The Rational Moderate

State profile

Massachusetts

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with Massachusetts’ rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    7,154,084

    U.S.
    341,784,857; Massachusetts is 2.1% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    16 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    +0.22%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; Massachusetts is 0.30 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    39 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    40.4 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; Massachusetts is 1.0 years higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    16 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $104,828

    plus or minus $1,650

    U.S.
    $81,604; Massachusetts is $23,224 higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    2 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, New Jersey.
    Price-adjusted
    $99,122, plus or minus $1,560: income divided by Massachusetts’ 2024 regional price parity (105.8, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $98,700

    U.S.
    $77,028; Massachusetts is $21,672 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    3 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $71,629

    U.S.
    $59,195; Massachusetts is $12,434 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    4 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $113,724

    U.S.
    $90,294; Massachusetts is $23,430 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    4 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    9.72%

    plus or minus 0.33%

    U.S.
    12.15%; Massachusetts is 2.43 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    43 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Virginia, or from the next lower state, Colorado.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    105.8

    U.S.
    100.0; Massachusetts is 5.8 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    7 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $607,400

    plus or minus $3,979

    U.S.
    $360,600; Massachusetts is $246,800 higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    4 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Washington.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $1,848

    plus or minus $24

    U.S.
    $1,487; Massachusetts is $361 higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    4 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Washington.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    52.38%

    plus or minus 1.12%

    U.S.
    51.77%; Massachusetts is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 0.61 points higher).
    Rank
    12 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Arizona, or from the next lower state, Oregon.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    62.38%

    plus or minus 0.49%

    U.S.
    65.27%; Massachusetts is 2.89 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    44 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Washington, or from the next lower state, Texas.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    30.14 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; Massachusetts is 11.95 cents higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    3 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    30.49 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, Massachusetts and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

5 cents10 cents15 cents20 cents25 cents30 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearMassachusettsUnited States
19909.667.83
199110.408.04
199210.628.21
199311.008.32
199411.098.38
199511.268.40
199611.258.36
199711.598.43
199810.608.26
199910.098.16
200010.538.24
200112.478.58
200210.938.44
200311.608.72
200411.758.95
200513.449.45
200616.6010.40
200716.2310.65
200817.5611.26
200916.8711.51
201014.5911.54
201114.6711.72
201214.9111.88
201315.8312.13
201417.3912.52
201519.8312.65
201619.0012.55
201720.0612.89
201821.6112.87
201921.9213.01
202021.9713.15
202122.8913.66
202225.9715.04
202329.6116.00
202429.3516.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    4.3%

    U.S.
    4.1%; Massachusetts is 0.2 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    16 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    65.3%

    U.S.
    61.6%; Massachusetts is 3.7 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    10 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, Massachusetts and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Massachusetts: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthMassachusettsUnited States
Sept. 20163.85.0
Oct. 20163.84.9
Nov. 20163.84.7
Dec. 20163.94.7
Jan. 20173.94.7
Feb. 20173.94.6
March 20173.94.4
April 20173.94.4
May 20173.94.4
June 20173.84.3
July 20173.84.3
Aug. 20173.84.4
Sept. 20173.84.3
Oct. 20173.84.2
Nov. 20173.84.2
Dec. 20173.74.1
Jan. 20183.74.0
Feb. 20183.64.1
March 20183.64.0
April 20183.64.0
May 20183.53.8
June 20183.54.0
July 20183.43.8
Aug. 20183.43.8
Sept. 20183.33.7
Oct. 20183.33.8
Nov. 20183.33.8
Dec. 20183.33.9
Jan. 20193.24.0
Feb. 20193.23.8
March 20193.13.8
April 20193.13.7
May 20193.03.6
June 20193.03.6
July 20193.03.7
Aug. 20193.03.6
Sept. 20193.03.5
Oct. 20193.03.6
Nov. 20193.03.6
Dec. 20193.03.6
Jan. 20203.03.6
Feb. 20203.13.5
March 20203.14.4
April 202017.814.8
May 202014.313.2
June 202014.711.0
July 202012.510.2
Aug. 202010.48.4
Sept. 20209.67.8
Oct. 20208.46.9
Nov. 20207.86.7
Dec. 20207.46.7
Jan. 20216.86.4
Feb. 20216.46.2
March 20216.16.1
April 20215.96.1
May 20215.65.8
June 20215.55.9
July 20215.35.4
Aug. 20215.05.1
Sept. 20214.74.7
Oct. 20214.44.5
Nov. 20214.24.1
Dec. 20213.93.9
Jan. 20223.84.0
Feb. 20223.73.9
March 20223.63.7
April 20223.63.7
May 20223.63.6
June 20223.63.6
July 20223.63.5
Aug. 20223.73.6
Sept. 20223.63.5
Oct. 20223.73.6
Nov. 20223.63.6
Dec. 20223.63.5
Jan. 20233.53.5
Feb. 20233.53.6
March 20233.43.5
April 20233.33.4
May 20233.43.6
June 20233.33.6
July 20233.43.5
Aug. 20233.43.7
Sept. 20233.53.7
Oct. 20233.63.9
Nov. 20233.63.7
Dec. 20233.73.8
Jan. 20243.73.7
Feb. 20243.83.9
March 20243.83.9
April 20243.93.9
May 20244.03.9
June 20244.04.1
July 20244.14.2
Aug. 20244.14.2
Sept. 20244.14.1
Oct. 20244.14.1
Nov. 20244.14.2
Dec. 20244.14.1
Jan. 20254.24.0
Feb. 20254.34.2
March 20254.34.2
April 20254.44.2
May 20254.44.3
June 20254.44.1
July 20254.54.3
Aug. 20254.54.3
Sept. 20254.64.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20254.74.5
Dec. 20254.74.4
Jan. 20264.74.3
Feb. 20264.84.4
March 20264.74.3
April 20264.74.3
May 20264.54.3
June 20264.44.2
July 20264.44.1
Aug. 20264.34.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, Massachusetts and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Massachusetts: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

60%62%64%66%68%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthMassachusettsUnited States
Sept. 201665.462.9
Oct. 201665.462.8
Nov. 201665.562.7
Dec. 201665.562.7
Jan. 201765.662.8
Feb. 201765.762.9
March 201765.862.9
April 201765.963.0
May 201766.062.8
June 201766.062.8
July 201766.062.9
Aug. 201766.162.9
Sept. 201766.163.1
Oct. 201766.162.7
Nov. 201766.162.7
Dec. 201766.262.7
Jan. 201866.462.7
Feb. 201866.763.0
March 201866.962.9
April 201867.162.9
May 201867.362.9
June 201867.363.0
July 201867.463.0
Aug. 201867.362.6
Sept. 201867.362.8
Oct. 201867.362.9
Nov. 201867.362.9
Dec. 201867.463.0
Jan. 201967.463.1
Feb. 201967.363.1
March 201967.363.0
April 201967.362.8
May 201967.362.9
June 201967.363.0
July 201967.363.1
Aug. 201967.263.1
Sept. 201967.263.2
Oct. 201967.163.3
Nov. 201967.163.3
Dec. 201966.963.3
Jan. 202066.763.3
Feb. 202066.363.3
March 202065.962.6
April 202061.160.1
May 202064.060.8
June 202066.061.5
July 202066.061.5
Aug. 202065.561.7
Sept. 202065.961.4
Oct. 202065.661.7
Nov. 202065.461.5
Dec. 202065.361.5
Jan. 202165.061.4
Feb. 202165.061.4
March 202165.061.5
April 202165.161.6
May 202165.161.6
June 202165.261.7
July 202165.161.8
Aug. 202165.161.7
Sept. 202165.161.7
Oct. 202165.161.8
Nov. 202165.161.9
Dec. 202165.262.0
Jan. 202265.362.2
Feb. 202265.462.3
March 202265.462.4
April 202265.562.2
May 202265.562.3
June 202265.462.2
July 202265.462.1
Aug. 202265.362.3
Sept. 202265.262.2
Oct. 202265.162.2
Nov. 202265.162.1
Dec. 202265.162.3
Jan. 202365.162.4
Feb. 202365.262.5
March 202365.262.6
April 202365.262.6
May 202365.362.6
June 202365.362.6
July 202365.462.6
Aug. 202365.562.8
Sept. 202365.662.7
Oct. 202365.762.6
Nov. 202365.962.8
Dec. 202366.062.5
Jan. 202466.162.5
Feb. 202466.262.6
March 202466.362.7
April 202466.462.6
May 202466.562.6
June 202466.562.6
July 202466.562.7
Aug. 202466.562.7
Sept. 202466.562.7
Oct. 202466.662.5
Nov. 202466.662.4
Dec. 202466.662.5
Jan. 202566.762.6
Feb. 202566.762.5
March 202566.762.5
April 202566.762.6
May 202566.762.4
June 202566.662.3
July 202566.562.2
Aug. 202566.562.3
Sept. 202566.462.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202566.362.5
Dec. 202566.362.4
Jan. 202666.262.1
Feb. 202666.062.0
March 202665.861.9
April 202665.661.8
May 202665.461.8
June 202665.361.5
July 202665.361.4
Aug. 202665.361.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    79.8 years

    plus or minus 0.08 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; Massachusetts is 2.3 years higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    2 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Hawaii.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    2.81%

    plus or minus 0.13%

    U.S.
    8.20%; Massachusetts is 5.39 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    51 of 51. Statistically different from the next higher state.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    48.27%

    plus or minus 0.47%

    U.S.
    36.85%; Massachusetts is 11.42 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    2 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Colorado.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    68.9%

    plus or minus 3.1%

    U.S.
    65.3%; Massachusetts is 3.6 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    21 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Montana, or from the next lower state, Mississippi.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV