Massachusetts

Massachusetts
State
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): The Bay State (official) The Pilgrim State; The Puritan State The Old Colony State The Baked Bean State [1]
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 highlighted
Country	United States
Before statehood	Province of Massachusetts Bay
Admitted to the Union	February 6, 1788 (6th)
Capital (and largest city)	Boston
Largest county or equivalent	Middlesex
Largest metroandurbanareas	Greater Boston
Government
•Governor	Maura Healey(D)
•Lieutenant Governor	Kim Driscoll(D)
Legislature	General Court
•Upper house	Senate
•Lower house	House of Representatives
Judiciary	Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
U.S. senators	Elizabeth Warren(D) Ed Markey(D)
U.S. House delegation	9 Democrats (list)
Area
• Total	10,565[2]sq mi (27,363 km2)
• Land	7,800[3]sq mi (20,202 km2)
• Water	2,715 sq mi (7,032 km2) 26.1%
• Rank	44th
Dimensions
• Length	190 mi (296 km)
• Width	115 mi (184 km)
Elevation	508 ft (150 m)
Highest elevation ( Mount Greylock [4] [a])	3,489 ft (1,063.4 m)
Lowest elevation (Atlantic Ocean)	0 ft (0 m)
Population (2023)
• Total	7,001,399[5]
• Rank	16th
• Density	891/sq mi (344/km2)
• Rank	3rd
•Median household income	$89,026[6]
• Income rank	2nd
Demonym	Bay Stater (official)[7] Massachusite (traditional)[8][9] Massachusettsan (recommended by theU.S. GPO)[10]
Language
•Official language	English[11]
•Spoken language	English75.00% Spanish9.55% Portuguese3.43% Chinese2.05%[12]
Time zone	UTC–05:00(Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC–04:00(EDT)
USPS abbreviation	MA
ISO 3166 code	US-MA
Traditional abbreviation	Mass.
Latitude	41°14′ N to 42°53′ N
Longitude	69°56′ W to 73°30′ W
Website	mass.gov

State symbols of Massachusetts

List of state symbols
Flag of Massachusetts
Seal of Massachusetts
Poem	Blue Hills of Massachusetts[13][14]
Slogan	Make It Yours, The Spirit of America[15]
Living insignia
Bird	Black-capped chickadee,[16]wild turkey[17][13]
Fish	Cod[13][18]
Flower	Mayflower[13][19]
Insect	Ladybug[13][20]
Mammal	Right whale,[21]Morgan horse,[22]Tabby cat,[23]Boston Terrier[24]
Reptile	Garter snake[13][25]
Tree	American elm[13][26]
Inanimate insignia
Beverage	Cranberry juice[13][27]
Color(s)	Blue, green, cranberry[13][28]
Dance	Square dance[13][29]
Food	Cranberry,[30]corn muffin,[13][31]navy bean,[32]Boston cream pie,[33]chocolate chip cookie,[34]Boston cream doughnut[35]
Fossil	Dinosaur Tracks[36]
Gemstone	Rhodonite[13][37]
Mineral	Babingtonite[13][38]
Rock	Roxbury Puddingstone[13][39]
Shell	New England Neptune,Neptunea lyrata decemcostata[13][40]
Ship	Schooner Ernestina[13]
Soil	Paxton[13]
Sport	Basketball[41]
State route marker
State quarter
Released in 2000 [42]
Lists of United States state symbols

Massachusetts(/ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɪts/^ⓘ,/-zɪts/MASS-ə-CHOO-sits, -⁠zits;Massachusett:Muhsachuweesut[məhswatʃəwiːsət]), officially theCommonwealth of Massachusetts,^[b]is astatein theNew Englandregion of theNortheastern United States. It borders theAtlantic OceanandGulf of Maineto its east,ConnecticutandRhode Islandto its south,New HampshireandVermontto its north, andNew Yorkto its west. Massachusetts is thesixth-smallest state by land area. With over seven million residents as of 2020,^{[note 1]}it is the most populous state in New England, the16th-most-populousin the country, and thethird-most densely populated, afterNew Jerseyand Rhode Island.

Massachusetts was a site of earlyEnglish colonization. ThePlymouth Colonywas founded in 1620 by thePilgrimsof theMayflower. In 1630, theMassachusetts Bay Colony, taking its name from the IndigenousMassachusett people, also established settlements in Boston and Salem. In 1692, the town ofSalemand surrounding areas experienced one of America's most infamous cases ofmass hysteria, theSalem witch trials.^[43]In the late 18th century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty"^[44]for the agitation there that later led to theAmerican Revolution. In 1786,Shays' Rebellion, a populist revolt led by disaffectedAmerican Revolutionary Warveterans, influenced theUnited States Constitutional Convention.^[45]Originally dependent onagriculture,fishing, andtrade,^[46]Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during theIndustrial Revolution.^[47]Before theAmerican Civil War, the state was a center for theabolitionist,temperance,^[48]andtranscendentalist^[49]movements.^[50]During the 20th century, the state's economyshifted from manufacturing to services;^[51]and in the 21st century, Massachusetts has become the global leader inbiotechnology,^[52]and also excels inartificial intelligence,^[53]engineering,higher education,finance, andmaritime trade.^[54]

The state's capital andmost populous city, as well as its cultural andfinancial center, isBoston. Other major cities areWorcester,SpringfieldandCambridge. Massachusetts is also home to theurbancore ofGreater Boston, the largest metropolitan area in New England and a region profoundly influential upon Americanhistory,academia, and theresearch economy.^[55]Massachusetts has a reputation for social and politicalprogressivism;^[56]becoming the only U.S. state with aright to shelterlaw, and the first U.S. state, and one of the earliestjurisdictionsin the world to legally recognizesame-sex marriage.^[57]Boston is considered a hub ofLGBT cultureandactivismin the United States.Harvard UniversityinCambridgeis theoldest institution of higher learning in the United States,^[58]with the largestfinancial endowmentof any university in the world.^[59]Both Harvard andMIT, also in Cambridge, are perennially ranked as either the most or among the most highly regardedacademic institutionsin the world.^[60]Massachusetts's public-school students place among the top tier in the world in academic performance.^[61]

Massachusetts is the most educated^[62]and one of the most highly developed and wealthiest U.S. states, ranking first in thepercentage of population 25 and over with either a bachelor's degreeoradvanced degree, first on both theAmerican Human Development Indexand thestandard Human Development Index,first in per capita income, and as of 2023, first inmedian income.^[62]Consequently, Massachusetts typically ranks as the top U.S. state,^[63]as well as the most expensive state, for residents to live in.^[64]

TheMassachusetts Bay Colonywas named after theIndigenouspopulation, theMassachusettorMuhsachuweesut, whose name likely derived from aWôpanâakwordmuswachasut, segmented asmus(ây)"big" +wach"mountain" +-s"diminutive" + -ut"locative".^[65]This word has been translated as "near the great hill",^[66]"by the blue hills", "at the little big hill", or "at the range of hills", in reference to theBlue Hills—namely, theGreat Blue Hill, located on the boundary ofMiltonandCanton.^[67][68]Massachusetthas also been represented asMoswetuset. This comes from the name of theMoswetuset Hummock(meaning "hill shaped like an arrowhead") inQuincy, wherePlymouth ColonycommanderMyles Standish(a hired English military officer) andSquanto(a member of thePatuxet bandof theWamponoag people, who have since died off due to contagious diseases brought by colonizers) met ChiefChickatawbutin 1621.^[69][70]

Although the designation "Commonwealth" forms part of the state's official name, it has no practical implications in modern times,^[71]and Massachusetts has the same position and powers within the United States as other states.^[72]John Adamsmay have chosen the word in 1779 for the second draft of what became the 1780Massachusetts Constitution; unlike the word "state", the word "commonwealth" had the connotation of arepublicat the time. This was in contrast to themonarchythe former colonies were fighting against during theAmerican Revolutionary War. The name "State of Massachusetts Bay" appeared in the first draft, which was ultimately rejected. It was also chosen to include the "Cape Islands" in reference toMartha's VineyardandNantucket—from 1780 to 1844, they were seen as additional and separate entities confined within the Commonwealth.^[73]

Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of theAlgonquian language family, includingWampanoag,Narragansett,Nipmuc,Pocomtuc,Mahican, andMassachusett.^[74][75]While cultivation of crops likesquashandcornwere an important part of their diet, the people of these tribeshunted,fished, and searched the forest for most of their food.^[74]Villagers lived in lodges calledwigwamsas well aslonghouses.^[75]Tribes were led by male or female elders known assachems.^[76]

In the early 1600s,European colonizerscausedvirgin soil epidemicssuch assmallpox,measles,influenza, and perhapsleptospirosisin what is now known as thenortheastern regionof the United States.^[77][78]Between 1617 and 1619, a disease that was most likelysmallpoxkilled approximately 90% of theMassachusetts BayNative Americans.^[79]

The firstEnglish colonizersin Massachusetts Bay Colony landed with Richard Vines and spent the winter in Biddeford Pool near Cape Porpoise (after 1820 the State of Maine) in 1616. ThePuritans, arrived atPlymouthin 1620. This was the second permanentEnglish colonyin the part of North America that later became the United States, after theJamestown Colony. The"First Thanksgiving"was celebrated by the Puritans after their first harvest in the "New World" and lasted for three days. They were soon followed by other Puritans, who colonized theMassachusetts Bay Colony—now known as Boston—in 1630.^[80]

The Puritans believed theChurch of Englandneeded to be furtherreformedalongProtestantCalvinistlines, and experienced harassment due to the religious policies ofKing Charles Iand high-ranking churchmen such asWilliam Laud, who would become Charles'sArchbishop of Canterbury, whom they feared were re-introducing"Romish"elements to the national church.^[81]They decided to colonize to Massachusetts, intending to establish what they considered an "ideal" religious society.^[82]TheMassachusetts Bay Colonywas colonized under a royal charter, unlike the Plymouth colony, in 1629.^[83]Both religious dissent and expansionism resulted in several new colonies being founded, shortly after Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, elsewhere in New England. The Massachusetts Bay banished dissenters such asAnne HutchinsonandRoger Williamsdue to religious and political conflict. In 1636, Williams colonized what is now known asRhode Island, and Hutchinson joined him there several years later. Religious intolerance continued, and among those who objected to this later that century were the English Quaker preachersAlice and Thomas Curwen, who were publicly flogged and imprisoned in Boston in 1676.^[84][85]

By 1641, Massachusetts had expanded inland significantly. The Commonwealth acquired theConnecticut River Valleysettlement ofSpringfield, which had recently disputed with—and defected from—its original administrators, theConnecticut Colony.^[86]This established Massachusetts's southern border in the west.^[87]However, this became disputed territory until 1803–04 due to surveying problems, leading to the modernSouthwick Jog.^[88]

In 1652 theMassachusetts General Courtauthorized Boston silversmithJohn Hullto producelocal coinagein shilling, sixpence and threepence denominations to address a coin shortage in the colony.^[89]Before that point, the colony's economy had been entirely dependent on barter and foreign currency, including English, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and counterfeit coins.^[90]In 1661, shortly after therestoration of the British monarchy, the British government considered the Boston mint to be treasonous.^[91]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.^[92]The coinage was a contributing factor to the revocation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony charter in 1684.^[93]

In 1691, the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth were united (along with present-dayMaine, which had previously been divided between Massachusetts andNew York) into theProvince of Massachusetts Bay.^[94]Shortly after, the new province's first governor,William Phips, arrived. TheSalem witch trialsalso took place, where a number of men and women were hanged for allegedwitchcraft.^[95]

Themost destructive earthquakeknown to date inNew Englandoccurred on November 18, 1755, causing considerable damage across Massachusetts.^[96][97]

Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence fromGreat Britain. Colonists in Massachusetts had long had uneasy relations with the British monarchy, including open rebellion under theDominion of New Englandin the 1680s.^[94]Protests against British attempts to tax the colonies after theFrench and Indian Warended in 1763 led to theBoston Massacrein 1770, and the 1773Boston Tea Partyescalated tensions.^[98]In 1774, theIntolerable Actstargeted Massachusetts with punishments for the Boston Tea Party and further decreased local autonomy, increasing local dissent.^[99]Anti-Parliamentary activity by men such asSamuel AdamsandJohn Hancock, followed by reprisals by the British government, were a primary reason for the unity of theThirteen Coloniesand the outbreak of theAmerican Revolutionin 1775.^[100]

TheBattles of Lexington and Concord, fought in Massachusetts in 1775, initiated theAmerican Revolutionary War.^[101]George Washington, later the first president of the future country, took over what would become theContinental Armyafter the battle. His first victory was thesiege of Bostonin the winter of 1775–76, after which the British were forced to evacuate the city.^[102]The event is still celebrated inSuffolk Countyonly every March 17 asEvacuation Day.^[103]

On the coast, Salem became a center forprivateering. Although the documentation is incomplete, about 1,700letters of marque, issued on a per-voyage basis, were granted during the American Revolution. Nearly 800 vessels were commissioned as privateers, which were credited with capturing or destroying about 600 British ships.^[104]

BostonianJohn Adams, known as the "Atlas of Independence",^[105]was highly involved in both separation from Britain and theConstitution of Massachusetts, which effectively (theElizabeth FreemanandQuock Walkercases as interpreted byWilliam Cushing) made Massachusetts the first state to abolish slavery.David McCulloughpoints out that an equally important feature was its placing for the first time the courts as a co-equal branch separate from the executive.^[106](TheConstitution of Vermont, adopted in 1777, represented the first partial ban on slavery among the states. Vermont became a state in 1791 but did not fully ban slavery until 1858 with the Vermont Personal Liberty Law. ThePennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780^[107]madePennsylvaniathe first state to abolish slavery by statute - the second English colony to do so; the first having been the Colony of Georgia in 1735.) Later, Adams was active in early American foreign affairs and succeeded Washington as the secondpresident of the United States. His son,John Quincy Adams, also from Massachusetts,^[108]would go on to become the nation's sixth president.

From 1786 to 1787, an armed uprising led by Revolutionary War veteranDaniel Shays, now known asShays' Rebellion, wrought havoc throughout Massachusetts and ultimately attempted to seize the federalSpringfield Armory.^[45]The rebellion was one of the major factors in the decision to draft a stronger national constitution to replace theArticles of Confederation.^[45]On February 6, 1788, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify theUnited States Constitution.^[109]

In 1820,Maineseparated from Massachusetts and entered the Union as the 23rd state due to the ratification of theMissouri Compromise.^[110]

During the 19th century, Massachusetts became a national leader in the AmericanIndustrial Revolution, with factories around cities such asLowellandBostonproducing textiles and shoes, and factories around Springfield producing tools, paper, and textiles.^[111][112]The state's economy transformed from one based primarily on agriculture to an industrial one, initially making use of water-power and later thesteam engineto power factories. Canals and railroads were being used in the state for transporting raw materials and finished goods.^[113]At first, the new industries drew labor fromYankeeson nearby subsistence farms, though they later relied uponimmigrant laborfrom Europe and Canada.^[114][115]

Although Massachusetts was the first slave-holding colony with slavery dating back to the early 1600s, the state became a center ofprogressivistandabolitionist(anti-slavery) activity in the years leading up to theAmerican Civil War.Horace Mannmade the state's school system a national model.^[116]Henry David ThoreauandRalph Waldo Emerson, bothphilosophersand writers from the state, also made major contributions to American philosophy.^[117]Furthermore, members of thetranscendentalist movementwithin the state emphasized the importance of the natural world and emotion to humanity.^[117]

Although significant opposition to abolitionism existed early on in Massachusetts, resulting in anti-abolitionist riots between 1835 and 1837,^[118]abolitionist views there gradually increased throughout the next few decades.^[119][120]AbolitionistsJohn BrownandSojourner Truthlived in Springfield and Northampton, respectively, whileFrederick Douglasslived in Boston andSusan B. AnthonyinAdams. The works of such abolitionists contributed to Massachusetts's actions during the Civil War. Massachusetts was the first state to recruit, train, and arm aBlackregiment withWhiteofficers, the54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment.^[121]In 1852, Massachusetts became the first state to passcompulsory educationlaws.^[122]

Although theU.S. stock markethad sustained steep losses the last week in October 1929,Tuesday, October 29is remembered as the beginning of the Great Depression. TheBoston Stock Exchange, drawn into the whirlpool of panic selling that beset the New York Stock Exchange, lost over 25 percent of its value in two days of frenzied trading. The BSE, nearly 100 years old at the time, had helped raise the capital that had funded many of the Commonwealth's factories, railroads, and businesses. "^[123]Governor of MassachusettsFrank G. AllenappointedJohn C. Hullthe first Securities Director of Massachusetts.^{[124][125][126]}Hull would assume office in January 1930, and his term would end in 1936.^[127]

With the departure of several manufacturing companies, the state's industrial economy began to decline during the early 20th century. By the 1920s, competition from theAmerican SouthandMidwest, followed by theGreat Depression, led to the collapse of the three main industries in Massachusetts: textiles, shoemaking, and precision mechanics.^[128]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.^[129]The 1969 closure of theSpringfield Armory, in particular, spurred an exodus of high-paying jobs from Western Massachusetts, which suffered greatly as it de-industrialized during the century's last 40 years.^[130]

Massachusetts manufactured 3.4 percent of total United States military armaments produced duringWorld War II, ranking tenth among the 48 states.^[131]After the world war, the economy ofeastern Massachusettstransformed from one based on heavy industry into aservice-based economy.^[132]Government contracts, private investment, and research facilities led to a new and improved industrial climate, with reduced unemployment and increased per capita income. Suburbanization flourished, and by the 1970s, theRoute 128/Interstate 95corridor was dotted withhigh-techcompanies who recruited graduates of the area's many elite institutions of higher education.^[133]

In 1987, the state received federal funding for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Commonly known as "theBig Dig", it was, at the time, the biggest federal highway project ever approved.^[134]The project included making theCentral Artery, part ofInterstate 93, into a tunnel under downtown Boston, in addition to the re-routing of several other major highways.^{[135][failed verification]}The project was often controversial, with numerous claims of graft and mismanagement, and with its initial price tag of $2.5billion increasing to a final tally of over $15billion. Nonetheless, the Big Dig nonetheless changed the face ofDowntown Boston^[134]and connected areas that were once divided by elevated highway. Much of the raised old Central Artery was replaced with theRose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. The project also improved traffic conditions along several routes.^[134][135]

TheKennedy familywas prominent in 20th-century Massachusetts politics. The children of businessman and ambassadorJoseph P. Kennedy Sr.includedJohn F. Kennedy, who was asenatorandU.S. presidentbeforehis assassinationin 1963;Ted Kennedy, asenatorfrom 1962 until his death in 2009;^[136]andEunice Kennedy Shriver, a co-founder of theSpecial Olympics.^[137]In 1966, Massachusetts became the first state to directly elect an African American to the U.S. senate withEdward Brooke.^[138]George H. W. Bush, 41stPresident of the United States(1989–1993) was born inMiltonin 1924.^[139]

Other notable Massachusetts politicians on the national level includedJoseph 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),^[140]John W. McCormack, Speaker of the House in the 1960s, andTip O'Neill, whose service as Speaker of the House from 1977 to 1987 was the longest continuous tenure in United States history.^[141]

On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the U.S. to legalizesame-sex marriage. This followed theMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's decision inGoodridge v. Department of Public Healthin November 2003, which determined that the exclusion of same-sex couples from the right to a civil marriage was unconstitutional.^[57]

In 2004, Massachusetts senatorJohn Kerry, who won the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, lost to incumbentGeorge W. Bush. Eight years later, former Massachusetts governorMitt Romney(the Republican nominee) lost to incumbentBarack Obamain 2012. Another eight years later, Massachusetts senatorElizabeth Warrenbecame a frontrunner in the Democratic primaries for the 2020 presidential election. However, she later suspended her campaign and endorsed presumptive nomineeJoe Biden.^[142]

Twopressure cooker bombs explodednear the finish line of theBoston Marathonon April 15, 2013, at around 2:49 pm local time (EDT). The explosions killed three people and injured an estimated 264 others.^[143]TheFederal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) later identified the suspects as brothersDzhokhar TsarnaevandTamerlan Tsarnaev. The ensuingmanhuntended on April 19 when thousands of law enforcement officers searched a 20-block area of nearbyWatertown. Dzhokhar later said he was motivated by extremistIslamicbeliefs and learned to build explosive devices fromInspire, the online magazine ofal-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.^[144]

On November 8, 2016, Massachusetts voted in favor of the MassachusettsMarijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Question 4.^[145]

Massachusetts is theseventh-smallest state in the United States. It is located in theNew Englandregion of theNortheastern United States. It has an area of 10,555 square miles (27,340 km²), 25.7% of which is water. Several large bays distinctly shape its coast. Boston is the largest city, at the inmost point ofMassachusetts Bay, and the mouth of theCharles River.^{[citation needed]}

Despite its small size, Massachusetts features numeroustopographicallydistinctive regions. The largecoastal plainof the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern section of the state containsGreater Boston, along with most of the state's population,^[55]as well as the distinctiveCape Codpeninsula. To the west lies the hilly, rural region ofCentral Massachusetts, and beyond that, theConnecticut River Valley. Along the western border ofWestern Massachusettslies the highest elevated part of the state,the Berkshires, forming a portion of the northern terminus of theAppalachian Mountains.^{[citation needed]}

The U.S.National Park Serviceadministers a number of natural and historicalsites in Massachusetts.^[146]Along with twelve national historic sites, areas, and corridors, the National Park Service also manages theCape Cod National Seashoreand theBoston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.^[146]In addition, theDepartment of Conservation and Recreationmaintains a number ofparks, trails, and beaches throughout Massachusetts.^[147]

The primarybiomeof inland Massachusetts istemperate deciduous forest.^[148]Although much of Massachusetts had been cleared for agriculture, leaving only traces ofold-growth forestin isolated pockets, secondary growth has regenerated in many rural areas as farms have been abandoned.^[149]Forests cover around 62% of Massachusetts.^[150]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.^[151]There are 219endangered speciesin Massachusetts.^[152]

A number of species are doing well in the increasingly urbanized Massachusetts.Peregrine falconsutilize office towers in larger cities as nesting areas,^[153]and the population ofcoyotes, whose diet may include garbage and roadkill, has been increasing in recent decades.^[154]White-tailed deer,raccoons,wild turkeys, andeastern gray squirrelsare also found throughout Massachusetts. In more rural areas in the western part of Massachusetts, larger mammals such asmooseandblack bearshave returned, largely due toreforestationfollowing the regional decline in agriculture.^[155]

Massachusetts is located along theAtlantic Flyway, a major route for migratorywaterfowlalong the eastern coast.^[156]Lakes in central Massachusetts provide habitat for many species of fish and waterfowl, but some species such as thecommon loonare becoming rare.^[157]A significant population oflong-tailed duckswinter offNantucket. Small offshore islands and beaches are home toroseate ternsand are important breeding areas for the locally threatenedpiping plover.^[158]Protected areas such as theMonomoy National Wildlife Refugeprovide critical breeding habitat for shorebirds and a variety of marine wildlife including a large population ofgrey seals. Since 2009, there has been a significant increase in the number ofGreat white sharksspotted and tagged in the coastal waters off ofCape Cod.^{[159][160][161]}

Freshwater fish species in Massachusetts includebass,carp,catfish, andtrout, while saltwater species such asAtlantic cod,haddock, andAmerican lobsterpopulate offshore waters.^[162]Other marine species includeHarbor seals, the endangeredNorth Atlantic right whales, as well ashumpback whales,fin whales,minke whales, andAtlantic white-sided dolphins.^[163]

TheEuropean corn borer, a significant agricultural pest, was first found in North America near Boston, Massachusetts in 1917.^[164]

Most of Massachusetts has ahumid continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. Far southeast coastal areas are the broad transition zone toHumid Subtropicalclimates. The warm to hot summers render theoceanic climaterare in this transition, only applying to exposed coastal areas such as on the peninsula ofBarnstable County. The climate ofBostonis 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.

Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Massachusetts ^[165]

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

Climate change in Massachusetts will affect both urban and rural environments, including forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and coastal development.^{[166][167][168]}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".^[168]As of August 2016, the EPA reports that Massachusetts has warmed by over two degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.1 degrees Celsius.^[169]

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.^[169]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.^[170]

The shifting climate in Massachusetts will result in a significant change to the state's built environment and ecosystems. InBostonalone, costs of climate change-related storms will result in $5 to $100 billion in damage.^[169]

Warmer temperatures will also disrupt bird migration and flora blooming. With these changes, deer populations are expected to increase, resulting in a decrease in underbrush which smaller fauna use as camouflage. Additionally, rising temperatures will increase the number of reportedLyme diseasecases in the state.Tickscan transmit the disease once temperatures reach 45 degrees, so shorter winters will increase the window of transmission. These warmer temperatures will also increase the prevalence ofAsian tiger mosquitoes, which often carry theWest Nile virus.^[169]

To fight this change, theMassachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairshas outlined a path todecarbonizethe state's economy. On April 22, 2020, Kathleen A. Theoharides, the state's Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, released a Determination of Statewide Emissions limits for 2050. In her letter, Theoharides stresses that as of 2020, the Commonwealth has experienced property damage attributable to climate change of more than $60 billion. To ensure that the Commonwealth experiences warming no more than 1.5 °C of pre-industrialization levels, the state will work towards two goals by 2050: to achievenet-zero emissions, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent overall.^[171]

The State of Massachusetts has developed a plethora of incentives to encourage the implementation ofrenewable energyand 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 toretrofittheir 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.^[172]

The concept of Mass Save was created in 2008 by the passing of the Green Communities Act of 2008, duringDeval Patrick's tenure asgovernor. The main goal of the Green Communities Act was to reduce the consumption offossil fuelsin the State and to encourage new, more efficient technologies. Among others, one result of this act was a requirement for Program Administrators of utilities to invest in saving energy, as opposed to purchasing and generating additional energy where economically feasible. In Massachusetts, eleven Program Administrators, includingEversource,National Grid,Western Massachusetts Electric,Cape Light Compact,Until, andBerkshire Gas, jointly own the rights to this program, in conjunction with theMA Department of Energy Resources(DOER) and theEnergy Efficiency Advisory Council(EEAC).^[173]

TheState Revenue Serviceprovides incentives for the installation ofsolar panels. In addition to the Federal ResidentialRenewable energy credit, Massachusetts residents may be eligible for a tax credit of up to 15 percent of the project.^[174]Once installed, arrays are eligible fornet metering.^[175]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.^[176]The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources also offered low-interest, fixed-rate financing with loan support for low-income residents until December 31, 2020.^[177]

As a part of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources' effort to incentivize the usage ofrenewable energy, the Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV) initiative was created. With this incentive, residents may qualify for a state-provided incentive of up to $2,500 for the purchase or lease of anelectric vehicle, or $1,500 for the purchase or lease of aplug-in hybridvehicle.^[178]This rebate is available in addition to the tax credits offered by theUnited States Department of Energyfor the purchase of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.^[179]

For income-eligible residents, Mass Save has partnered with Massachusetts Community Action Program Agencies andLow-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 efficiencyimprovements 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.^[180]

In late 2020, the administration of Massachusetts governorCharlie Bakerreleased a decarbonization roadmap to aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The plan calls for major investments inoffshore windand solar energy. It would also require all new cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions (electricorhydrogen powered) by 2035.^[181][182]

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	378,787		—
1800	422,845		11.6%
1810	472,040		11.6%
1820	523,287		10.9%
1830	610,408		16.6%
1840	737,699		20.9%
1850	994,514		34.8%
1860	1,231,066		23.8%
1870	1,457,351		18.4%
1880	1,783,085		22.4%
1890	2,238,947		25.6%
1900	2,805,346		25.3%
1910	3,366,416		20.0%
1920	3,852,356		14.4%
1930	4,249,614		10.3%
1940	4,316,721		1.6%
1950	4,690,514		8.7%
1960	5,148,578		9.8%
1970	5,689,170		10.5%
1980	5,737,037		0.8%
1990	6,016,425		4.9%
2000	6,349,097		5.5%
2010	6,547,629		3.1%
2020	7,029,917		7.4%
2023 (est.)	7,001,399		−0.4%
[183][184]

At the2020 U.S. census, Massachusetts had a population of over 7 million, a 7.4% increase since the2010 United States Census.^[185][186]As of 2015, Massachusetts was estimated to be thethird-most densely populated U.S. state, with 871.0 people per square mile,^[187]behindNew JerseyandRhode Island. In 2014, Massachusetts had 1,011,811 foreign-born residents or 15% of the population.^[187]As of July 2023, the population is estimated to be 7,001,399.^[5]

Most Massachusetts residents live within the Boston metropolitan area, also known asGreater Boston, which includes Boston and its proximate surroundings but also extending toGreater Lowelland toWorcester. TheSpringfield metropolitan area, also known as Greater Springfield, is also a major center of population. Demographically, thecenter of populationof Massachusetts is located in the town ofNatick.^[188][189]

Like the rest of theNortheastern United States, the population of Massachusetts has continued to grow in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Massachusetts is the fastest-growing state inNew Englandand the 25th fastest-growing state in the United States.^[190]Population growth has been driven primarily by the relatively high quality of life and a large higher education system.^[190]

Foreign immigration is also a factor in the state's population growth, causing the state's population to continue to grow as of the2010 census(particularly inMassachusetts gateway citieswhere costs of living are lower).^[191][192]Forty percent of foreign immigrants were fromCentralorSouth America, according to a 2005 Census Bureau study, with many of the remainder fromAsia. Many residents who have settled in Greater Springfield claimPuerto Ricandescent.^[191]Many areas of Massachusetts showed relatively stable population trends between 2000 and 2010.^[192]ExurbanBoston and coastal areas grew the most rapidly, whileBerkshire Countyin farWestern Massachusettsand Barnstable County onCape Codwere the only counties to lose population as of the2010 census.^[192]In 2018, The top countries of origin for Massachusetts' immigrants wereChina, theDominican Republic,Brazil,IndiaandHaiti.^[193]

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.^[187]

According toHUD's 2022Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 15,507homeless people in Massachusetts.^[194][195]

Ethnic composition as of the 2020 census

Race and Ethnicity[197]	Alone		Total
White (non-Hispanic)	67.6%	67.6	71.4%	71.4
Hispanic or Latino[c]	—		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.^[187][198]As of 2011, non-Hispanic whites were involved in 63.6% of all the births,^[199]while 36.4% of the population of Massachusetts younger than age1 was minorities (at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white).^[200]One major reason for this is that non-Hispanic whites in Massachusetts recorded atotal fertility rateof 1.36 in 2017, the second-lowest in the country after neighboring Rhode Island.^[201]

As late as 1795, the population of Massachusetts was nearly 95% of English ancestry.^[202]During the early and mid-19th century, immigrant groups began arriving in Massachusetts in large numbers; first from Ireland in the 1840s;^[203]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.^[204]In the early 20th century, a number of^[vague]African Americans migrated to Massachusetts, although in somewhat fewer numbers than many other Northern states.^[205]Later in the 20th century, immigration from Latin America increased considerably. More than 156,000Chinese Americansmade their home in Massachusetts in 2014,^[206]and Boston hosts a growingChinatownaccommodating heavily traveledChinese-owned bus linesto and fromChinatown, ManhattaninNew York City. Massachusetts also has largeDominican,Puerto Rican,Haitian,Cape VerdeanandBrazilianpopulations.^[207]Boston'sSouth EndandJamaica Plainare bothgay villages, as is nearbyProvincetown, Massachusettson Cape Cod.^[208]

The largest ancestry group in Massachusetts are theIrish(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).Italiansform 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.FrenchandFrench Canadiansalso form a significant part (10.7%),^[209]with sizable populations in Bristol, Hampden, and Worcester Counties, along with Middlesex county especially concentrated in the areas surrounding Lowell and Lawrence.^[210][211]Lowellis home to the second-largestCambodiancommunity of the nation.^[212]Massachusetts is home to a small community ofGreek Americansas well, which according to theAmerican Community Surveythere are 83,701 of them scattered along the state (1.2% of the total state population).^[213]There are alsoseveral populationsofNative Americansin Massachusetts. TheWampanoagtribe maintains reservations atAquinnahon Martha's Vineyard and atMashpeeon Cape Cod—with an ongoingnative language revival project underwaysince 1993, while theNipmucmaintain two state-recognized reservations in the central part of the state, including one atGrafton.^[214]

Massachusetts has avoided many forms of racial strife seen elsewhere in the US, but examples such as the successful electoral showings of thenativist(mainlyanti-Catholic)Know Nothingsin the 1850s,^[215]the controversialSacco and Vanzettiexecutions in the 1920s,^[216]and Boston's opposition todesegregation busingin the 1970s.^[217]

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[218]	Pop 2010[219]	Pop 2020[220]	%2000	%2010	%2020
Whitealone (NH)	5,198,359	4,984,800	4,748,897	81.88%	76.13%	67.55%
Black or African Americanalone (NH)	318,329	391,693	457,055	5.01%	5.98%	6.5%
Native AmericanorAlaska Nativealone (NH)	11,264	10,788	9,378	0.18%	0.16%	0.13%
Asianalone (NH)	236,786	347,495	504,900	3.73%	5.31%	7.18%
Pacific Islanderalone (NH)	1,706	1,467	1,607	0.03%	0.02%	0.02%
Some Other Racealone (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%

The most common varieties ofAmerican Englishspoken in Massachusetts, other thanGeneral American, are thecot-caughtdistinct, rhotic, western Massachusetts dialectand thecot-caughtmerged, non-rhotic, eastern Massachusetts dialect(popularly known as a "Boston accent").^[221]

Top 11 Non-English Languages Spoken in Massachusetts

Language	Percentage of population (as of 2010)[222]
Spanish	7.50%
Portuguese	2.97%
Chinese(includingCantoneseandMandarin)	1.59%
French(includingNew England French)	1.11%
French Creole	0.89%
Italian	0.72%
Russian	0.62%
Vietnamese	0.58%
Greek	0.41%
ArabicandKhmer (Cambodian)(including allAustroasiatic languages) (tied)	0.37%

As of 2010, 78.93% (4,823,127) of Massachusetts residents5 and older spoke English at home as afirst language, while 7.50% (458,256) spoke Spanish, 2.97% (181,437)Portuguese, 1.59% (96,690) Chinese (which includesCantoneseandMandarin), 1.11% (67,788) French, 0.89% (54,456)French Creole, 0.72% (43,798) Italian, 0.62% (37,865) Russian, andVietnamesewas spoken as a primary language by 0.58% (35,283) of the population over5. In total, 21.07% (1,287,419) of Massachusetts's population5 and older spoke a first language other than English.^[187][222]

Massachusetts was founded and settled byBrownistPuritansin 1620,^[81]and soon after by other groups ofSeparatists/Dissenters,NonconformistsandIndependentsfrom17th century England.^[224]A majority of people in Massachusetts today remainChristians.^[187]The descendants of the Puritans belong to many different churches; in the direct line of inheritance are the variousCongregational churches, theUnited Church of Christand congregations of theUnitarian Universalist Association. The headquarters of theUnitarian Universalist Association, long located onBeacon Hill, is now located inSouth Boston.^[225][226]Many Puritan descendants also dispersed to other Protestant denominations. Some disaffiliated along with Roman Catholics and other Christian groups in the wake of modernsecularization.^[227]

As of the 2014 Pew study, Christians made up 57% of the state's population, withProtestantsmaking up 21% of them.Roman Catholicsmade 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 ofirreligioninNew England. It is the most irreligious region of the country, along with theWestern United States; for comparison and contrast however, in 2020, the Public Religion Research Institute determined 67% of the population were Christian reflecting a slight increase of religiosity.^[228]A significant Jewish population immigrated to the Boston and Springfield areas between 1880 and 1920.Jewsmake up 3% of the population.Mary Baker Eddymade theBoston Mother ChurchofChristian Scienceserve as the world headquarters of thisnew religious movement.Buddhists,Pagans,Hindus,Seventh-day Adventists,Muslims, andMormonsmay also be found.The Satanic Templehas its headquarters in Salem.Kripalu CenterinStockbridge, the Shaolin Meditation Temple in Springfield, and the Insight Meditation Center inBarreare examples of non-Abrahamic religious centers in Massachusetts. According to 2010 data from TheAssociation of Religion Data Archives, (ARDA) the largest single denominations are theCatholic Churchwith 2,940,199 adherents; theUnited Church of Christwith 86,639 adherents; and theEpiscopal Churchwith 81,999 adherents.^[229]

In 2014, 32% of the population identified as having no religion;^[230]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).^[228]As of 2022, a plurality of Massachusettsans wereirreligious,^[228]and the state is considered to be a part of theUnchurched Belt.^[231]

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.^[232][233]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:^[234]

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

In 2018, Massachusetts's overall educational system was ranked the top among all fifty U.S. states byU.S. News & World Report.^[236]Massachusetts was the first state in North America to require municipalities to appoint a teacher or establish a grammar school with the passage of theMassachusetts Education Lawof 1647,^[237]and 19th century reforms pushed byHorace Mannlaid much of the groundwork for contemporary universal public education^[238][239]which was established in 1852.^[122]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),^[240]its oldest high school (Boston Latin School, founded in 1635),^[241]its oldest continuously operating boarding school (The Governor's Academy, founded in 1763),^[242]its oldest college (Harvard University, founded in 1636),^[243]and its oldest women's college (Mount Holyoke College, founded in 1837).^[244]Massachusetts is also home to the highest ranked private high school in the United States,Phillips AcademyinAndover, Massachusetts, which was founded in 1778.^[245]

Massachusetts's per-student public expenditure for elementary and secondary schools was eighth in the nation in 2012, at $14,844.^[246]In 2013, Massachusetts scored highest of all the states in math and third-highest in reading on theNational Assessment of Educational Progress.^[247]Massachusetts' public-school students place among the top tier in the world in academic performance.^[61]

Massachusetts is home to 121 institutions of higher education.^[248]Harvard Universityand theMassachusetts Institute of Technology, both located inCambridge, consistently rank among the world's best private universities and universities in general.^[249]In addition to Harvard and MIT, several other Massachusetts universities rank in the top 50 at the undergraduate level nationally in thewidely cited rankingsofU.S. News & World Report:Tufts University(#27),Boston College(#32),Brandeis University(#34),Boston University(#37) andNortheastern University(#40). Massachusetts is also home to three of the top fiveU.S. News & World Report's best Liberal Arts Colleges:Williams College(#1),Amherst College(#2), andWellesley College(#4).^[250]It is also home to the oldest Catholic liberal arts college,College of the Holy Cross(#33).^[251]Boston Architectural Collegeis New England's largest private college ofspatial design. The publicUniversity of Massachusetts(nicknamedUMass) features five campuses in the state, with itsflagship campusinAmherst, which enrolls more than 25,000.^[252][253]

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

The United StatesBureau of Economic Analysisestimates that the Massachusettsgross state productin 2020 was $584billion.^[254]Theper capita personal incomein 2012 was $53,221, making it the third-highest state in the nation.^[255]As of January 2023, Massachusetts state generalminimum wageis $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.^[256]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.^[257]

In 2015, twelveFortune500companies 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, andBoston Scientific.^[258]CNBC's list of "Top States for Business for 2023" has recognized Massachusetts as the 15th-best state in the nation for business,^[259]and for the second year in a row in 2016 the state was ranked by Bloomberg as the most innovative state in America.^[260]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.^[261]Billionaires living in the state include past and present leaders (and related family) of local companies such asFidelity Investments,New Balance,Kraft Group,Boston Scientific, and the formerContinental Cablevision.^[262]

Massachusetts has threeforeign-trade zones, theMassachusetts Port Authorityof Boston, the Port of New Bedford, and the City of Holyoke.^[263]Boston-Logan International Airportis the busiest airport in New England, serving 33.4million total passengers in 2015, and witnessing rapid growth in international air traffic since 2010.^[264]

Sectors vital to the Massachusetts economy include higher education,biotechnology,information technology, finance, health care, tourism, manufacturing, and defense. TheRoute 128 corridorand Greater Boston continue to be a major center forventure capital investment,^[265]andhigh technologyremains an important sector. In recent years tourism has played an ever-important role in the state's economy, with Boston andCape Codbeing the leading destinations.^[266]Other popular tourist destinations includeSalem,Plymouth, andthe Berkshires. Massachusetts is the sixth-most popular tourist destination for foreign travelers.^[267]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.^[268]

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.^[269]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.^[270][271]

The more than 33,000 nonprofits in Massachusetts employ one-sixth of the state's workforce.^[272]In 2007, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a state holiday, Nonprofit Awareness Day.^[273]

In February 2017,U.S. News & World Reportranked Massachusetts the best state in the United States based upon 60metricsincluding 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.^[274]

As of 2012, there were 7,755 farms in Massachusetts encompassing a total of 523,517 acres (2,120 km²), averaging 67.5 acres (27.3 hectares) apiece.^[275]Greenhouse,floriculture, andsodproducts – includingthe ornamental market– make up more than one third of the state's agricultural output.^[276][277]Particular agricultural products of note also includecranberries, sweet corn and apples are also large sectors of production.^[277]Fruit cultivation is an important part of the state's agricultural revenues,^[278]and Massachusetts is the second-largest cranberry-producing state afterWisconsin.^[279]

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)^[280]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).^[281]In the 1970s, the Commonwealth ranked as a relatively high-tax state, gaining the pejorative nickname "Taxachusetts". This was followed by a round of tax limitations during the 1980s—a conservative period in American politics—includingProposition 2½.^[282]

As of January 1, 2020, Massachusetts has a flat-rate personal income tax of 5.00%,^[283]after a 2002 voter referendum to eventually lower the rate to 5.0%^[284]as amended by the legislature.^[285]There is atax exemptionfor income below a threshold that varies from year to year. The corporate income tax rate is 8.8%,^[286]and the short-termcapital gains taxrate is 12%.^[287]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.^[288]

The state imposes a 6.25%sales tax^[286]on retail sales of tangible personal property—except for groceries, clothing (up to $175.00), and periodicals.^[289]The sales tax is charged on clothing that costs more than $175.00, for the amount exceeding $175.00.^[289]Massachusetts also charges ause taxwhen 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).^[289]There is noinheritance taxand limited Massachusettsestate taxrelated to federal estate tax collection.^[287]

Massachusetts'selectricity generationmarket was made competitive in 1998, enabling retail customers to change suppliers without changing utility companies.^[290]In 2018, Massachusetts consumed 1,459trillionBTU,^[291]making it the seventh-lowest state in terms of consumption of energy per capita, and 31 percent of that energy came fromnatural gas.^[291]In 2014 and 2015, Massachusetts was ranked as the most energy efficient state the United States^[292][293]while Boston is the most efficient city,^[294]but it had the fourth-highest average residential retail electricity prices of any state.^[291]In 2018, renewable energy was about 7.2 percent of total energy consumed in the state, ranking 34th.^[291]

Massachusetts has 10 regionalmetropolitan planning organizationsand three non-metropolitan planning organizations covering the remainder of the state;^[295]statewide planning is handled by theMassachusetts Department of Transportation. Transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector in Massachusetts.^[296]

TheMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority(MBTA), also known as "TheT",^[297]operates public transportation in the form of subway,^[298]bus,^[299]and ferry^[300]systems in theMetro Bostonarea.

Fifteen other regional transit authorities provide public transportation in the form of bus services in the rest of the state.^[301]Fourheritage railwaysare also in operation:

• TheCape Cod Central Railroad, operating from Hyannis to Buzzards Bay^[302]
• TheBerkshire Scenic Railway, operating from Lee to Great Barrington^[303]
• Edaville Railroadin Carver^[304]
• TheLowell National Historical Park Trolley Linein Lowell^[305]

Amtrakoperates severalinter-city raillines in Massachusetts. Boston'sSouth Stationserves as the terminus for three lines, namely the high-speedAcela Express, which links to cities such asProvidence,New Haven,New York City, and eventually Washington DC; theNortheast Regional, which follows the same route but includes many more stops, and also continues further south toNewport Newsin Virginia; and theLake Shore Limited, which runs westward toWorcester,Springfield, and eventuallyChicago.^[306][307]Boston's other major station,North Station, serves as the southern terminus for Amtrak'sDowneaster, which connects toPortlandandBrunswickin Maine.^[306]

Outside of Boston, Amtrak connects several cities across Massachusetts, along the aforementionedAcela,Northeast Regional,Lake Shore Limited, andDowneasterlines, as well as other routes in central and western Massachusetts. TheHartford LineconnectsSpringfieldtoNew Haven, operated in conjunction with theConnecticut Department of Transportation, and theValley Flyerruns a similar route but continues further north toGreenfield. Several stations in western Massachusetts are also served by theVermonter, which connectsSt. Albans, Vermontto Washington DC.^[306]

Amtrak carries more passengers between Boston and New York than all airlines combined (about 54% of market share in 2012),^[308]but service between other cities is less frequent. There, more frequent intercity service is provided by private bus carriers, includingPeter Pan Bus Lines(headquartered in Springfield),Greyhound Lines,OurBus,BoltBusandPlymouth and Brockton Street Railway. VariousChinatown bus linesdepart for New York from South Station in Boston.^[309]

MBTA Commuter Railservices run throughout the larger Greater Boston area, including service toWorcester,Fitchburg,Haverhill,Newburyport,Lowell, andKingston.^[310]This overlaps with the service areas of neighboring regional transportation authorities. As of the summer of 2013 theCape Cod Regional Transit Authorityin collaboration with the MBTA and theMassachusetts Department of Transportation(MassDOT) is operating theCapeFLYERproviding passenger rail service between Boston and Cape Cod.^[311][312]

Most ports north of Cape Cod are served by Boston Harbor Cruises, which operatesferry servicesin and aroundGreater Bostonunder contract with theMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Several routes connect the downtown area withHingham,Hull,Winthrop,Salem,Logan Airport,Charlestown, and some of the islands located within the harbor. The same company also operates seasonal service betweenBostonandProvincetown.^[313]

On the southern shore of the state, several different passenger ferry lines connectMartha's Vineyardto ports along the mainland, includingWoods Hole,Hyannis,New Bedford, andFalmouth, all in Massachusetts, as well asNorth Kingstownin Rhode Island,Highlandsin New Jersey, andNew York Cityin New York.^[314]Similarly, several different lines connectNantucketto ports including Hyannis, New Bedford,Harwich, and New York City.^[315]Service between the two islands is also offered. The dominant companies serving these routes includeSeaStreak,Hy-Line Cruises, andThe 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.^[316]

Other ferry connections in the state include a water taxi connecting various points inFall River,^[317]seasonal ferry service connectingPlymouthto Provincetown,^[318]and a service between New Bedford andCuttyhunk.^[319]

As of 2018, a number offreight railroadswere operating in Massachusetts, with Class I railroadCSXbeing the largest carrier, and another Class 1,Norfolk Southernserving the state via itsPan Am Southernjoint partnership. Several regional and short line railroads also provide service and connect with other railroads.^[320]Massachusetts has a total of 1,110 miles (1,790 km) of freight trackage in operation.^[321][322]

Boston Logan International Airportserved 33.5million passengers in 2015 (up from 31.6million in 2014)^[264]through 103gates.^[323][324]Logan,Hanscom FieldinBedford, andWorcester Regional Airportare operated byMassport, an independent state transportation agency.^[324]Massachusetts has 39 public-use airfields^[325]and more than 200 private landing spots.^[326]Some airports receive funding from the Aeronautics Division of theMassachusetts Department of Transportationand theFederal Aviation Administration; the FAA is also the primary regulator of Massachusetts air travel.^[327]

There are a total of 36,800 miles (59,200 km) ofinterstatesand other highways in Massachusetts.^[328]Interstate90(I-90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike), is the longest interstate in Massachusetts. The route travels 136 mi (219 km) generally west to east, entering Massachusetts at the New York state line in the town ofWest Stockbridge, and passes just north ofSpringfield, just south ofWorcesterand throughFraminghambefore terminating near Logan International Airport in Boston.^[329]Other major interstates includeI-91, which travels generally north and south along theConnecticut River;I-93, which travels north and south through central Boston, then passes throughMethuenbefore entering New Hampshire; andI-95, which connectsProvidence, Rhode Islandwith Greater Boston, forming a partialloopconcurrentwithRoute128around the more urbanized areas before continuing north along the coast into New Hampshire.^[330]

I-495forms a wide loop around the outer edge of Greater Boston. Other major interstates in Massachusetts includeI-291,I-391,I-84,I-195,I-395,I-290, andI-190. Major non-interstate highways in Massachusetts includeU.S. Routes1,3,6, and20, and state routes2,3, 9,24, and 128. A great majority of interstates in Massachusetts were constructed during the mid-20th century, and at times were controversial, particularly the intentto route I-95 northeastwards from Providence, Rhode Island, directly through central Boston, first proposed in 1948. Opposition to continued construction grew, and in 1970 GovernorFrancis W. Sargentissued a general prohibition on most further freeway construction within the I-95/Route 128 loop in the Boston area.^[331]A massive undertaking to bring I-93 underground in downtown Boston, called theBig Dig, brought the city's highway system under public scrutiny for its high cost and construction quality.^[134]

Massachusetts has a long political history; earlier political structures included theMayflower Compactof 1620, the separateMassachusetts BayandPlymouthcolonies, and the combined colonialProvince of Massachusetts. TheMassachusetts Constitutionwas ratified in 1780 while theRevolutionary Warwas in progress, four years after theArticles of Confederationwas drafted, and eight years before the presentUnited States Constitutionwas ratified on June 21, 1788. Drafted byJohn Adams, the Massachusetts Constitution is the oldest functioning written constitution in continuous effect in the world.^{[332][333][334]}It has been amended 121 times, most recently in 2022.^[335]

Massachusetts politics since the second half of the 20th century have generally been dominated by theDemocratic Party, and the state has a reputation for being the mostliberalstate in the country.^[336]In 1974,Elaine Noblebecamethe firstopenly lesbian or gay candidate elected to a state legislature in US history.^[337]The state's12th congressional districtelected the first openly gay member of theUnited States House of Representatives,Gerry Studds, in 1972^[338]and in 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allowsame-sex marriage.^[57]In 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to approve a law that provided for nearly universal healthcare.^[339][340]Massachusetts has a pro-sanctuary citylaw.^[341]

In a 2020 study, Massachusetts was ranked as the 11th easiest state for citizens to vote in.^[342]

TheGovernment of Massachusettsis divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Thegovernor of Massachusettsheads the executive branch, while legislative authority vests in a separate but coequal legislature. Meanwhile, judicial power is constitutionally guaranteed to the independent judicial branch.^[343]

As chief executive, the governor is responsible for signing or vetoing legislation, filling judicial and agency appointments, granting pardons, preparing an annual budget, and commanding theMassachusetts National Guard.^[344]Massachusetts governors, unlike those of most other states, are addressed as His/Her Excellency.^[344]The governor isMaura Healeyand the incumbent lieutenant governor isKim Driscoll. The governor conducts the affairs of state alongside a separateGovernor's Councilmade up of thelieutenant governorand eight separately elected councilors.^[344]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.^[344]

Aside from the governor and Governor's Council, the executive branch also includes four independently elected constitutional officers: asecretary of the commonwealth, anattorney general, astate treasurer, and astate auditor. The commonwealth's incumbent constitutional officers are respectivelyWilliam F. Galvin,Andrea Campbell,Deb GoldbergandDiana DiZoglio, allDemocrats. In accordance with state statute, the secretary of the commonwealth administers elections, regulates lobbyists and the securities industry, registers corporations, serves as register of deeds for the entire state, and preserves public records as keeper of thestate seal.^[345]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.^[346]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.^[347][348]

TheMassachusetts House of RepresentativesandMassachusetts Senatecomprise the legislature of Massachusetts, known as theMassachusetts General Court.^[344]The House consists of 160 members while the Senate has 40 members.^[344]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.^[344]Each branch consists of several committees.^[344]Members of both bodies are elected to two-year terms.^[349]

TheMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court(a chief justice and six associates) are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Governor's Council, as are all other judges in the state.^[344]

Federal court cases are heard in theUnited States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and appeals are heard by theUnited States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.^[350]

The Congressional delegation from Massachusetts is entirelyDemocratic.^[351]TheSenatorsareElizabeth WarrenandEd Markeywhile theRepresentativesareRichard Neal(1st),Jim McGovern(2nd),Lori Trahan(3rd),Jake Auchincloss(4th),Katherine Clark(5th),Seth Moulton(6th),Ayanna Pressley(7th),Stephen Lynch(8th), andBill Keating(9th).^[352]

In U.S. presidential elections since 2012, Massachusetts has been allotted 11 votes in theelectoral college, out of a total of 538.^[353]Like most states, Massachusetts's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.^[354]

For more than 70 years ago, Massachusetts has shifted from a previouslyRepublican-leaning state to onelargely dominatedbyDemocrats; the1952 victoryofJohn F. Kennedyover incumbent SenatorHenry Cabot Lodge Jr.is seen as a watershed moment in this transformation. His younger brotherEdward M. Kennedyheld that seat until his death from a brain tumor in 2009.^[355]Since the 1950s, Massachusetts has gained a reputation as being a politically liberal state and is often used as an archetype ofmodern liberalism, hence the phrase "Massachusetts liberal".^[356]

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 itsElectoral Collegevotes to a Republican in apresidential electionsinceRonald Reagancarried it in1984, and not a single county has voted for a Republican presidential candidate since1988. Additionally, Massachusetts provided Reagan with his smallest margins of victory in both the1980^[357]and 1984 elections.^[358]Massachusetts had been the only state to vote for DemocratGeorge McGovernin the1972 presidential election. In2020, Biden received 65.6% of the vote, the best performance in over 50 years for a Democrat.^[359]

Democrats have an absolute grip on the Massachusetts congressional delegation; there are no Republicans elected to serve at the federal level. Both Senators and all nine Representatives are Democrats; only one Republican (former SenatorScott Brown) has been elected to either house of Congress from Massachusetts since 1994. Massachusetts is the most populous state to be represented in theUnited States Congressentirely by a single party.^[360]

As of the 2018 elections, the Democratic Party holds a super-majority over the Republican Party inboth chambersof theMassachusetts General Court(state legislature). Out of thestate house's 160 seats, Democrats hold 127 seats (79%) compared to the Republican Party's 32 seats (20%), anindependent sits in the remaining one,^[361]and 37 out of the 40 seats in thestate senate(92.5%) belong to the Democratic Party compared to the Republican Party's three seats (7.5%).^[362]Both houses of the legislature have had Democratic majorities since the 1950s.^[363]

Party registration as of August 2024[364]
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 asGovernor: only two Democrats (Deval PatrickandMaura 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.^[365]These have been considered to be among the most moderate Republican leaders in the nation;^[366][367]they have received higher net favorability ratings from the state's Democrats than Republicans.^[368]

A number of contemporary national political issues have been influenced by events in Massachusetts, such as the decision in 2003 by the state Supreme Judicial Courtallowing same-sex marriage^[369]anda 2006 billwhich mandated health insurance for all Massachusetts residents.^[340]In 2008, Massachusetts voters passedan initiativedecriminalizing possession of small amounts ofmarijuana.^[370]Voters in Massachusetts also approved a ballot measure in 2012 that legalized the medical use of marijuana.^[371]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.^[372]However, in 2020, a ballot initiative to implementRanked-Choice Votingfailed, despite being championed by manyprogressives.^[373]

Massachusetts is one of the mostpro-choicestates in the Union. A 2014Pew Research Centerpoll found that 74% of Massachusetts residents supported the right to anabortionin all/most cases, making Massachusetts the most pro-choice state in the United States.^[374]

In 2020, the state legislature overrode GovernorCharlie Baker's veto of the ROE Act, a controversial law that codified existing abortion laws in case theSupreme CourtoverturnedRoe 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."^[375]

The 2023American Values AtlasbyPublic Religion Research Institutefound thatsame-sex marriageis supported near-universally by Massachusettsans.^[376]

There are50 cities and 301 townsin Massachusetts, grouped into14 counties.^[377]The fourteen counties, moving roughly from west to east, areBerkshire,Franklin,Hampshire,Hampden,Worcester,Middlesex,Essex,Suffolk,Norfolk,Bristol,Plymouth,Barnstable,Dukes, andNantucket. Eleven communities which call themselves "towns" are, by law, cities since they have traded thetown meetingform of government for a mayor-council or manager-council form.^[378]

Boston is the state capital in Massachusetts. The population of the city proper is 692,600,^[379]andGreater Boston, with a population of 4,873,019, is the 11th largestmetropolitan areain the nation.^[380]Other cities with a population over 100,000 includeWorcester,Springfield,Lowell,Cambridge,Brockton,Quincy,New Bedford, andLynn.Plymouthis the largest municipality in the state by land area, followed byMiddleborough.^[377]

Massachusetts, along with the five otherNew Englandstates, features the local governmental structure known asthe New England town.^[381]In this structure, incorporated towns—as opposed to townships or counties—hold many of the responsibilities and powers of local government.^[381]Most of the county governments were abolished by the state of Massachusetts beginning in 1997 includingMiddlesex County,^[382]the largest county in the state by population.^[383][384]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.^[385]

Massachusetts has contributed to American arts and culture. Drawing from itsNative AmericanandYankeeroots, 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.^[388]

Massachusetts was an early center of theTranscendentalistmovement, which emphasized intuition, emotion, human individuality and a deeper connection with nature.^[117]Ralph Waldo Emerson, who was born in Boston but spent much of his later life inConcord, largely created the philosophy with his 1836 workNature, and continued to be a key figure in the movement for the remainder of his life. Emerson's friend,Henry David Thoreau, who was also involved in Transcendentalism, recorded his year spent alone in a small cabin at nearbyWalden Pondin the 1854 workWalden; or, Life in the Woods.^[389]

Other famous authors and poets born or strongly associated with Massachusetts includeAnne 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 KerouacandTheodor Seuss Geisel, better known as "Dr. Seuss".^{[390][391][392]}Famous painters from Massachusetts includeWinslow HomerandNorman Rockwell;^[392]many of the latter's works are on display at theNorman Rockwell MuseuminStockbridge.^[393]

Massachusetts is also an important center for the performing arts. Both theBoston Symphony OrchestraandBoston Pops Orchestraare based in Massachusetts.^[394]Other orchestras in Massachusetts include theCape Cod Symphony OrchestrainBarnstable, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra,^[395]and theSpringfield Symphony Orchestra.^[396][397]Tanglewood, in western Massachusetts, is a music venue that is home to both theTanglewood Music FestivalandTanglewood Jazz Festival, as well as the summer host for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.^[398]

Other performing arts and theater organizations in Massachusetts include theBoston Ballet, theBoston Lyric Opera,^[394]and theLenox-basedShakespeare & Company. In addition to classical and folk music, Massachusetts has produced musicians and bands spanning a number of contemporary genres, such as theclassic rockbandsAerosmithandBoston, the proto-punk bandthe Modern Lovers, thenew wavebandthe Cars, and thealternative rockbandPixies.^[399]The state has also been the birthplace of the rock bandsStaind,Godsmack, andHighly Suspect, since these bands all were formed in Massachusetts cities suchSpringfield,Lawrence, andCape Codrespectively.^{[400][401][402]}Film events in the state include theBoston Film Festival, theBoston International Film Festival, and a number of smaller film festivals in various cities throughout Massachusetts.^[403]

Massachusetts is home to a large number of museums and historical sites. TheClark Art Institute, theMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston, theInstitute of Contemporary Art, Boston, and theDeCordovacontemporary art and sculpture museum inLincolnare all located within Massachusetts,^[406]and theMaria Mitchell AssociationinNantucketincludes several observatories, museums, and an aquarium.^[407]Historically themed museums and sites such as theSpringfield Armory National Historic SiteinSpringfield,^[146]Boston'sFreedom Trailand nearbyMinute Man National Historical Park, both of which preserve a number of sites important during theAmerican Revolution,^[146][408]theLowell National Historical Park, which focuses on some of the earliest mills and canals of theIndustrial Revolutionin the US,^[146]theBlack Heritage Trailin Boston, which includes important African-American and abolitionist sites in Boston,^[409]and theNew Bedford Whaling National Historical Park^[146]all showcase various periods of Massachusetts's history.Plymouth Rock, marks the disembarkation site of theMayflowerPilgrimswho foundedPlymouth Colonyin December 1620.

Plimoth PlantationandOld Sturbridge Villageare twoopen-airor "living" museums in Massachusetts, recreating life as it was in the 17th and early 19th centuries, respectively.^[410][411]

Boston's annualSt. Patrick's Dayparade and "Harborfest", a week-longFourth of Julycelebration featuring a fireworks display and concert by the Boston Pops as well as a turnaround cruise in Boston Harbor by theUSSConstitution, are popular events.^[413]TheNew England Summer Nationals, anauto showin Worcester, draws tens of thousands of attendees every year.^[414]TheBoston Marathonis also a popular event in the state drawing more than 30,000 runners and tens of thousands of spectators annually.^[415]

Long-distance hiking trails in Massachusetts include theAppalachian Trail, theNew England National Scenic Trail, theMetacomet-Monadnock Trail, theMidstate Trail, and the Bay Circuit Trail.^[416]Other outdoor recreational activities in Massachusetts include sailing and yachting, freshwater and deep-sea fishing,^[417]whale watching,^[418]downhill and cross-country skiing,^[419]and hunting.^[420]

Massachusetts is one of the states with the largest percentage ofCatholics. It has many sanctuaries such as theNational Shrine of The Divine Mercy (Stockbridge, Massachusetts).^[421]

There are two major television media markets located in Massachusetts. The Boston/Manchester market is the fifth-largest in the United States.^[422]The other market surrounds the Springfield area.^[423]WGBH-TVin Boston is a major public television station and produces national programs such asNova,Frontline, andAmerican Experience.^[424][425]

The Boston Globe,Boston Herald,Springfield Republican, and theWorcester Telegram & Gazetteare Massachusetts's largest daily newspapers.^[426]In addition, there are many community dailies and weeklies. TheAssociated Pressmaintains a bureau in Boston, and localnews wiretheState House News Servicefeeds coverage of state government to other Massachusetts media outlets. There are a number of majorAMandFMstations which serve Massachusetts,^[427]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.^{[428][429][430]}

Massachusetts generally ranks highly among states in most health and disease prevention categories. In 2015, theUnited Health Foundationranked the state as third-healthiest overall.^[432]Massachusetts has the most doctors per 100,000 residents (435.38),^[433][434]the second-lowestinfant mortality rate(3.8),^[435][436]and the lowest percentage of uninsured residents (children as well as the total population).^{[437][438][439]}According toBusiness Insider, commonwealth residents have an average life expectancy of 80.41 years, thefifth-longestin the country.^[440][441]36.1% of the population is overweight and 24.4% is obese,^[442]and Massachusetts ranks sixth-highest in the percentage of residents who are considered neither obese nor overweight (39.5%).^[442]Massachusetts also ranks above average in the prevalence ofbinge drinking, which is the 20th-highest in the country.^[443][444]

The nation's firstMarine Hospitalwas erected by federal order in Boston in 1799.^[445][446]There are currently a total of 143 hospitals in the state.^[447]According to 2015 rankings byU.S. News & World Report,Massachusetts General Hospitalis ranked in the top three in two health care specialties.^[448]Massachusetts General Hospital was founded in 1811 and serves as the largest teaching hospital for nearbyHarvard University.^[449]

The state of Massachusetts is a center for medical education and research including Harvard affiliatesBrigham and Women's Hospital,Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, andDana–Farber Cancer Institute^[450]as well as theNew England Baptist Hospital,Tufts Medical Center, andBoston Medical Centerwhich is the primary teaching hospital forBoston University.^[451]TheUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical Schoolis located inWorcester.^[452]TheMassachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Scienceshas two of its three campuses in Boston and Worcester.^[453]

Massachusetts is home to five major league professional sports teams: eighteen-timeNBA ChampionsBoston Celtics,^[454]nine-timeWorld SerieswinnersBoston Red Sox,^[455]six-timeStanley CupwinnersBoston Bruins,^[456]six-timeSuper BowlwinnersNew England Patriots,^[457]and five-timeMLS CupfinalistsNew England Revolution.^[458]

In the late 19th century, theOlympicsports of basketball^[459]and volleyball^[460]were invented in the Western Massachusetts cities ofSpringfield^[459]andHolyoke,^[460]respectively. TheBasketball Hall of Fameis a major tourist destination in the City of Springfield and theVolleyball Hall of Fameis located in Holyoke.^[460]TheAmerican Hockey League(AHL), the NHL's development league, is headquartered in Springfield.^[461]

Several universities in Massachusetts are notable for their collegiate athletics. The state is home to twoDivisionI FBSteams,Boston Collegeof theAtlantic Coast Conference, and FBSIndependentUniversity of Massachusetts at Amherst.FCSplay includesHarvard University, which competes in the famedIvy League, andCollege of the Holy Crossof thePatriot League.Boston University,Northeastern University,UMASS Lowell,Stonehill College, andMerrimack Collegealso participate in DivisionI athletics.^[462][463]Many other Massachusetts colleges compete in lower divisions such asDivisionIII, whereMIT,Tufts University,Amherst College,Williams College, and others field competitive teams.^[464]

Massachusetts is also the home of rowing events such as theEastern SprintsonLake Quinsigamondand theHead of the Charles Regatta.^[465]A number of major golf events have taken place in Massachusetts, including nineU.S. Opensand twoRyder Cups.^[466][467]

Massachusetts has produced several successful Olympians includingThomas Burke,James Connolly, andJohn 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 asJim Craig,Mike Eruzione,Bill Cleary,Keith Tkachuk(ice hockey).^[468][469]

• Index of Massachusetts-related articles
• Outline of Massachusetts
• Massachusetts Bay Colony
• New England
• USSMassachusetts, 8 ships
• USRCMassachusetts, 2 ships
• Massachusetts portal

• Hall, Donald. ed.The Encyclopedia of New England(2005)
• Works Progress Administration.Guide to Massachusetts(1939)

• 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 ActionArchivedNovember 23, 2011, at theWayback Machine(1999)

• Official website
• Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
• Massachusetts State Guidefrom the Library of Congress
• MassachusettsatCurlie

Preceded by Connecticut

List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union RatifiedConstitutionon February 6, 1788 (6th)

Succeeded by Maryland

42°18′N72°00′W / 42.3°N 72.0°W /42.3; -72.0 (Commonwealth of Massachusetts)