considerable damage across the commonwealth.<ref>U.S.G.S. Historic Earthquakes: The Great Earthquake of 1755, http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/events/1755_11_18_hs.php, accessed February 7, 2011; Memorandum, '']'', November 24, 1755, p. 1.</ref>
]]]


Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence from ]. Colonists in Massachusetts had long had uneasy relations with the British monarchy, including open rebellion under the ] in the 1680s.{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|p=66}} Protests against British attempts to tax the colonies after the ] ended in 1763 led to the ] in 1770, and the 1773 ] escalated tensions.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=63–83}} In 1774, the ] targeted Massachusetts with punishments for the Boston Tea Party and further decreased local autonomy, increasing local dissent.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Intolerable Acts |url=http://www.ushistory.org/us/9g.asp |publisher=ushistory.org |access-date=April 24, 2015}}</ref> Anti-Parliamentary activity by men such as ] and ], followed by reprisals by the British government, were a primary reason for the unity of the ] and the outbreak of the ] in 1775.{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|pp=88–90}}
] and Amos Doolittle from 1775, an illustration of the ].]]
Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence from ]; colonists here had long had uneasy relations with the British monarchy, including open rebellion under the ] in the 1680s.<ref name=Goldfield66/> Protests against British attempts to tax the colonies after the ] ended in 1763 led to the ] in 1770, and the 1773 ] escalated tensions to the breaking point.<ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 63–83.</ref> Anti-Parliamentary activity by men such as ] and ], followed by reprisals by the British government, were a primary reason for the unity of the ] and the outbreak of the ].<ref>Goldfield, et al., pp. 88–90.</ref>


], 2nd President of the United States (1797–1801)]]
The ] initiated the ] and were fought in the Massachusetts towns of ] and ].<ref>Goldfield, et al., pp. 95–96.</ref> Future President ] took over what would become the Continental Army after the battle. His first victory was the ] in the winter of 1775–6, after which the British were forced to evacuate the city.<ref>Goldfield, et al., pp. 96–97.</ref> The event is still celebrated in ] as ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Massachusetts Legal Holidays | publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cishol/holidx.htm}}</ref>
The ], fought in Massachusetts in 1775, initiated the ].{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|pp=95–96}} ], later the first president of the future country, took over what would become the ] after the battle. His first victory was the ] in the winter of 1775–76, after which the British were forced to evacuate the city.{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|pp=96–97}} The event is still celebrated in ] only every March 17 as ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Legal Holidays |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cishol/holidx.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040627003406/https://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cishol/holidx.htm |archive-date=June 27, 2004 |access-date=May 22, 2010 |publisher=]}}</ref>

On the coast, Salem became a center for ]ing. Although the documentation is incomplete, about 1,700 ], 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/revwar/about_the_revolution/privateers.html |title=John Fraylor. Salem Maritime National Historic Park |publisher=] |access-date=September 3, 2012}}</ref>

]


===Federal period=== ===Federal period===
Bostonian ], known as the "Atlas of Independence", was an important figure in both the struggle for independence as well as the formation of the new United States.<ref name=Adams>{{cite web | url = http://www.nps.gov/adam/john-adams-biography.htm | title = John Adams Biography | publisher=National Park Service | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref> Adams was highly involved in the push for separation from Britain and the writing of the ] in 1780 (which, in the ] and ] cases, effectively made Massachusetts the first state to have a constitution that declared universal rights and, as interpreted by Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice ], abolished slavery).<ref name=Adams/><ref name="sjc-slavery">{{cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/courts/sjc/constitution-slavery-e.html|title=Massachusetts Constitution, Judicial Review, and Slavery&nbsp;– The Quock Walker Case|year=2007|publisher=Massachusetts Judicial Branch|accessdate=December 11, 2009}} The ], adopted in 1777, prohibited involuntary servitude. Vermont became a state in 1791 and subsequently ratified a newer constitution in 1793. The Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780 made Pennsylvania the first state to abolish slavery by statute.</ref> Later, Adams was active in early American foreign affairs and succeeded Washington as US President.<ref name=Adams/> His son, ], would go on to become the sixth US President.<ref name=Adams/>


{{Main|Constitutional Convention (United States)|Admission to the Union|List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union}}
After independence and during the formative years of independent American government, ] was an ] in the western half of the state from 1786 to 1787. The rebels were mostly small farmers angered by crushing war debt and taxes. The rebellion was one of the major factors in the decision to draft a stronger national constitution to replace the ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Shays Rebellion | publisher=National Park Service | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.nps.gov/spar/historyculture/shays-rebellion.htm}}</ref>

On February 6, 1788, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the ].<ref>{{cite web | title = The Ratification of the U.S. Constitution in Massachusetts | publisher=] | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.masshist.org/cabinet/february2003/february2003.htm}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
Bostonian ], known as the "Atlas of Independence",<ref>{{cite web |title=The Declaration of Independence |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/adams/peopleevents/e_declaration.html |publisher=PBS |access-date=April 25, 2015}}</ref> was highly involved in both separation from Britain and the ], which effectively (the ] and ] cases as interpreted by ]) made Massachusetts the first state to abolish slavery. ] 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.<ref>{{cite book |last1=McCullough |first1=David |title=John Adams |date=September 3, 2002 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-7432-2313-3 |edition=1st}}</ref> (The ], 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. The ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://explorepahistory.com/odocument.php?docId=341 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214250/http://explorepahistory.com/odocument.php?docId=341 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |title=Pennsylvania's Gradual Abolition Act of 1780 |publisher=Explore PA history}}</ref> made ] 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 second ]. His son, ], also from Massachusetts,<ref>{{cite web |last=Rettig |first=Polly M. |title=John Quincy Adams Birthplace |url={{NHLS url|id=66000128}} |website=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination |publisher=] |access-date=April 24, 2015 |date=April 3, 1978}}</ref> would go on to become the nation's sixth president.

From 1786 to 1787, an armed uprising led by Revolutionary War veteran ], now known as ], wrought havoc throughout Massachusetts and ultimately attempted to seize the federal ].<ref name=shay/> The rebellion was one of the major factors in the decision to draft a stronger national constitution to replace the ].<ref name=shay/> On February 6, 1788, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Ratification of the U.S. Constitution in Massachusetts |publisher=] |access-date=May 22, 2010 |url=http://www.masshist.org/objects/cabinet/february2003/february2003.htm}}</ref>


===19th century=== ===19th century===
In 1820, ] separated from Massachusetts, of which it had been first a contiguous and then a non-contiguous part, and entered the Union as the 23rd state as a result of the ratification of the ].<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.maine.gov/legis/senate/statehouse/history/hstry5.htm | title =Maine History (Statehood)| publisher=maine.gov| accessdate =April 11, 2008}}</ref>


{{Main|Missouri Compromise|Massachusetts in the American Civil War}}
]s such as the Boott Mills in ] made Massachusetts a leader in the US ].]]
During the 19th century, Massachusetts became a national leader in the American ], with factories around Boston producing textiles and shoes, and factories around Springfield producing precision manufacturing tools and paper.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 129.</ref><ref>Brown and Tager, p. 211.</ref> The economy transformed from one based primarily on agriculture to an industrial one, initially making use of waterpower and later the steam engine to power factories, and canals and later railroads for transporting goods and materials.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 202.</ref> At first, the new industries drew labor from ]s on nearby subsistence farms, and later relied upon ] labor from Europe and Canada.<ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 133–136.</ref><ref>Brown and Tager, p. 179.</ref>


In 1820, ] separated from Massachusetts and entered the Union as the 23rd state due to the ratification of the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=On this day in 1820 |url=http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=81 |publisher=Massmoments.org |access-date=April 25, 2015}}</ref>
In the years leading up to the ], Massachusetts was a center of ], ], and ] activity. ] made the state system of schools the national model.<ref>Goldfield, et al., p. 251.</ref> ] and ] made major contributions to American thought.<ref name=Goldfield254>Goldfield, et al., p. 254.</ref> Members of the Transcendentalism movement, they emphasized the importance of the natural world and emotion to humanity.<ref name=Goldfield254/>
], such as the one depicted here in ], made Massachusetts a leader in the ].]]
During the 19th century, Massachusetts became a national leader in the American ], with factories around cities such as ] and ] producing textiles and shoes, and factories around Springfield producing tools, paper, and textiles.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=129}}{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=211}} The state's economy transformed from one based primarily on agriculture to an industrial one, initially making use of water-power and later the ] to power factories. Canals and railroads were being used in the state for transporting raw materials and finished goods.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=202}} At first, the new industries drew labor from ]s on nearby subsistence farms, though they later relied upon ] from Europe and Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=133–36}}{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=179}}


Although Massachusetts was the first slave-holding colony with slavery dating back to the early 1600s, the state became a center of ] and ] (anti-slavery) activity in the years leading up to the ]. ] made the state's school system a national model.{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|p=251}} ] and ], both ]s and writers from the state, also made major contributions to American philosophy.{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|p=254}} Furthermore, members of the ] within the state emphasized the importance of the natural world and emotion to humanity.{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|p=254}}
Although significant opposition to abolitionism existed early on in Massachusetts, resulting in anti-abolitionist riots between 1835 and 1837,<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 185.</ref> opposition to slavery gradually increased in the next few decades.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 183.</ref><ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 187–193.</ref> The works of abolitionists contributed to subsequent actions of the state during the Civil War. Massachusetts was the first state to recruit, train, and arm a ] regiment with ] officers, the ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment | publisher=] | accessdate =October 19, 2009 | url = http://www.nps.gov/boaf/historyculture/shaw.htm}}</ref> The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial in ] contains a relief depicting the 54th regiment.<ref>{{cite web | title = Augustus Saint-Gaudens | publisher=] | accessdate =October 19, 2009 | url = http://www.nga.gov/education/schoolarts/gaudens.htm}}</ref>

Although significant opposition to abolitionism existed early on in Massachusetts, resulting in anti-abolitionist riots between 1835 and 1837,{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=185}} abolitionist views there gradually increased throughout the next few decades.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=183}}{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=187–93}} Abolitionists ] and ] lived in Springfield and Northampton, respectively, while ] lived in Boston and ] in ]. The works of such abolitionists contributed to Massachusetts's actions during the Civil War. Massachusetts was the first state to recruit, train, and arm a ] regiment with ] officers, the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment |publisher=] |access-date=October 19, 2009 |url=http://www.nps.gov/boaf/historyculture/shaw.htm}}</ref> In 1852, Massachusetts became the first state to pass ] laws.<ref name=compschools>{{cite web |title=State Compulsory School Attendance Laws |url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0112617.html |publisher=infoplease.com |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref>


===20th century=== ===20th century===
]" construction project; this portion is over the ].]]
The industrial economy began a decline in the early 20th century with the exodus of many manufacturing companies. By the 1920s competition from the South and Midwest, followed by the ], led to the collapse of the three main industries in Massachusetts: textiles, shoemaking, and mechanized transportation.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 246.</ref> This decline would continue into the latter half of the century; between 1950 and 1979, the number of Bay Staters involved in textile manufacturing declined from 264,000 to 63,000.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 276.</ref> This spurred an exodus of high-paying jobs from Western Massachusetts, which suffered greatly as it de-industrialized during the last 40 years of the 20th century.<ref></ref>


Although the ] had sustained steep losses the last week in October 1929, ] is remembered as the beginning of the Great Depression. The ], 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. "<ref>{{cite web |title=Stock Market Crash Heralds Great Depression |url=https://www.massmoments.org/moment-details/stock-market-crash-heralds-great-depression.html |website=massmoments.org |access-date=June 30, 2022}}</ref> Governor of Massachusetts ] appointed ] the first Securities Director of Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mass.gov/files/department-of-public-utilities-history_0.pdf |title=Department of Public Utilities History |last=Osborne |first=Paul E. |date=March 2016 |publisher=Government of Massachusetts |access-date=June 30, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=alumni-magazines |title=Bowdoin Alumnus Volume 4 (1929–1930) |journal=Bowdoin Alumnus Magazines |year=1930 |publisher=Bowdoin College |page=129}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/actsresolvespass1929mass/page/290/mode/2up?q=securities+division+ | title=Acts and resolves passed by the General Court | year=1663 }}</ref> Hull would assume office in January 1930, and his term would end in 1936.<ref>290 Acts, 1929. — Chap. 287. Chap. 2S7 An Act to provide for the more effective enforcement of the Sale of Securities Act. Identifier: actsresolvespass1929mass
In Eastern Massachusetts, following World War II, the economy was transformed from one based on heavy industry into a service and high-tech based economy.<ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 275–283.</ref> 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, the ] corridor was dotted with ] companies who recruited graduates of the area's many elite institutions of higher education.<ref name=Brown284>Brown and Tager, p. 284.</ref>
"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</ref>


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 the ] and ], followed by the ], led to the collapse of the three main industries in Massachusetts: textiles, shoemaking, and precision mechanics.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=246}} 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.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=276}} The 1969 closure of the ], 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.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=] |url=http://www.uml.edu/com/cita/05paperforrantmuckensturm.pdf |title=Job Loss, Shrinking Revenues, and Grinding Decline in Springfield, Massachusetts: Is A Finance Control Board the Answer? |access-date=June 10, 2015 |archive-date=October 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018103402/http://www.uml.edu/com/cita/05paperforrantmuckensturm.pdf }}</ref>
The ] was prominent in Massachusetts politics in the 20th century. Children of businessman and ambassador ] included ], who was a senator and US president before ] in 1963, ], who was a senator, US attorney general and presidential candidate before ] in 1968, ], a senator from 1962 until his death in 2009,<ref>{{cite web | title = Biography: Edward Moore Kennedy |work=] | accessdate =May 28, 2010 | url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/kennedys-bio-edward-kennedy/}}</ref> and ], a co-founder of the ].<ref>{{cite web | title = The Kennedys: A Family Tree |work=] | accessdate =May 28, 2010 | url = http://www.sptimes.com/News/111199/JFK/family-tree.shtml}}</ref> The famous ] is located at ] on ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Kennedy Compound | publisher=] | accessdate =May 28, 2010 | url = http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/presidents/site30.htm}}</ref>


Massachusetts manufactured 3.4 percent of total United States military armaments produced during ], ranking tenth among the 48 states.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Peck |first1=Merton J. |last2=Scherer |first2=Frederic M. |title=The weapons acquisition process: An economic analysis |journal=IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management |date=March 1964 |volume=EM-11 |issue=1 |pages=51–52 |doi=10.1109/TEM.1964.6446393 |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6446393 |access-date=October 28, 2022 |issn=1558-0040}}</ref> After the world war, the economy of ] transformed from one based on heavy industry into a ].{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=275–83}} 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, the ]/] corridor was dotted with ] companies who recruited graduates of the area's many elite institutions of higher education.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=284}}
===Recent history===

In 1987, the state received federal funding for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Commonly known as "the ]", it was at the time the biggest federal highway project ever approved.<ref name=BigDig1>Grunwald, Michael. ''Dig the Big Dig'' '']''. August 6, 2006. . Retrieved May 31, 2010.</ref> The project included making the ] a tunnel under downtown Boston, in addition to the re-routing of several other major highways.<ref name=BigDig2>{{cite web | url = http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Highway/bigdig/projectbkg.aspx | title = The Big Dig | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Transportation | accessdate =May 31, 2010}}</ref> Often controversial, with numerous claims of graft and mismanagement, and with its initial price tag of $2.5 billion increasing to a final tally of over $15 billion, the Big Dig has nonetheless changed the face of Downtown Boston.<ref name=BigDig1/> It has connected areas that were once divided by elevated highway, (much of the raised old Central Artery was replaced with the ]) and improved traffic conditions along a number of routes.<ref name=BigDig1/><ref name=BigDig2/>
In 1987, the state received federal funding for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Commonly known as "the ]", it was, at the time, the biggest federal highway project ever approved.<ref name="BigDig1">Grunwald, Michael. ''Dig the Big Dig'' '']''. August 6, 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2010.</ref> The project included making the ], part of ], into a tunnel under downtown Boston, in addition to the re-routing of several other major highways.<ref name=BigDig2>{{cite web |title=The Central Artery/Tunnel Project—The Big Dig |url=http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TheBigDig.aspx |publisher=]—Highway Division |access-date=April 26, 2015 |archive-date=August 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830060735/http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TheBigDig.aspx }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=September 2019}} The project was often controversial, with numerous claims of graft and mismanagement, and with its initial price tag of $2.5{{spaces}}billion increasing to a final tally of over $15{{spaces}}billion. Nonetheless, the Big Dig changed the face of ]<ref name=BigDig1/> and connected areas that were once divided by elevated highway. Much of the raised old Central Artery was replaced with the ]. The project also improved traffic conditions along several routes.<ref name=BigDig1/><ref name=BigDig2/>

====Notable 20th century politicians====

], Massachusetts native and 35th President of the United States (1961–1963)]]

The ] was prominent in 20th-century Massachusetts politics. The children of businessman and ambassador ] included ], who was a ] and ] before ] in 1963; ], a ] from 1962 until his death in 2009;<ref>{{cite web |title=Biography: Edward Moore Kennedy |website=] |access-date=May 28, 2010 |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/kennedys-bio-edward-kennedy/}}</ref> and ], a co-founder of the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Kennedys: A Family Tree |newspaper=] |access-date=May 28, 2010 |url=http://www.sptimes.com/News/111199/JFK/family-tree.shtml}}</ref> In 1966, Massachusetts became the first state to directly elect an African American to the U.S. senate with ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Brooke, Edward William, III |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=b000871 |website=] |access-date=April 25, 2015}}</ref> ], 41st ] (1989–1993) was born in ] in 1924.<ref>{{cite web |title=George H.W. Bush Biography |url=http://www.biography.com/people/george-hw-bush-38066 |publisher=biography.com |access-date=April 26, 2015}}</ref>

Other notable Massachusetts politicians on the national level included ], ] (from 1947 to 1949 and then again from 1953 to 1955) and leader of House Republicans from 1939 until 1959 (where he was the only Republican to serve as Speaker between 1931 and 1995),<ref>James J. Kenneally, ''A Compassionate Conservative: A Political Biography of Joseph W. Martin Jr., Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives'' (2003)</ref> ], Speaker of the House in the 1960s, and ], whose service as Speaker of the House from 1977 to 1987 was the longest continuous tenure in United States history.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tip O'Neill {{!}} Donegal Diaspora |url=https://www.donegaldiaspora.ie/people/tip-oneill |website=www.donegaldiaspora.ie |access-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203121544/https://www.donegaldiaspora.ie/people/tip-oneill }}</ref>

===21st century===

On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the U.S. to legalize ]. This followed the ]'s decision in '']'' in November 2003, which determined that the exclusion of same-sex couples from the right to a civil marriage was unconstitutional.<ref name=CNNmarriage />

In 2004, Massachusetts senator ], who won the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, lost to incumbent ]. Eight years later, former Massachusetts governor ] (the Republican nominee) lost to incumbent ] in 2012. Another eight years later, Massachusetts senator ] became a frontrunner in the Democratic primaries for the 2020 presidential election. However, she later suspended her campaign and endorsed presumptive nominee ].<ref>{{cite news |last1=McCammond |first1=Alexi |title=Elizabeth Warren endorses Joe Biden in 2020 presidential race |url=https://www.axios.com/2020/04/15/elizabeth-warren-endorses-joe-biden-president |access-date=December 3, 2022 |work=Axios |date=April 15, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
]

Two ] near the finish line of the ] on April 15, 2013, at around 2:49 pm local time (]). The explosions killed three people and injured an estimated 264 others.<ref>{{cite news |title=Police narrow in on two suspects in Boston Marathon bombings |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/injury-toll-rises-marathon-massacre-article-1.1319080 |access-date=December 3, 2022 |work=Daily News|location=New York}}</ref> The ] (FBI) later identified the suspects as brothers ] and ]. The ensuing ] ended on April 19 when thousands of law enforcement officers searched a 20-block area of nearby ]. Dzhokhar later said he was motivated by extremist ] beliefs and learned to build explosive devices from ], the online magazine of ].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Michael |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael S. |last3=Schmitt |first3=Eric |title=Boston Suspects Are Seen as Self-Taught and Fueled by Web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/24/us/boston-marathon-bombing-developments.html |access-date=December 3, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=April 23, 2013}}</ref>

On November 8, 2016, Massachusetts voted in favor of the Massachusetts ], also known as Question 4.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.courant.com/politics/elections/hc-legal-marijuana-referendums-20161108-story.html|title=Recreational Marijuana Passes In Massachusetts|first=Russell|last=Blair|date=November 9, 2016 }}</ref>

==Geography==

{{Main|Geography of Massachusetts|Geology of New England}}
] in ]]]

Massachusetts is the ].<ref name="z693">{{cite book | last=Hogan | first=Sean O. | title=The Judicial Branch of State Government | publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing | page=313 | publication-place=Santa Barbara, Calif. | date=2006-08-23 | isbn=978-1-85109-756-2 }}</ref> It is located in the ] region of the ].<ref name="z980">{{cite book | last=Werner | first=Robert G. | title=Freshwater Fishes of the Northeastern United States | publisher=Syracuse University Press | date=2015-02-25 | isbn=978-0-8156-3057-9 | page=5}}</ref> It has an area of {{convert|10555|sqmi|km2}},<ref name="b926">{{cite web | last=Barnes | first=Susan B. | title=Denali National Park: 10 tips to make the most of your visit | website=]| date=September 19, 2016 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/america/national-parks/2016/09/19/denali-national-park-tips-visit/90516692/ | access-date=September 30, 2024}}</ref> 25.7% of which is water.<ref name="o079">{{cite journal | last1=Ma | first1=Yaxiong | last2=Gopal | first2=Sucharita | title=Geographically Weighted Regression Models in Estimating Median Home Prices in Towns of Massachusetts Based on an Urban Sustainability Framework | journal=Sustainability | publisher=MDPI AG | volume=10 | issue=4 | date=March 30, 2018 | issn=2071-1050 | doi=10.3390/su10041026 | doi-access=free | page=1026| bibcode=2018Sust...10.1026M | hdl=2144/40855 | hdl-access=free }}</ref> Several large bays distinctly shape its coast, giving it the nickname "the Bay State".<ref name="z323">{{cite web | last=Lambert | first=Bryan | title=The Bay State's best beach towns: New ranking names the Top 25 places to summer in Massachusetts | website=] | date=June 29, 2023 | url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/bay-state-best-beach-towns-160402103.html | access-date=September 30, 2024}}</ref> Boston is its largest city.<ref name="r858">{{cite web | title=About Boston – Boston Municipal Research Bureau | publisher=] | date=September 27, 2024 | url=https://www.bmrb.org/about-boston/ | access-date=September 30, 2024}}</ref>

Despite its small size, Massachusetts features numerous ] distinctive regions. The large ] of the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern section of the state contains ], along with most of the state's population,<ref name=GreaterBoston /> as well as the distinctive ] ]. To the west lies the hilly, rural region of ], and beyond that, the ]. Along the western border of ] lies the highest elevated part of the state, ], forming a portion of the northern terminus of the ].{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The U.S. ] administers a number of natural and historical ].<ref name=NPS1>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts |publisher=] |access-date=May 26, 2010 |url=http://www.nps.gov/state/MA/}}</ref> Along with twelve national historic sites, areas, and corridors, the National Park Service also manages the ] and the ].<ref name=NPS1/> In addition, the ] maintains a number of ], trails, and beaches throughout Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mission |url=http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/inside-our-agency/mission/ |publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts |access-date=April 22, 2015 |archive-date=April 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422101501/http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/inside-our-agency/mission/ }}</ref>

===Ecology===
The primary ] of inland Massachusetts is ].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ricklefs |first1=Robert |title=The Economy of Nature |date=December 17, 2008 |publisher=W. H. Freeman |isbn=978-0-7167-8697-9 |page=96 |edition=6th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nqFLjZLwKxIC&pg=PA96 |access-date=April 22, 2015}}</ref>
Although much of Massachusetts had been cleared for agriculture, leaving only traces of ] in isolated pockets, secondary growth has regenerated in many rural areas as farms have been abandoned.<ref>{{cite news |last=Stocker |first=Carol |title=Old growth, grand specimens drive big-tree hunters |url=http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2005/11/17/old_growth_grand_specimens_drive_big_tree_hunters/ |newspaper=] |date=November 17, 2005 |access-date=October 17, 2009}}</ref> Forests cover around 62% of Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Current Research—Working Landscapes |publisher=The Center for Rural Massachusetts—The ] |access-date=March 19, 2009 |url=http://www.umass.edu/ruralmass/currentresearch.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226064502/http://umass.edu/ruralmass/currentresearch.html |archive-date=February 26, 2009 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Northeastern Coastal Zone—Ecoregion Description |publisher=] |access-date=October 17, 2009 |url=http://landcovertrends.usgs.gov/east/eco59Report.html}}</ref> There are 219 ] in Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web |title=MESA List Overview |url=http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/natural-heritage/species-information-and-conservation/mesa-list/ |publisher=Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs |access-date=April 22, 2015 |archive-date=April 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423090320/http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/natural-heritage/species-information-and-conservation/mesa-list/ }}</ref>

A number of species are doing well in the increasingly urbanized Massachusetts. ]s utilize office towers in larger cities as nesting areas,<ref>{{cite web |title=Peregrine Falcon |url=http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/nhesp/species-and-conservation/nhfacts/falco-peregrinus.pdf |publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife |access-date=May 9, 2015}}</ref> and the population of ]s, whose diet may include garbage and roadkill, has been increasing in recent decades.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eastern Coyote |url=http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/fish-wildlife-plants/mammals/eastern-coyote-in-massachusetts.html |publisher=] |access-date=May 9, 2015}}</ref> ], ]s, ]s, and ]s are also found throughout Massachusetts. In more rural areas in the western part of Massachusetts, larger mammals such as ] and ] have returned, largely due to ] following the regional decline in agriculture.<ref>{{cite news |title=Forests lure moose to Massachusetts |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0214/p13s02-sten.html |work=] |access-date=April 22, 2015}}</ref>

Massachusetts is located along the ], a major route for migratory ] along the eastern coast.<ref>{{cite news |title=Atlantic Flyway |newspaper=Audubon |date=November 13, 2014 |url=http://www.audubon.org/atlantic-flyway |publisher=National Audubon Society |access-date=May 9, 2015}}</ref> Lakes in central Massachusetts provide habitat for many species of fish and waterfowl, but some species such as the ] are becoming rare.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chasing loons: Banding the elusive birds at night on the Quabbin Reservoir |date=July 28, 2014 |url=http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/07/chasing_loons_banding_the_elus.html |publisher=masslive.com |access-date=April 23, 2015}}</ref> A significant population of ]s winter off ]. Small offshore islands and beaches are home to ]s and are important breeding areas for the locally threatened ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Coastal Waterbird Program |publisher=Mass Audubon |access-date=May 28, 2010 |url=http://www.massaudubon.org/cwp/}}</ref> Protected areas such as the ] provide critical breeding habitat for shorebirds and a variety of marine wildlife including a large population of ]s. Since 2009, there has been a significant increase in the number of ]s spotted and tagged in the coastal waters off of ].<ref>{{cite web |title=It was a record-breaking year for shark research off Cape Cod |work=The Boston Globe |access-date=March 30, 2020 |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2019/11/18/review-2019-great-white-shark-season-cape-cod}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sharks have multiplied off Cape Cod beaches, devouring gray seals and putting swimmers on edge |work=USA Today |access-date=March 30, 2020 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/20/sharks-cape-cod-beach-seals-ocean-new-england/1953956001/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Map: Where great white sharks roam off Cape Cod |publisher=capecodtimes.com |access-date=March 30, 2020 |url=https://www.capecodtimes.com/great-white-sharks-map |archive-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629014700/https://www.capecodtimes.com/great-white-sharks-map }}</ref>

Freshwater fish species in Massachusetts include ], ], ], and ], while saltwater species such as ], ], and ] populate offshore waters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Commonly Caught Species |url=http://www.eregulations.com/massachusetts/fishing/saltwater/commonly-caught-species/ |website=eregulations.com |publisher=The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries |access-date=May 9, 2015}}</ref> Other marine species include ]s, the endangered ]s, as well as ]s, ]s, ]s, and ]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mammals in Massachusetts {{!}} Mass.gov |url=https://www.mass.gov/service-details/mammals-in-massachusetts |website=www.mass.gov |access-date=December 4, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

The ], a significant agricultural pest, was first found in North America near Boston, Massachusetts in 1917.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Details—A progress report on the investigations of the European corn borer—Biodiversity Heritage Library|last1=Caffrey|first1=D. J.|last2=Worthley|first2=L. H.|doi=10.5962/bhl.title.108390|year = 1927|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/108390}}</ref>

===Climate===
{{main|Climate of Massachusetts}}Most of Massachusetts has a ], with cold winters and warm summers. Far southeast coastal areas are the broad transition zone to ] climates. The warm to hot summers render the ] rare in this transition, only applying to exposed coastal areas such as on the peninsula of ]. The climate of ] is quite representative for the commonwealth, characterized by summer highs of around {{convert|81|F|C}} and winter highs of {{convert|35|F|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.
]]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
|+Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Massachusetts<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/city.php3?c=US&s=MA&statename=Massachusetts-United-States-of-America |title=Massachusetts climate averages |publisher=Weatherbase |access-date=November 20, 2015}}</ref>
|-
!Location
!July (°F)
!July (°C)
!January (°F)
!January (°C)
|-
|] || 81/65 || 27/18 || 36/22 || 2/−5
|-
|] || 79/61 || 26/16 || 31/17 || 0/−8
|-
|] || 84/62 || 27/17 || 34/17 || 1/−8
|-
|] || 80/65 || 26/18 || 37/23 || 3/−4
|-
|] || 80/61 || 26/16 || 33/18 || 1/−7
|-
|] || 80/61 || 27/16 || 38/20 || 3/−6
|}

==Environmental issues==
===Climate change===
{{Main|Climate change in Massachusetts}}
Climate change in Massachusetts will affect both urban and rural environments, including forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and coastal development.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|
title=What climate change means for Massachusetts|author=EPA|url=https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-ma.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.massaudubon.org/our-conservation-work/climate-change/effects-of-climate-change|title=Effects of Climate Change in Massachusetts|website=Mass Audubon|access-date=April 23, 2020|archive-date=July 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703180806/https://www.massaudubon.org/our-conservation-work/climate-change/effects-of-climate-change}}</ref><ref name="natlclimate">{{cite report|title=Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II|author1=Dupigny-Giroux, L.A.|author2=E.L. Mecray|publisher=U.S. Global Change Research Program|doi=10.7930/NCA4.2018.CH18|pages=669–742|author3=M.D. Lemcke-Stampone|author4=G.A. Hodgkins|author5=E.E. Lentz|author6=K.E. Mills|author7=E.D. Lane|author8=R. Miller|author9=D.Y. Hollinger|doi-access=free|author14=C. Caldwell|chapter=Northeast|author13=A.B. MacDonald|editor1=Reidmiller, D.R.|editor2=C.W. Avery|editor3=D.R. Easterling|editor4=K.E. Kunkel|editor5=K.L.M. Lewis|editor6=T.K. Maycock|editor7=B.C. Stewart|author12=P.E. Sheffield|place=Washington, DC, US|author11=G.A. Wellenius|author10=W.D. Solecki|year=2018}}</ref> 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".<ref name="natlclimate"/>{{Update after|2035}} As of August 2016, the EPA reports that Massachusetts has warmed by over two degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.1 degrees Celsius.<ref name="EPA Climate Change for Massachusetts">{{cite report|url=https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-ma.pdf|title=What Climate Change Means for Massachusetts|publisher=United States Environmental Protection Agency|date=August 2016|format=PDF file|access-date=December 16, 2020}}</ref>

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.<ref name="EPA Climate Change for Massachusetts" /> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Climate Change Made Summer Hotter and Drier Worldwide, Study Finds |url=https://www.carilec.org/climate-change-made-summer-hotter-and-drier-worldwide-study-finds/ |website=CARILEC |date=October 5, 2022 |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref>

The shifting climate in Massachusetts will result in a significant change to the state's built environment and ecosystems. In ] alone, costs of climate change-related storms will result in $5 to $100 billion in damage.<ref name="EPA Climate Change for Massachusetts" />

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 reported ] cases in the state. ]s 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 of ], which often carry the ].<ref name="EPA Climate Change for Massachusetts" />

To fight this change, the ] has outlined a path to ] 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&nbsp;°C of pre-industrialization levels, the state will work towards two goals by 2050: to achieve ], and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent overall.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Theoharides |first1=Kathleen |last2=Polito |first2=Karyn |last3=Baker |first3=Charles |title=Determination of Statewide Emissions Limit for 2050 |url=https://www.mass.gov/doc/final-signed-letter-of-determination-for-2050-emissions-limit/download |website=Official websites of Massachusetts |access-date=May 20, 2022}}</ref>

===Power initiatives===
{{main|Solar power in Massachusetts|Wind power in Massachusetts}}
{{see also|Plug-in electric vehicles in Massachusetts}}
The State of Massachusetts has developed a plethora of incentives to encourage the implementation of ] 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 to ] 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Energy-Saving Rebates |url=https://www.masssave.com/rebates |website=MASS SAVE |access-date=May 20, 2022}}</ref>

The concept of Mass Save was created in 2008 by the passing of the Green Communities Act of 2008, during ]'s tenure as ]. The main goal of the Green Communities Act was to reduce the consumption of ] 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, including ], ], ], ], ], and ], jointly own the rights to this program, in conjunction with the ] (DOER) and the ] (EEAC).<ref>{{cite web |title=MassSave: A New Model for Statewide Energy Efficiency Programs |url=https://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2012/data/papers/0193-000169.pdf |access-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>

The ] provides incentives for the installation of ]s. In addition to the Federal Residential ], Massachusetts residents may be eligible for a tax credit of up to 15 percent of the project.<ref>{{cite web |title=830 CMR 62.6.1: Residential Energy Credit |url=https://www.mass.gov/regulations/830-CMR-6261-residential-energy-credit |website=Mass.gov |access-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref> Once installed, arrays are eligible for ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Net Metering Guide |url=https://www.mass.gov/guides/net-metering-guide |website=Mass.gov |access-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref> Certain municipalities will offer up to $1.20 per watt, up to 50 percent of the system's cost on PV arrays 25&nbsp;kW or less.<ref>{{cite web |title=Municipal Light Plant Solar Rebate Program |url=https://www.mass.gov/guides/municipal-light-plant-solar-rebate-program |website=Mass.gov |access-date=May 21, 2022 |archive-date=June 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611213114/https://www.mass.gov/guides/municipal-light-plant-solar-rebate-program }}</ref> The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources also offered low-interest, fixed-rate financing with loan support for low-income residents until December 31, 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mass Solar Loan |url=https://www.masssolarloan.com/ |website=Mass Solar Loan |access-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>

As a part of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources' effort to incentivize the usage of ], 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 an ], or $1,500 for the purchase or lease of a ] vehicle.<ref>{{cite web |title=MOR-EV IS A Massachusetts Program That Issues Rebates to Electric Vehicle Drivers |url=https://mor-ev.org/ |website=MOR-EV |access-date=May 26, 2022}}</ref> This rebate is available in addition to the tax credits offered by the ] for the purchase of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.<ref>{{cite web |title=State and Federal Electric Vehicle Funding Programs |url=https://www.mass.gov/service-details/state-and-federal-electric-vehicle-funding-programs |website=MASS.GOV |access-date=May 26, 2022}}</ref>

For income-eligible residents, Mass Save has partnered with Massachusetts Community Action Program Agencies and ] (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, ] 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.<ref>"''Income Eligible Programs.''" Mass Save, www.masssave.com/saving/income-based-offers/income-eligible-programs.</ref>

In late 2020, the administration of Massachusetts governor ] released a decarbonization roadmap to aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The plan calls for major investments in ] and solar energy. It would also require all new cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions (] or ]) by 2035.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12/30/science/mass-require-all-new-cars-sold-be-electric-by-2035-part-climate-change-measures/|title=Mass. to require all new cars sold to be electric by 2035 as part of climate-change measures|first=Naomi |last=Martin|work=The Boston Globe|date= December 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mass.gov/doc/ma-2050-decarbonization-roadmap|title=MA2050DecarbonizationRoadmap_FINAL.pdf &#124; Mass.gov|website=mass.gov}}</ref>


==Demographics== ==Demographics==
{{Main|Demographics of Massachusetts}}
]
{{USCensusPop
|1790 = 378787 |1800 = 422845 |1810 = 472040 |1820 = 523287 |1830 = 610408 |1840 = 737699 |1850 = 994514 |1860 = 1231066 |1870 = 1457351 |1880 = 1783085 |1890 = 2238947 |1900 = 2805346 |1910 = 3366416 |1920 = 3852356 |1930 = 4249614 |1940 = 4316721 |1950 = 4690514 |1960 = 5148578 |1970 = 5689170 |1980 = 5737037 |1990 = 6016425 |2000 = 6349097 |2010 = 6547629 | footnote= '''Sources:'''<ref name=09CenEst/><ref>{{PDFlink||35.4&nbsp;KB}} census.gov</ref><ref> census.gov</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=2010 Census Data |url=http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/ |title=2010 Census Data – 2010 Census |publisher=2010.census.gov |accessdate=February 1, 2011}}</ref>
}}
The ] estimates that the population of Massachusetts was 6,587,536 on July 1, 2011, a 0.61% increase since the ].<ref name=PopEstUS>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/popest/data/state/totals/2011/tables/NST-EST2011-01.csv|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2011|format=]|work=2011 Population Estimates|publisher=], Population Division|date=December 2011|accessdate=December 21, 2011}}</ref>


{{Main|Demographics of Massachusetts|List of people from Massachusetts}}
Massachusetts had an estimated 2009 population of 6,593,587.<ref name=09CenEst>{{cite web | title = Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009 | publisher=United States Census Bureau | accessdate =December 23, 2009 | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html}}</ref> As of 2000, Massachusetts was estimated to be the ], with 809.8 per square mile, behind ] and ].<ref name=2000census/> Massachusetts in 2008 included 919,771&nbsp;foreign-born residents.<ref name=Demographics2>{{cite web | url = http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US25&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010 | title = Fact Sheet: Massachusetts | publisher=United States Census Bureau | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref>
], respectively.]]
{{US Census population
| 1790= 378787
| 1800= 422845
| 1810= 472040
| 1820= 523287
| 1830= 610408
| 1840= 737699
| 1850= 994514
| 1860= 1231066
| 1870= 1457351
| 1880= 1783085
| 1890= 2238947
| 1900= 2805346
| 1910= 3366416
| 1920= 3852356
| 1930= 4249614
| 1940= 4316721
| 1950= 4690514
| 1960= 5148578
| 1970= 5689170
| 1980= 5737037
| 1990= 6016425
| 2000= 6349097
| 2010= 6547629
| 2020= 7029917
| estimate = 7136171
| estyear = 2024
| align-fn = center
|footnote=<ref name=MassachusettsQuickFacts/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/censusdata/table-16.pdf|title=Population: 1790 to 1990|publisher=]|location=US|access-date=June 10, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Historical Population Change Data (1910–2020) |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/popchange-data-text.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 1, 2021 |archive-date=April 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429012609/https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/popchange-data-text.html}}</ref>}}

At the ], Massachusetts had a population of over 7 million, a 7.4% increase since the ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Massachusetts Population Surpasses 7 Million In 2020 Census|url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/video/5525988-massachusetts-population-surpasses-7-million-in-2020-census/|access-date=April 27, 2021}}</ref><ref name="2020Census">{{cite web |title=2020 Census Apportionment Results |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-apportionment-data.html |website=census.gov |publisher=] |access-date=April 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426210008/https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-apportionment-data.html |archive-date=April 26, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> As of 2015, Massachusetts was estimated to be the ], with 871.0 people per square mile,<ref name=qcensus>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/state/totals/2015/tables/NST-EST2015-01.csv|format=CSV|title=Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015|date=December 23, 2015|publisher=]|access-date=January 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223235718/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/state/totals/2015/tables/NST-EST2015-01.csv|archive-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref> behind ] and ]. In 2014, Massachusetts had 1,011,811 foreign-born residents or 15% of the population.<ref name=qcensus/> As of July 2024, the state's population was estimated to have grown to 7,136,171.<ref name=MassachusettsQuickFacts/>

Most Massachusetts residents live within the Boston metropolitan area, also known as ], which includes Boston and its proximate surroundings but also extending to ] and to ]. The ], also known as Greater Springfield, is also a major center of population. Demographically, the ] of Massachusetts is located in the town of ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Centers of Population |url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/cenpop2010/CenPop2010_Mean_ST.txt |publisher=] |access-date=April 26, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=State Centers of Population |date=February 5, 2012 |url=http://www.howderfamily.com/blog/state-centers-population/ |publisher=howderfamily.com |access-date=April 26, 2015|quote=I'll{{spaces}}... examine some individual state centers of population.}}</ref>


Like the rest of the ], the population of Massachusetts has continued to grow in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Massachusetts is the fastest-growing state in ] and the 25th fastest-growing state in the United States.<ref name=GlobeTopgrowth>{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Joshua |title=Mass. population growth is tops in N.E |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/01/massachusetts-population-growth-rate-ahead-other-new-england-states-but-still-slow/r7PLcdbKnD9HZY3fm97XGP/story.html |newspaper=] |access-date=April 26, 2015}}</ref> Population growth has been driven primarily by the relatively high quality of life and a large higher education system.<ref name=GlobeTopgrowth/>
Most Bay Staters live within the Boston Metropolitan Area, also known as ], which in its most expansive sense includes New England's two largest cities, Boston and ]. The state's only other metropolitan area is the ], also known as Greater Springfield. Centered in the ], Greater Springfield includes the revitalizing city of ], and an eclectic array of ], (e.g. ] and ]) and rural areas to the north and west. Geographically, the ] of Massachusetts is located in the town of ].<ref>. United States Census Bureau, United States Deparatment of Commerce. Retrieved January 14, 2007.</ref>


Like the rest of the northeastern United States, the population of Massachusetts has continued to grow in the past few decades, although at a slower pace than states in the ] or ].<ref name=GlobeDemographics1>Mishra, Raja. ''State's population growth on stagnant course'' '']''. December 22, 2006. . Retrieved June 5, 2010.</ref> The latest census estimates show that the commonwealth's population grew by 3.9% since 2000, compared with nearly 10% nationwide. In their decisions to leave Massachusetts, most former residents cited high housing costs and a high cost of living.<ref></ref> Another factor has been the transformation from a manufacturing economy into one based on high technology, leaving limited employment options for lower-skilled workers, particularly males.<ref name=GlobeDemographics2>Levenson, Michael. ''Bay state's labor force diminishing'' '']''. December 10, 2006. . Retrieved June 5, 2010.</ref> Foreign immigration is also a factor in the state's population growth, causing the state's population to continue to grow as of the ] (particularly in ] where costs of living are lower).<ref name=GlobeDemographics1>{{cite news |last=Mishra |first=Raja |title=State's population growth on stagnant course |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/12/22/states_population_growth_on_stagnant_course/ |newspaper=] |date=December 22, 2006 |access-date=June 5, 2010}}</ref><ref name=USAToday1>{{cite news |last=Bayles |first=Fred |title=Minorities account for state population growth |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/ma.htm |work=] |date=March 21, 2001 |access-date=June 5, 2010}}</ref> Forty percent of foreign immigrants were from ] or ], according to a 2005 Census Bureau study, with many of the remainder from ]. Many residents who have settled in Greater Springfield claim ] descent.<ref name=GlobeDemographics1/> Many areas of Massachusetts showed relatively stable population trends between 2000 and 2010.<ref name=USAToday1/> ] Boston and coastal areas grew the most rapidly, while ] in far ] and Barnstable County on ] were the only counties to lose population as of the ].<ref name=USAToday1/> In 2018, The top countries of origin for Massachusetts' immigrants were ], the ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/immigrants_in_massachusetts.pdf|title=Immigrants in Massachusetts}}</ref>


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.<ref name=qcensus/>
Foreign immigration is more than making up for these losses, causing the state's population to continue to grow as of the ] (particularly in ] where costs of living are lower).<ref name=GlobeDemographics1/><ref name=USAToday1>Bayles, Fred. ''Minorities account for state population growth'' '']''. March 21, 2001. Retrieved June 5, 2010.</ref> 40% of foreign immigrants were from Central or South America, according to a 2005 Census Bureau study. Many residents who have settled in ] claim ] descent.<ref name=GlobeDemographics1/> Many areas of the commonwealth showed relatively stable population trends between 2000 and 2010.<ref name=USAToday1/> ]an Boston and coastal areas grew the most rapidly, while ] in far ] and ] on ] were the only counties to lose population as of the ].<ref name=USAToday1/> Both of these counties feature many "second homes," and constitute major centers of Massachusetts tourism.


According to ]'s 2022 ], there were an estimated 15,507 ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007-2022 PIT Counts by State |url=https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huduser.gov%2Fportal%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fxls%2F2007-2022-PIT-Counts-by-State.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress |url=https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2022-AHAR-Part-1.pdf}}</ref>
In 2005, 79% of the state population spoke English, 7% spoke Spanish, 3.5% spoke Portuguese, and 1% spoke either French or Chinese.<ref> ''MLA Language Map Data Center.'' Modern Language Association. Retrieved February 23, 2007.</ref>


===Race and ancestry=== ===Race and ancestry===
According to the ], the population was 6,547,629, of which 3,166,628 (48.4%) were male and 3,381,001 (51.6%) were female. In terms of age, 78.3% were over 18 years old and 13.8% were over 65 years old; the median age is 39.1 years. The median age for males is 37.7 years and 40.3 years for females.


] parade in ], the municipality with the highest percentage identifying ] ancestry in the United States, at 47.5% in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishcentral.com/news/the-most-irish-town-in-america-is-named-133427563-237789381.html|title=The most Irish town in America is named using US census data|first=Jane|last=Walsh|publisher=IrishCentral|date=November 25, 2015|access-date=May 8, 2016}}</ref> ] constitute the largest ethnicity in Massachusetts.]]
In terms of race and ethnicity, Massachusetts was 84.1% White (76.4% ]), 7.8% ] or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 5.6% ] (1.9% Chinese, 1.2% Asian Indian, and 0.7% Vietnamese), <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 4.7% from Some Other Race, and 2.0% from Two or More Races. ] and Latinos of any race made up 9.9% of the population (4.1% Puerto Rican).<ref name=census/><ref>http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_DP_DPDP1&prodType=table</ref>
]
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"
|+ style="font-size:90%" |Ethnic composition as of the ]
|-
! Race and Ethnicity<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/race-and-ethnicity-in-the-united-state-2010-and-2020-census.html |title=Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census
|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=August 12, 2021 |website=census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=September 26, 2021}}</ref>
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Alone
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total
|-
| ]
|align=right| {{bartable|67.6|%|2||background:gray}}
|align=right| {{bartable|71.4|%|2||background:gray}}
|-
| ]{{efn|Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are not distinguished between total and partial ancestry.}}
|align=right| {{bartable}}
|align=right| {{bartable|12.6|%|2||background:green}}
|-
| ]
|align=right| {{bartable|6.5|%|2||background:mediumblue}}
|align=right| {{bartable|8.2|%|2||background:mediumblue}}
|-
| ]
|align=right| {{bartable|7.2|%|2||background:purple}}
|align=right| {{bartable|8.2|%|2||background:purple}}
|-
| ]
|align=right| {{bartable|0.1|%|2||background:gold}}
|align=right| {{bartable|0.9|%|2||background:gold}}
|-
| ]
|align=right| {{bartable|0.02|%|2||background:pink}}
|align=right| {{bartable|0.1|%|2||background:pink}}
|-
| Other
|align=right| {{bartable|1.3|%|2||background:brown}}
|align=right| {{bartable|3.6|%|2||background:brown}}
|}
The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 95.4% in 1970 to 67.6% in 2020.<ref name=qcensus/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25000.html |title=Massachusetts QuickFacts |location=US |publisher=] |access-date=June 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150821061951/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25000.html |archive-date=August 21, 2015 }}</ref> As of 2011, non-Hispanic whites were involved in 63.6% of all the births,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html |title=Americans under age 1 now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot |last=Exner |first=Rich |date=June 3, 2012 |work=]}}</ref> while 36.4% of the population of Massachusetts younger than age{{spaces}}1 was minorities (at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Exner|first1=Rich|title=Americans under age 1 now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot|url=http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html |website=The Plain Dealer|date=June 3, 2012|publisher=Advance Ohio|access-date=August 2, 2016|ref=June 3, 2012}}</ref> One major reason for this is that non-Hispanic whites in Massachusetts recorded a ] of 1.36 in 2017, the second-lowest in the country after neighboring Rhode Island.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_01-508.pdf |title=CDC data |publisher=Centres for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=May 13, 2020}}</ref>


As late as 1795, the population of Massachusetts was nearly 95% of English ancestry.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=173}} During the early and mid-19th century, immigrant groups began arriving in Massachusetts in large numbers; first from Ireland in the 1840s;{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=173–79}} 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.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=203}} In the early 20th century, an increasing number of ], although in somewhat fewer numbers than many other Northern states.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=301}} Later in the 20th century, immigration from Latin America increased considerably. More than 156,000 ] made their home in Massachusetts in 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/S0201/0400000US25/popgroup~016|title=Selected Population Profile in the United States – 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates—Chinese alone, Massachusetts|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 8, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200214001946/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/S0201/0400000US25/popgroup~016|archive-date=February 14, 2020}}</ref> and Boston hosts a growing ] accommodating heavily traveled ] to and from ] in ]. Massachusetts also has large ], ], ], ] and ] populations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hispanic or Latino by Type: 2010 Census Summary File 1: Massachusetts (QT-P10) |url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/QTP10/0400000US25 |work=American Factfinder |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=March 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213010024/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/QTP10/0400000US25 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 }}</ref> Boston's ] and ] are both ]s, as is nearby ] on Cape Cod.<ref>{{cite news |title=Same-Sex Couples Since 1990 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/08/25/us/same-sex-couples-since-1990.html?ref=us |access-date=December 4, 2022 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 95.4% in 1970 to 76.4% in 2011.<ref name=census>{{cite web |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25000.html |title=Massachusetts QuickFacts |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Massachusetts - Race and Hispanic Origin: 1790 to 1990|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|url=http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.html}}</ref> As of 2011, non-Hispanic whites were involved in 63.6% of all the births.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html|title=Americans under age 1 now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot|last=Exner|first=Rich|date=June 3, 2012|work=]}}</ref>
], with its ] gate, is home to many ] and also ] restaurants.]]
] march, held annually in June. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize ].]]
The largest ancestry group in Massachusetts are the ] (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 (in both counties overall, Irish-Americans comprise more than 30% of the population). ] 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. ], the third-largest (11.4%) group, form a plurality in some western towns. ] and ]s also form a significant part (10.7%),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=People Reporting Ancestry – 2012–2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=August 25, 2018}}</ref> with sizable populations in Bristol, Hampden, and Worcester Counties, along with Middlesex county especially concentrated in the areas surrounding Lowell and Lawrence.<ref name=citydata2000>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts—Ethnic groups |url=http://www.city-data.com/states/Massachusetts-Ethnic-groups.html |publisher=City-Data.com |access-date=April 26, 2015}}</ref><ref>For Bristol County see {{cite web
|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US25005
|title=DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States—2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
|access-date=January 12, 2016
|publisher=]
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213025726/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US25005
|archive-date=February 13, 2020
}}
:* For Hampden County see {{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US25013 |title=DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States—2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |access-date=January 12, 2016 |publisher=] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213010213/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US25013 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 }}
:* For Worcester County see {{cite web
|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US25027
|title=DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States—2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
|access-date=January 12, 2016
|publisher=]
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213020310/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US25027
|archive-date=February 13, 2020
}}</ref> <!-- missing information of Massachusetts residents of Portuguese ancestry, including possible temporary sources here <ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSSPP1Y2022.S0201?q=population%20of%20portuguese%20americans&g=040XX00US25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSSPP1Y2016.S0201?q=portuguese%20population%20in%20massachusetts%202016}}</ref> --> ] is home to the second-largest ] community of the nation.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schweitzer |first=Sarah |title=Lowell hopes to put 'Little Cambodia' on the map |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/02/15/lowell_hopes_to_put_little_cambodia_on_the_map/ |newspaper=] |date=February 15, 2010 |access-date=May 31, 2010}}</ref> Massachusetts is home to a small community of ] as well, which according to the ] there are 83,701 of them scattered along the state (1.2% of the total state population).<ref>{{cite web |title=2011–2015 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref> There are also ] of ] in Massachusetts. The ] tribe maintains reservations at ] on Martha's Vineyard and at ] on Cape Cod—with an ongoing ] since 1993, while the ] maintain two state-recognized reservations in the central part of the state, including one at ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Indian Reservations in the Continental United States |url=http://www.nps.gov/nagpra/DOCUMENTS/ResMAP.HTM |publisher=] |access-date=May 7, 2015}}</ref>


Massachusetts has avoided many forms of racial strife seen elsewhere in the US, but examples such as the successful electoral showings of the ] (mainly ]) ]s in the 1850s,{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=180–82}} the controversial ] executions in the 1920s,{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=257–58}} and Boston's opposition to ] in the 1970s.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=300–4}}
As late as 1795, the population of Massachusetts was nearly 95% of English ancestry.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 173.</ref> During the early and mid 19th century, immigrant groups began arriving to the commonwealth in large numbers; first from Ireland in the 1840s,<ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 173–179.</ref> The ] 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 and Poland.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 203.</ref> In the early 20th century, a number of ], although in somewhat fewer numbers than many other Northern states.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 301.</ref> Later in the 20th century, immigration from Latin America, Africa, and East Asia increased considerably. Massachusetts has the third largest population of ]ans in the United States.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/pdf/ResearchPublications//Haitian%20UPDATE%20FINAL.pdf | title = Imagine all the people:Haitian immigrants in Boston | publisher=Boston Development Authority | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref>


Historical racial and ethnic composition
Massachusetts also has a relatively large population of ] descent. Many of the earliest Portuguese-speaking immigrants came from the ] in the 19th century to work in the whaling industry in cities like ].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/portam/bedford.html | title = Whaling Industry and Portuguese Immigration Centered in New Bedford, Mass. | publisher=Library of Congress | accessdate =June 1, 2010}}</ref><ref name=Brettell>Brettell, pp. xii–xiv.</ref> Later, further waves of Portuguese arrived, this time often finding work in the textile mills.<ref name=Brettell/> ] is home to the second largest ] community in the nation.<ref>Schweitzer, Sarah. ''Lowell hopes to put 'Little Cambodia' on the map'' '']''. February 15, 2010. . Retrieved May 31, 2010.</ref> The ] tribe maintains reservations at ], at Grafton, on Martha's Vineyard, and at ] on Cape Cod,<ref>Associated Press. ''WBZ-TV,'' Boston Massachusetts. Retrieved February 20, 2007.</ref><ref>Weber, David. ''The Boston Globe'' February 15, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.</ref> while the ] maintain two state-recognized reservations in the central part of the state. While Massachusetts had avoided many of the more violent forms of racial strife seen elsewhere in the US, examples such as the successful electoral showings of the ] (mainly ]) ]s in the 1850s,<ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 180–182.</ref> the controversial ] executions in the 1920s,<ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 257–258.</ref> and Boston's opposition to desegregation busing in the 1970s<ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 300–304.</ref> show that the ethnic history of the commonwealth was not completely harmonious.

'''Massachusetts – Racial and Ethnic Composition'''

'''('''''NH = Non-Hispanic''''')'''

<small>''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.''</small>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Race / Ethnicity
!Pop 2000<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p004&g=040XX00US25|title=Explore Census Data|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2010.P2?q=p2&t=Race+and+Ethnicity&g=040XX00US25|title=Explore Census Data|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&t=Race+and+Ethnicity&g=040XX00US25|title=Explore Census Data|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!%2000
!%2010
!%2020
|-
|] alone (NH)
|5,198,359
|4,984,800
|4,748,897
|{{Percentage|5198359|6349097|2}}
|{{Percentage|4984800|6547629|2}}
|{{Percentage|4748897|7029917|2}}
|-
|] alone (NH)
|318,329
|391,693
|457,055
|{{Percentage|318329|6349097|2}}
|{{Percentage|391693|6547629|2}}
|{{Percentage|457055|7029917|2}}
|-
|] or ] alone (NH)
|11,264
|10,788
|9,378
|{{Percentage|11264|6349097|2}}
|{{Percentage|10788|6547629|2}}
|{{Percentage|9378|7029917|2}}
|-
|] alone (NH)
|236,786
|347,495
|504,900
|{{Percentage|236786|6349097|2}}
|{{Percentage|347495|6547629|2}}
|{{Percentage|504900|7029917|2}}
|-
|] alone (NH)
|1,706
|1,467
|1,607
|{{Percentage|1706|6349097|2}}
|{{Percentage|1467|6547629|2}}
|{{Percentage|1607|7029917|2}}
|-
|] alone (NH)
|43,586
|61,547
|92,108
|{{Percentage|43586|6349097|2}}
|{{Percentage|61547|6547629|2}}
|{{Percentage|92108|7029917|2}}
|-
|] (NH)
|110,338
|122,195
|328,278
|{{Percentage|110338|6349097|2}}
|{{Percentage|122195|6547629|2}}
|{{Percentage|328278|7029917|2}}
|-
|] (any race)
|428,729
|627,654
|887,685
|{{Percentage|428729|6349097|2}}
|{{Percentage|627654|6547629|2}}
|{{Percentage|887685|7029917|2}}
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''6,349,097'''
|'''6,547,629'''
|'''7,029,917'''
|'''{{Percentage|6349097|6349097|2}}'''
|'''{{Percentage|6547629|6547629|2}}'''
|'''{{Percentage|7029917|7029917|2}}'''
|}

===Languages===

The most common varieties of ] spoken in Massachusetts, other than ], are the ]{{Broken anchor|date=2024-12-19|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=New England English#Southwestern New England|reason= The anchor (Southwestern New England) ].}} and the ] (popularly known as a "Boston accent").<ref>{{cite web |last1=Irwin |first1=Patricia |last2=Nagy |first2=Naomi |title=Bostonians /r/ Speaking: A Quantitative Look at (R) in Boston |url=http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=pwpl |publisher=University of Pennsylvania |access-date=April 26, 2015}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:1em; float:center"
|+ '''Top 11 Non-English Languages Spoken in Massachusetts'''
|-
! Language !! Percentage of population<br /><small>(as of 2010)</small><ref name="MLA Data"/>
|-
| ] || 7.50%
|-
| ] || 2.97%
|-
| ] (including ] and ]) || 1.59%
|-
| ] (including ]) || 1.11%
|-
| ] || 0.89%
|-
| ] || 0.72%
|-
| ] || 0.62%
|-
| ] || 0.58%
|-
| ] || 0.41%
|-
| ] and ] (including all ]) (tied) || 0.37%
|}

As of 2010, 78.93% (4,823,127) of Massachusetts residents{{spaces}}5 and older spoke English at home as a ], while 7.50% (458,256) spoke Spanish, 2.97% (181,437) ], 1.59% (96,690) Chinese (which includes ] and ]), 1.11% (67,788) French, 0.89% (54,456) ], 0.72% (43,798) Italian, 0.62% (37,865) Russian, and ] was spoken as a primary language by 0.58% (35,283) of the population over{{spaces}}5. In total, 21.07% (1,287,419) of Massachusetts's population{{spaces}}5 and older spoke a first language other than English.<ref name=qcensus/><ref name="MLA Data">{{cite web |url=http://www.mla.org/map_data |title=Massachusetts |publisher=] |access-date=August 21, 2013}}</ref>


===Religion=== ===Religion===
{{Pie chart
Massachusetts was founded and settled by the Puritans in 1628. The descendants of the Puritans belong to many different churches; in the direct line of inheritance are the ]/], and congregations of ]. Most people in Massachusetts were Christians. Some also believed in ]. The headquarters of the ] is located on Beacon Hill in Boston.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bluehillsuu.org/aboutuu.html | title = About Unitarian Universalism | publisher=Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref>
| thumb = right
| caption = Religious self-identification, per ]'s 2022 ''American Values Survey''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=February 24, 2023 |title=PRRI – American Values Atlas: Religious Tradition in Massachusetts|url=https://ava.prri.org/#religious/2022/States/religion/m/US-MA|access-date=April 3, 2023 |website=]}}</ref>
| label1 = ]
| value1 = 34
| color1 = White
| label2 = ]
| value2 = 34
| color2 = Purple
| label3 = ]
| value3 = 22
| color3 = Blue
| label4 = ]
| value4 = 1
| color4 = Lightblue
| label5 = ]/]
| value5 = 1
| color5 = Teal
| label6 = ]
| value6 = 3
| color6 = Pink
| label7 = ]
| value7 = 2
| color7 = Orange
| label8 = ]
| value8 = 1
| color8 = Yellow
| label9 = ]
| value9 = 1
| color9 = Red
| label10 = Other
| value10 = 1
| color10 = Black
}}


Massachusetts was founded and settled by ] ] in 1620,<ref name="puritans" /> and soon after by other groups of ]/], ]s and ] from ].{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|pp=29–30}} A majority of people in Massachusetts today remain ].<ref name="qcensus" /> The descendants of the Puritans belong to many different churches; in the direct line of inheritance are the various ]es, the ] and congregations of the ]. The headquarters of the ], long located on ], is now located in ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uua.org/headquarters |title=Headquarters of the Unitarian Universalist Association |publisher=Unitarian Universalist Association |access-date=April 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uua.org/news/press-release/uua-sell-its-beacon-hill-properties-move-innovation-district |title=The UUA to Sell its Beacon Hill Properties, Move to Innovation District |publisher=] |access-date=April 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417012851/http://www.uua.org/news/press-release/uua-sell-its-beacon-hill-properties-move-innovation-district |archive-date=April 17, 2015 }}</ref> Many Puritan descendants also dispersed to other Protestant denominations. Some disaffiliated along with Roman Catholics and other Christian groups in the wake of modern ].<ref>{{cite thesis |last1=Pellegrino |first1=Nicholas |title=Reviving a Spirit of Controversy: Roman Catholics and the Pursuit of Religious Freedom in Early America |date=May 2015 |type=PhD dissertation |publisher=University of Nevada, Las Vegas |doi=10.34917/7646017 |url=https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations/2410/ |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref>
Today Protestants make up less than 1/4 of the state's population. Roman Catholics now predominate because of massive immigration from primarily Ireland, followed by ], ], ], and Latin America. A large Jewish population came to the Boston and Springfield areas 1880–1920. ] made the Boston Mother Church of ] the world headquarters. ], ], ], ], Muslims, and ] also can be found. ] in ], the Shaolin Meditation Temple in Springfield, and the Insight Meditation Center in ] are examples of non-western religious centers in Massachusetts. According to the ] the largest single denominations are the Roman Catholic Church with 3,092,296; the ] with 121,826; and the ] with 98,963 adherents. ] had about 275,000 members.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/25_2000.asp |title=The Association of Religion Data Archives &#124; Maps & Reports |publisher=Thearda.com |accessdate=February 1, 2011}}</ref>


As of the 2014 Pew study, Christians made up 57% of the state's population, with ] making up 21% of them. ] 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 of ] in ]. It is the most irreligious region of the country, along with the ]; 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.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=PRRI – American Values Atlas |url=https://ava.prri.org/#religious/2020/States/religion/m/US-MA |access-date=September 17, 2022 |website=ava.prri.org}}</ref> A significant Jewish population immigrated to the Boston and Springfield areas between 1880 and 1920. ] make up 3% of the population. ] made the ] of ] serve as the world headquarters of this ]. ], ], ]s, ], ]s, and ] may also be found. ] has its headquarters in Salem. ] in ], the Shaolin Meditation Temple in Springfield, and the Insight Meditation Center in ] are examples of non-Abrahamic religious centers in Massachusetts. According to 2010 data from The ], (ARDA) the largest single denominations are the ] with 2,940,199 adherents; the ] with 86,639 adherents; and the ] with 81,999 adherents.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/25/rcms2010_25_state_family_2010.asp |title=The Association of Religion Data Archives &#124; State Membership Report |publisher=] |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235450/http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/25/rcms2010_25_state_family_2010.asp }}</ref>
The religious affiliations of the people of Massachusetts, according to a 2001 survey, are shown below:<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gc.cuny.edu/CUNY_GC/media/CUNY-Graduate-Center/Images/faculty%20publications/Aris/exhibit-15.jpg | title=American Religious Identification Survey | work=Exhibit 15 | publisher=The Graduate Center, City University of New York | accessdate =September 21, 2007}}</ref>
] in ] is the oldest church in America in continuous ecclesiastical use.<ref>Butterfield, Fox. ''The Perfect New England Town'' '']''. May 14, 1989. . Retrieved May 30, 2010.</ref>]]


In 2014, 32% of the population identified as having no religion;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/massachusetts/ |title=Adults in Massachusetts |date=May 11, 2015 |publisher=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project}}</ref> 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).<ref name=":1" /> As of 2022, a plurality of Massachusettsans were ],<ref name=":1" /> and the state is considered to be a part of the ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lin |first=Joanna |date=March 16, 2009 |title=New England surpasses West Coast as least religious region in America, study finds |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-mar-16-me-beliefs16-story.html |access-date=April 11, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Christian – 69%

**Catholic – 44%
=== Native American tribes ===
**Protestant denominations – 25%
What is today Massachusetts was originally inhabited by the Wampanoag, the Nipmuc, the Massachusett, the Pocumtuc, the Nauset, the Pennacook and a few other tribes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Massachusetts Indian Tribes and Languages (Massachuset) |url=https://www.native-languages.org/massachusetts.htm |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=www.native-languages.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Indigenous American Nations, c.16th Century (1st edition) |url=https://indigamerica.blogspot.com/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Indigenous America Maps}}</ref> Some of these tribes are still represented among the population of the state today.
***Non-specific Protestant – 4%

***] – 4%
The largest Native American tribes in Massachusetts according to the 2010 census are listed in the table below:<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/cph-series/cph-t/cph-t-6.html}}</ref>
***]/] – 3%
{| class="wikitable sortable"
***] – 3%
|+'''Tribal groupings with over 600 members in Massachusetts in 2010 census'''
***Other denominations (2% or less each) – 11%
!Tribal grouping
*Jewish – 2%
!American Indian and
*Muslim – 1%
Alaska Native alone
*Other – 7%
!AIAN in combination with
*No Religion – 16%
one or more other races
*Refused to answer – 7%
!Total AIAN alone or
in any combination
|-
|Total AIAN population
|18850
|31855
|50705
|-
|]
|885
|3654
|4539
|-
|]
|1674
|1642
|3316
|-
|]
|623
|1166
|1789
|-
|South American Indian
|817
|930
|1747
|-
|]
|298
|1347
|1645
|-
|Mexican American Indian
|1131
|449
|1580
|-
|]
|457
|984
|1441
|-
|Central American Indian
|635
|332
|967
|-
|]
|305
|550
|855
|-
|]
|197
|469
|666
|-
|]
|186
|463
|649
|-
|Tribe not specified
|9421
|16535
|25956
|}

==Education==

{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| width = 180
| align = right
| footer = ] and ] are both widely regarded as in the top handful of universities worldwide for ] in various disciplines.<ref name=AcademicRanking2/> (Shown are the ] at Harvard and ].)
| image1 = Widener Library.jpg
| image2 = MIT Dome night1 Edit.jpg
| total_width =
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| caption2 =
}}
{{Further| List of colleges and universities in Massachusetts|List of engineering schools in Massachusetts|List of high schools in Massachusetts|List of school districts in Massachusetts|Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education|Massachusetts Department of Higher Education|University of Massachusetts|History of education in Massachusetts|}}
]

In 2018, Massachusetts's overall educational system was ranked the top among all fifty U.S. states by '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/slideshows/10-best-states-for-education?int=undefined-rec&slide=10|title=The 10 Best U.S. States for Education—2. New Jersey|work=]|date=February 27, 2018|access-date=May 5, 2018}}</ref> Massachusetts was the first state in North America to require municipalities to appoint a teacher or establish a grammar school with the passage of the ] of 1647,{{sfn|Dejnozka|Gifford|Kapel|Kapel|1982|p=313}} and 19th century reforms pushed by ] laid much of the groundwork for contemporary universal public education{{sfn|Dejnozka|Gifford|Kapel|Kapel|1982|p=311}}{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|pp=251–52}} which was established in 1852.<ref name=compschools /> Massachusetts is home to the oldest school in continuous existence in North America (], founded in 1645), as well as the country's oldest public elementary school (], founded in 1639),<ref>{{cite web |title=Mather Elementary School |url=http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/school/mather-elementary-school |publisher=Boston Public Schools |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> its oldest high school (], founded in 1635),<ref>{{cite news|last=Ramírez |first=Eddy |title=The First Class State |url=https://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2007/11/29/the-first-class-state.html |newspaper=] |date=November 29, 2007 |access-date=June 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219191828/http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2007/11/29/the-first-class-state.html |archive-date=December 19, 2008 }}</ref> its oldest continuously operating boarding school (], founded in 1763),<ref>{{cite web |title=#26 The Governors Academy, Byfield, Mass |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/most-expensive-private-schools-2011-4#26-the-governors-academy-byfield-mass-3 |website=] |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> its oldest college (], founded in 1636),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rimer |first1=Sara |last2=Finder |first2=Alan |title=Harvard Plans to Name First Female President |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/10/education/10harvard.html |newspaper=] |date=February 10, 2007 |access-date=June 5, 2010}}</ref> and its oldest women's college (], founded in 1837).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.studypoint.com/admissions/mount-holyoke/ |title=Mount Holyoke Admissions Information |publisher=StudyPoint |access-date=June 10, 2015}}</ref> Massachusetts is also home to the highest ranked private high school in the United States, ] in ], which was founded in 1778.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dangremond|first=Sam|date=August 1, 2018|title=These Are the Best Private High Schools in America, According to a New Ranking|url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/news/a8639/best-private-high-schools-in-america/|access-date=July 21, 2010|website=Town and Country}}</ref>

Massachusetts's per-student public expenditure for elementary and secondary schools was eighth in the nation in 2012, at $14,844.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bidwell |first1=Allie |title=How States Are Spending Money in Education |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/01/29/how-states-are-spending-money-in-education |website=] |access-date=May 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505044339/http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/01/29/how-states-are-spending-money-in-education |archive-date=May 5, 2015 }}</ref> In 2013, Massachusetts scored highest of all the states in math and third-highest in reading on the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Are the nation's twelfth-graders making progress in mathematics and reading? |url=http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_g12_2013/#/ |publisher=] |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> Massachusetts' public-school students place among the top tier in the world in academic performance.<ref name="AcademicRanking3">{{cite web |url=http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=24050 |url-status=live |title=Massachusetts Students Score among World Leaders on PISA Reading, Science and Math Tests |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204051502/http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=24050 |archive-date=December 4, 2019 |access-date=January 14, 2020}}</ref> In 2022, Massachusetts was 1st or 2nd in the reading and mathematics average scores and proficiency percentages of the evaluated 4th and 8th graders.<ref>{{cite web |title=NAEP state comparisons |url=https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile/overview/MA?cti=PgTab_ScoreComparisons&sub=MAT&chort=1&st=MN&sfj=NP&sj=MA&year=2022R3 |website=NAEP State Profiles - Massachusetts |access-date=6 January 2025}}</ref>

Massachusetts is home to 121 institutions of higher education.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/ciswel/weltomas.htm#edu |title=A Practical Guide to Living in the State—Education |publisher=] |location=MA, US |access-date=June 2, 2010}}</ref> ] and the ], both located in ], consistently rank among the world's best private universities and universities in general.<ref>{{cite web |title=World's Best Universities:Top 400 |website=] |access-date=May 25, 2010 |date=February 25, 2010 |url=https://www.usnews.com/articles/education/worlds-best-universities/2010/02/25/worlds-best-universities-top-400.html}}</ref> In addition to Harvard and MIT, several other Massachusetts universities rank in the top 50 at the undergraduate level nationally in the ] of '']'': ] (#27), ] (#32), ] (#34), ] (#37) and ] (#40). Massachusetts is also home to three of the top five ''U.S. News & World Report''{{'}}s best Liberal Arts Colleges: ] (#1), ] (#2), and ] (#4).<ref>{{cite web|title=National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges |website=] |access-date=May 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821213346/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges |archive-date=August 21, 2016 }}</ref> It is also home to the oldest Catholic liberal arts college, ] (#33).<ref>{{Cite web |title=College of the Holy Cross Rankings |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/holy-cross-2141/overall-rankings |access-date=May 28, 2023 |website=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref> ] is New England's largest private college of ]. The public ] (nicknamed ''UMass'') features five campuses in the state, with its ] in ], which enrolls more than 25,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.massachusetts.edu/system/about.html |title=The UMass System |publisher=] |access-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830061248/http://www.massachusetts.edu/system/about.html |archive-date=August 30, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://media.umassp.edu/massedu/ir/facts2009-10.pdf |title=UMass—Facts 2009–2010 |publisher=] |access-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720090725/http://media.umassp.edu/massedu/ir/facts2009-10.pdf |archive-date=July 20, 2011 }}</ref>

As of 2021, Massachusetts has the ] with a bachelor's degree (46.62%) and a ] degree (21.27%) of any state in the country.


==Economy== ==Economy==
{{See also|Massachusetts locations by per capita income|:Category:Economy of Massachusetts}} {{See also|List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income|Category:Economy of Massachusetts}}

The United States ] estimates that the Massachusetts ] in 2020 was $584{{spaces}}billion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?reqid=70&step=10&isuri=1&7003=200&7035=-1&7004=sic&7005=1&7006=xx&7036=-1&7001=1200&7002=1&7090=70&7007=-1&7093=levels#reqid=70&step=10&isuri=1&7003=200&7035=-1&7004=naics&7005=1&7006=xx&7036=-1&7001=1200&7002=1&7090=70&7007=-1&7093=levels |title=Apps Test &#124; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) |publisher=Bea.gov |access-date=July 31, 2021 |archive-date=August 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831043848/https://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?reqid=70&step=10&isuri=1&7003=200&7035=-1&7004=sic&7005=1&7006=xx&7036=-1&7001=1200&7002=1&7090=70&7007=-1&7093=levels#reqid=70&step=10&isuri=1&7003=200&7035=-1&7004=naics&7005=1&7006=xx&7036=-1&7001=1200&7002=1&7090=70&7007=-1&7093=levels }}</ref> The ] in 2012 was $53,221, making it the third-highest state in the nation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/spi/2009/pdf/spi0309.pdf |title=State Personal Income 2008 |publisher=] |access-date=June 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412133925/http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/spi/2009/pdf/spi0309.pdf |archive-date=April 12, 2010 }}</ref> As of January 2023, Massachusetts state general ] 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-minimum-wage |title=Massachusetts law about minimum wage |publisher=] |date=December 31, 2020 |access-date=January 11, 2020}}</ref> This wage was set to increase to a general minimum of $15.00 per hour and a tipped worker minimum of $6.75 per hour 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Session Law – Acts of 2018 Chapter 121 |url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2018/Chapter121 |access-date=April 21, 2022 |website=malegislature.gov}}</ref>

In 2015, twelve ] companies were located in Massachusetts: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geographyrealm.com/map-and-list-of-fortune-1000-companies-for-2018/|title=Map and List of Fortune 1000 Companies for 2018|date=November 13, 2018}}</ref> CNBC's list of "Top States for Business for 2023" has recognized Massachusetts as the 15th-best state in the nation for business,<ref>{{cite web |title=America's Top States For Business |date=July 11, 2023 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/11/americas-top-states-for-business-2023-the-full-rankings.html |publisher=] |access-date=September 18, 2023}}</ref> and for the second year in a row in 2016 the state was ranked by Bloomberg as the most innovative state in America.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-22/here-are-the-most-innovative-states-in-america-in-2016|title=Here are the Most Innovative States in America in 2016|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|date=December 22, 2016}}</ref> According to a 2013 study by Phoenix Marketing International, Massachusetts had the sixth-largest number of millionaires per capita in the United States, with a ratio of 6.73 percent.<ref>{{cite web |last=Frank |first=Robert |title=Top states for millionaires per capita |date=January 15, 2014 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2014/01/15/top-states-for-millionaires-per-capita.html |publisher=] |access-date=January 25, 2014}}</ref> Billionaires living in the state include past and present leaders (and related family) of local companies such as ], ], ], ], and the former ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/06/10/here-new-list-richest-people-mass/OaNMT5TILihKuLoyLNBwbL/story.html|title=Here's a new list of the richest people in Mass.|website=The Boston Globe}}</ref>

Massachusetts has three ], the ] of Boston, the Port of New Bedford, and the City of Holyoke.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enforcement.trade.gov/ftzpage/letters/ftzlist-map.html|title=List of Foreign-Trade Zones by State|author=United States Department of Commerce . International Trade Administration . Enforcement and Compliance|website=enforcement.trade.gov|access-date=March 16, 2018|archive-date=October 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030233822/https://enforcement.trade.gov/ftzpage/letters/ftzlist-map.html}}</ref> ] is the busiest airport in New England, serving 33.4{{spaces}}million total passengers in 2015, and witnessing rapid growth in international air traffic since 2010.<ref name=LoganTraffic>{{cite web |url=https://www.massport.com/media/378708/1215-avstats-airport-traffic-summary.pdf |title=Monthly Airport Traffic Summary—December 2015 |access-date=February 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207054448/https://www.massport.com/media/378708/1215-avstats-airport-traffic-summary.pdf |archive-date=February 7, 2016 }} Accessed May 8, 2016.</ref>

Sectors vital to the Massachusetts economy include higher education, ], ], finance, health care, tourism, manufacturing, and defense. The ] and Greater Boston continue to be a major center for ],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nvca.org/research/venture-investment/ |title=Venture Investment—Regional Aggregate Data |publisher=National Venture Capital Association |access-date=January 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408104240/http://nvca.org/research/venture-investment/ |archive-date=April 8, 2016 }}</ref> and ] remains an important sector. In recent years tourism has played an ever-important role in the state's economy, with Boston and ] being the leading destinations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2016/06/10/where-massachusetts-tourists-come-from/M7IXI2wbqxj0p0RFAxxhKO/story.html|date=June 11, 2016|title=Where do Massachusetts tourists come from?|first=Corlyn|last=Voorhees|website=]}}</ref> Other popular tourist destinations include ], ], and ]. Massachusetts is the sixth-most popular tourist destination for foreign travelers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tourism Statistics |url=http://www.statisticbrain.com/tourism-statistics/ |publisher=Statisticsbrain.com |access-date=April 27, 2015 |archive-date=March 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324153143/http://www.statisticbrain.com/tourism-statistics/ }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/07/12/1000_places_to_visit/|title=1,000 places to visit in Massachusetts|website=The Boston Globe}}</ref>
], on ].]]

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.<ref>{{cite web|title=State Profiles Data Sheet|date=October 2017|publisher=National Association of Manufacturers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003142946/http://www.nam.org/Data-and-Reports/State-Manufacturing-Data/State-Manufacturing-Data/April-2017/2017-State-Manufacturing-Data-Table/|archive-date=October 3, 2018|url=http://www.nam.org/Data-and-Reports/State-Manufacturing-Data/State-Manufacturing-Data/April-2017/2017-State-Manufacturing-Data-Table/}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite report|title=Massachusetts Manufacturing Facts|publisher=National Association of Manufacturers|access-date=December 28, 2018|archive-date=December 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226224516/http://www.nam.org/Data-and-Reports/State-Manufacturing-Data/2014-State-Manufacturing-Data/Manufacturing-Facts--Massachusetts/|url=http://www.nam.org/Data-and-Reports/State-Manufacturing-Data/2014-State-Manufacturing-Data/Manufacturing-Facts--Massachusetts/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=MassMEDIC|publisher=Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council|url=https://www.massmedic.com/|access-date=December 28, 2018}}</ref>

The more than 33,000 nonprofits in Massachusetts employ one-sixth of the state's workforce.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://waltham.wickedlocal.com/news/20170620/waltham-nonprofit-watch-cdc-recognized-at-statehouse|title=Waltham nonprofit WATCH CDC recognized at Statehouse|work=Wicked Local Waltham|access-date=June 21, 2017|archive-date=June 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620162454/http://waltham.wickedlocal.com/news/20170620/waltham-nonprofit-watch-cdc-recognized-at-statehouse}}</ref> In 2007, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a state holiday, Nonprofit Awareness Day.<ref>{{cite web |title=Groups celebrate Nonprofit Awareness Day - Massachusetts Nonprofit Network |url=http://massnonprofitnet.org/blog/groups-celebrate-nonprofit-awareness-day/ |website=massnonprofitnet.org |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref>

In February 2017, '']'' ranked Massachusetts the best state in the United States based upon 60 ] 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.<ref name="best states">{{cite web |title=Best States Overall Ranking |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings |access-date=December 29, 2017 |work=]}}</ref>

===Agriculture===
{{ Main | Agriculture in Massachusetts }}
As of 2012, there were 7,755 farms in Massachusetts encompassing a total of {{convert|523,517|acre|km2|-1}}, averaging {{convert|67.5|acre|hectare}} apiece.<ref>{{cite web |title=Number of Farms Numbers Continue Slight Rise in 2012 |url=https://ag.umass.edu/ma-agricultural-data/number-of-farms/numbers-continue-slight-rise-in-2012 |publisher=] Center for Agriculture, Food, and the environment |access-date=April 27, 2015}}</ref> ], ], and ] products {{endash}} including ] {{endash}} make up more than one third of the state's agricultural output.<ref name="census-2017">{{cite web | access-date=July 29, 2022 |year=2017 | title=National Agricultural Statistics Service - 2017 Census of Agriculture - Volume 1, Chapter 1: State Level Data | website=USDA, ] | url=https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_State_Level/Massachusetts/}}</ref><ref name="Facts-Stats" /> Particular agricultural products of note also include ], sweet corn and apples are also large sectors of production.<ref name="Facts-Stats">{{cite web | access-date=September 30, 2022 | website=] | url=https://www.mass.gov/info-details/agricultural-resources-facts-and-statistics | title=Agricultural Resources Facts and Statistics}}</ref> Fruit cultivation is an important part of the state's agricultural revenues,<ref name="fruit-UMassExt">{{cite web | title=UMass Extension Fruit Program | website=] | date=February 26, 2015 | url=http://ag.umass.edu/fruit | access-date=June 27, 2022}}</ref> and Massachusetts is the second-largest cranberry-producing state after ].<ref>{{cite web |date=January 26, 2007 |url=http://www.nass.usda.gov/nh/jan07cran.pdf |title=Massachusetts Cranberries |publisher=] |access-date=May 23, 2010}}</ref>


===Taxation===
The United States ] estimates that the Massachusetts gross state product in 2008 was US$365 billion.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bea.gov/regional/gsp/ | title = Gross Domestic Product by State | publisher=]| accessdate =June 1, 2010}}</ref> The per capita personal income in 2008 was $50,735, making it the third highest state in the nation.<ref name=PCI1>{{cite web | url = http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/spi/2009/pdf/spi0309.pdf | title = State Personal Income 2008 | publisher=Bureau of Economic Analysis | accessdate =June 8, 2010}}</ref> 13 ] companies are located in the commonwealth, the largest of which are the ] of Boston and ] Financial Services of Springfield.<ref>{{cite news| date = July 27, 2010 | url =http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2010/states/MA.html| title =Fortune 500 – States|publisher=CNN | accessdate =July 27, 2010}}</ref> CNBC's list of "Top States for Business for 2010" has recognized Massachusetts as the fifth best state in the nation.<ref>America's Top States for Business 2010." CNBC Special Report (2010): 1. Web. May 9, 2011. <http://www.cnbc.com/id/37516043/>.</ref>


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)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-to-be-a-taxpayer/2416/#complete-rankings.|title=2016's States with the Highest & Lowest Tax Rates|access-date=June 18, 2016}}</ref> 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).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://taxfoundation.org/article/2016-state-business-tax-climate-index|title=2016 State Business Tax Climate Index|access-date=June 18, 2016|archive-date=June 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621014424/http://taxfoundation.org/article/2016-state-business-tax-climate-index}}</ref> 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—including ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/03/28/taxachussetts-misnomer-least-for-now/JwFnatLJTZ2eoGxDYzT82J/story.html|title='Taxachusetts' is a misnomer, at least for now|website=Boston Globe|first=Tom|last=Keane|date=March 28, 2014}}</ref>
Sectors vital to the Massachusetts economy include higher education, ], finance, health care, and tourism. Route 128 was a major center for the development of ] and electronics.<ref name=Brown284/> High technology remains an important sector, though few of the largest technology companies are based there. In recent years tourism has played an ever-important role in the state's economy, with Boston and ] being the leading destinations. Other popular tourist destinations include ], ] and ]. As of June 2012, the state's unemployment rate was 6.0%,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.boston.com/businessupdates/2012/06/14/mass-unemployment-rate-fell-percent-may-down-from-percent-april/ud9YL9UbI60fqjrAXXiQmL/story.html?p1=News_links | title = Mass. unemployment rate falls to 6.0% in March, down from 6.9% in February |work=] | accessdate =June, 14 2011}}</ref> well below the national level of 8.2%.


As of January 1, 2020, Massachusetts has a flat-rate personal income tax of 5.00%,<ref>{{cite web |title=Taxes & Rates Income |publisher=Massachusetts Department of Revenue |access-date=October 16, 2021 |url=https://www.mass.gov/guides/personal-income-tax-for-residents}}</ref> after a 2002 voter referendum to eventually lower the rate to 5.0%<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Implements Reduction in Personal Income Tax Rates |publisher=] |access-date=May 10, 2012 |url=http://taxfoundation.org/blog/show/27852.html |archive-date=January 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120200319/http://www.taxfoundation.org/blog/show/27852.html }}</ref> as amended by the legislature.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/12/31/income-tax-rate-fall-jan/0z4PxvHvtSxWOFja3EDZfO/story.html|title=Mass. tax rate takes slight dip|website=The Boston Globe}}</ref> There is a ] for income below a threshold that varies from year to year. The corporate income tax rate is 8.8%,<ref name=MassTaxes1>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts |publisher=] |access-date=April 27, 2015 |url=http://taxfoundation.org/state-tax-climate/massachusetts |archive-date=May 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505003342/http://taxfoundation.org/state-tax-climate/massachusetts }}</ref> and the short-term ] rate is 12%.<ref name=MassTax2>{{cite web |title=Tax Rates |publisher=Massachusetts Department of Revenue |access-date=April 27, 2015 |url=http://www.mass.gov/dor/individuals/filing-and-payment-information/guide-to-personal-income-tax/tax-rates.html |archive-date=April 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422150419/http://www.mass.gov/dor/individuals/filing-and-payment-information/guide-to-personal-income-tax/tax-rates.html }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cltg.org/cltg/clt2005/05-04-15.htm#Globe1|title=CLT Update: Apr 15, 2005, "We didn't need or want a tax cut—but it's ours now!"|website=cltg.org}}</ref>
], a leading tourist destination in Massachusetts. Tourism is of growing importance to the state's economy.]]
As of 2005, there were 7,700&nbsp;farms in Massachusetts encompassing a total of {{convert|520000|acre|km2|-1}}, averaging {{convert|68|acre|km2}} apiece.<ref name=USDA2>{{cite web | url = http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Ag_Overview/AgOverview_MA.pdf | title =2009 State Agriculture Overview (Massachusetts) | publisher=]| accessdate =June 1, 2010}}</ref> Almost 2,300 of the state's 6,100 farms grossed under $2,500 in 2007.<ref name=USDA2/> Particular agricultural products of note include tobacco, livestock, and fruits, tree nuts, and berries, for which the state is nationally ranked 11th, 17th, and 16th, respectively.<ref name=USDA2/> Massachusetts is the second largest cranberry producing state in the union (after ]).<ref>{{cite web| date =January 26, 2007 | url =http://www.nass.usda.gov/nh/jan07cran.pdf| title =Massachusetts Cranberries| publisher=]| accessdate =May 23, 2010}}</ref>


The state imposes a 6.25% ]<ref name=MassTaxes1/> on retail sales of tangible personal property—except for groceries, clothing (up to $175.00), and periodicals.<ref name=SalesTax1>{{cite web |title=Sales and Use Tax |location=MA, US |publisher=Massachusetts Department of Revenue |date = January 14, 2022 |url=http://www.mass.gov/dor/individuals/taxpayer-help-and-resources/tax-guides/salesuse-tax-guide.html}}</ref> The sales tax is charged on clothing that costs more than $175.00, for the amount exceeding $175.00.<ref name=SalesTax1/> Massachusetts also charges a ] 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).<ref name=SalesTax1 /> There is no ] and limited Massachusetts ] related to federal estate tax collection.<ref name=MassTax2/>
==== Taxation ====
The overall state and local tax burden in Massachusetts ranks 11th highest in the United States.<ref name=MassTaxes1>{{cite web | title = Massachusetts | publisher=] | accessdate =May 24, 2010 | url = http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/35.html}}</ref> Massachusetts has a flat-rate personal ] of 5.25%,<ref>{{cite web | title = Mass. income tax rate cut by .05 percent | publisher=] | accessdate =May 10, 2012 | url = http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mass-income-tax-rate-cut-175739133.html}}</ref> after a 2002 voter referendum to eventually lower the rate to 5.0%.<ref>{{cite web | title = Massachusetts Implements Reduction in Personal Income Tax Rates | publisher=] | accessdate =May 10, 2012 | url = http://taxfoundation.org/blog/show/27852.html}}</ref> There is an exemption for income below a threshold that varies from year to year. The corporate income tax rate is 8.8%,<ref name=MassTaxes1/> and the short-term ] tax rate is 12%.<ref name=MassTax2>{{cite web | title = Tax Rates | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Revenue | accessdate =May 24, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=dorterminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Individuals+and+Families&L2=Personal+Income+Tax&L3=Current+Year+Tax+Information&L4=Guide+to+Personal+Income+Tax&sid=Ador&b=terminalcontent&f=dor_help_guides_abate_amend_personal_issues_ratestax&csid=Ador}}</ref>


===Energy===
The state imposes a 6.25% ]<ref name=MassTaxes1/> on retail sales of tangible personal property—except for groceries, clothing (up to $175.00), and periodicals.<ref name=SalesTax1>{{cite web | title = A Guide to Sales and Use Tax | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Revenue | accessdate =May 24, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=dorterminal&L=6&L0=Home&L1=Individuals+and+Families&L2=Personal+Income+Tax&L3=Forms+%26+Publications&L4=Publications&L5=Publications+Index&sid=Ador&b=terminalcontent&f=dor_publ_sales_use&csid=Ador}}</ref> The sales tax is charged on clothing that costs more than $175.00.<ref name=SalesTax1/> All real and tangible ] located within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. Property taxes in the state were the eighth highest in the nation.<ref name=MassTaxes1/> There is no ] and limited Massachusetts ] related to federal estate tax collection.<ref name=MassTax2/>


{{Further|Solar power in Massachusetts|Wind power in Massachusetts|:Category:Energy in Massachusetts}}
====Energy====
The state's electricity generation market was made competitive in 1998, enabling retail customers to change suppliers without changing utility companies.<ref></ref> Though most residential customers remain with incumbent generators, most of the 4.3 billion kilowatt-hours consumed in the state in July 2011 were generated competitively.<ref>{{dead link|date=January 2012}}</ref> In 2011, Massachusetts was ranked as the most energy efficient state in America.<ref>{{cite web|author=Andrew Shen | Oct. 25, 2011, 9:35 AM | 3,610 | 12 |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/most-energy-efficient-states-2011-10 |title=Massachusetts Passes California As The Most Energy Efficient State |publisher=Businessinsider.com |date=2011-10-25 |accessdate=2012-01-25}}</ref>


Massachusetts's ] market was made competitive in 1998, enabling retail customers to change suppliers without changing utility companies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goodenergy.com/Energy-Procurement/massachusetts |title=Massachusetts Electricity deregulation |date=June 2, 2020 |publisher=Good Energy}}</ref> In 2018, Massachusetts consumed 1,459{{spaces}}trillion ],<ref name=EIAmass>{{cite web |title=State Profile and Energy Estimates |url=http://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=MA |publisher=] |access-date=July 29, 2020}}</ref> making it the seventh-lowest state in terms of consumption of energy per capita, and 31 percent of that energy came from ].<ref name=EIAmass/> In 2014 and 2015, Massachusetts was ranked as the most energy efficient state the United States<ref>{{cite web |title=State Scorecard Rank |url=http://database.aceee.org/state-scorecard-rank |publisher=] |access-date=June 13, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=2015 State Scorecard Rank—Massachusetts |url=http://aceee.org/sites/default/files/pdf/state-sheet/2015/massachusetts.pdf |publisher=] |access-date=June 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604091938/http://aceee.org/sites/default/files/pdf/state-sheet/2015/massachusetts.pdf |archive-date=June 4, 2016 }}</ref> while Boston is the most efficient city,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Elisa |title=Boston Takes Top Spot Again in City Energy Efficiency Scorecard |url=http://energyefficiencymarkets.com/whos-surprised-boston-takes-top-spot-again-in-city-energy-efficiency-scorecard/ |access-date=June 13, 2015 |publisher=Energy Efficiency Markets.com |date=May 26, 2015}}</ref> but it had the fourth-highest average residential retail electricity prices of any state.<ref name=EIAmass/> In 2018, renewable energy was about 7.2 percent of total energy consumed in the state, ranking 34th.<ref name=EIAmass/>
{{-}}


==Transportation== ==Transportation==
{{See also|Category:Transportation in Massachusetts}}
], serving ].]]
Massachusetts has 10 regional ]s and three non-metropolitan planning organizations covering the remainder of the state; statewide planning is handled by the ].


{{Main|Massachusetts Department of Transportation|Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Category:Transportation in Massachusetts}}
===Rail service===
{{see also|Plug-in electric vehicles in Massachusetts}}
] operates ], including the high-speed ] service to cities such as ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Routes – Acela Express | publisher=] | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/AM_Route_C/1241245664867/1237405732511}}</ref>
], serving ]]]


For federal funding purposes, Massachusetts has 10 regional ]s and three non-metropolitan planning organizations covering the remainder of the state;<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Regional Planning Agencies |url=http://www.apa-ma.org/resources/massachusetts-regional-planning-agencies |publisher=] |access-date=April 30, 2015}}</ref> statewide planning is handled by the ]. Transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector in Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web |title=MassDEP Emissions Inventories |url=https://www.mass.gov/lists/massdep-emissions-inventories#greenhouse-gas-baseline,-inventory-&-projection- |publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts |access-date=February 11, 2019 }}</ref>
===Regional services===
The ] (MBTA) operates public transportation in the form of ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Subway Map | publisher=] | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/}}</ref> ]<ref>{{cite web | title = Bus Schedules & Maps | publisher=] | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/bus/}}</ref> and ferry<ref>{{cite web | title = Boat Map and Schedules | publisher=] | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/boats/}}</ref> systems in the ] area. It also operates longer distance ] services throughout the larger ] area, including service to ] and ], Rhode Island.<ref>{{cite web | title = Commuter Rail Maps and Schedules | publisher=] | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/}}</ref>


===Regional public transportation===
Fifteen other regional transit authorities provide public transportation in the form of bus services in their local communities.<ref>{{cite web | title = Your Transit Authorities | publisher=Massachusetts Association of Regional Transit Authorities | accessdate =May 23, 2010 | url = http://www.matransit.com/}}</ref> Two ]s are in operation: the ] and the ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Cape Cod Central Railroad | publisher=] | accessdate =May 23, 2010 | url = http://www.capetrain.com/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2010 Scenic Train Schedule | publisher=Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum | accessdate =May 23, 2010 | url = http://berkshirescenicrailroad.org/schedules.php}}</ref>


The ] (MBTA), also known as "The{{spaces}}T",<ref>{{cite web |title=MBTA Website |url=http://www.mbta.com/index.asp |publisher=] |access-date=May 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418012818/http://www.mbta.com/index.asp |archive-date=April 18, 2015 }}</ref> operates public transportation in the form of subway,<ref>{{cite web |title=Subway Map |publisher=] |access-date=May 22, 2010 |url=http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/}}</ref> bus,<ref>{{cite web |title=Bus Schedules & Maps |publisher=] |access-date=May 22, 2010 |url=http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/bus/}}</ref> and ferry<ref>{{cite web |title=Boat Map and Schedules |publisher=] |access-date=May 22, 2010 |url=http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/boats/}}</ref> systems in the ] area.
As of 2006, a number of freight railroads were operating in Massachusetts, with ] being the largest carrier. Massachusetts has a total of {{convert|1079|mi|km}} of freight trackage in operation.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.aar.org/PubCommon/Documents/AboutTheIndustry/RRState_MA.pdf | title = Railroad Service in Massachusetts | publisher=Association of American Railroads | accessdate =June 2, 2010}}</ref> ] regulates freight and passenger ferry service to the islands and operates some of those lines.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.steamshipauthority.com/ssa/about.cfm | title = Background | publisher=] | accessdate =May 24, 2010}}</ref>

Fifteen other regional transit authorities provide public transportation in the form of bus services in the rest of the state.<ref>{{cite web |title=Your Transit Authorities |publisher=Massachusetts Association of Regional Transit Authorities |access-date=May 23, 2010 |url=http://www.matransit.com/}}</ref> Four ]s are also in operation:
* The ], operating from Hyannis to Buzzards Bay<ref>{{cite web |title=Cape Cod Central Railroad |publisher=] |access-date=May 23, 2010 |url=http://www.capetrain.com/}}</ref>
* The ], operating from Lee to Great Barrington<ref>{{cite web |title=2010 Scenic Train Schedule |publisher=Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum |access-date=May 23, 2010 |url=http://berkshirescenicrailroad.org/schedules.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828170559/http://www.berkshirescenicrailroad.org/schedules.php |archive-date=August 28, 2009 }}</ref>
* ] in Carver<ref>{{cite web |title=Edaville – The New England Classic Family Theme Park |url=https://edaville.com/ |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref>
* The ] in Lowell<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Streetcar Systems- Massachusetts – Lowell |url=https://www.railwaypreservation.com/vintagetrolley/lowell.htm |website=railwaypreservation.com |access-date=December 4, 2022 |date=November 25, 2022}}</ref>

===Long-distance rail and bus===

] operates several ] lines in Massachusetts. Boston's ] serves as the terminus for three lines, namely the high-speed '']'', which links to cities such as ], ], ], and eventually Washington DC; the '']'', which follows the same route but includes many more stops, and also continues further south to ] in Virginia; and the '']'', which runs westward to ], ], and eventually ].<ref name = "amtrak">{{cite web|url=https://www.amtrak.com/northeast-train-routes|title=Northeast Train Routes|website=Amtrak|access-date=June 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |website=Routes |title=Acela Express |publisher=] |access-date=May 22, 2010 |url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/AM_Route_C/1241245664867/1237405732511 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523233021/http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/AM_Route_C/1241245664867/1237405732511 |archive-date=May 23, 2010 }}</ref> Boston's other major station, ], serves as the southern terminus for Amtrak's '']'', which connects to ] and ] in Maine.<ref name = "amtrak"/>

Outside of Boston, Amtrak connects several cities across Massachusetts, along the aforementioned ''Acela'', ''Northeast Regional'', ''Lake Shore Limited'', and ''Downeaster'' lines, as well as other routes in central and western Massachusetts. The ] connects ] to ], operated in conjunction with the ], and the '']'' runs a similar route but continues further north to ]. Several stations in western Massachusetts are also served by the '']'', which connects ] to Washington DC.<ref name = "amtrak"/>

Amtrak carries more passengers between Boston and New York than all airlines combined (about 54% of market share in 2012),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/business/hassles-of-air-travel-push-passengers-to-amtrak.html|title=Air Travel's Hassles Drive Riders to Amtrak's Acela|first=Ron|last=Nixon|newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 15, 2012}}</ref> but service between other cities is less frequent. There, more frequent intercity service is provided by private bus carriers, including ] (headquartered in Springfield), ], ], ] and ]. Various ] depart for New York from South Station in Boston.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chinatown Bus: Fung Wah Bus, Boston New York Bus |url=https://boston-tourism-made-easy.com/chinatown-bus/ |website=BOSTON TOURISM MADE EASY |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref>

] services run throughout the larger Greater Boston area, including service to ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Commuter Rail Maps and Schedules |publisher=] |access-date=May 5, 2015 |url=http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/}}</ref> This overlaps with the service areas of neighboring regional transportation authorities. As of the summer of 2013 the ] in collaboration with the MBTA and the ] (MassDOT) is operating the ] providing passenger rail service between Boston and Cape Cod.<ref>{{cite web |title=CapeFlyer |access-date=July 29, 2013 |url=http://capeflyer.com/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=T announces summer Cape Cod train service |publisher=] |access-date=July 29, 2013 |url=http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/boston-south/T-announces-summer-Cape-Cod-train-service/-/9848842/19557134/-/f7pi02/-/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103130254/http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/boston-south/T-announces-summer-Cape-Cod-train-service/-/9848842/19557134/-/f7pi02/-/index.html |archive-date=November 3, 2013 }}</ref>

===Ferry===

Most ports north of Cape Cod are served by Boston Harbor Cruises, which operates ] in and around ] under contract with the ]. Several routes connect the downtown area with ], ], ], ], ], ], and some of the islands located within the harbor. The same company also operates seasonal service between ] and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mbta.com/schedules/ferry|title=Ferry Schedules and Maps|website=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|access-date=June 20, 2020}}</ref>

On the southern shore of the state, several different passenger ferry lines connect ] to ports along the mainland, including ], ], ], and ], all in Massachusetts, as well as ] in Rhode Island, ] in New Jersey, and ] in New York.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vineyardferries.com/|title=2020 Martha's Vineyard Ferry Schedules|website=Martha's Vineyard Ferries|access-date=July 23, 2020}}</ref> Similarly, several different lines connect ] to ports including Hyannis, New Bedford, ], and New York City.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nantucketferries.com/|title=2020 Nantucket Ferry Schedules|website=Nantucket Ferries|access-date=July 23, 2020}}</ref> Service between the two islands is also offered. The dominant companies serving these routes include ], ], and ], the latter of which regulates all passenger services in the region and is also the only company permitted to offer freight ferry services to the islands.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.steamshipauthority.com/ssa/about.cfm |title=Background |publisher=] |access-date=May 24, 2010}}</ref>

Other ferry connections in the state include a water taxi connecting various points in ],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://turnto10.com/amp/news/local/fall-river-water-taxi-begins-service-at-citys-waterfront-taunton-river-marina-water-business-memorial-day-arpa-project-boats-pilot-program-may-27-2024|title=Fall River water taxi begins service at city's waterfront|website=NBC|author=Allegra Zamore|date=May 27, 2024|access-date=June 4, 2024}}</ref> seasonal ferry service connecting ] to Provincetown,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.captjohn.com/fast-ferry-ptown/|title=Fast Ferry to Provincetown|website=Captain John Boats|access-date=June 20, 2020}}</ref> and a service between New Bedford and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cuttyhunkferryco.com/|title=New Bedford to Cuttyhunk Ferry Service|website=Cuttyhunk Ferry Co.|access-date=July 23, 2020}}</ref>

===Rail freight===

{{See also|List of Massachusetts railroads}}

As of 2018, a number of ] were operating in Massachusetts, with Class I railroad ] being the largest carrier, and another Class 1, ] serving the state via its ] joint partnership. Several regional and short line railroads also provide service and connect with other railroads.<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Passenger and Freight Rail |url=http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/MapsDataandReports/Maps/PassengerandFreightRail.aspx |publisher=] |access-date=May 2, 2015 |archive-date=April 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150420041125/http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/MapsDataandReports/Maps/PassengerandFreightRail.aspx }}</ref> Massachusetts has a total of {{convert|1,110|mi|km}} of freight trackage in operation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mass.gov/doc/final-state-rail-plan-spring-2018/download|title=Massachusetts State Rail Plan, May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts State Fact Sheet: Rail Fast Facts For 2017 |url=https://www.aar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/AAR-Massachusetts-State-Fact-Sheet.pdf |publisher=Association of American Railroads |access-date=February 12, 2019 |archive-date=February 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213183458/https://www.aar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/AAR-Massachusetts-State-Fact-Sheet.pdf }}</ref>


===Air service=== ===Air service===
The major airport in the state is ]. The airport served over 28 million passengers in 2007 and is used by around 50 airlines.<ref name=MassPort1>{{cite web | title = Who We Are | publisher=] | accessdate =May 24, 2010 | url = http://www.massport.com/about/about.html}}</ref> Logan International Airport has service to numerous cities throughout the United States, as well as international service to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Logan, ] in ], and ] are operated by ], an independent state transportation agency.<ref name=MassPort1/> Massachusetts has approximately 42 public-use airfields, and over 200 private landing spots.<ref>http://www.massaeronautics.org/default.asp?pgid=AeroAbout&sid=level2</ref> Some airports receive funding from the Aeronautics Division of the ] and the ]; FAA is also the primary regulator.


{{further2|]}} {{Further|List of airports in Massachusetts}}
] in Boston is the largest airport in New England in terms of passenger volume]]


] served 33.5{{spaces}}million passengers in 2015 (up from 31.6{{spaces}}million in 2014)<ref name=LoganTraffic/> through 103 ]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Logan |url=https://www.massport.com/logan-airport/about-logan/ |publisher=] |access-date=May 2, 2015}}</ref><ref name=massport>{{cite web |title=About Massport |url=https://www.massport.com/about-massport/about-massport/ |publisher=] |access-date=May 2, 2015 |archive-date=July 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707205904/http://www.massport.com/about-massport/about-massport/ }}</ref> Logan, ] in ], and ] are operated by ], an independent state transportation agency.<ref name=massport/> Massachusetts has 39 public-use airfields<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mass.gov/public-use-airports/locations|title=Public Use Airports Locations &#124; Mass.gov|website=mass.gov}}</ref> and more than 200 private landing spots.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mass Aeronautics |url=http://www.massaeronautics.org/default.asp?pgid=AeroAbout&sid=level2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505120625/http://www.massaeronautics.org/default.asp?pgid=AeroAbout&sid=level2 |archive-date=May 5, 2008 }}</ref> Some airports receive funding from the Aeronautics Division of the ] and the ]; the FAA is also the primary regulator of Massachusetts air travel.<ref>{{cite web |title=About FAA |url=https://www.faa.gov/about/ |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration |access-date=May 2, 2015}}</ref>
===Road===
There are a total of {{convert|31300|mi|km}} of ] and highways in Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/ciswel/weltomas.htm#trans | title = Transportation | publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts | accessdate =May 31, 2010}}</ref> ], also known as the ], is the longest interstate in the commonwealth. The route runs {{convert|136|mi|km|abbr=on}} generally west to east from the New York state line near the town of ] and passes just north of ], just south of ] and through ] before terminating near Logan International Airport in Boston. Other major interstates include ], which runs generally north and south along the ], ], which runs north and south through central Boston, then passes ] and ] before entering New Hampshire. ], which follows most of the US Atlantic coastline, connects ] with Greater Boston, forming a loop around the more urbanized areas (for some distance cosigned with ]) before continuing north along the coast.


===Roads===
] forms a wide loop around the outer edge of Greater Boston. Other major interstates in the commonwealth include ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Major non-interstate highways in Massachusetts include ] ], ], ], and ], and state routes ], ], ] and 128. A great majority of interstates in Massachusetts were constructed during the mid 20th century, and at times were controversial, particularly the routing of I-95 through central Boston. Opposition to continued construction grew, and in 1970 Governor ] issued a general prohibition on most further freeway construction within the I-95/Route 128 loop in the Boston area.<ref>Brown and Tager, pp. 283–284.</ref> A massive undertaking to depress I-93 in downtown Boston, called the ], has brought the city's highway system under public scrutiny over the last decade.<ref name="BigDig1"/>

]

There are a total of {{convert|36,800|mi|km}} of ] and other highways in Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2019/03/27/2018-ri-ye-final.pdf |title=2018 Massachusetts Road Inventory Year End Report |publisher=] |access-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-date=December 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212162823/https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2019/03/27/2018-ri-ye-final.pdf }}</ref> ] (I-90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike), is the longest interstate in Massachusetts. The route travels {{convert|136|mi|km|abbr=on}} generally west to east, entering Massachusetts at the New York state line in the town of ], and passes just north of ], just south of ] and through ] before terminating near Logan International Airport in Boston.<ref>{{cite web |title=Interstate 90 |url=http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-090.html |website=interstate-guide.com |publisher=AARoads |access-date=June 10, 2015 |archive-date=January 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080125162913/http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-090.html }}</ref> Other major interstates include ], which travels generally north and south along the ]; ], which travels north and south through central Boston, then passes through ] before entering New Hampshire; and ], which connects ] with Greater Boston, forming a partial ] ] with ] around the more urbanized areas before continuing north along the coast into New Hampshire.<ref>{{cite news |first1 = David |last1 = Montgomery |first2 = Josh |last2 = White |newspaper = ] |title = 128 Cars, Trucks Crash in Snow on I-95 |date = February 23, 2001 |page = A1 }}</ref>

] forms a wide loop around the outer edge of Greater Boston. Other major interstates in Massachusetts include ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Major non-interstate highways in Massachusetts include ] ], ], ], and ], and state routes ], ], 9, ], and 128. A great majority of interstates in Massachusetts were constructed during the mid-20th century, and at times were controversial, particularly the intent ], first proposed in 1948. Opposition to continued construction grew, and in 1970 Governor ] issued a general prohibition on most further freeway construction within the I-95/Route 128 loop in the Boston area.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|pp=283–284}} A massive undertaking to bring I-93 underground in downtown Boston, called the ], brought the city's highway system under public scrutiny for its high cost and construction quality.<ref name=BigDig1/>


==Government and politics== ==Government and politics==
] facing ].]]
The government of Massachusetts is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The commonwealth has a long political history; earlier political structures included the ] of 1620, the separate ] and ] colonies, and the combined colonial ]. The ] was ratified in 1780 while the ] was in progress, four years after the ] was drafted, and eight years before the present ] was ratified on June 21, 1788. Drafted by ], the Commonwealth's constitution is one of the oldest functioning written constitutions in continuous effect in the world.<ref name="sjc-massgov">{{cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/courts/sjc/john-adams-b.html|title=John Adams and the Massachusetts Constitution|year=2007|publisher=Massachusetts Judicial Branch, mass.gov|accessdate=July 18, 2009}}</ref>


], topped by its golden dome, faces ] on ].]]
In recent decades, Massachusetts politics have been generally dominated by the ], and the state has a reputation for being one of the most ] in the country. In 1974, ] became ] openly ] or ] candidate elected to a state legislature in US history.<ref name="glbtq">{{cite web | last =Gianoulis

| first =Tina | title = Noble, Elaine | publisher =glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture | date =2005-10-13
Massachusetts has a long political history; earlier political structures included the ] of 1620, the separate ] and ] colonies, and the combined colonial ]. The ] was ratified in 1780 while the ] was in progress, four years after the ] was drafted, and eight years before the present ] was ratified on June 21, 1788. Drafted by ], the Massachusetts Constitution is the oldest functioning written constitution in continuous effect in the world.<ref>{{cite book |last=Levy |first=Leonard |title=Seasoned Judgments: The American Constitution, Rights, and History |year=1995 |page=307 |publisher=Transaction Publishers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-7lKq0dfs54C&pg=PA307 |access-date=June 10, 2015|isbn=978-1-4128-3382-0 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Kemp |first=Roger |title=Documents of American Democracy |year=2010 |page=59 |publisher=McFarland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JHawgM-WnlUC&pg=PA59|isbn=978-0-7864-5674-1 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Murrin |first=John |title=Liberty, Power, and Equality: A History |year=2011 |publisher=Cengage Learning |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CADtJymgzk4C&pg=PT222|isbn=978-0-495-91587-4 }}</ref> It has been amended 121 times, most recently in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Constitution |url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Constitution |website=malegislature.gov |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref>
| url =http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/noble_e.html

| accessdate =2007-09-24 }}</ref> The state housed the first openly gay member of the ], ].
Massachusetts politics since the second half of the 20th century have generally been dominated by the ], and the state has a reputation for being the most ] state in the country.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hickey |first1=Walter |title=The Most Liberal States In America |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/most-liberal-states-2013-2#2-massachusetts--305-percent-liberal-9 |website=] |access-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref> In 1974, ] became ] openly lesbian or gay candidate elected to a state legislature in US history.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gianoulis |first=Tina |title=Noble, Elaine |publisher=glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture |date=October 13, 2005 |url=http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/noble_e.html |access-date=September 24, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030032157/http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/noble_e.html |archive-date=October 30, 2007 }}</ref> The state's ] elected the first openly gay member of the ], ], in 1972<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cave |first1=Damien |title=Gerry Studds Dies at 69; First Openly Gay Congressman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/15/us/15studds.html |newspaper=] |date=October 15, 2006 |access-date=April 26, 2015}}</ref> and in 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allow ].<ref name=CNNmarriage/> In 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to approve a law that provided for nearly universal healthcare.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/us/04cnd-mass.html|title=Massachusetts Set to Offer Universal Health Insurance|last=Belluck|first=Pam|date=April 4, 2006|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 28, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="Mandatory"/> Massachusetts has a pro-] law.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/09/politics/sanctuary-city-bans-states/index.html|title=Florida is about to ban sanctuary cities. At least 11 other states have, too|first=Catherine E. |last=Shoichet|publisher=CNN|date=May 9, 2019}}</ref> As of 2024, Massachusetts has a Democratic Governor, two Democratic Senators, and all nine Congressional Representatives are Democrats. Massachusetts is a blue state; ] was the last Republican to win the state in ].

In a 2020 study, Massachusetts was ranked as the 11th easiest state for citizens to vote in.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=J. Pomante II |first1=Michael |last2=Li |first2=Quan |title=Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020 |journal=Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy |date=December 15, 2020 |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=503–509 |doi=10.1089/elj.2020.0666 |s2cid=225139517 |doi-access=free }}</ref>


===Government=== ===Government===

{{Main|Government of Massachusetts}} {{Main|Government of Massachusetts}}
{{See also|Commonwealth (U.S. state)}}
The ] is divided into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The ] heads the executive branch; duties of the governor include signing or vetoing legislation, filling judicial and agency appointments, granting pardons, preparing an annual budget, and commanding the ].<ref name=MassPol1>{{cite web | url = http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf1b.htm | title = Massachusetts Facts: Politics | publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts | accessdate =June 1, 2010}}</ref> Massachusetts governors, unlike those of most other states, are addressed as His/Her Excellency.<ref name=MassPol1/> The current governor is ], a Democrat from ]. The executive branch also includes the Executive Council, which is made up of eight elected councilors and the ].<ref name=MassPol1/>
] (]), the 73rd ]]]
The ] is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The ] 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Government Structure |url=https://budget.digital.mass.gov/bb/h1/fy10h1/prnt10/exec10/pbuddevstructure.htm |website=budget.digital.mass.gov |access-date=December 3, 2022}}</ref>


====Executive branch====
Abilities of the Council include confirming gubanatorial appointments and certifying elections.<ref name=MassPol1/> The ] and ] comprise the legislature of the commonwealth, known as the ].<ref name=MassPol1/> The House consists of 160 members while the Senate has 40 members.<ref name=MassPol1/> 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.<ref name=MassPol1/>
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 the ].<ref name=MassPol1>{{cite web |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf1b.htm |title=Massachusetts Facts: Politics |publisher=] |access-date=June 1, 2010}}</ref> Massachusetts governors, unlike those of most other states, are addressed as His/Her Excellency.<ref name=MassPol1/> The governor is ] and the incumbent lieutenant governor is ]. The governor conducts the affairs of state alongside a separate ] made up of the ] and eight separately elected councilors.<ref name=MassPol1/> 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.<ref name=MassPol1 />


Aside from the governor and Governor's Council, the executive branch also includes four independently elected constitutional officers: a ], an ], a ], and a ]. The commonwealth's incumbent constitutional officers are respectively ], ], ] and ], all ]. 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 the ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/|title=Main Menu|publisher=Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth|access-date=May 14, 2022}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-attorney-general-maura-healey|title=Office of the Attorney General|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|access-date=May 14, 2022}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.masstreasury.org/departments|title=Departments|publisher=Office of the Treasurer and Receiver-General|access-date=May 14, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-the-state-auditor|title=Office of the State Auditor|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|access-date=May 14, 2022}}</ref>
Each branch consists of several committees.<ref name=MassPol1/> Members of both bodies are elected to two-year terms. The Judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Judicial Court, which serves over a number of lower courts.<ref name=MassPol1/> The Supreme Judicial Court is made up of a chief justice and six associate justices.<ref name=MassPol1/> Judicial appointments are made by the governor and confirmed by the executive council.<ref name=MassPol1/>


====Legislative branch====
The Congressional delegation from Massachusetts is almost entirely ].<ref name=USSenate>{{cite web |url= http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm|title=Members of the 111th Congress |publisher=] |accessdate=October 18, 2009}}</ref><ref name=USHouse>{{cite web |url= http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cispdf/ma_uscongress.pdf|title=Massachusetts Congressional Districts |publisher=] |format=PDF |accessdate=October 18, 2009}}</ref> Currently, the ] are Democrat ] and Republican ]. The ten members of the state's delegation to the ] (all Democrats) are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name=USHouse/>
The ] and ] comprise the legislature of Massachusetts, known as the ].<ref name=MassPol1/> The House consists of 160 members while the Senate has 40 members.<ref name=MassPol1 /> 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.<ref name=MassPol1/> Each branch consists of several committees.<ref name=MassPol1/> Members of both bodies are elected to two-year terms.<ref>{{cite web |title=Number of Legislators and Length of Terms in Years |url=http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/number-of-legislators-and-length-of-terms.aspx |publisher=] |access-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref>


====Judicial branch====
Federal court cases are heard in the ], and appeals are heard by the ].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url= http://www.uscourts.gov/images/CircuitMap.pdf|title=Geographic Boundaries of United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts |publisher=uscourts.gov |format=PDF |accessdate=October 18, 2009}}</ref> In US presidential elections, Massachusetts is allotted 12 votes in the ], out of a total of 538.<ref>{{cite web | title = U.S. Electoral College – 2008 Presidential Election | publisher=archives.gov | accessdate =June 2, 2010 | url = http://archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2008/allocation.html}}</ref> Like most states, the commonwealth's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.<ref>{{cite web | title = U.S. Electoral College – Frequently Asked Questions | publisher=archives.gov | accessdate =June 2, 2010 | url = http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html}}</ref>
The ] (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.<ref name=MassPol1 />

Federal court cases are heard in the ], and appeals are heard by the ].<ref>{{cite web |location=US |url=http://www.uscourts.gov/file/document/us-federal-courts-circuit-map |title=Geographic Boundaries of United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts |publisher=United States Courts |format=PDF |access-date=May 12, 2015}}</ref>

====Federal representation====

The Congressional delegation from Massachusetts is entirely ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm |title=Members of the 111th Congress |publisher=] |access-date=October 18, 2009}}</ref> The ] are ] and ] while the ] are ] (]), ] (]), ] (]), ] (]), ] (]), ] (]), ] (]), ] (]), and ] (]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Directory of Representatives |url=http://www.house.gov/representatives/#state_ma |publisher=] |access-date=January 19, 2019}}</ref>

In U.S. presidential elections since 2012, Massachusetts has been allotted 11 votes in the ], out of a total of 538.<ref>{{cite web |series=Electoral College |title=Distribution of 2004 and 2008 Electoral Votes |publisher=] |location=US |access-date=June 2, 2010 |url=http://archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2008/allocation.html}}</ref> Like most states, Massachusetts's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.<ref>{{cite web |location=US |series=Electoral College |title=Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=] |access-date=June 2, 2010 |url=https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html}}</ref>


===Politics=== ===Politics===
{{Main|Politics of Massachusetts}} {{Main|Politics of Massachusetts|Political party strength in Massachusetts}}
{{See also|United States presidential elections in Massachusetts}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:110%;"
], Senator ], and former representative ].|alt=Two older men and an older woman stand in a crowd with signs reading "Joe Kennedy for Congress".]]
|+ '''Presidential elections results'''

|- style="background:lightgrey;"
For more than 70 years, Massachusetts has shifted from a previously ]-leaning state to one ] by ]; the ] of ] over incumbent Senator ] is seen as a watershed moment in this transformation. His younger brother ] held that seat until his death from a brain tumor in 2009.{{sfn|Brown|Tager|2000|p=310}} Since the 1950s, Massachusetts has gained a reputation as being a politically liberal state and is often used as an archetype of ], hence the phrase "]".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-07-25-mass-liberal_x.htm |title=Does 'Massachusetts liberal' label still matter? |first1=Susan |last1=Page |first2=Jill |last2=Lawrence |work=] |date=July 11, 2004 |access-date=October 17, 2009}}</ref>
! Year

! ]
Massachusetts is one of the most Democratic states in the country. Democratic core concentrations are everywhere, except for a handful of Republican leaning towns in the Central and Southern parts of the state. Until recently, Republicans were dominant in the Western and Northern suburbs of Boston, however both areas heavily swung Democratic in the Trump era. The state as a whole has not given its ] votes to a Republican in a ] since ] carried it in ], and not a single county has voted for a Republican presidential candidate since ] . Additionally, Massachusetts provided Reagan with his smallest margins of victory in both the ]<ref>{{cite web |title=1980 Presidential General Election Results—Massachusetts |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?f=0&fips=25&year=1980 |publisher=] |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> and 1984 elections.<ref>{{cite web |title=1984 Presidential General Election Results—Massachusetts |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?f=0&fips=25&year=1984 |publisher=] |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> Massachusetts had been the only state to vote for Democrat ] in the ]. In ], the best performance in over 50 years for a Democrat.<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Presidential Election Voting History - 270toWin |url=https://www.270towin.com/states/Massachusetts |website=270toWin.com |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref>
! ]

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 Senator ]) has been elected to either house of Congress from Massachusetts since 1994. Massachusetts is the most populous state to be represented in the ] entirely by a single party.<ref>{{cite web |last1=master |first1=Por |title=Capital of massachusetts – |url=https://sinproeste.org.br/capital-of-massachusetts/ |website=Sinproeste |date=October 12, 2022 |access-date=December 4, 2022 |language=pt-BR}}</ref>

As of the 2018 elections, the Democratic Party holds a super-majority over the Republican Party in ] of the ] (state legislature). Out of the ]'s 160 seats, Democrats hold 127 seats (79%) compared to the Republican Party's 32 seats (20%), an ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Members of the House of Representatives |url=https://malegislature.gov/People/House |publisher=] |access-date=January 18, 2019}}</ref> and 37 out of the 40 seats in the ] (92.5%) belong to the Democratic Party compared to the Republican Party's three seats (7.5%).<ref>{{cite web |title=Members of the Senate |url=https://malegislature.gov/People/Senate |publisher=] |access-date=January 18, 2019}}</ref> Both houses of the legislature have had Democratic majorities since the 1950s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hudak |first1=John |title=Presidential pork: White House influence over the distribution of federal grants |date=2014 |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Brookings Institution Press |isbn=978-0-8157-2520-6 |page=202 |url=https://www.brookings.edu/book/presidential-pork/ |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable floatright"
! colspan = 6 | Party registration as of August 2024<ref>{{cite web |title=Registration Statistics|publisher=] |access-date=May 17, 2024 |url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/research-and-statistics/registration-statistics.htm}}</ref>
|- |-
! colspan = 2 | Party
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|]
! Total voters
| style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|36% ''1,105,908
! Percentage
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|'''62%''' ''1,894,067
|- |-
| {{party color cell|Independent politician}}
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|]
| ]
| style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|37% ''1,070,109
| align=center | 3,256,754
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|'''62%''' ''1,803,801
| align=center | 64.43%
|- |-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (US)}}
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|]
| ]
| style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|33% ''878,502
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|'''60%''' ''1,616,487 | align=center | 1,327,704
| align=center | 26.27%
|- |-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (US)}}
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|]
| ]
| style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|28% ''718,107
| align=center | 418,899
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|'''62%''' ''1,571,763
| align=center | 8.29%
|- |-
| {{party color cell|Other parties (US)}}
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|]
|]
| style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|29% ''805,049
| align=center | 51,182
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|'''48%''' ''1,318,662
| align=center | 1.01%
|- |-
! colspan = 2 | Total
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|]
! align=center | 5,054,539
| style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|46% ''1,194,635
! align=center | 100.00%
| style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|'''53%''' ''1,401,416
|} |}
Despite the state's Democratic-leaning tendency, Massachusetts has generally elected Republicans as ]: only two Democrats (] and ]) have served as governor 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.<ref name="Leip, David">{{cite web|author=Leip, David|title=General Election Results—Massachusetts|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|access-date=November 18, 2016|publisher=]}}</ref> These have been considered to be among the most moderate Republican leaders in the nation;<ref>{{cite news |last=Gordon |first=Meryl |title=Weld at Heart |url=http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/politics/national/features/5574/ |newspaper=] |date=January 14, 2002 |access-date=May 23, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Vennochi |first=Joan |title=Romney's liberal shadow |url=http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/06/17/romneys_liberal_shadow/ |newspaper=] |date=June 17, 2007 |access-date=May 23, 2010}}</ref> they have received higher net favorability ratings from the state's Democrats than Republicans.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mass. GOP Voters Like Trump More Than Their Republican Governors|url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2020/03/02/charlie-baker-trump-republicans-poll|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=wbur.org|date=March 2, 2020 }}</ref>


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 Court ]<ref>{{cite news |title=Same-sex couples ready to make history in Massachusetts |publisher=CNN |date=May 17, 2004 |access-date=July 31, 2013 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/05/17/mass.gay.marriage/}}</ref> and ] which mandated health insurance for all Massachusetts residents.<ref name="Mandatory">{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11689698 |title=Massachusetts Makes Health Insurance Mandatory |first1=Michel |last1=Martin |first2=Judy Ann |last2=Bigby |publisher=] |date=July 3, 2007 |access-date=October 18, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122024733/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11689698 |archive-date= Jan 22, 2010 }}</ref> In 2008, Massachusetts voters passed ] decriminalizing possession of small amounts of ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/2008%20Return%20of%20Votes%20Complete.pdf |title=2008 Return of Votes Complete |publisher=] |date=December 17, 2008 |access-date=October 18, 2009 |archive-date=February 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208174407/http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/2008%20Return%20of%20Votes%20Complete.pdf }}</ref> Voters in Massachusetts also approved a ballot measure in 2012 that legalized the medical use of marijuana.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/11/06/massachusetts-voters-approve-ballot-measure-legalize-medical-marijuana/EpDzgJGfBjnOAkoXpJwm1K/story.html |title=Massachusetts voters approve ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana |website=Boston Globe |access-date=April 13, 2013 |archive-date=April 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412115401/http://archive.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/11/06/massachusetts-voters-approve-ballot-measure-legalize-medical-marijuana/EpDzgJGfBjnOAkoXpJwm1K/story.html }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news | title=Massachusetts issues first marijuana license |publisher=CommonWealth |date=June 21, 2018 |access-date=August 30, 2018 |url=https://commonwealthmagazine.org/marijuana/massachusetts-issues-first-marijuana-license/}}</ref> However, in 2020, a ballot initiative to implement ] failed, despite being championed by many ].<ref>{{cite web |first1=Simón |last1=Rios |title=Voters Say 'No' To Ranked-Choice Voting In Mass. |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2020/11/04/question-two-ranked-choice-voting-massachusetts-no |publisher=] |access-date=December 27, 2020 |date=November 4, 2020}}</ref>
Throughout the mid 20th century, Massachusetts has gradually shifted from a ]-leaning state to one largely dominated by ]; the ] of ] over incumbent Senator ] is seen as a watershed moment in this transformation. His younger brother ] held that seat until his death from a brain tumor in 2009.<ref>Brown and Tager, p. 310.</ref> Massachusetts has since gained a reputation as being a politically liberal state and is often used as an archetype of ], hence the usage of the phrase "]".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-07-25-mass-liberal_x.htm|title=Does 'Massachusetts liberal' label still matter?|author=Susan Page and Jill Lawrence|work=USA Today|date=July 11, 2004|accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref>


Massachusetts is one of the most ] states in the Union. A 2014 ] poll found that 74% of Massachusetts residents supported the right to an ] in all/most cases, making Massachusetts the most pro-choice state in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics|url=https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/compare/views-about-abortion/by/state/|access-date=April 17, 2021|website=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project}}</ref>
Massachusetts routinely votes for the Democratic Party, with the core concentrations in the Boston metro area, the Cape and Islands, and Western Massachusetts. Pockets of Republican strength are in the central areas along the I-495 crescent, and communities on the south and north shores,<ref>http://www.r-bloggers.com/mapping-ma-election-results/</ref>but the state as a whole has not given its ] votes to a Republican in a ] since ] carried it in ]. Additionally, Massachusetts provided Reagan with his smallest margins of victory in both the ] and 1984 elections. In recent elections, even ]'s 2010 win, Western MA is more reliably blue (by city/town) than Eastern MA.


In 2020, the state legislature overrode Governor ]'s veto of the ROE Act, a controversial law that codified existing abortion laws in case the ] overturned ], 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."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Massachusetts Senate Overrides Veto, Passes Law Expanding Abortion Access|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/29/951259506/massachusetts-senate-overrides-veto-passes-law-expanding-abortion-access|access-date=January 11, 2021|website=NPR|date=December 29, 2020|last1=Romo|first1=Vanessa}}</ref>
As of the 2006 election, the Republican party holds less than 13% of the seats in both legislative houses of the ]: in the House, the balance is 141&nbsp;Democratic to 19&nbsp;Republican, and in the Senate, 35–5.<ref> ''State Legislatures Magazine,'' National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved November 17, 2007.</ref>


The 2023 ''American Values Atlas'' by '']'' found that ] is supported near-universally by Massachusettsans.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=February 24, 2023 |title=American Values Atlas: Approval of Same-Sex Marriage in Massachusetts |url=https://ava.prri.org/#lgbt/2022/States/lgbt_ssm/m/US-MA |access-date=April 12, 2023 |website=]}}</ref>
Although Republicans held the governor's office continuously from 1991 to 2007, they have been among the more socially liberal Republican leaders in the nation.<ref>Gordon, Meryl. ''Weld At Heart'' ]. January 14, 2002. . Retrieved May 23, 2010.</ref><ref>Vennochi, Joan. ''Romney's liberal shadow'' '']''. June 17, 2007. . Retrieved May 23, 2010.</ref> In the ], Massachusetts gave native son ] 61.9% of the vote, his best showing in any state.<ref>{{cite web | title = Federal Elections 2004 (page 22)| publisher=] | accessdate =October 17, 2009 | url = http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2004/federalelections2004.pdf}}</ref> In ], President ] carried the state with 61.8% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web | title = 2008 Presidential Popular Vote Summary| publisher=] | accessdate =October 17, 2009 | url = http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2008/tables2008.pdf}}</ref> In a recent statewide election, a ] for the U.S. Senate, saw Republican ] defeat Democrat ] in an upset, by a 52% to 47% margin.<ref>{{cite news | title=Interactive Map, Election Results and Analysis |work=The New York Times | last1=Bloch | first1=Matthew | last2=Cox | first2=Amanda | last3=Ericson | first3=Matthew | last4=Hossain | first4=Farhana | last5=Tse | first5=Archie | date=January 19, 2010 | accessdate=May 22, 2010 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/19/us/politics/massachusetts-election-map.html}}</ref>


==Cities, towns, and counties==
A number of contemporary national political issues have been influenced by events in the commonwealth, such as the 2003 state Supreme Court decision ]<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/05/17/mass.gay.marriage/index.html|title=Same-sex couples ready to make history in Massachusetts |publisher=CNN |date=May 17, 2004 |accessdate=October 18, 2009}}</ref> and ] which mandated health insurance for all Bay Staters.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11689698|title=Massachusetts Makes Health Insurance Mandatory |publisher=] |date=July 3, 2007 |accessdate=October 18, 2009}}</ref> In 2008, Massachusetts voters passed ] decriminalizing possession of small amounts of ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/2008%20Return%20of%20Votes%20Complete.pdf |title=2008 Return of Votes Complete |publisher=] |format=PDF |date=December 17, 2008 |accessdate=October 18, 2009}}</ref>


{{Main|Government of Massachusetts#County_government|Government of Massachusetts#Municipal_government|l1 = Government of Massachusetts § County Government|l2 = Government of Massachusetts § Municipal Government}}
{{Further2|]}}


As of 2023,<ref name="MMA">{{cite web |url=https://www.mma.org/local-government-101/ |title=Local Government 101 |author=John Ouellette |publisher=Massachusetts Municipal Association |date=September 19, 2023}}</ref> there are ] in Massachusetts. Over time, many towns have voted to become cities; 14 municipalities still refer to themselves as "towns" even though they have a city form of government.<ref name="MMA" />
==Cities, towns, and counties==
], the capital and largest city of Massachusetts.]]
{{Main|Massachusetts Government#Local government|l1=Local Government}}


There are ] in Massachusetts, grouped into ].<ref name=MassCities1>{{cite web|url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cisctlist/ctlistidx.htm|title=Information and Historical Data on Cities, Towns, and Counties in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts|publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts|accessdate=June 8, 2010}}</ref> The fourteen counties, moving roughly from west to east, are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and There are ] in Massachusetts, grouped into ].<ref name=MassCities1>{{cite web |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cisctlist/ctlistidx.htm |title=Information and Historical Data on Cities, Towns, and Counties in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts |publisher=] |access-date=June 8, 2010}}</ref> The fourteen counties, moving roughly from west to east, are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Eleven communities which call themselves "towns" are, by law, cities since they have traded the ] form of government for a mayor-council or manager-council form.<ref>See ].</ref>
]. Eleven communities which call themselves "towns" are, by law, cities since they have traded the ] form of government for a mayor-council or manager-council form.<ref>See ].</ref>


Boston is the state capital and largest city in Massachusetts. The population of the city proper is 609,023,<ref name="City population">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2008-01.csv|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places over 100,000, Ranked by July 1, 2008 Population : April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 (SUB-EST2008-01)|publisher=United States Census Bureau, Population Division|accessdate=October 19, 2009|format=CSV}}</ref> and ], with a population of 4,522,858, is the 10th largest ] in the nation.<ref name=PopEstCBSA>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/tables/2008/CBSA-EST2008-01.csv|title=Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008|format=]|work=2008 Population Estimates|publisher=], Population Division|date=March 19, 2009|accessdate=October 19, 2009}}</ref> Other cities with a population over 100,000 include ], ], ], and ].<ref name=2007CityPopEst>{{cite web | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2007-04-25.csv | title = Annual Estimates of the Population for all Incorporated Places in Massachusetts: 2000–2007 | publisher=United States Census Bureau | accessdate =October 19, 2009}}</ref> ] is the largest municipality in the state by land area.<ref name=MassCities1/> Boston is the state capital in Massachusetts. The population of the city proper is 692,600,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/bostoncitymassachusetts/PST045219|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515190433/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/bostoncitymassachusetts/PST045219|archive-date=May 15, 2020|title=Quick Facts: Boston, Massachusetts|date=July 1, 2019|website=U.S. Census Bureau|publisher=]|access-date=June 13, 2020}}</ref> and ], with a population of 4,873,019, is the 11th largest ] in the nation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=G. Scott |title=Boston's population stays flat, but still ranks as 11th-largest in U.S. (BBJ DataCenter) |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/bbj_research_alert/2012/11/bostons-population-stays-flat-but.html?page=all |website=] |access-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref> Other cities with a population over 100,000 include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. ] is the largest municipality in the state by land area, followed by ].<ref name=MassCities1 />


Massachusetts, along with the five other ] states, features the local governmental structure known as ].<ref name=Sokolow>Sokolow, pp. 293–6</ref> In this structure, incorporated towns—as opposed to townships or counties—hold many of the responsibilities and powers of local government.<ref name=Sokolow/> Some of the county governments were abolished by the commonwealth in 1997, and elect only a sheriff and registrar of deed who are part of the state government.<ref name=Counties1>{{cite web | url = http://www.lwvma.org/govcounty.shtml | title = Massachusetts Government: County Government | publisher=] | accessdate =October 19, 2009}}</ref> Others have been reorganized, and a few still retain county councils.<ref name=Counties1/> Massachusetts, along with the five other ] states, features the local governmental structure known as ].{{sfn|Sokolow|1997|pp=293–6}} In this structure, incorporated towns—as opposed to townships or counties—hold many of the responsibilities and powers of local government.{{Sfn|Sokolow|1997|pp=293–6}} Most of the county governments were abolished by the state of Massachusetts beginning in 1997 including ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Facts Part One: Concise Facts |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf1b.htm |publisher=] |access-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref> the largest county in the state by population.<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Population by County |url=http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/united-states/quick-facts/massachusetts/population#map |publisher=indexmundi.com |access-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Middlesex County, Massachusetts |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=] |access-date=May 4, 2015 }}</ref> The voters of these now-defunct counties elect only Sheriffs and Registers of Deeds, who are part of the state government. Other counties have been reorganized, and a few still retain county councils.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lwvma.org/your-government/counties/ |title=Massachusetts Government: County Government |date=December 9, 2012 |publisher=] |access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref>


{{Largest cities
==Education==
| country = Massachusetts
{{multiple image
| stat_ref = Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/usa/cities/massachusetts/|title=Largest Cities by population|date=July 1, 2021|publisher=2021 U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=April 28, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/plymouthtownplymouthcountymassachusetts/PST045222|title=Quick Facts: Plymouth town, Massachusetts|date=July 1, 2021|publisher=2021 U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=April 28, 2023}}</ref>
| direction = vertical
| list_by_pop =
| width = 180
| div_name =
| align = right
| div_link = Counties of Massachusetts{{!}}County
| footer = ] and ] are both widely regarded as in the top handful of universities worldwide for academic research in a myriad of disciplines.
| city_1 = Boston, Massachusetts{{!}}Boston
| image1 = HarvardWidenerLibrary.jpg
| div_1 = Suffolk County, Massachusetts{{!}}Suffolk
| image2 = MIT_Building_10_and_the_Great_Dome,_Cambridge_MA.jpg
| pop_1 = 654,776
}}
| img_1 = Boston skyline from Longfellow Bridge September 2017 panorama 2.jpg
Massachusetts was the first state to require municipalities to appoint a teacher or establish a grammar school with the passage of the ] of 1647,<ref>Dejnozka, et al., p. 313.</ref> and 19th century reforms pushed by ], founder of ], laid much of the groundwork for contemporary universal public education.<ref>Dejnozka, et al., p. 311.</ref><ref>Goldfield, et al. pp. 251–252.</ref> Massachusetts is home to the country's oldest public elementary school (], founded in 1639), oldest high school (], founded in 1635),<ref>Ramírez, Eddy. ''The First Class State'' '']''. November 29, 2007. . Retrieved June 5, 2010.</ref> oldest boarding school (], founded in 1763), oldest college (], founded in 1636)<ref>Rimer, Sara and Finder, Alan. ''Harvard Plans to Name First Female President'' '']''. February 10, 2007. . Retrieved June 5, 2010.</ref> and oldest women's college (], founded in 1837).<ref></ref>
| city_2 = Worcester, Massachusetts{{!}}Worcester
| div_2 = Worcester County, Massachusetts{{!}}Worcester
| pop_2 = 205,918
| img_2 = Downtown Worcester 2.jpg
| city_3 = Springfield, Massachusetts{{!}}Springfield
| div_3 = Hampden County, Massachusetts{{!}}Hampden
| pop_3 = 154,789
| img_3 = Downtown Springfield, MA.jpg
| city_4 = Cambridge, Massachusetts{{!}}Cambridge
| div_4 = Middlesex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Middlesex
| img_4 = Cambridge Skyline.jpg
| pop_4 = 117,090
| city_5 = Lowell, Massachusetts{{!}}Lowell
| div_5 = Middlesex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Middlesex
| pop_5 = 113,994
| img_5 =
| city_6 = Brockton, Massachusetts{{!}}Brockton
| div_6 = Plymouth County, Massachusetts{{!}}Plymouth
| pop_6 = 105,994
| img_6 =
| city_7 = Quincy, Massachusetts{{!}}Quincy
| div_7 = Norfolk County, Massachusetts{{!}}Norfolk
| pop_7 = 101,119
| img_7 =
| city_8 = New Bedford, Massachusetts{{!}}New Bedford
| div_8 = Bristol County, Massachusetts{{!}}Bristol
| pop_8 = 100,941
| img_8 =
| city_9 = Lynn, Massachusetts{{!}}Lynn
| div_9 = Essex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Essex
| pop_9 = 100,843
| img_9 =
| city_10 = Fall River, Massachusetts{{!}}Fall River
| div_10 = Bristol County, Massachusetts{{!}}Bristol
| pop_10 = 93,884
| img_10 =
| city_11 = Lawrence, Massachusetts{{!}}Lawrence
| div_11 = Essex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Essex
| pop_11 = 88,508
| img_11 =
| city_12 = Newton, Massachusetts{{!}}Newton
| div_12 = Middlesex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Middlesex
| pop_12 = 87,453
| img_12 =
| city_13 = Somerville, Massachusetts{{!}}Somerville
| div_13 = Middlesex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Middlesex
| pop_13 = 79,815
| img_13 =
| city_14 = Framingham, Massachusetts{{!}}Framingham
| div_14 = Middlesex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Middlesex
| pop_14 = 71,265
| img_14 =
| city_15 = Haverhill, Massachusetts{{!}}Haverhill
| div_15 = Essex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Essex
| pop_15 = 67,361
| img_15 =
| city_16 = Malden, Massachusetts{{!}}Malden
| div_16 = Middlesex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Middlesex
| pop_16 = 65,074
| img_16 =
| city_17 = Waltham, Massachusetts{{!}}Waltham
| div_17 = Middlesex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Middlesex
| pop_17 = 64,015
| img_17 =
| city_18 = Brookline, Massachusetts{{!}}Brookline
| div_18 = Norfolk County, Massachusetts{{!}}Norfolk
| pop_18 = 62,726
| img_18 =
| city_19 = Plymouth, Massachusetts{{!}}Plymouth
| div_19 = Plymouth County, Massachusetts{{!}}Plymouth
| pop_19 = 62,131
| img_19 =
| city_20 = Medford, Massachusetts{{!}}Medford
| div_20 = Middlesex County, Massachusetts{{!}}Middlesex
| pop_20 = 62,098
| img_20 =
}}


==Arts, culture, and recreation==
In 1852, Massachusetts became the first state to pass compulsory school attendance laws.<ref> ''National Conference of State Legislatures.'.' Retrieved December 28, 2006.</ref> The per-student public expenditure for elementary and secondary schools (kindergarten through grade 12) was fifth in the nation in 2004, at $11,681.<ref> Source footnote: "Rankings & Estimates 2005–2006, Rankings, Table H-11." ( NEA Research, Estimates Database (2006). K–12 = "Elementary and Secondary".) ''National Education Association'.' Retrieved January 12, 2007.</ref> In 2007, Massachusetts scored highest of all the states in math on the National Assessments of Educational Progress.<ref>{{cite web | title = 2007 NAEP Tests: Summary of Results for Massachusetts | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Elemtary & Secondary Education | accessdate =May 22, 2010 | url = http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/naep/results/07read_math.pdf}}</ref>


]'s cabin at ] in ]]]
Massachusetts is home to 121 institutions of higher education.<ref name=Education1>{{cite web | url = http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/ciswel/weltomas.htm#edu | title = A Practical Guide to Living in the State – Education | publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts | accessdate =June 2, 2010}}</ref> Harvard University and the ], both located in ], consistently rank among the world's best universities.<ref>{{cite web | title = World's Best Universities:Top 400 |work=] | accessdate =May 25, 2010 | url = http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/worlds-best-universities/2010/02/25/worlds-best-universities-top-400.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Academic Rankings of World Universities – 2009 | publisher=] | accessdate =May 25, 2010 | url = http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2009.jsp}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Top 200 World Universities | publisher=] | accessdate =May 25, 2010 | url = http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/hybrid.asp?typeCode=438}}</ref> In addition to Harvard and MIT, several other Massachusetts universities consistently rank in the top 40 at the national level in the ] of '']'': ] (#29 for 2012), ] (#31), and ] (also #31).
] (pictured above)]]
Massachusetts has contributed to American arts and culture. Drawing from its ] and ] roots, along with later immigrant groups, Massachusetts has produced several writers, artists, and musicians. Some major museums and important historical sites are also located there, and events and festivals throughout the year celebrate the state's history and heritage.<ref>{{cite web |title=History Museums |date=June 3, 2013 |url=http://www.massvacation.com/explore/history/history-museums/ |publisher=Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism |access-date=May 6, 2015}}</ref>


Massachusetts was an early center of the ] movement, which emphasized intuition, emotion, human individuality and a deeper connection with nature.{{sfn|Goldfield|Abbott|Anderson|Argersinger|1998|p=254}} ], who was born in Boston but spent much of his later life in ], largely created the philosophy with his 1836 work ], and continued to be a key figure in the movement for the remainder of his life. Emerson's friend, ], who was also involved in Transcendentalism, recorded his year spent alone in a small cabin at nearby ] in the 1854 work '']''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Walden Pond State Reservation |url=http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/walden-pond-state-reservation.html |publisher=] |access-date=May 6, 2015}}</ref>
Among ], three of the top handful in the nation are within the state of Massachusetts: ] (#1 in the liberal arts ranking of ''USNWR''), ] (#2), and ] (#6). Others regularly placing in the top 40 are ] (#19), ] (#29), and ] (also #29). According to this "granddaddy of the college rankings", roughly five (12.5%) of the top 40 research universities and six (15%) of the top 40 liberal arts colleges reside in this state that contains only 2% of the U.S. population.


Other famous authors and poets born or strongly associated with Massachusetts include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], better known as "Dr. Seuss".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/long/historyculture/henry-wadsworth-longfellow.htm |title=Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |publisher=] |access-date=May 30, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Details—Sunday—Massachusetts |publisher=] |access-date=May 29, 2010 |url=http://www.poets.org/state.php/varState/MA}}</ref><ref name=MassMisc>{{cite web |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf4.htm |title=Miscellaneous Massachusetts Facts |publisher=] |access-date=May 30, 2010}}</ref> Famous painters from Massachusetts include ] and ];<ref name=MassMisc/> many of the latter's works are on display at the ] in ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Norman Rockewell Museum of Vermont |url=http://www.normanrockwellvt.com/ |publisher=Norman Rockwell Museum of Vermont |access-date=May 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503193330/http://normanrockwellvt.com/ |archive-date=May 3, 2015 }}</ref>
The public ] (nicknamed ''UMass'') features five campuses in the state, with its flagship campus in ] that enrolls over 25,000 students.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.massachusetts.edu/system/about.html | title = The UMass System | publisher=] | accessdate =May 25, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://media.umassp.edu/massedu/ir/facts2009-10.pdf | title = UMass – Facts 2009–2010 | publisher=] | accessdate =May 25, 2010}}</ref>
] in ]]]
{{Further| List of colleges and universities in Massachusetts|List of engineering schools in Massachusetts|List of high schools in Massachusetts}}


Massachusetts is also an important center for the performing arts. Both the ] and ] are based in Massachusetts.<ref name=BostonArts1>{{cite web |url=http://www.massvacation.com/arts/music.php |title=Music |publisher=Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism |access-date=May 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010133331/http://massvacation.com/arts/music.php |archive-date=October 10, 2010 }}</ref> Other orchestras in Massachusetts include the ] in ], the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbsymphony.org/mission-history|title=Mission &#124; History|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207072244/https://www.nbsymphony.org/mission-history|archive-date=February 7, 2019 }}</ref> and the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.capesymphony.org/cape-symphony-orchestra-the-ccso.asp |title=About the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra |publisher=] |access-date=June 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203011311/http://www.capesymphony.org/cape-symphony-orchestra-the-ccso.asp |archive-date=December 3, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.springfieldsymphony.org/about/history.shtml |title=Our History |publisher=] |access-date=June 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418215808/http://www.springfieldsymphony.org/about/history.shtml |archive-date=April 18, 2010 }}</ref> ], in western Massachusetts, is a music venue that is home to both the ] and ], as well as the summer host for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.massvacation.com/westernMass/arts.php |title=Arts |location=MA, US |publisher=Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism |access-date=May 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103194144/http://massvacation.com/westernMass/arts.php |archive-date=January 3, 2010 }}</ref>
==Arts and culture==
]'s cabin at ] near ].]]
Massachusetts has contributed much to American arts and culture. Drawing from its Native American and Yankee roots, along with later immigrant groups, the commonwealth has produced a number of writers, artists, and musicians. A number of major museums and important historical sites are also located there, and events and festivals throughout the year celebrate the state's history and heritage.


Other performing arts and theater organizations in Massachusetts include the ], the ],<ref name=BostonArts1/> and the ]-based ]. In addition to classical and folk music, Massachusetts has produced musicians and bands spanning a number of contemporary genres, such as the ] bands ] and ], the proto-punk band ], the ] band ], and the ] band ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Leddy |first=Charles 'Chuck' |title=Rocking history lesson shows city was in a class by itself |url=http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2008/01/10/rocking_history_lesson_shows_city_was_in_a_class_by_itself/ |newspaper=] |date=January 10, 2008 |access-date=May 29, 2010}}</ref> The state has also been the birthplace of the rock bands ], ], and ], since these bands all were formed in Massachusetts cities such ], ], and ] respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/staind-mn0000178799/biography|title=Staind &#124; Biography & History|website=AllMusic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Godsmack {{!}} Biography & History|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/godsmack-mn0000665860/biography|access-date=January 14, 2021|website=AllMusic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Race |first=Victoria |date=September 30, 2015 |title=Interview – Highly Suspect |url=https://kryptonitemusic.com/2015/09/30/interview-highly-suspect/ |access-date=July 20, 2022 |website=Kryptonite Music Magazine |language=en}}</ref> Film events in the state include the ], the ], and a number of smaller film festivals in various cities throughout Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.massvacation.com/arts/filmfestivals.php |title=Film Festivals |location=MA, US |publisher=Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism |access-date=May 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010112315/http://massvacation.com/arts/filmfestivals.php |archive-date=October 10, 2010 }}</ref>
Massachusetts was an early center of the ] movement, which emphasized intuition, emotion, human individuality and a deeper connection with nature.<ref name="Goldfield254"/> ], who was from Boston but spent much of his later life in ], largely created the philosophy with his 1836 work ], and continued to be a key figure in the movement for the remainder of his life. Emerson's friend, ], who was also involved in Transcendentalism, recorded his year spent alone in a small cabin at nearby ] in the 1854 work '']''.<ref>{{cite web | title = Walden Pond State Reservation | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation | accessdate =May 29, 2010 | url = http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/walden/downloads/Walden_Pond.pdf}}</ref>
]'' fires a ] during its annual Fourth of July turnaround cruise]]


] in ] is the oldest church in America in continuous ecclesiastical use.<ref>{{cite news |last=Butterfield |first=Fox |title=The Perfect New England Town |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/14/travel/the-perfect-new-england-village.html |newspaper=] |date=May 14, 1989 |access-date=May 30, 2010}}</ref> Massachusetts has since become one of the most ] states in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/02/29/how-religious-is-your-state/?state=alabama|title=How religious is your state?|author= Michael Lipka and Benjamin Wormald|publisher=Pew research center|date=February 29, 2016|access-date=May 5, 2018}}</ref>]]
Other famous authors and poets born or strongly associated with Massachusetts include ], ], ], ], ], ], and ], better known as "Dr. Seuss".<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nps.gov/long/historyculture/henry-wadsworth-longfellow.htm | title = Henry Wadsworth Longfellow | publisher=National Park Service | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Details – Sunday – Massachusetts | publisher=Academy of American Poets | accessdate =May 29, 2010 | url = http://www.poets.org/state.php/varState/MA}}</ref><ref name=MassMisc>{{cite web | url = http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf4.htm | title = Miscellaneous Massachusetts Facts | publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref> Famous painters from Massachusetts include ] and ];<ref name=MassMisc/> many of the latter's works are on display at the ] in ].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.massvacation.com/find/detail.php?org_id=1094 | title = Details – Norman Rockwell Museum | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref>


Massachusetts is home to a large number of museums and historical sites. The ], the ], the ], and the ] contemporary art and sculpture museum in ] are all located within Massachusetts,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityofboston.gov/visitors/museums.asp |title=Museums |publisher=City of ] |access-date=May 29, 2010}}</ref> and the ] in ] includes several observatories, museums, and an aquarium.<ref>{{cite web |title=Art Museums |publisher=Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism |access-date=May 29, 2010 |url=http://www.massvacation.com/arts/art-museums.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010124413/http://massvacation.com/arts/art-museums.php |archive-date=October 10, 2010 }}</ref> Historically themed museums and sites such as the ] in ],<ref name=NPS1/> Boston's ] and nearby ], both of which preserve a number of sites important during the ],<ref name=NPS1/><ref>{{cite web |title=Places To Go |publisher=] |access-date=December 30, 2009 |url=http://www.nps.gov/bost/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm}}</ref> the ], which focuses on some of the earliest mills and canals of the ] in the US,<ref name=NPS1/> the ] in Boston, which includes important African-American and abolitionist sites in Boston,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afroammuseum.org/trail.htm |title=Black Heritage Trail |publisher=] |access-date=May 29, 2010 |archive-date=July 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702194503/http://www.afroammuseum.org/trail.htm }}</ref> and the ]<ref name=NPS1/> all showcase various periods of Massachusetts's history. ], marks the disembarkation site of the '']'' ] who founded ] in December 1620.
] in ].]]
The commonwealth is also an important center for the performing arts. Both the ] and ] are based in Massachusetts.<ref name=BostonArts1>{{cite web | url = http://www.massvacation.com/arts/music.php | title = Music | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =May 29, 2010}}</ref> Other orchestras in the commonwealth include the ] in ] and the ].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.capesymphony.org/cape-symphony-orchestra-the-ccso.asp | title = About the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra | publisher=] | accessdate =June 5, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.springfieldsymphony.org/about/history.shtml | title = Our History | publisher=] | accessdate =June 5, 2010}}</ref> ], in western Massachusetts, is a music venue that is home to both the ] and ], as well as the summer host for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bso.org/bso/mods/toc_01_gen_images.jsp?id=bcat5240121 | title = Tanglewood Jazz Festival | publisher=Boston Symphony Orchestra | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.massvacation.com/westernMass/arts.php | title = Arts | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =May 30, 2010}}</ref> ] in ] hosts a number of traditional and contemporary musical and dance events.<ref>{{cite web | title = Details – Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =May 29, 2010 | url = http://www.massvacation.com/find/detail.php?org_id=1078}}</ref>


] and ] are two ] or "living" museums in Massachusetts, recreating life as it was in the 17th and early 19th centuries, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Plimoth Plantation |publisher=] |access-date=May 29, 2010 |url=http://www.plimoth.org/about/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526084752/http://www.plimoth.org/about/ |archive-date=May 26, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Old Sturbridge Village |url=https://www.osv.org/ |publisher=] |access-date=May 7, 2015}}</ref>
Other performing arts and theater organizations in Massachusetts include the ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Details – Boston Ballet | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =May 29, 2010 | url = http://www.massvacation.com/find/detail.php?org_id=649}}</ref> the ],<ref name=BostonArts1/> and the ]-based ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Details – Shakespeare & Company | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =May 29, 2010 | url = http://www.massvacation.com/find/detail.php?org_id=1105}}</ref> In addition to classical and folk music, Massachusetts has produced musicians and bands spanning a number of contemporary genres, such as the ] band ], the ] band ], and the ] band ].<ref>Leddy, Chuck. ''Rocking history lesson shows city was in a class by itself'' '']''. January 10, 2008. . Retrieved May 29, 2010.</ref> Film events in the state include the ], the ], and a number of smaller film festivals in various cities throughout the commonwealth.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.massvacation.com/arts/filmfestivals.php | title = Film Festivals | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =May 29, 2010}}</ref>
] states. New Englander culture and identity remains strong in Massachusetts (] pictured above).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.uconn.edu/2004/May/rel04062.htm|title=UConn Poll: New Englanders & Regional Identity|website=news.uconn.edu|access-date=July 25, 2019|archive-date=June 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613221628/http://news.uconn.edu/2004/May/rel04062.htm}}</ref>]]
Boston's annual ] parade and "Harborfest", a week-long ] celebration featuring a fireworks display and concert by the Boston Pops as well as a turnaround cruise in Boston Harbor by the ], are popular events.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Siddiqui |first1=Faiz |last2=Ellement |first2=John R. |last3=Finucane |first3=Martin |title=Boston plans to hold Fourth of July celebrations Thursday |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/07/02/organizers-meet-today-decide-whether-hold-rehearsal-concert-esplanade/hAEMRvOxUOfuSGYQPNkqYO/story.html |access-date=May 7, 2015 |work=] |date=July 2, 2014}}</ref> The ], an ] in Worcester, draws tens of thousands of attendees every year.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kush |first=Bronislaus B |url=http://www.telegram.com/article/20100703/NEWS/7030347/1003/NEWS03 |title=Summer Nationals Weekend Revs Up |access-date=March 15, 2011 |website=] |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716205618/http://www.telegram.com/article/20100703/NEWS/7030347/1003/NEWS03 }}</ref> The ] is also a popular event in the state drawing more than 30,000 runners and tens of thousands of spectators annually.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Spectator's Guide To The 2015 Boston Marathon |date=April 20, 2015 |url=http://www.wbur.org/2015/04/18/spectators-guide-boston-marathon |publisher=] |access-date=May 8, 2015}}</ref>


Long-distance hiking trails in Massachusetts include the ], the ], the ], the ], and the Bay Circuit Trail.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/wherewework/southernnewengland/index.cfm |title=Southern New England |publisher=] |access-date=June 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100803013221/http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/wherewework/southernnewengland/index.cfm |archive-date=August 3, 2010 }}</ref> Other outdoor recreational activities in Massachusetts include sailing and yachting, freshwater and deep-sea fishing,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.massvacation.com/outdoor/fishing.php |title=Fishing & charters |publisher=Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism |access-date=June 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006100627/http://massvacation.com/outdoor/fishing.php |archive-date=October 6, 2010 }}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.massvacation.com/outdoor/whale-watching.php |title=Whale watching |publisher=Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism |access-date=June 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006105604/http://massvacation.com/outdoor/whale-watching.php |archive-date=October 6, 2010 }}</ref> downhill and cross-country skiing,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.massvacation.com/outdoor/skiing-snowboarding.php |title=Skiing/snowboarding |publisher=Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism |access-date=June 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308101738/http://massvacation.com/outdoor/skiing-snowboarding.php |archive-date=March 8, 2010 }}</ref> and hunting.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hunting |url=http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/recreational-activities/hunting.html |publisher=] |access-date=May 7, 2015}}</ref>
] fires a salute during its annual Fourth of July turnaround cruise.]]
Massachusetts is home to a large number of museums and historical sites. The ], the ] and the ] contemporary art and sculpture museum in ] are all located within the commonwealth,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.cityofboston.gov/visitors/museums.asp | title = Museums | publisher=City of Boston | accessdate =May 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.decordova.org/art/park/ | title = About the DeCordova Sculpture Park | publisher=DeCordova Sculpture Park | accessdate =May 29, 2010}}</ref> and the ] in ] includes several observatories, museums, and an aquarium.<ref name=Museums1>{{cite web | title = Art Museums | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =May 29, 2010 | url = http://www.massvacation.com/arts/art-museums.php}}</ref> Historically themed museums and sites such as the ] in ],<ref name="NPS1"/> Boston's ] and nearby ], both of which preserve a number of sites important during the ],<ref name=NPS1/><ref>{{cite web | title = Places To Go | publisher=] | accessdate =December 30, 2009 | url = http://www.nps.gov/bost/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm}}</ref> the ], which focuses on some of the earliest mills and canals of the ] in the US,<ref name=NPS1/> the ] in Boston, which includes important African-American and abolitionist sites in Boston,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.afroammuseum.org/trail.htm | title = Black Heritage Trail | publisher=Museum of African American History | accessdate =May 29, 2010}}</ref> and the ]<ref name=NPS1/> all showcase various periods of the commonwealth's history.


Massachusetts is one of the states with the largest percentage of ]s. It has many sanctuaries such as the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://religioustravelplanningguide.com/10-top-catholic-shrines-in-the-u-s/|title=10 Top Catholic Shrines in the U.S.|date=February 15, 2012|access-date=January 1, 2020|archive-date=October 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018134422/https://religioustravelplanningguide.com/10-top-catholic-shrines-in-the-u-s/}}</ref>
] and ] are two ] or "living" museums in Massachusetts, recreating life as it was in the 17th and early 19th centuries, respectively.<ref>{{cite web | title = About Plimoth Plantation | publisher=] | accessdate =May 29, 2010 | url = http://www.plimoth.org/about/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.osv.org/museum/index.html | title = Our Museum | publisher=Old Sturbridge Village | accessdate =May 29, 2010}}</ref> Boston's annual ] parade and "Harborfest", a week-long ] celebration featuring a fireworks display and concert by the Boston Pops as well as a turnaround cruise in Boston Harbor by ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Details – Sunday – July 4th | publisher=Boston Harborfest | accessdate =May 29, 2010 | url = http://www.bostonharborfest.com/sunday.html}}</ref> are popular events. The ], an ] in Worcester, draws tens of thousands of attendees every year.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kush, Bronislaus B.|url=http://www.telegram.com/article/20100703/NEWS/7030347/1003/NEWS03|title=Summer Nationals Weekend Revs Up|accessdate=March 15, 2011|publisher=Worcester Telegram}}</ref>


==Media== ==Media==

{{See also|List of television stations in Massachusetts|List of newspapers in Massachusetts|List of radio stations in Massachusetts}} {{See also|List of television stations in Massachusetts|List of newspapers in Massachusetts|List of radio stations in Massachusetts}}


There are two major television media markets located in Massachusetts. The Boston/Manchester market is the fifth largest in the United States.<ref name=Nielson>{{cite web| date = 2005-6 | url = http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html | title = Nielson Media Research Local Universe Estimates (US) | publisher=Nielson Media | accessdate =May 27, 2010 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20060517010320/http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html |archivedate = May 17, 2006}}</ref> All major networks are represented. The other market surrounds the Springfield area. ] in Boston is a major public television station and produces national programs such as ], ], and '']''.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.wgbh.org/about/index.cfm | title = WGBH – About Us | publisher=] | accessdate =May 27, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.wgbh.org/programs/programDetail.cfm?programid=97 | title = American Experience | publisher=] | accessdate =May 27, 2010}}</ref> There are two major television media markets located in Massachusetts. The Boston/Manchester market is the fifth-largest in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |year=2005 |url=http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html |title=Nielson Media Research Local Universe Estimates (US) |access-date=May 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060517010320/http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html |archive-date=May 17, 2006}}</ref> The other market surrounds the Springfield area.<ref>{{cite web |title=Springfield—Holyoke TV Channels |url=http://www.stationindex.com/tv/markets/springfield-holyoke |publisher=Station Index |access-date=May 7, 2015}}</ref> ] in Boston is a major public television station and produces national programs such as ], ], and '']''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wgbh.org/about/index.cfm |title=WGBH—About Us |publisher=] |access-date=May 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305145846/http://www.wgbh.org/about/index.cfm |archive-date=March 5, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wgbh.org/programs/programDetail.cfm?programid=97 |title=American Experience |publisher=] |access-date=May 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100506075722/http://www.wgbh.org/programs/programDetail.cfm?programid=97 |archive-date=May 6, 2010 }}</ref>


'']'', '']'', '']'' and the '']'' are the commonwealth's largest daily newspapers.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://abcas3.accessabc.com/ecirc/newsform.asp | title = US Newspaper – Search Results (Massachusetts) | publisher=Audit Bureau of Circulation | accessdate =May 25, 2010}}</ref> In addition, there are many community dailies and weeklies. There are a number of major ] and ] stations which serve Massachusetts,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?state=MA&call=&city=&arn=&serv=&vac=&freq=0.0&fre2=107.9&facid=&class=&dkt=&list=1&dist=&dlat2=&mlat2=&slat2=&NS=N&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&EW=W&size=9 | title = FM Query Results (Massachusetts) | publisher=] | accessdate =May 27, 2010}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web | title = About Us | publisher=UCV-TV | accessdate =May 27, 2010 | url = http://www.uvctv19.com/about-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = About WMUA | publisher=] | accessdate =May 27, 2010 | url = http://www.wmua.org/about}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = General | publisher=] | accessdate =May 27, 2010 | url = http://www.wzbc.org/about.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = About |work=] | accessdate =May 27, 2010 | url = http://www.thecrimson.com/about/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = About the BU Literary Society and Clarion | publisher=] | accessdate =May 27, 2010 | url = http://www.bu.edu/clarion/about.htm}}</ref> '']'', '']'', '']'', and the '']'' are Massachusetts's largest daily newspapers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://abcas3.accessabc.com/ecirc/newsform.asp |title=US Newspaper—Search Results (Massachusetts) |publisher=] |access-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001095406/http://abcas3.accessabc.com/ecirc/newsform.asp |archive-date=October 1, 2010 }}</ref> In addition, there are many community dailies and weeklies. The ] maintains a bureau in Boston, and local ] the ] feeds coverage of state government to other Massachusetts media outlets. There are a number of major ] and ] stations which serve Massachusetts,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?state=MA&call=&city=&arn=&serv=&vac=&freq=0.0&fre2=107.9&facid=&class=&dkt=&list=1&dist=&dlat2=&mlat2=&slat2=&NS=N&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&EW=W&size=9 |title=FM Query Results (Massachusetts) |publisher=] |access-date=May 27, 2010}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=General |publisher=] |access-date=May 27, 2010 |url=http://www.wzbc.org/about.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528232500/http://www.wzbc.org/about.html |archive-date=May 28, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About |newspaper=] |access-date=May 27, 2010 |url=http://www.thecrimson.com/about/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the BU Literary Society and Clarion |publisher=] |access-date=May 27, 2010 |url=http://www.bu.edu/clarion/about.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100508003510/http://www.bu.edu/clarion/about.htm |archive-date=May 8, 2010 }}</ref>


==Health== ==Health==

{{See also|List of hospitals in Massachusetts|Massachusetts health care reform|Governorship of Mitt Romney#Health care}} {{See also|List of hospitals in Massachusetts|Massachusetts health care reform|Governorship of Mitt Romney#Health care}}
]
Massachusetts generally ranks highly among states in most health and disease prevention categories. In 2009, the United Health Foundation ranked the state as third healthiest overall.<ref name=AHR1>{{cite web | title = America's Health Ranking – Massachusetts (2009) | publisher=United Health Foundation | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://www.americashealthrankings.org/yearcompare/2008/2009/MA.aspx}}</ref> However, the study also pointed to several areas in which Massachusetts ranked below average, such as the state's rate of ], which was the 11th highest in the country.<ref name=AHR1/> Massachusetts has the most doctors per 100,000 residents,<ref>{{cite web | title = Doctors per 100,000 Resident Population, 2007 | publisher=] | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/ranks/rank18.html}}</ref> the second lowest ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Infant Mortality Rate, 2006 | publisher=] | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/ranks/rank17.html}}</ref> and the lowest percentage of uninsured residents (for both children as well as the total population).<ref>{{cite web | title = Persons With and Without Health Insurance Coverage by State: 2007 | publisher=] | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s0150.pdf}}</ref> According to '']'', commonwealth residents have an average life expectancy of 78.4 years, the fifth longest in the country.<ref>{{cite web | title = U.S. States Ranked by Life Expectancy |work=Bloomberg Businessweek | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/sep2006/db20060913_099763.htm}}</ref> 37.2% of the population is overweight and 21.7% is obese,<ref name=CDC1>{{cite web | title = Overweight and Obesity (BMI) – 2007 | publisher=] | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/BRFSS/list.asp?cat=OB&yr=2007&qkey=4409&state=MA}}</ref> and Massachusetts ranks sixth highest in the percentage of residents who are considered neither obese nor overweight (41.1%).<ref name=CDC1/>


Massachusetts generally ranks highly among states in most health and disease prevention categories. In 2015, the ] ranked the state as third-healthiest overall.<ref>{{cite news |title=2015 Annual Report |url=https://www.americashealthrankings.org/learn/reports/2015-annual-report |newspaper=] |access-date=February 8, 2018}}</ref> Massachusetts has the most doctors per 100,000 residents (435.38),<ref>{{cite web |last1=The National Center for Biotechnology Information |title=Number of physicians in patient care per 100,000 resident population, by state: United States, 2018 |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK569310/table/ch2.tab16/?report=objectonly |website=Chartbook - Health, United States, 2019 |publisher=United States National Library of Medicine |access-date=June 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220619205147/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK569310/table/ch2.tab16/?report=objectonly |archive-date=June 19, 2022 |location=National Institutes of Health |format=Web page |year=2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Doctors per 100,000 Resident Population, 2007 |publisher=] |access-date=October 24, 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/ranks/rank18.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016214542/http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/ranks/rank18.html |archive-date=October 16, 2010 }}</ref> the second-lowest ] (3.8),<ref>{{cite web |last1=National Center for Health Statistics |title=Massachusetts |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/massachusetts/ma.htm |website=Key Health Indicators |publisher=CDC |access-date=June 19, 2022 |date=February 16, 2022 |quote=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.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Infant Mortality Rate, 2006 |publisher=] |access-date=October 24, 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/ranks/rank17.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016214511/http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/ranks/rank17.html |archive-date=October 16, 2010 }}</ref> and the lowest percentage of uninsured residents (children as well as the total population).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kaiser Family Foundation |title=Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0-18, 2019 |url=https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/children-0-18/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Uninsured%22,%22sort%22:%22desc%22%7D |website=kff.org |access-date=June 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170509101229/https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/children-0-18/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Uninsured%22,%22sort%22:%22desc%22%7D |archive-date=May 9, 2017 |location=San Francisco |year=2022 |quote=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.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kaiser Family Foundation |title=Health Insurance Coverage of the Total Population (CPS) |url=https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/health-insurance-coverage-of-the-total-population-cps/?currentTimeframe=0&selectedDistributions=uninsured&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Uninsured%22,%22sort%22:%22desc%22%7D |website=kff.org |date=September 21, 2021 |access-date=June 19, 2022 |location=San Francisco |quote=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.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Persons With and Without Health Insurance Coverage by State: 2007 |publisher=] |access-date=October 24, 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s0150.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016120337/http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s0150.pdf |archive-date=October 16, 2010 }}</ref> According to '']'', commonwealth residents have an average life expectancy of 80.41 years, the ] in the country.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schoenberg |first1=Shira |title=Why do the rich live longer in Massachusetts? Data on life expectancy show gaps along income, racial lines |url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2018/12/why-do-the-rich-live-longer-in-massachusetts-data-on-life-expectancy-show-gaps-along-income-racial-lines.html |access-date=June 19, 2022 |work=masslive.com |publisher=Advance Local Media |date=December 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218172433/https://www.masslive.com/news/2018/12/why-do-the-rich-live-longer-in-massachusetts-data-on-life-expectancy-show-gaps-along-income-racial-lines.html |archive-date=December 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/us-states-with-the-highest-and-lowest-life-expectancy-2017-5|title=Here's how your life expectancy varies based on which state you're born in|work=Business Insider|access-date=December 10, 2017}}</ref> 36.1% of the population is overweight and 24.4% is obese,<ref name=CDC1>{{cite web |last1=National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health |title=BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data |url=https://www.cdc.gov/brfss/brfssprevalence/. |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=June 19, 2022 |location=Atlanta |format=Online |year=2015 |quote=2020 Weight classification by Body Mass Index (BMI) (variable calculated from one or more BRFSS questions) (Crude Prevalence)}}</ref> and Massachusetts ranks sixth-highest in the percentage of residents who are considered neither obese nor overweight (39.5%).<ref name=CDC1/> Massachusetts also ranks above average in the prevalence of ], which is the 20th-highest in the country.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kanny |first1=Dafna |title=Annual total binge drinks consumed by US adults, 2015 |journal=American Journal of Preventive Medicine | last2 = Naimi | first2 = Timothy S. | last3 =Liu | first3 =Yong|last4 =Lu | first4 = Hua | last5 = Brewer | first5 = Robert D. |date=April 2018 |volume=54 |issue=4 |pages=486–496 |doi=10.1016/j.amepre.2017.12.021 |pmid=29555021 |location=PubMedCentral |pmc=6075714}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Booziest states in America: Who binge drinks most? |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/booziest-states-in-america-who-binge-drinks-most/7/ |publisher=] |access-date=June 18, 2022}}</ref>
The nation's first ] was erected by federal order in Boston in 1799.<ref name=jama-marinehosp>{{cite journal|title=The United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service|journal=Journal of the American Medical Association|date=July 30, 1904|volume=43|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=FlXlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA326|accessdate=February 20, 2011|author1=Association|first1=American Medical|last2=Press|first2=Highwire}}</ref><ref name=chelsea-marine>{{cite web|title=U.S. Marine Hospital|url=http://www.olgp.net/chs/hospital/marine.htm|publisher=Chelsea Historical Society|accessdate=February 20, 2011}}</ref> The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine lists a total of 132 hospitals in the state.<ref>{{cite web | title = Massachusetts Area Hospitals | publisher=Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://www.massmedboard.org/links/hospital_list.shtm}}</ref> According to rankings by '']'', ] in Boston is the third best overall hospital in the nation;<ref>{{cite web | title = Best Hospitals 2010–11: The Honor Roll |work=] | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/massachusetts-general-hospital-6140430/rankings}}</ref> the hospital also ranked first in ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Massachusetts General Hospital |work=] | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/massachusetts-general-hospital-6140430}}</ref> Massachusetts General was founded in 1811 and serves as the largest teaching hospital for nearby ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Hospital Overview | publisher=] | accessdate =October 24, 2010 | url = http://www.massgeneral.org/about/overview.aspx}}</ref>


The nation's first ] was erected by federal order in Boston in 1799.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service |journal=Journal of the American Medical Association |date=July 30, 1904 |volume=43 |issue=5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FlXlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA326 |access-date=February 20, 2011|doi=10.1001/jama.1904.92500050002|page=326}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Marine Hospital |url=http://www.olgp.net/chs/hospital/marine.htm |publisher=Chelsea Historical Society |access-date=February 20, 2011 |archive-date=November 26, 2010 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126111433/http://olgp.net/chs/hospital/marine.htm }}</ref> There are currently a total of 143 hospitals in the state.<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Hospitals: Directory |url=https://www.mhalink.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Hospital_Directory |publisher=Massachusetts Hospital Association |access-date=May 7, 2015 |archive-date=May 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518083727/https://www.mhalink.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Hospital_Directory }}</ref> According to 2015 rankings by '']'', ] is ranked in the top three in two health care specialties.<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. News Best Hospitals 2014–15 |url=http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings |website=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=June 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301113005/http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings |archive-date=March 1, 2012 }}</ref> Massachusetts General Hospital was founded in 1811 and serves as the largest teaching hospital for nearby ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Hospital Overview |publisher=] |access-date=October 24, 2010 |url=http://www.massgeneral.org/about/overview.aspx}}</ref>
Other teaching and medical institutions affiliated with Harvard include ], ] and ], among others.<ref>{{cite web | title = Facts and Figures: 2009–2010 | publisher=] | accessdate =October 25, 2010 | url = http://hms.harvard.edu/hms/facts.asp}}</ref> Boston is also the location of ], ] and ], the latter of which is the primary teaching hospital for ].<ref>{{cite web | title = About Us | publisher=] | accessdate =October 25, 2010 | url = http://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/BUSM-About.html}}</ref> The ] is located in ].<ref>{{cite web | title = An Introduction to UMass Medical School | publisher=] | accessdate =October 25, 2010 | url = http://www.umassmed.edu/about/index.aspx}}</ref> The ] has campuses in both Boston and Worcester.<ref>{{cite web | title = About us | publisher=The ] | url = http://www.mcphs.edu/about_mcphs/}}</ref>


The state of Massachusetts is a center for medical education and research including Harvard affiliates ], ], and ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Facts and Figures: 2009–2010 |publisher=] |access-date=October 25, 2010 |url=http://hms.harvard.edu/hms/facts.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305172041/http://hms.harvard.edu/hms/facts.asp |archive-date=March 5, 2012 }}</ref> as well as the ], ], and ] which is the primary teaching hospital for ].<ref>{{cite web|title=About Us |publisher=] |access-date=October 25, 2010 |url=http://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/BUSM-About.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414101335/http://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/BUSM-About.html |archive-date=April 14, 2010 }}</ref> The ] is located in ].<ref>{{cite web |title= UMass Chan Medical School partners with Studio Theatre Worcester for 'Next To Normal' |last1 = Lemmon | first1 = Olivia | location = Worcester | website = Spectrum News 1 |access-date= June 18, 2022|archive-date = June 19, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220619000024/https://spectrumnews1.com/ma/worcester/news/2022/06/16/umass-chan-partnering-with-studio-theatre-worcester |url= https://spectrumnews1.com/ma/worcester/news/2022/06/16/umass-chan-partnering-with-studio-theatre-worcester}}</ref> The ] has two of its three campuses in Boston and Worcester.<ref>{{cite web |title=Campuses |url=https://www.mcphs.edu/Campuses |publisher=MCPHS University |access-date=May 7, 2015 |archive-date=May 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501172114/http://www.mcphs.edu/Campuses }}</ref>
==Sports and recreation==
===Organized sports===
] in Boston is home to the ] of the ] and the ] of the ].]]
The Olympic sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in Western Massachusetts, (in Springfield and Holyoke, respectively.) The ], a shrine to the sport's history, is a major tourist destination in the City of Springfield. The ] is located in Holyoke.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1202148|title=Volleyball pushed as official team sport of Mass. |work=] |date=October 4, 2009 |accessdate=October 18, 2009}}</ref>


==Sports==
Massachusetts has a long history with amateur athletics and professional teams. Most of the major professional teams have won multiple championships in their respective leagues. Massachusetts teams have won six ]s (]),<ref>{{cite web | title = Stanley Cup Winners | publisher=] | accessdate =October 18, 2009 | url = http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinners.jsp?tro=STC}}</ref> seventeen ] (]),<ref>{{cite web | title = Celtics History&nbsp;— Championship Wins | publisher=] | accessdate =October 18, 2009 | url = http://www.nba.com/celtics/history/ChampionshipWins.html}}</ref> three ]s (]),<ref>{{cite web | title = Super Bowl History | publisher=] | accessdate =October 18, 2009 | url = http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history}}</ref> and eight ] (seven for the ], one for the ]).<ref>{{cite web | title = MLB World Series Winners | publisher=] | accessdate =October 18, 2009 | url = http://espn.go.com/mlb/worldseries/history/winners}}</ref> The ], (AHL,) the NHL's development league, is headquartered in Springfield. Other professional sports teams in Massachusetts include the ] AHL team, the ] AHL team, and the ] ] team.
{{Main|Sports in Massachusetts}}
] is the home venue for the ] (NFL) and the ] (MLS)]]


Massachusetts is home to five major league professional sports teams: eighteen-time ] ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Celtics History—Championship Wins |publisher=] |access-date=May 7, 2015 |url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/history/ChampionshipWins.html}}</ref> nine-time ] winners ],<ref>{{cite web|title=MLB World Series Winners |publisher=] |access-date=May 7, 2015 |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/worldseries/history/winners |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101122907/http://espn.go.com/mlb/worldseries/history/winners |archive-date=November 1, 2010 }}</ref> six-time ] winners ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Stanley Cup Winners |publisher=] |access-date=May 7, 2015 |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinners.jsp?tro=STC}}</ref> six-time ] winners ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Super Bowl History |publisher=National Football League |access-date=May 7, 2015 |url=http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history}}</ref> and five-time ] finalists ].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Butler|first=Dylan|date=December 6, 2020|title=New England Revolution ownership committed to Boston-area home: "We want to build the stadium"|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/new-england-revolution-ownership-committed-boston-area-home-we-want-build-stadiu|access-date=August 8, 2021|website=]|language=en}}</ref>
Massachusetts is also the home of the ], rowing events such as the ] on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester and the ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Cornell Rowing Excels at Eastern Sprints | publisher=Cornell University | accessdate =June 6, 2010 | url = http://cornellbigred.com/news/2010/5/16/MROW_0516105419.aspx}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = History of the Head of the Charles Regatta | publisher=Head of the Charles Regatta | accessdate =June 6, 2010 | url = http://www.hocr.org/about/history.asp}}</ref> and the ].<ref>{{cite web | title = 114th Boston Maraton | publisher=Boston Athletic Association | accessdate =June 6, 2010 | url = http://www.bostonmarathon.org/bostonmarathon/114thmarathon.asp}}</ref> A number of major golf events have taken place in Massachusetts, including nine ] and two ]s, among others.<ref>{{cite web | title = 2009 U.S. Open&nbsp;— Past Champions | publisher=] | accessdate =October 21, 2009 | url = http://usga.usopen.com/2009/history/past-champions.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Past Results | publisher=] | accessdate =October 21, 2009 | url = http://www.rydercup.com/2010/usa/history/past_results.html}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Deutsche Bank Championship | publisher=] | accessdate =October 21, 2009 | url = http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r505/}}</ref> The ] is the ] team in Massachusetts,<ref>{{cite web | title = Stadium Information | publisher=] | accessdate =October 21, 2009 | url = http://www.gillettestadium.com/stadium_information/}}</ref> and the ] are the ] team.<ref>{{cite web | title = MLL Standings | publisher=] | accessdate =October 21, 2009 | url = http://mll-boston.stats.pointstreak.com/standings.html?leagueid=323&seasonid=3806}}</ref> The ] are the ] in Massachusetts.


In the late 19th century, the ] sports of basketball<ref name=basketball>{{cite web |title=Springfield College: The Birthplace of Basketball |url=http://www.springfieldcollege.edu/welcome/birthplace-of-basketball/#.VTa-7CFVhBc |publisher=Springfieldcollege.edu |access-date=April 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504211534/http://www.springfieldcollege.edu/welcome/birthplace-of-basketball/#.VTa-7CFVhBc |archive-date=May 4, 2015 }}</ref> and volleyball<ref name=volleyball>{{cite web |title=The International Volleyball Hall of Fame |url=http://www.volleyhall.org/about-us.html |publisher=Volleyball.org |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref> were invented in the Western Massachusetts cities of ]<ref name=basketball/> and ],<ref name=volleyball/> respectively. The ] is a major tourist destination in the City of Springfield and the ] is located in Holyoke.<ref name=volleyball/> The ] (AHL), the ]'s development league, is headquartered in Springfield.<ref>{{cite web |title=AHL Staff Directory |url=http://theahl.com/staff-directory-p137544 |publisher=American Hockey League |access-date=May 7, 2015 |archive-date=March 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315010801/http://theahl.com/staff-directory-p137544 }}</ref>
A gymnastics center called Brestyan's American Gymnastics has also become well known in the competitive gymnastics world{{by whom|date=August 2012}} in the last decade for producing several internationally successful gymnasts like Olympic silver medalist and vault world champion ], 2011 world champion and two time Olympic Gold medalist ], and Canadian national team member ].


Several universities in Massachusetts are notable for their college athletics. ] fields teams in the nationally televised ], while ] competes in the famed ]. ], ], ], and ] also participate in Division I athletics.<ref>{{cite web | title = College Football Teams (FBS and FCS) | publisher=] | accessdate =October 18, 2009 | url = http://espn.go.com/college-football/teams}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = College Basketball Teams&nbsp;— Division I Teams | publisher=] | accessdate =October 18, 2009 | url = http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/teams}}</ref> Many other Massachusetts colleges compete in lower divisions such as ], where ], ], ], and others field teams. Several universities in Massachusetts are notable for their collegiate athletics. The state is home to two ] teams, ] of the ], and FBS ] ]. ] play includes ], which competes in the famed ], and ] of the ]. ], ], ], ], and ] also participate in Division{{spaces}}I athletics.<ref>{{cite web |title=College Football Teams (FBS and FCS) |publisher=] |access-date=October 18, 2009 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/teams}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=College Basketball Teams—Division I Teams |publisher=] |access-date=October 18, 2009 |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/teams}}</ref> Many other Massachusetts colleges compete in lower divisions such as ], where ], ], ], ], and others field competitive teams.<ref>{{cite web |title=NCAA Directory - Directory - Member Listing |url=https://web3.ncaa.org/directory/memberList?type=12&division=III |website=web3.ncaa.org |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref>


Massachusetts is also the home of rowing events such as the ] on ] and the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cornell Rowing Excels at Eastern Sprints |publisher=Cornell University |access-date=June 6, 2010 |url=http://cornellbigred.com/news/2010/5/16/MROW_0516105419.aspx}}</ref> A number of major golf events have taken place in Massachusetts, including nine ] and two ]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=2009 U.S. Open—Past Champions |publisher=] |access-date=October 21, 2009 |url=http://usga.usopen.com/2009/history/past-champions.html |archive-date=August 31, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831040023/http://usga.usopen.com/2009/history/past-champions.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Deutsche Bank Championship |publisher=] |access-date=October 21, 2009 |url=http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r505/ |archive-date=September 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924225531/http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r505/ }}</ref>
===Outdoor recreation===

Long-distance hiking trails in Massachusetts include the ], the ], the ], the ], and the Bay Circuit Trail.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/greenway/traillinks.htm | title = Greenways and Trails | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation | accessdate =June 5, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/wherewework/southernnewengland/index.cfm | title = Southern New England | publisher=] | accessdate =June 2, 2010}}</ref> Other outdoor recreational activities in the commonwealth include sailing and yachting, freshwater and deep-sea fishing,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.massvacation.com/outdoor/fishing.php | title = Fishing & charters | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =June 5, 2010}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.massvacation.com/outdoor/whale-watching.php | title = Whale watching | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =June 5, 2010}}</ref> downhill and cross-country skiing,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.massvacation.com/outdoor/skiing-snowboarding.php | title = Skiing/snowboarding | publisher=Massachusetts Department of Tourism | accessdate =June 5, 2010}}</ref> and hunting.
Massachusetts has produced several successful Olympians including ], ], and ] (]); ] (]); ] (]); ] (]); ] (]); ] (]); ] (]); ] (]); as well as ], ], ], ] (]).<ref>{{cite web |title=25 Olympians from Massachusetts |url=http://www.golocalworcester.com/sports/top-25-olympic-athletes-from-massachusetts |publisher=GoLocalWorcester |access-date=May 7, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.masslive.com/sports/2017/05/ranking_the_top_50_athletes_fr.html|title=Ranking the Top 50 Athletes from Massachusetts|date=May 30, 2017}}</ref>
{{Clear}}


==See also== ==See also==
* ]
{{portal|History|Native America|British Empire|Geography|North America|<!-- Northern America -->|United States|New England|Massachusetts}}
* ]
*Topic overview:
<!-- **] --> * ]
* ]
**]
* ]
**]
<!-- **] --> * ], 8 ships
<!-- **] --> * ], 2 ships
* '''''<small>{{portal-inline|Massachusetts}}</small>'''''
*]

*]
==Notes==
*]
{{notelist}}
*]
{{reflist|group=note}}
*]
{{clear}}


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}}
===Notes===
{{reflist|2}}


===Bibliography=== ==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |title=New England's outpost : Acadia before the conquest of Canada |last1=Brebner |first1=John Bartlet |year=1927 |publisher=Columbia University Press |location=New York, NY |isbn=0-7812-6367-0}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Barth |first1=Jonathan Edward |year=2014 |title='A Peculiar Stampe of Our Owne': The Massachusetts Mint and the Battle over Sovereignty, 1652-1691 |journal=The New England Quarterly |volume=87 |issue=3 |pages=490–525 |doi=10.1162/TNEQ_a_00396 |jstor=43285101|hdl=2286/R.I.26592 |s2cid=57571000 |hdl-access=free }}
* {{cite book |title=Anthropology and Migration:Essays on Transnational Ethnicity and Identity |last1=Brettell |first1=Caroline |year=2003 |publisher=] |location=Walnut Creek, CA |isbn=0-7591-0320-8}}
* {{cite book |title=Massachusetts: A Concise History |last1=Brown |first1=Richard D. |last2=Tager |first2=Jack |year=2000 |publisher=] |location=Amherst, MA |isbn=1-55849-248-8}} * {{cite book |title=New England's Outpost: Acadia Before the Conquest of Canada |last1=Brebner |first1=John Bartlet |year=1927 |publisher=Columbia University Press |location=New York, NY |author-link=John Bartlet Brebner |isbn=978-0-7812-6367-2}}
*{{Cite book |author=Dejnozka, Edward L.; Gifford, Charles S.; Kapel, David E.; Kapel, Marilyn B.; |year=1982 |title=American Educators' Encyclopedia |publisher=] |location=Westport, CT |isbn=0-313-20954-5}} * {{cite book |title=Anthropology and Migration:Essays on Transnational Ethnicity and Identity |last1=Brettell |first1=Caroline |year=2003 |publisher=] |location=Walnut Creek, CA |isbn=978-0-7591-0320-7}}
* {{cite book |title=Massachusetts: A Concise History |url=https://archive.org/details/massachusettscon00brow |url-access=registration |last1=Brown |first1=Richard D |last2=Tager |first2=Jack |year=2000 |publisher=] |location=Amherst, MA |isbn=978-1-55849-248-6}}
*{{Cite book |author=Goldfield, David; Abbott, Carl; Anderson, Virginia DeJohn; Argersinger, Jo Ann E.; Argersinger, Peter H; Barney, William L.; & Weir, Robert M. |year=1998 |title=The American Journey – A History of the United States |publisher=] |location=Upper Saddle River, NJ |isbn=0-13-656562-X}}
* {{cite book |title=Smallpox:The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scurge |last1=Koplow |first1=David A. |year=2004 |publisher=] |location=Berkeley, CA |isbn=0-520-24220-3}} * {{cite book |last1=Dejnozka |first1=Edward L |last2=Gifford |first2=Charles S |last3=Kapel |first3=David E |last4=Kapel |first4=Marilyn B |year=1982 |title=American Educators' Encyclopedia |url=https://archive.org/details/americaneducator0000dejn |url-access=registration |publisher=] |location=Westport, CT |isbn=978-0-313-20954-3}}
* {{cite book |last1=Goldfield |first1=David |last2=Abbott |first2=Carl |last3=Anderson |first3=Virginia DeJohn |last4=Argersinger |first4=Jo Ann E |last5=Argersinger |first5=Peter H |last6=Barney |first6=William L |last7=Weir |first7=Robert M |year=1998 |title=The American Journey—A History of the United States |url=https://archive.org/details/americanjourneyt00davi |url-access=registration |publisher=] |location=Upper Saddle River, NJ |isbn=978-0-13-656562-8}}
* {{cite book |title=Handbook of Local Government Administration |last1=Sokolow |first1=Alvin D. |year=1997 |publisher=Marcel Dekker Inc. |chapter=Town and Township Government: Serving Rural and Suburban Communities |location=New York, NY |isbn=0-8247-9782-5}}
* {{cite book |title=Smallpox: The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scourge |last1=Koplow |first1=David A |year=2004 |publisher=] |location=Berkeley, CA |isbn=978-0-520-24220-3}}
* {{cite book |title=Handbook of Local Government Administration |last1=Sokolow |first1=Alvin D |year=1997 |publisher=Marcel Dekker |chapter=Town and Township Government: Serving Rural and Suburban Communities |location=New York, NY |isbn=978-0-8247-9782-9}}
{{refend}}


==Further reading== ==Further reading==
===Overviews and surveys=== ===Overviews and surveys===
<div class="references-small">
* Hall, Donald. ed. ''The Encyclopedia of New England'' (2005) * Hall, Donald. ed. ''The Encyclopedia of New England'' (2005)
* ]. ''Guide to Massachusetts'' (1939) * ]. ''Guide to Massachusetts'' (1939)
</div>


===Secondary sources=== ===Secondary sources===
<div class="references-small">
* Abrams, Richard M. ''Conservatism in a Progressive Era: Massachusetts Politics, 1900–1912'' (1964) * Abrams, Richard M. ''Conservatism in a Progressive Era: Massachusetts Politics, 1900–1912'' (1964)
* Adams, James Truslow. ''Revolutionary New England, 1691–1776'' (1923) * Adams, James Truslow. ''Revolutionary New England, 1691–1776'' (1923)
Line 464: Line 1,114:
* Cumbler, John T. ''Reasonable Use: The People, the Environment, and the State, New England, 1790–1930'' (1930), environmental history * Cumbler, John T. ''Reasonable Use: The People, the Environment, and the State, New England, 1790–1930'' (1930), environmental history
* Fischer, David Hackett. ''Paul Revere's Ride'' (1994), 1775 in depth * Fischer, David Hackett. ''Paul Revere's Ride'' (1994), 1775 in depth
* Flagg, Charles Allcott, , Salem : Salem Press Company, 1907. * Flagg, Charles Allcott, , Salem : Salem Press Company, 1907.
* Green, James R., William F. Hartford, and Tom Juravich. ''Commonwealth of Toil: Chapters in the History of Massachusetts Workers and Their Unions'' (1996) * Green, James R., William F. Hartford, and Tom Juravich. ''Commonwealth of Toil: Chapters in the History of Massachusetts Workers and Their Unions'' (1996)
* Huthmacher, J. Joseph. ''Massachusetts People and Politics, 1919–1933'' (1958) * Huthmacher, J. Joseph. ''Massachusetts People and Politics, 1919–1933'' (1958)
Line 474: Line 1,124:
* Starkey, Marion L. ''The Devil in Massachusetts'' (1949), Salem witches * Starkey, Marion L. ''The Devil in Massachusetts'' (1949), Salem witches
* Tager, Jack, and John W. Ifkovic, eds. ''Massachusetts in the Gilded Age: Selected Essays'' (1985), ethnic groups * Tager, Jack, and John W. Ifkovic, eds. ''Massachusetts in the Gilded Age: Selected Essays'' (1985), ethnic groups
* Zimmerman, Joseph F. '''' (1999) * Zimmerman, Joseph F. '' {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123155020/http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-new-england-town-meeting-democracy-in-action-by-joseph-f-zimmerman.jsp |date=November 23, 2011 }}'' (1999)
</div>


==External links== ==External links==
{{Sister project links|Massachusetts}} {{Sister project links|s=Portal:Massachusetts|voy=Massachusetts|q=no}}
* * {{Official website|https://www.mass.gov/}}
*
* {{dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Massachusetts}}
* * from the Library of Congress
* from the Library of Congress
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* . 1871-Walling&Gray, 1891-Walker, 1892-Mass., 1904-Walker. Large Images at Salemdeeds.
*{{osmrelation-inline|61315}}

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Revision as of 22:58, 6 January 2025

U.S. state This article is about the U.S. state. For the Indigenous people, see Massachusett. For other uses, see Massachusetts (disambiguation).

State in the United States
Massachusetts
State
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Flag of MassachusettsFlagOfficial seal of MassachusettsSeal
Nickname(s): The Bay State (official)
The Pilgrim State; The Puritan State
The Old Colony State
The Baked Bean State
Motto(s): Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (Latin)
By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty
Anthem: "All Hail to Massachusetts"
Map of the United States with Massachusetts highlightedMap of the United States with Massachusetts highlighted
CountryUnited States
Before statehoodProvince of Massachusetts Bay
Admitted to the UnionFebruary 6, 1788 (6th)
Capital
(and largest city)		Boston
Largest county or equivalentMiddlesex
Largest metro and urban areasGreater Boston
Government
 • GovernorMaura Healey (D)
 • Lieutenant governorKim Driscoll (D)
LegislatureGeneral Court
 • Upper houseSenate
 • Lower houseHouse of Representatives
JudiciaryMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
U.S. senatorsElizabeth Warren (D)
Ed Markey (D)
U.S. House delegation9 Democrats (list)
Area
 • Total10,565 sq mi (27,363 km)
 • Land7,800 sq mi (20,202 km)
 • Water2,715 sq mi (7,032 km)  26.1%
 • Rank44th
Dimensions
 • Length190 mi (296 km)
 • Width115 mi (184 km)
Elevation508 ft (150 m)
Highest elevation3,489 ft (1,063.4 m)
Lowest elevation0 ft (0 m)
Population
 • TotalIncrease 7,136,171
 • Rank16th
 • Density914.89/sq mi (353.24/km)
  • Rank3rd
 • Median household income$99,858
 • Income rank1st
DemonymBay Stater (official)

Masshole Massachusite (traditional)

Massachusettsan (recommended by the U.S. GPO)
Language
 • Official languageEnglish
 • Spoken language
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
USPS abbreviationMA
ISO 3166 codeUS-MA
Traditional abbreviationMass.
Latitude41°14′ N to 42°53′ N
Longitude69°56′ W to 73°30′ W
Websitemass.gov
State symbols of Massachusetts
List of state symbols
Flag of Massachusetts
Seal of Massachusetts
PoemBlue Hills of Massachusetts
SloganMake It Yours,
The Spirit of America
Living insignia
BirdBlack-capped chickadee, wild turkey
FishCod
FlowerMayflower
InsectLadybug
MammalRight whale, Morgan horse, Tabby cat, Boston Terrier
ReptileGarter snake
TreeAmerican elm
Inanimate insignia
BeverageCranberry juice
Color(s)Blue, green, cranberry
DanceSquare dance
FoodCranberry, corn muffin, navy bean, Boston cream pie, chocolate chip cookie, Boston cream doughnut
FossilDinosaur Tracks
GemstoneRhodonite
MineralBabingtonite
RockRoxbury Puddingstone
ShellNew England Neptune, Neptunea lyrata decemcostata
ShipSchooner Ernestina
SoilPaxton
SportBasketball
State route marker
Route marker
State quarter
Massachusetts quarter dollar coinReleased in 2000
Lists of United States state symbols

Massachusetts (/ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɪts/ /-zɪts/ MASS-ə-CHOO-sits, -⁠zits; Massachusett: Muhsachuweesut [məhswatʃəwiːsət]), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode Island to its south, New Hampshire and Vermont to its north, and New York to its west. Massachusetts is the sixth-smallest state by land area. With a 2024 U.S. Census Bureau-estimated population of 7,136,171, its highest estimated count ever, Massachusetts is the most populous state in New England, the 16th-most-populous in the United States, and the third-most densely populated U.S. state, after New Jersey and Rhode Island.

Massachusetts was a site of early English colonization. The Plymouth Colony was founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims of the Mayflower. In 1630, the Massachusetts Bay Colony, taking its name from the Indigenous Massachusett people, also established settlements in Boston and Salem. In 1692, the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of America's most infamous cases of mass hysteria, the Salem witch trials. In the late 18th century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty" for the agitation there that later led to the American Revolution. In 1786, Shays' Rebellion, a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans, influenced the United States Constitutional Convention. Originally dependent on agriculture, fishing, and trade, Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution. Before the American Civil War, the state was a center for the abolitionist, temperance, and transcendentalist movements. During the 20th century, the state's economy shifted from manufacturing to services; and in the 21st century, Massachusetts has become the global leader in biotechnology, and also excels in artificial intelligence, engineering, higher education, finance, and maritime trade.

The state's capital and most populous city, as well as its cultural and financial center, is Boston. Other major cities are Worcester, Springfield and Cambridge. Massachusetts is also home to the urban core of Greater Boston, the largest metropolitan area in New England and a region profoundly influential upon American history, academia, and the research economy. Massachusetts has a reputation for social and political progressivism; becoming the only U.S. state with a right to shelter law, and the first U.S. state, and one of the earliest jurisdictions in the world to legally recognize same-sex marriage. Harvard University in Cambridge is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, with the largest financial endowment of any university in the world. Both Harvard and MIT, also in Cambridge, are perennially ranked as either the most or among the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world. Massachusetts's public-school students place among the top tier in the world in academic performance.

Massachusetts is the most educated and one of the most highly developed and wealthiest U.S. states, ranking first in the percentage of population 25 and over with either a bachelor's degree or advanced degree, first on both the American Human Development Index and the standard Human Development Index, first in per capita income, and first in median income, both by household and individually. Consequently, Massachusetts typically ranks as the top U.S. state, as well as the most expensive state, for residents to live in.

Etymology

The Massachusetts Bay Colony was named after the Indigenous population, the Massachusett or Muhsachuweesut, whose name likely derived from the Wôpanâak word muswachasut, segmented as mus(ây) "big" + wach "mountain" + -s "diminutive" + -ut "locative". This word has been translated as "near the great hill", "by the blue hills", "at the little big hill", or "at the range of hills", in reference to the Blue Hills—namely, the Great Blue Hill, located on the boundary of Milton and Canton. Massachusett has also been represented as Moswetuset. This comes from the name of the Moswetuset Hummock (meaning "hill shaped like an arrowhead") in Quincy, where Plymouth Colony commander Myles Standish (a hired English military officer) and Squanto (a member of the Patuxet band of the Wamponoag people, who have since died off due to contagious diseases brought by colonists) met Chief Chickatawbut in 1621.

Although the designation "Commonwealth" forms part of the state's official name, it has no practical implications in modern times, and Massachusetts has the same position and powers within the United States as other states. John Adams may have chosen the word in 1779 for the second draft of what became the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution; unlike the word "state", the word "commonwealth" had the connotation of a republic at the time. This was in contrast to the monarchy the former colonies were fighting against during the American 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 to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket—from 1780 to 1844, they were seen as additional and separate entities confined within the Commonwealth.

History

Main articles: History of Massachusetts and Native American tribes in Massachusetts

Pre-colonization

Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family, including the Wampanoag, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Mahican, and Massachusett. While cultivation of crops like squash and corn were an important part of their diet, the people of these tribes hunted, fished, and searched the forest for most of their food. Villagers lived in lodges called wigwams as well as longhouses. Tribes were led by male or female elders known as sachems.

Colonial period

Main articles: Mayflower Compact, Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts Bay Colony, New England Confederation, Dominion of New England, and Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor by William Halsall (1882). The Pilgrims founded Plymouth in 1620.

In the early 1600s, European colonists caused virgin soil epidemics such as smallpox, measles, influenza, and perhaps leptospirosis in what is now known as the northeastern region of the United States. Between 1617 and 1619, a disease that was most likely smallpox killed approximately 90% of the Massachusetts Bay Native Americans.

The first English 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. The Puritans, arrived at Plymouth in 1620. This was the second permanent English colony in the part of North America that later became the United States, after the Jamestown 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 the Massachusetts Bay Colony—now known as Boston—in 1630.

The Puritans believed the Church of England needed to be further reformed along Protestant Calvinist lines, and experienced harassment due to the religious policies of King Charles I and high-ranking churchmen such as William Laud, who would become Charles's Archbishop of Canterbury, whom they feared were re-introducing "Romish" elements to the national church. They decided to colonize to Massachusetts, intending to establish what they considered an "ideal" religious society. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was colonized under a royal charter, unlike the Plymouth colony, in 1629. 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 as Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams due to religious and political conflict. In 1636, Williams colonized what is now known as Rhode 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 preachers Alice and Thomas Curwen, who were publicly flogged and imprisoned in Boston in 1676.

By 1641, Massachusetts had expanded inland significantly. The Commonwealth acquired the Connecticut River Valley settlement of Springfield, which had recently disputed with—and defected from—its original administrators, the Connecticut Colony. This established Massachusetts's southern border in the west. However, this became disputed territory until 1803–04 due to surveying problems, leading to the modern Southwick Jog.

The Mamusse Wunneetupanatamwe Up-Biblum God (cover page shown), also called the Eliot Indian Bible, was the first Bible printed in British North America.

In 1652 the Massachusetts General Court authorized Boston silversmith John Hull to produce local coinage in shilling, sixpence and threepence denominations to address a coin shortage in the colony. Before that point, the colony's economy had been entirely dependent on barter and foreign currency, including English, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and counterfeit coins. In 1661, shortly after the restoration of the British monarchy, the British government considered the Boston mint to be treasonous. 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. The coinage was a contributing factor to the revocation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony charter in 1684.

In 1691, the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth were united (along with present-day Maine, which had previously been divided between Massachusetts and New York) into the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Shortly after, the new province's first governor, William Phips, arrived. The Salem witch trials also took place, where a number of men and women were hanged for alleged witchcraft.

The most destructive earthquake known to date in New England occurred on November 18, 1755, causing considerable damage across Massachusetts.

The Revolutionary War

Main articles: American Revolutionary War, Boston campaign, Lee Resolution, United States Declaration of Independence, Northern theater of the American Revolutionary War after Saratoga, Articles of Confederation § Ratification, and Treaty of Paris (1783)
A 1910 painting of the Battle of Lexington

Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence from Great Britain. Colonists in Massachusetts had long had uneasy relations with the British monarchy, including open rebellion under the Dominion of New England in the 1680s. Protests against British attempts to tax the colonies after the French and Indian War ended in 1763 led to the Boston Massacre in 1770, and the 1773 Boston Tea Party escalated tensions. In 1774, the Intolerable Acts targeted Massachusetts with punishments for the Boston Tea Party and further decreased local autonomy, increasing local dissent. Anti-Parliamentary activity by men such as Samuel Adams and John Hancock, followed by reprisals by the British government, were a primary reason for the unity of the Thirteen Colonies and the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775.

John Adams, 2nd President of the United States (1797–1801)

The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought in Massachusetts in 1775, initiated the American Revolutionary War. George Washington, later the first president of the future country, took over what would become the Continental Army after the battle. His first victory was the siege of Boston in the winter of 1775–76, after which the British were forced to evacuate the city. The event is still celebrated in Suffolk County only every March 17 as Evacuation Day.

On the coast, Salem became a center for privateering. Although the documentation is incomplete, about 1,700 letters 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.

A 1779 five-shilling note issued by Massachusetts with the inscription: "FIVE SHILLINGS. shall be paid to the Bearer of this Bill, by the 1st Day of Decmr. 1782 agreeable to an Act of the Genl, Court of said STATE."; Within print of sun: "RISING".
A 1779 five-shilling note issued by Massachusetts.

Federal period

Main articles: Constitutional Convention (United States), Admission to the Union, and List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union

Bostonian John Adams, known as the "Atlas of Independence", was highly involved in both separation from Britain and the Constitution of Massachusetts, which effectively (the Elizabeth Freeman and Quock Walker cases as interpreted by William 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. (The Constitution 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. The Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780 made Pennsylvania 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 second president of the United States. His son, John Quincy Adams, also from Massachusetts, would go on to become the nation's sixth president.

From 1786 to 1787, an armed uprising led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays, now known as Shays' Rebellion, wrought havoc throughout Massachusetts and ultimately attempted to seize the federal Springfield Armory. The rebellion was one of the major factors in the decision to draft a stronger national constitution to replace the Articles of Confederation. On February 6, 1788, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the United States Constitution.

19th century

Main articles: Missouri Compromise and Massachusetts in the American Civil War

In 1820, Maine separated from Massachusetts and entered the Union as the 23rd state due to the ratification of the Missouri Compromise.

Textile mills, such as the one depicted here in Lowell, made Massachusetts a leader in the Industrial Revolution.

During the 19th century, Massachusetts became a national leader in the American Industrial Revolution, with factories around cities such as Lowell and Boston producing textiles and shoes, and factories around Springfield producing tools, paper, and textiles. The state's economy transformed from one based primarily on agriculture to an industrial one, initially making use of water-power and later the steam engine to power factories. Canals and railroads were being used in the state for transporting raw materials and finished goods. At first, the new industries drew labor from Yankees on nearby subsistence farms, though they later relied upon immigrant labor from Europe and Canada.

Although Massachusetts was the first slave-holding colony with slavery dating back to the early 1600s, the state became a center of progressivist and abolitionist (anti-slavery) activity in the years leading up to the American Civil War. Horace Mann made the state's school system a national model. Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, both philosophers and writers from the state, also made major contributions to American philosophy. Furthermore, members of the transcendentalist movement within the state emphasized the importance of the natural world and emotion to humanity.

Although significant opposition to abolitionism existed early on in Massachusetts, resulting in anti-abolitionist riots between 1835 and 1837, abolitionist views there gradually increased throughout the next few decades. Abolitionists John Brown and Sojourner Truth lived in Springfield and Northampton, respectively, while Frederick Douglass lived in Boston and Susan B. Anthony in Adams. The works of such abolitionists contributed to Massachusetts's actions during the Civil War. Massachusetts was the first state to recruit, train, and arm a Black regiment with White officers, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. In 1852, Massachusetts became the first state to pass compulsory education laws.

20th century

Although the U.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. The Boston 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. " Governor of Massachusetts Frank G. Allen appointed John C. Hull the first Securities Director of Massachusetts. Hull would assume office in January 1930, and his term would end in 1936.

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 the American South and Midwest, followed by the Great Depression, led to the collapse of the three main industries in Massachusetts: textiles, shoemaking, and precision mechanics. 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. The 1969 closure of the Springfield 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.

Massachusetts manufactured 3.4 percent of total United States military armaments produced during World War II, ranking tenth among the 48 states. After the world war, the economy of eastern Massachusetts transformed from one based on heavy industry into a service-based economy. 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, the Route 128/Interstate 95 corridor was dotted with high-tech companies who recruited graduates of the area's many elite institutions of higher education.

In 1987, the state received federal funding for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Commonly known as "the Big Dig", it was, at the time, the biggest federal highway project ever approved. The project included making the Central Artery, part of Interstate 93, into a tunnel under downtown Boston, in addition to the re-routing of several other major highways. The project was often controversial, with numerous claims of graft and mismanagement, and with its initial price tag of $2.5 billion increasing to a final tally of over $15 billion. Nonetheless, the Big Dig changed the face of Downtown Boston and connected areas that were once divided by elevated highway. Much of the raised old Central Artery was replaced with the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. The project also improved traffic conditions along several routes.

Notable 20th century politicians

John F. Kennedy, Massachusetts native and 35th President of the United States (1961–1963)

The Kennedy family was prominent in 20th-century Massachusetts politics. The children of businessman and ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. included John F. Kennedy, who was a senator and U.S. president before his assassination in 1963; Ted Kennedy, a senator from 1962 until his death in 2009; and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a co-founder of the Special Olympics. In 1966, Massachusetts became the first state to directly elect an African American to the U.S. senate with Edward Brooke. George H. W. Bush, 41st President of the United States (1989–1993) was born in Milton in 1924.

Other notable Massachusetts politicians on the national level included Joseph W. Martin Jr., Speaker of the House (from 1947 to 1949 and then again from 1953 to 1955) and leader of House Republicans from 1939 until 1959 (where he was the only Republican to serve as Speaker between 1931 and 1995), John W. McCormack, Speaker of the House in the 1960s, and Tip O'Neill, whose service as Speaker of the House from 1977 to 1987 was the longest continuous tenure in United States history.

21st century

On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage. This followed the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health in November 2003, which determined that the exclusion of same-sex couples from the right to a civil marriage was unconstitutional.

In 2004, Massachusetts senator John Kerry, who won the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, lost to incumbent George W. Bush. Eight years later, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (the Republican nominee) lost to incumbent Barack Obama in 2012. Another eight years later, Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren became a frontrunner in the Democratic primaries for the 2020 presidential election. However, she later suspended her campaign and endorsed presumptive nominee Joe Biden.

Boston Marathon bombing

Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, at around 2:49 pm local time (EDT). The explosions killed three people and injured an estimated 264 others. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later identified the suspects as brothers Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The ensuing manhunt ended on April 19 when thousands of law enforcement officers searched a 20-block area of nearby Watertown. Dzhokhar later said he was motivated by extremist Islamic beliefs and learned to build explosive devices from Inspire, the online magazine of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

On November 8, 2016, Massachusetts voted in favor of the Massachusetts Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Question 4.

Geography

Main articles: Geography of Massachusetts and Geology of New England
A portion of the north-central Pioneer Valley in South Deerfield

Massachusetts is the seventh-smallest state in the United States. It is located in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It has an area of 10,555 square miles (27,340 km), 25.7% of which is water. Several large bays distinctly shape its coast, giving it the nickname "the Bay State". Boston is its largest city.

Despite its small size, Massachusetts features numerous topographically distinctive regions. The large coastal plain of the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern section of the state contains Greater Boston, along with most of the state's population, as well as the distinctive Cape Cod peninsula. To the west lies the hilly, rural region of Central Massachusetts, and beyond that, the Connecticut River Valley. Along the western border of Western Massachusetts lies the highest elevated part of the state, the Berkshires, forming a portion of the northern terminus of the Appalachian Mountains.

The U.S. National Park Service administers a number of natural and historical sites in Massachusetts. Along with twelve national historic sites, areas, and corridors, the National Park Service also manages the Cape Cod National Seashore and the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. In addition, the Department of Conservation and Recreation maintains a number of parks, trails, and beaches throughout Massachusetts.

Ecology

The primary biome of inland Massachusetts is temperate deciduous forest. Although much of Massachusetts had been cleared for agriculture, leaving only traces of old-growth forest in isolated pockets, secondary growth has regenerated in many rural areas as farms have been abandoned. Forests cover around 62% of Massachusetts. 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. There are 219 endangered species in Massachusetts.

A number of species are doing well in the increasingly urbanized Massachusetts. Peregrine falcons utilize office towers in larger cities as nesting areas, and the population of coyotes, whose diet may include garbage and roadkill, has been increasing in recent decades. White-tailed deer, raccoons, wild turkeys, and eastern gray squirrels are also found throughout Massachusetts. In more rural areas in the western part of Massachusetts, larger mammals such as moose and black bears have returned, largely due to reforestation following the regional decline in agriculture.

Massachusetts is located along the Atlantic Flyway, a major route for migratory waterfowl along the eastern coast. Lakes in central Massachusetts provide habitat for many species of fish and waterfowl, but some species such as the common loon are becoming rare. A significant population of long-tailed ducks winter off Nantucket. Small offshore islands and beaches are home to roseate terns and are important breeding areas for the locally threatened piping plover. Protected areas such as the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge provide critical breeding habitat for shorebirds and a variety of marine wildlife including a large population of grey seals. Since 2009, there has been a significant increase in the number of Great white sharks spotted and tagged in the coastal waters off of Cape Cod.

Freshwater fish species in Massachusetts include bass, carp, catfish, and trout, while saltwater species such as Atlantic cod, haddock, and American lobster populate offshore waters. Other marine species include Harbor seals, the endangered North Atlantic right whales, as well as humpback whales, fin whales, minke whales, and Atlantic white-sided dolphins.

The European corn borer, a significant agricultural pest, was first found in North America near Boston, Massachusetts in 1917.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Massachusetts

Most of Massachusetts has a humid continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. Far southeast coastal areas are the broad transition zone to Humid Subtropical climates. The warm to hot summers render the oceanic climate rare in this transition, only applying to exposed coastal areas such as on the peninsula of Barnstable County. The climate of Boston 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.

Koppen climate types of Massachusetts
Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Massachusetts
Location July (°F) July (°C) January (°F) January (°C)
Boston 81/65 27/18 36/22 2/−5
Worcester 79/61 26/16 31/17 0/−8
Springfield 84/62 27/17 34/17 1/−8
New Bedford 80/65 26/18 37/23 3/−4
Quincy 80/61 26/16 33/18 1/−7
Plymouth 80/61 27/16 38/20 3/−6

Environmental issues

Climate change

Main article: Climate change in Massachusetts

Climate change in Massachusetts will affect both urban and rural environments, including forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and coastal development. 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". As of August 2016, the EPA reports that Massachusetts has warmed by over two degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.1 degrees Celsius.

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. 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.

The shifting climate in Massachusetts will result in a significant change to the state's built environment and ecosystems. In Boston alone, costs of climate change-related storms will result in $5 to $100 billion in damage.

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 reported Lyme 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 of Asian tiger mosquitoes, which often carry the West Nile virus.

To fight this change, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has outlined a path to decarbonize 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 achieve net-zero emissions, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent overall.

Power initiatives

Main articles: Solar power in Massachusetts and Wind power in Massachusetts See also: Plug-in electric vehicles in Massachusetts

The State of Massachusetts has developed a plethora of incentives to encourage the implementation of renewable 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 to retrofit 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.

The concept of Mass Save was created in 2008 by the passing of the Green Communities Act of 2008, during Deval Patrick's tenure as governor. The main goal of the Green Communities Act was to reduce the consumption of fossil 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, including Eversource, National Grid, Western Massachusetts Electric, Cape Light Compact, Until, and Berkshire Gas, jointly own the rights to this program, in conjunction with the MA Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC).

The State Revenue Service provides incentives for the installation of solar panels. In addition to the Federal Residential Renewable energy credit, Massachusetts residents may be eligible for a tax credit of up to 15 percent of the project. Once installed, arrays are eligible for net metering. 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. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources also offered low-interest, fixed-rate financing with loan support for low-income residents until December 31, 2020.

As a part of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources' effort to incentivize the usage of renewable 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 an electric vehicle, or $1,500 for the purchase or lease of a plug-in hybrid vehicle. This rebate is available in addition to the tax credits offered by the United States Department of Energy for the purchase of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

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.

In late 2020, the administration of Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker released a decarbonization roadmap to aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The plan calls for major investments in offshore wind and solar energy. It would also require all new cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions (electric or hydrogen powered) by 2035.

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Massachusetts and List of people from Massachusetts
Massachusetts population density map. The centers of high-density settlement, from east to west, are Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Pittsfield, respectively.
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1790378,787—
1800422,84511.6%
1810472,04011.6%
1820523,28710.9%
1830610,40816.6%
1840737,69920.9%
1850994,51434.8%
18601,231,06623.8%
18701,457,35118.4%
18801,783,08522.4%
18902,238,94725.6%
19002,805,34625.3%
19103,366,41620.0%
19203,852,35614.4%
19304,249,61410.3%
19404,316,7211.6%
19504,690,5148.7%
19605,148,5789.8%
19705,689,17010.5%
19805,737,0370.8%
19906,016,4254.9%
20006,349,0975.5%
20106,547,6293.1%
20207,029,9177.4%
2024 (est.)7,136,1711.5%

At the 2020 U.S. census, Massachusetts had a population of over 7 million, a 7.4% increase since the 2010 United States Census. As of 2015, Massachusetts was estimated to be the third-most densely populated U.S. state, with 871.0 people per square mile, behind New Jersey and Rhode Island. In 2014, Massachusetts had 1,011,811 foreign-born residents or 15% of the population. As of July 2024, the state's population was estimated to have grown to 7,136,171.

Most Massachusetts residents live within the Boston metropolitan area, also known as Greater Boston, which includes Boston and its proximate surroundings but also extending to Greater Lowell and to Worcester. The Springfield metropolitan area, also known as Greater Springfield, is also a major center of population. Demographically, the center of population of Massachusetts is located in the town of Natick.

Like the rest of the Northeastern United States, the population of Massachusetts has continued to grow in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Massachusetts is the fastest-growing state in New England and the 25th fastest-growing state in the United States. Population growth has been driven primarily by the relatively high quality of life and a large higher education system.

Foreign immigration is also a factor in the state's population growth, causing the state's population to continue to grow as of the 2010 census (particularly in Massachusetts gateway cities where costs of living are lower). Forty percent of foreign immigrants were from Central or South America, according to a 2005 Census Bureau study, with many of the remainder from Asia. Many residents who have settled in Greater Springfield claim Puerto Rican descent. Many areas of Massachusetts showed relatively stable population trends between 2000 and 2010. Exurban Boston and coastal areas grew the most rapidly, while Berkshire County in far Western Massachusetts and Barnstable County on Cape Cod were the only counties to lose population as of the 2010 census. In 2018, The top countries of origin for Massachusetts' immigrants were China, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, India and Haiti.

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.

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 15,507 homeless people in Massachusetts.

Race and ancestry

Saint Patrick's Day parade in Scituate, the municipality with the highest percentage identifying Irish ancestry in the United States, at 47.5% in 2010. Irish Americans constitute the largest ethnicity in Massachusetts.
Ethnic origins in Massachusetts
Ethnic composition as of the 2020 census
Race and Ethnicity Alone Total
White (non-Hispanic) 67.6% 67.6  71.4% 71.4 
Hispanic or Latino — 12.6% 12.6 
African American (non-Hispanic) 6.5% 6.5  8.2% 8.2 
Asian 7.2% 7.2  8.2% 8.2 
Native American 0.1% 0.1  0.9% 0.9 
Pacific Islander 0.02% 0.02  0.1% 0.1 
Other 1.3% 1.3  3.6% 3.6 

The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 95.4% in 1970 to 67.6% in 2020. 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 age 1 was minorities (at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white). One major reason for this is that non-Hispanic whites in Massachusetts recorded a total fertility rate of 1.36 in 2017, the second-lowest in the country after neighboring Rhode Island.

As late as 1795, the population of Massachusetts was nearly 95% of English ancestry. During the early and mid-19th century, immigrant groups began arriving in Massachusetts in large numbers; first from Ireland in the 1840s; 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. In the early 20th century, an increasing number of from the U.S. South,African Americans migrated to Massachusetts, although in somewhat fewer numbers than many other Northern states. Later in the 20th century, immigration from Latin America increased considerably. More than 156,000 Chinese Americans made their home in Massachusetts in 2014, and Boston hosts a growing Chinatown accommodating heavily traveled Chinese-owned bus lines to and from Chinatown, Manhattan in New York City. Massachusetts also has large Dominican, Puerto Rican, Haitian, Cape Verdean and Brazilian populations. Boston's South End and Jamaica Plain are both gay villages, as is nearby Provincetown, Massachusetts on Cape Cod.

Boston's Chinatown, with its paifang gate, is home to many Chinese and also Vietnamese restaurants.
Boston gay pride march, held annually in June. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.

The largest ancestry group in Massachusetts are the Irish (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 (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 and French Canadians also form a significant part (10.7%), with sizable populations in Bristol, Hampden, and Worcester Counties, along with Middlesex county especially concentrated in the areas surrounding Lowell and Lawrence. Lowell is home to the second-largest Cambodian community of the nation. Massachusetts is home to a small community of Greek Americans as well, which according to the American Community Survey there are 83,701 of them scattered along the state (1.2% of the total state population). There are also several populations of Native Americans in Massachusetts. The Wampanoag tribe maintains reservations at Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard and at Mashpee on Cape Cod—with an ongoing native language revival project underway since 1993, while the Nipmuc maintain two state-recognized reservations in the central part of the state, including one at Grafton.

Massachusetts has avoided many forms of racial strife seen elsewhere in the US, but examples such as the successful electoral showings of the nativist (mainly anti-Catholic) Know Nothings in the 1850s, the controversial Sacco and Vanzetti executions in the 1920s, and Boston's opposition to desegregation busing in the 1970s.

Historical racial and ethnic composition

Massachusetts – Racial and Ethnic Composition

(NH = Non-Hispanic)

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.

Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 %2000 %2010 %2020
White alone (NH) 5,198,359 4,984,800 4,748,897 81.88% 76.13% 67.55%
Black or African American alone (NH) 318,329 391,693 457,055 5.01% 5.98% 6.5%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 11,264 10,788 9,378 0.18% 0.16% 0.13%
Asian alone (NH) 236,786 347,495 504,900 3.73% 5.31% 7.18%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1,706 1,467 1,607 0.03% 0.02% 0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 43,586 61,547 92,108 0.69% 0.94% 1.31%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 110,338 122,195 328,278 1.74% 1.87% 4.67%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 428,729 627,654 887,685 6.75% 9.59% 12.63%
Total 6,349,097 6,547,629 7,029,917 100% 100% 100%

Languages

The most common varieties of American English spoken in Massachusetts, other than General American, are the cot-caught distinct, rhotic, western Massachusetts dialect and the cot-caught merged, non-rhotic, eastern Massachusetts dialect (popularly known as a "Boston accent").

Top 11 Non-English Languages Spoken in Massachusetts
Language Percentage of population
(as of 2010)
Spanish 7.50%
Portuguese 2.97%
Chinese (including Cantonese and Mandarin) 1.59%
French (including New England French) 1.11%
French Creole 0.89%
Italian 0.72%
Russian 0.62%
Vietnamese 0.58%
Greek 0.41%
Arabic and Khmer (Cambodian) (including all Austroasiatic languages) (tied) 0.37%

As of 2010, 78.93% (4,823,127) of Massachusetts residents 5 and older spoke English at home as a first language, while 7.50% (458,256) spoke Spanish, 2.97% (181,437) Portuguese, 1.59% (96,690) Chinese (which includes Cantonese and Mandarin), 1.11% (67,788) French, 0.89% (54,456) French Creole, 0.72% (43,798) Italian, 0.62% (37,865) Russian, and Vietnamese was spoken as a primary language by 0.58% (35,283) of the population over 5. In total, 21.07% (1,287,419) of Massachusetts's population 5 and older spoke a first language other than English.

Religion

Religious self-identification, per Public Religion Research Institute's 2022 American Values Survey

  Unaffiliated (34%)  Catholicism (34%)  Protestantism (22%)  Eastern Orthodoxy (1%)  Unitarian/Universalist (1%)  Judaism (3%)  Hinduism (2%)  Buddhism (1%)  New Age (1%)  Other (1%)

Massachusetts was founded and settled by Brownist Puritans in 1620, and soon after by other groups of Separatists/Dissenters, Nonconformists and Independents from 17th century England. A majority of people in Massachusetts today remain Christians. The descendants of the Puritans belong to many different churches; in the direct line of inheritance are the various Congregational churches, the United Church of Christ and congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association. The headquarters of the Unitarian Universalist Association, long located on Beacon Hill, is now located in South Boston. Many Puritan descendants also dispersed to other Protestant denominations. Some disaffiliated along with Roman Catholics and other Christian groups in the wake of modern secularization.

As of the 2014 Pew study, Christians made up 57% of the state's population, with Protestants 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 of irreligion in New England. It is the most irreligious region of the country, along with the Western 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. 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 the Boston Mother Church of Christian Science serve as the world headquarters of this new religious movement. Buddhists, Pagans, Hindus, Seventh-day Adventists, Muslims, and Mormons may also be found. The Satanic Temple has its headquarters in Salem. Kripalu Center in Stockbridge, the Shaolin Meditation Temple in Springfield, and the Insight Meditation Center in Barre are examples of non-Abrahamic religious centers in Massachusetts. According to 2010 data from The Association of Religion Data Archives, (ARDA) the largest single denominations are the Catholic Church with 2,940,199 adherents; the United Church of Christ with 86,639 adherents; and the Episcopal Church with 81,999 adherents.

In 2014, 32% of the population identified as having no religion; 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). As of 2022, a plurality of Massachusettsans were irreligious, and the state is considered to be a part of the Unchurched Belt.

Native American tribes

What is today Massachusetts was originally inhabited by the Wampanoag, the Nipmuc, the Massachusett, the Pocumtuc, the Nauset, the Pennacook and a few other tribes. Some of these tribes are still represented among the population of the state today.

The largest Native American tribes in Massachusetts according to the 2010 census are listed in the table below:

Tribal groupings with over 600 members in Massachusetts in 2010 census
Tribal grouping American Indian and

Alaska Native alone

AIAN in combination with

one or more other races

Total AIAN alone or

in any combination

Total AIAN population 18850 31855 50705
Cherokee 885 3654 4539
Wampanoag 1674 1642 3316
Micmac 623 1166 1789
South American Indian 817 930 1747
Blackfeet 298 1347 1645
Mexican American Indian 1131 449 1580
Iroquois 457 984 1441
Central American Indian 635 332 967
Nipmuc 305 550 855
Abenaki 197 469 666
Sioux 186 463 649
Tribe not specified 9421 16535 25956

Education

Harvard University and MIT are both widely regarded as in the top handful of universities worldwide for academic research in various disciplines. (Shown are the Widener Library at Harvard and MIT Building 10.) Further information: List of colleges and universities in Massachusetts, List of engineering schools in Massachusetts, List of high schools in Massachusetts, List of school districts in Massachusetts, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, University of Massachusetts, and History of education in Massachusetts
Towns in Massachusetts by combined mean SAT of their public high school district for the 2015–2016 academic year

In 2018, Massachusetts's overall educational system was ranked the top among all fifty U.S. states by U.S. News & World Report. Massachusetts was the first state in North America to require municipalities to appoint a teacher or establish a grammar school with the passage of the Massachusetts Education Law of 1647, and 19th century reforms pushed by Horace Mann laid much of the groundwork for contemporary universal public education which was established in 1852. 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), its oldest high school (Boston Latin School, founded in 1635), its oldest continuously operating boarding school (The Governor's Academy, founded in 1763), its oldest college (Harvard University, founded in 1636), and its oldest women's college (Mount Holyoke College, founded in 1837). Massachusetts is also home to the highest ranked private high school in the United States, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, which was founded in 1778.

Massachusetts's per-student public expenditure for elementary and secondary schools was eighth in the nation in 2012, at $14,844. In 2013, Massachusetts scored highest of all the states in math and third-highest in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Massachusetts' public-school students place among the top tier in the world in academic performance. In 2022, Massachusetts was 1st or 2nd in the reading and mathematics average scores and proficiency percentages of the evaluated 4th and 8th graders.

Massachusetts is home to 121 institutions of higher education. Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both located in Cambridge, consistently rank among the world's best private universities and universities in general. In addition to Harvard and MIT, several other Massachusetts universities rank in the top 50 at the undergraduate level nationally in the widely cited rankings of U.S. News & World Report: Tufts University (#27), Boston College (#32), Brandeis University (#34), Boston University (#37) and Northeastern University (#40). Massachusetts is also home to three of the top five U.S. News & World Report's best Liberal Arts Colleges: Williams College (#1), Amherst College (#2), and Wellesley College (#4). It is also home to the oldest Catholic liberal arts college, College of the Holy Cross (#33). Boston Architectural College is New England's largest private college of spatial design. The public University of Massachusetts (nicknamed UMass) features five campuses in the state, with its flagship campus in Amherst, which enrolls more than 25,000.

As of 2021, Massachusetts has the highest percentage of adults over the age of 25 with a bachelor's degree (46.62%) and a graduate degree (21.27%) of any state in the country.

Economy

See also: List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income and Category:Economy of Massachusetts

The United States Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that the Massachusetts gross state product in 2020 was $584 billion. The per capita personal income in 2012 was $53,221, making it the third-highest state in the nation. As of January 2023, Massachusetts state general minimum 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. This wage was set to increase to a general minimum of $15.00 per hour and a tipped worker minimum of $6.75 per hour 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.

In 2015, twelve Fortune 500 companies were located in Massachusetts: Liberty Mutual, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, TJX Companies, General Electric, Raytheon, American Tower, Global Partners, Thermo Fisher Scientific, State Street Corporation, Biogen, Eversource Energy, and Boston Scientific. CNBC's list of "Top States for Business for 2023" has recognized Massachusetts as the 15th-best state in the nation for business, and for the second year in a row in 2016 the state was ranked by Bloomberg as the most innovative state in America. According to a 2013 study by Phoenix Marketing International, Massachusetts had the sixth-largest number of millionaires per capita in the United States, with a ratio of 6.73 percent. Billionaires living in the state include past and present leaders (and related family) of local companies such as Fidelity Investments, New Balance, Kraft Group, Boston Scientific, and the former Continental Cablevision.

Massachusetts has three foreign-trade zones, the Massachusetts Port Authority of Boston, the Port of New Bedford, and the City of Holyoke. Boston-Logan International Airport is the busiest airport in New England, serving 33.4 million total passengers in 2015, and witnessing rapid growth in international air traffic since 2010.

Sectors vital to the Massachusetts economy include higher education, biotechnology, information technology, finance, health care, tourism, manufacturing, and defense. The Route 128 corridor and Greater Boston continue to be a major center for venture capital investment, and high technology remains an important sector. In recent years tourism has played an ever-important role in the state's economy, with Boston and Cape Cod being the leading destinations. Other popular tourist destinations include Salem, Plymouth, and the Berkshires. Massachusetts is the sixth-most popular tourist destination for foreign travelers. 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.

Sunset at Brewster, on Cape Cod Bay.

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. 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.

The more than 33,000 nonprofits in Massachusetts employ one-sixth of the state's workforce. In 2007, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a state holiday, Nonprofit Awareness Day.

In February 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked Massachusetts the best state in the United States based upon 60 metrics 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.

Agriculture

Main article: Agriculture in Massachusetts

As of 2012, there were 7,755 farms in Massachusetts encompassing a total of 523,517 acres (2,120 km), averaging 67.5 acres (27.3 hectares) apiece. Greenhouse, floriculture, and sod products – including the ornamental market – make up more than one third of the state's agricultural output. Particular agricultural products of note also include cranberries, sweet corn and apples are also large sectors of production. Fruit cultivation is an important part of the state's agricultural revenues, and Massachusetts is the second-largest cranberry-producing state after Wisconsin.

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) 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). 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—including Proposition 2½.

As of January 1, 2020, Massachusetts has a flat-rate personal income tax of 5.00%, after a 2002 voter referendum to eventually lower the rate to 5.0% as amended by the legislature. There is a tax exemption for income below a threshold that varies from year to year. The corporate income tax rate is 8.8%, and the short-term capital gains tax rate is 12%. 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.

The state imposes a 6.25% sales tax on retail sales of tangible personal property—except for groceries, clothing (up to $175.00), and periodicals. The sales tax is charged on clothing that costs more than $175.00, for the amount exceeding $175.00. Massachusetts also charges a use 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). There is no inheritance tax and limited Massachusetts estate tax related to federal estate tax collection.

Energy

Further information: Solar power in Massachusetts, Wind power in Massachusetts, and Category:Energy in Massachusetts

Massachusetts's electricity generation market was made competitive in 1998, enabling retail customers to change suppliers without changing utility companies. In 2018, Massachusetts consumed 1,459 trillion BTU, making it the seventh-lowest state in terms of consumption of energy per capita, and 31 percent of that energy came from natural gas. In 2014 and 2015, Massachusetts was ranked as the most energy efficient state the United States while Boston is the most efficient city, but it had the fourth-highest average residential retail electricity prices of any state. In 2018, renewable energy was about 7.2 percent of total energy consumed in the state, ranking 34th.

Transportation

Main pages: Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and Category:Transportation in Massachusetts See also: Plug-in electric vehicles in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, serving Greater Boston

For federal funding purposes, Massachusetts has 10 regional metropolitan planning organizations and three non-metropolitan planning organizations covering the remainder of the state; statewide planning is handled by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector in Massachusetts.

Regional public transportation

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), also known as "The T", operates public transportation in the form of subway, bus, and ferry systems in the Metro Boston area.

Fifteen other regional transit authorities provide public transportation in the form of bus services in the rest of the state. Four heritage railways are also in operation:

Long-distance rail and bus

Amtrak operates several inter-city rail lines in Massachusetts. Boston's South Station serves as the terminus for three lines, namely the high-speed Acela Express, which links to cities such as Providence, New Haven, New York City, and eventually Washington DC; the Northeast Regional, which follows the same route but includes many more stops, and also continues further south to Newport News in Virginia; and the Lake Shore Limited, which runs westward to Worcester, Springfield, and eventually Chicago. Boston's other major station, North Station, serves as the southern terminus for Amtrak's Downeaster, which connects to Portland and Brunswick in Maine.

Outside of Boston, Amtrak connects several cities across Massachusetts, along the aforementioned Acela, Northeast Regional, Lake Shore Limited, and Downeaster lines, as well as other routes in central and western Massachusetts. The Amtrak Hartford Line connects Springfield to New Haven, operated in conjunction with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and the Valley Flyer runs a similar route but continues further north to Greenfield. Several stations in western Massachusetts are also served by the Vermonter, which connects St. Albans, Vermont to Washington DC.

Amtrak carries more passengers between Boston and New York than all airlines combined (about 54% of market share in 2012), but service between other cities is less frequent. There, more frequent intercity service is provided by private bus carriers, including Peter Pan Bus Lines (headquartered in Springfield), Greyhound Lines, OurBus, BoltBus and Plymouth and Brockton Street Railway. Various Chinatown bus lines depart for New York from South Station in Boston.

MBTA Commuter Rail services run throughout the larger Greater Boston area, including service to Worcester, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Newburyport, Lowell, and Kingston. This overlaps with the service areas of neighboring regional transportation authorities. As of the summer of 2013 the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority in collaboration with the MBTA and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is operating the CapeFLYER providing passenger rail service between Boston and Cape Cod.

Ferry

Most ports north of Cape Cod are served by Boston Harbor Cruises, which operates ferry services in and around Greater Boston under contract with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Several routes connect the downtown area with Hingham, Hull, Winthrop, Salem, Logan Airport, Charlestown, and some of the islands located within the harbor. The same company also operates seasonal service between Boston and Provincetown.

On the southern shore of the state, several different passenger ferry lines connect Martha's Vineyard to ports along the mainland, including Woods Hole, Hyannis, New Bedford, and Falmouth, all in Massachusetts, as well as North Kingstown in Rhode Island, Highlands in New Jersey, and New York City in New York. Similarly, several different lines connect Nantucket to ports including Hyannis, New Bedford, Harwich, and New York City. Service between the two islands is also offered. The dominant companies serving these routes include SeaStreak, Hy-Line Cruises, and The Steamship Authority, the latter of which regulates all passenger services in the region and is also the only company permitted to offer freight ferry services to the islands.

Other ferry connections in the state include a water taxi connecting various points in Fall River, seasonal ferry service connecting Plymouth to Provincetown, and a service between New Bedford and Cuttyhunk.

Rail freight

See also: List of Massachusetts railroads

As of 2018, a number of freight railroads were operating in Massachusetts, with Class I railroad CSX being the largest carrier, and another Class 1, Norfolk Southern serving the state via its Pan Am Southern joint partnership. Several regional and short line railroads also provide service and connect with other railroads. Massachusetts has a total of 1,110 miles (1,790 km) of freight trackage in operation.

Air service

Further information: List of airports in Massachusetts
Logan International Airport in Boston is the largest airport in New England in terms of passenger volume

Boston Logan International Airport served 33.5 million passengers in 2015 (up from 31.6 million in 2014) through 103 gates. Logan, Hanscom Field in Bedford, and Worcester Regional Airport are operated by Massport, an independent state transportation agency. Massachusetts has 39 public-use airfields and more than 200 private landing spots. Some airports receive funding from the Aeronautics Division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration; the FAA is also the primary regulator of Massachusetts air travel.

Roads

Prominent roads and cities in Massachusetts

There are a total of 36,800 miles (59,200 km) of interstates and other highways in Massachusetts. Interstate 90 (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 of West Stockbridge, and passes just north of Springfield, just south of Worcester and through Framingham before terminating near Logan International Airport in Boston. Other major interstates include I-91, which travels generally north and south along the Connecticut River; I-93, which travels north and south through central Boston, then passes through Methuen before entering New Hampshire; and I-95, which connects Providence, Rhode Island with Greater Boston, forming a partial loop concurrent with Route 128 around the more urbanized areas before continuing north along the coast into New Hampshire.

I-495 forms a wide loop around the outer edge of Greater Boston. Other major interstates in Massachusetts include I-291, I-391, I-84, I-195, I-395, I-290, and I-190. Major non-interstate highways in Massachusetts include U.S. Routes 1, 3, 6, and 20, and state routes 2, 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 intent to route I-95 northeastwards from Providence, Rhode Island, directly through central Boston, first proposed in 1948. Opposition to continued construction grew, and in 1970 Governor Francis W. Sargent issued a general prohibition on most further freeway construction within the I-95/Route 128 loop in the Boston area. A massive undertaking to bring I-93 underground in downtown Boston, called the Big Dig, brought the city's highway system under public scrutiny for its high cost and construction quality.

Government and politics

The Massachusetts State House, topped by its golden dome, faces Boston Common on Beacon Hill.

Massachusetts has a long political history; earlier political structures included the Mayflower Compact of 1620, the separate Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies, and the combined colonial Province of Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Constitution was ratified in 1780 while the Revolutionary War was in progress, four years after the Articles of Confederation was drafted, and eight years before the present United States Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788. Drafted by John Adams, the Massachusetts Constitution is the oldest functioning written constitution in continuous effect in the world. It has been amended 121 times, most recently in 2022.

Massachusetts politics since the second half of the 20th century have generally been dominated by the Democratic Party, and the state has a reputation for being the most liberal state in the country. In 1974, Elaine Noble became the first openly lesbian or gay candidate elected to a state legislature in US history. The state's 12th congressional district elected the first openly gay member of the United States House of Representatives, Gerry Studds, in 1972 and in 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex marriage. In 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to approve a law that provided for nearly universal healthcare. Massachusetts has a pro-sanctuary city law. 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 in 1984.

In a 2020 study, Massachusetts was ranked as the 11th easiest state for citizens to vote in.

Government

Main article: Government of Massachusetts See also: Commonwealth (U.S. state)
Maura Healey (D), the 73rd Governor of Massachusetts

The Government of Massachusetts is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The governor 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.

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 the Massachusetts National Guard. Massachusetts governors, unlike those of most other states, are addressed as His/Her Excellency. The governor is Maura Healey and the incumbent lieutenant governor is Kim Driscoll. The governor conducts the affairs of state alongside a separate Governor's Council made up of the lieutenant governor and eight separately elected councilors. 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.

Aside from the governor and Governor's Council, the executive branch also includes four independently elected constitutional officers: a secretary of the commonwealth, an attorney general, a state treasurer, and a state auditor. The commonwealth's incumbent constitutional officers are respectively William F. Galvin, Andrea Campbell, Deb Goldberg and Diana DiZoglio, all Democrats. 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 the state seal. 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. 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.

Legislative branch

The Massachusetts House of Representatives and Massachusetts Senate comprise the legislature of Massachusetts, known as the Massachusetts General Court. The House consists of 160 members while the Senate has 40 members. 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. Each branch consists of several committees. Members of both bodies are elected to two-year terms.

Judicial branch

The Massachusetts 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.

Federal court cases are heard in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and appeals are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Federal representation

The Congressional delegation from Massachusetts is entirely Democratic. The Senators are Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey while the Representatives are Richard Neal (1st), Jim McGovern (2nd), Lori Trahan (3rd), Jake Auchincloss (4th), Katherine Clark (5th), Seth Moulton (6th), Ayanna Pressley (7th), Stephen Lynch (8th), and Bill Keating (9th).

In U.S. presidential elections since 2012, Massachusetts has been allotted 11 votes in the electoral college, out of a total of 538. Like most states, Massachusetts's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Massachusetts and Political party strength in Massachusetts See also: United States presidential elections in Massachusetts
Two older men and an older woman stand in a crowd with signs reading "Joe Kennedy for Congress".
Boston Pride Parade, 2012. From left: Representative Joe Kennedy III, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and former representative Barney Frank.

For more than 70 years, Massachusetts has shifted from a previously Republican-leaning state to one largely dominated by Democrats; the 1952 victory of John F. Kennedy over incumbent Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. is seen as a watershed moment in this transformation. His younger brother Edward M. Kennedy held that seat until his death from a brain tumor in 2009. Since the 1950s, Massachusetts has gained a reputation as being a politically liberal state and is often used as an archetype of modern liberalism, hence the phrase "Massachusetts liberal".

Massachusetts is one of the most Democratic states in the country. Democratic core concentrations are everywhere, except for a handful of Republican leaning towns in the Central and Southern parts of the state. Until recently, Republicans were dominant in the Western and Northern suburbs of Boston, however both areas heavily swung Democratic in the Trump era. The state as a whole has not given its Electoral College votes to a Republican in a presidential election since Ronald Reagan carried it in 1984, and not a single county has voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 . Additionally, Massachusetts provided Reagan with his smallest margins of victory in both the 1980 and 1984 elections. Massachusetts had been the only state to vote for Democrat George McGovern in the 1972 presidential election. In 2020, Biden received 65.6% of the vote, the best performance in over 50 years for a Democrat.

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 Senator Scott Brown) has been elected to either house of Congress from Massachusetts since 1994. Massachusetts is the most populous state to be represented in the United States Congress entirely by a single party.

As of the 2018 elections, the Democratic Party holds a super-majority over the Republican Party in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court (state legislature). Out of the state house's 160 seats, Democrats hold 127 seats (79%) compared to the Republican Party's 32 seats (20%), an independent sits in the remaining one, and 37 out of the 40 seats in the state senate (92.5%) belong to the Democratic Party compared to the Republican Party's three seats (7.5%). Both houses of the legislature have had Democratic majorities since the 1950s.

Party registration as of August 2024
Party Total voters Percentage
Unenrolled 3,256,754 64.43%
Democratic 1,327,704 26.27%
Republican 418,899 8.29%
Other 51,182 1.01%
Total 5,054,539 100.00%

Despite the state's Democratic-leaning tendency, Massachusetts has generally elected Republicans as Governor: only two Democrats (Deval Patrick and Maura Healey) have served as governor 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. These have been considered to be among the most moderate Republican leaders in the nation; they have received higher net favorability ratings from the state's Democrats than Republicans.

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 Court allowing same-sex marriage and a 2006 bill which mandated health insurance for all Massachusetts residents. In 2008, Massachusetts voters passed an initiative decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana. Voters in Massachusetts also approved a ballot measure in 2012 that legalized the medical use of marijuana. 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. However, in 2020, a ballot initiative to implement Ranked-Choice Voting failed, despite being championed by many progressives.

Massachusetts is one of the most pro-choice states in the Union. A 2014 Pew Research Center poll found that 74% of Massachusetts residents supported the right to an abortion in all/most cases, making Massachusetts the most pro-choice state in the United States.

In 2020, the state legislature overrode Governor Charlie Baker's veto of the ROE Act, a controversial law that codified existing abortion laws in case the Supreme Court overturned Roe 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."

The 2023 American Values Atlas by Public Religion Research Institute found that same-sex marriage is supported near-universally by Massachusettsans.

Cities, towns, and counties

Main articles: Government of Massachusetts § County Government, and Government of Massachusetts § Municipal Government

As of 2023, there are 292 towns and 59 cities in Massachusetts. Over time, many towns have voted to become cities; 14 municipalities still refer to themselves as "towns" even though they have a city form of government.

There are 50 cities and 301 towns in Massachusetts, grouped into 14 counties. The fourteen counties, moving roughly from west to east, are Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket. Eleven communities which call themselves "towns" are, by law, cities since they have traded the town meeting form of government for a mayor-council or manager-council form.

Boston is the state capital in Massachusetts. The population of the city proper is 692,600, and Greater Boston, with a population of 4,873,019, is the 11th largest metropolitan area in the nation. Other cities with a population over 100,000 include Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, Cambridge, Brockton, Quincy, New Bedford, and Lynn. Plymouth is the largest municipality in the state by land area, followed by Middleborough.

Massachusetts, along with the five other New England states, features the local governmental structure known as the New England town. In this structure, incorporated towns—as opposed to townships or counties—hold many of the responsibilities and powers of local government. Most of the county governments were abolished by the state of Massachusetts beginning in 1997 including Middlesex County, the largest county in the state by population. The voters of these now-defunct counties elect only Sheriffs and Registers of Deeds, who are part of the state government. Other counties have been reorganized, and a few still retain county councils.

   Largest cities or towns in Massachusetts
Source:
Rank Name County Pop. Rank Name County Pop.
Boston
Boston
Worcester
Worcester 		1 Boston Suffolk 654,776 11 Lawrence Essex 88,508 Springfield
Springfield
Cambridge
Cambridge
2 Worcester Worcester 205,918 12 Newton Middlesex 87,453
3 Springfield Hampden 154,789 13 Somerville Middlesex 79,815
4 Cambridge Middlesex 117,090 14 Framingham Middlesex 71,265
5 Lowell Middlesex 113,994 15 Haverhill Essex 67,361
6 Brockton Plymouth 105,994 16 Malden Middlesex 65,074
7 Quincy Norfolk 101,119 17 Waltham Middlesex 64,015
8 New Bedford Bristol 100,941 18 Brookline Norfolk 62,726
9 Lynn Essex 100,843 19 Plymouth Plymouth 62,131
10 Fall River Bristol 93,884 20 Medford Middlesex 62,098

Arts, culture, and recreation

The site of Henry David Thoreau's cabin at Walden Pond in Concord
Massachusetts is home to many of the worlds' most prestigious art museums, such as the Clark Art Institute (pictured above)

Massachusetts has contributed to American arts and culture. Drawing from its Native American and Yankee roots, along with later immigrant groups, Massachusetts has produced several writers, artists, and musicians. Some major museums and important historical sites are also located there, and events and festivals throughout the year celebrate the state's history and heritage.

Massachusetts was an early center of the Transcendentalist movement, which emphasized intuition, emotion, human individuality and a deeper connection with nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson, who was born in Boston but spent much of his later life in Concord, largely created the philosophy with his 1836 work Nature, 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 nearby Walden Pond in the 1854 work Walden; or, Life in the Woods.

Other famous authors and poets born or strongly associated with Massachusetts include Anne Bradstreet, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edith Wharton, e.e. cummings, Herman Melville, W.E.B. Du Bois, Sylvia Plath, Elizabeth Bishop, John Updike, Anne Sexton, H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Helen Hunt Jackson, Khalil Gibran, Mary Higgins Clark, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, Jack Kerouac and Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as "Dr. Seuss". Famous painters from Massachusetts include Winslow Homer and Norman Rockwell; many of the latter's works are on display at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.

An outdoor dance performance at Jacob's Pillow in Becket

Massachusetts is also an important center for the performing arts. Both the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops Orchestra are based in Massachusetts. Other orchestras in Massachusetts include the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra in Barnstable, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Tanglewood, in western Massachusetts, is a music venue that is home to both the Tanglewood Music Festival and Tanglewood Jazz Festival, as well as the summer host for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Other performing arts and theater organizations in Massachusetts include the Boston Ballet, the Boston Lyric Opera, and the Lenox-based Shakespeare & Company. In addition to classical and folk music, Massachusetts has produced musicians and bands spanning a number of contemporary genres, such as the classic rock bands Aerosmith and Boston, the proto-punk band the Modern Lovers, the new wave band the Cars, and the alternative rock band Pixies. The state has also been the birthplace of the rock bands Staind, Godsmack, and Highly Suspect, since these bands all were formed in Massachusetts cities such Springfield, Lawrence, and Cape Cod respectively. Film events in the state include the Boston Film Festival, the Boston International Film Festival, and a number of smaller film festivals in various cities throughout Massachusetts.

USS Constitution fires a salute during its annual Fourth of July turnaround cruise
Built in 1681, the Old Ship Church in Hingham is the oldest church in America in continuous ecclesiastical use. Massachusetts has since become one of the most irreligious states in the U.S.

Massachusetts is home to a large number of museums and historical sites. The Clark Art Institute, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, and the DeCordova contemporary art and sculpture museum in Lincoln are all located within Massachusetts, and the Maria Mitchell Association in Nantucket includes several observatories, museums, and an aquarium. Historically themed museums and sites such as the Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield, Boston's Freedom Trail and nearby Minute Man National Historical Park, both of which preserve a number of sites important during the American Revolution, the Lowell National Historical Park, which focuses on some of the earliest mills and canals of the Industrial Revolution in the US, the Black Heritage Trail in Boston, which includes important African-American and abolitionist sites in Boston, and the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park all showcase various periods of Massachusetts's history. Plymouth Rock, marks the disembarkation site of the Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in December 1620.

Plimoth Plantation and Old Sturbridge Village are two open-air or "living" museums in Massachusetts, recreating life as it was in the 17th and early 19th centuries, respectively.

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).

Boston's annual St. Patrick's Day parade and "Harborfest", a week-long Fourth of July celebration featuring a fireworks display and concert by the Boston Pops as well as a turnaround cruise in Boston Harbor by the USS Constitution, are popular events. The New England Summer Nationals, an auto show in Worcester, draws tens of thousands of attendees every year. The Boston Marathon is also a popular event in the state drawing more than 30,000 runners and tens of thousands of spectators annually.

Long-distance hiking trails in Massachusetts include the Appalachian Trail, the New England National Scenic Trail, the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, the Midstate Trail, and the Bay Circuit Trail. Other outdoor recreational activities in Massachusetts include sailing and yachting, freshwater and deep-sea fishing, whale watching, downhill and cross-country skiing, and hunting.

Massachusetts is one of the states with the largest percentage of Catholics. It has many sanctuaries such as the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy (Stockbridge, Massachusetts).

Media

See also: List of television stations in Massachusetts, List of newspapers in Massachusetts, and List of radio stations in Massachusetts

There are two major television media markets located in Massachusetts. The Boston/Manchester market is the fifth-largest in the United States. The other market surrounds the Springfield area. WGBH-TV in Boston is a major public television station and produces national programs such as Nova, Frontline, and American Experience.

The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Springfield Republican, and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette are Massachusetts's largest daily newspapers. In addition, there are many community dailies and weeklies. The Associated Press maintains a bureau in Boston, and local news wire the State House News Service feeds coverage of state government to other Massachusetts media outlets. There are a number of major AM and FM stations which serve Massachusetts, 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.

Health

See also: List of hospitals in Massachusetts, Massachusetts health care reform, and Governorship of Mitt Romney § Health care
Map showing the average Medicare reimbursement per enrollee for the counties in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts generally ranks highly among states in most health and disease prevention categories. In 2015, the United Health Foundation ranked the state as third-healthiest overall. Massachusetts has the most doctors per 100,000 residents (435.38), the second-lowest infant mortality rate (3.8), and the lowest percentage of uninsured residents (children as well as the total population). According to Business Insider, commonwealth residents have an average life expectancy of 80.41 years, the fifth-longest in the country. 36.1% of the population is overweight and 24.4% is obese, and Massachusetts ranks sixth-highest in the percentage of residents who are considered neither obese nor overweight (39.5%). Massachusetts also ranks above average in the prevalence of binge drinking, which is the 20th-highest in the country.

The nation's first Marine Hospital was erected by federal order in Boston in 1799. There are currently a total of 143 hospitals in the state. According to 2015 rankings by U.S. News & World Report, Massachusetts General Hospital is ranked in the top three in two health care specialties. Massachusetts General Hospital was founded in 1811 and serves as the largest teaching hospital for nearby Harvard University.

The state of Massachusetts is a center for medical education and research including Harvard affiliates Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Dana–Farber Cancer Institute as well as the New England Baptist Hospital, Tufts Medical Center, and Boston Medical Center which is the primary teaching hospital for Boston University. The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School is located in Worcester. The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has two of its three campuses in Boston and Worcester.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Massachusetts
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough is the home venue for the New England Patriots (NFL) and the New England Revolution (MLS)

Massachusetts is home to five major league professional sports teams: eighteen-time NBA Champions Boston Celtics, nine-time World Series winners Boston Red Sox, six-time Stanley Cup winners Boston Bruins, six-time Super Bowl winners New England Patriots, and five-time MLS Cup finalists New England Revolution.

In the late 19th century, the Olympic sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in the Western Massachusetts cities of Springfield and Holyoke, respectively. The Basketball Hall of Fame is a major tourist destination in the City of Springfield and the Volleyball Hall of Fame is located in Holyoke. The American Hockey League (AHL), the NHL's development league, is headquartered in Springfield.

Several universities in Massachusetts are notable for their collegiate athletics. The state is home to two Division I FBS teams, Boston College of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and FBS Independent University of Massachusetts at Amherst. FCS play includes Harvard University, which competes in the famed Ivy League, and College of the Holy Cross of the Patriot League. Boston University, Northeastern University, UMASS Lowell, Stonehill College, and Merrimack College also participate in Division I athletics. Many other Massachusetts colleges compete in lower divisions such as Division III, where MIT, Tufts University, Amherst College, Williams College, and others field competitive teams.

Massachusetts is also the home of rowing events such as the Eastern Sprints on Lake Quinsigamond and the Head of the Charles Regatta. A number of major golf events have taken place in Massachusetts, including nine U.S. Opens and two Ryder Cups.

Massachusetts has produced several successful Olympians including Thomas Burke, James Connolly, and John Thomas (track and field); Butch Johnson (archery); Nancy Kerrigan (figure skating); Todd Richards (snowboarding); Albina Osipowich (swimming); Aly Raisman (gymnastics); Patrick Ewing (basketball); Stephen Nedoroscik (pommel horse); as well as Jim Craig, Mike Eruzione, Bill Cleary, Keith Tkachuk (ice hockey).

See also

Notes

  1. Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988.
  2. Massachusetts is one of only four U.S. states to use the term "Commonwealth" in its official name, along with Kentucky, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
  3. Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are not distinguished between total and partial ancestry.

References

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Bibliography

Further reading

Overviews and surveys

Secondary sources

  • Abrams, Richard M. Conservatism in a Progressive Era: Massachusetts Politics, 1900–1912 (1964)
  • Adams, James Truslow. Revolutionary New England, 1691–1776 (1923)
  • Adams, James Truslow. New England in the Republic, 1776–1850 (1926)
  • Andrews, Charles M. The Fathers of New England: A Chronicle of the Puritan Commonwealths (1919), short survey
  • Conforti, Joseph A. Imagining New England: Explorations of Regional Identity from the Pilgrims to the Mid-Twentieth Century (2001)
  • Cumbler, John T. Reasonable Use: The People, the Environment, and the State, New England, 1790–1930 (1930), environmental history
  • Fischer, David Hackett. Paul Revere's Ride (1994), 1775 in depth
  • Flagg, Charles Allcott, A Guide to Massachusetts local history, Salem : Salem Press Company, 1907.
  • Green, James R., William F. Hartford, and Tom Juravich. Commonwealth of Toil: Chapters in the History of Massachusetts Workers and Their Unions (1996)
  • Huthmacher, J. Joseph. Massachusetts People and Politics, 1919–1933 (1958)
  • Labaree, Benjamin Woods. Colonial Massachusetts: A History (1979)
  • Morison, Samuel Eliot. The Maritime History of Massachusetts, 1783–1860 (1921)
  • Peirce, Neal R. The New England States: People, Politics, and Power in the Six New England States (1976), 1960–75 era
  • Porter, Susan L. Women of the Commonwealth: Work, Family, and Social Change in Nineteenth-Century Massachusetts (1996)
  • Sletcher, Michael. New England (2004).
  • Starkey, Marion L. The Devil in Massachusetts (1949), Salem witches
  • Tager, Jack, and John W. Ifkovic, eds. Massachusetts in the Gilded Age: Selected Essays (1985), ethnic groups
  • Zimmerman, Joseph F. The New England Town Meeting: Democracy in Action Archived November 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (1999)

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