People, Weather, Quality of Life
- Median age, 2022: 40.1
- U.S. median age, 2022: 38.9
- 24/7 Wall St.’s Best Places to Live Index: 7th
- Rating in 2016 Index: 1st
- US News and World Report Best States Rank, 2023: 11th
- Well-being index rank, 2022 Sharecare Community Well-Being Index: 1st
- Change in Mass. well-being level from 2021: -.41%
- 24/7 Wall St.’s Worst city to live in Massachusetts, 2023: Holyoke
- Rank among states, 10-year population growth, 2013-2022: 37th (6.5 percent)
- Rank in 10-year growth, 2011-2020: 22nd
- Decline in Mass. population, 2022: .11 percent
- Median age, rank among states, 2023 14th (39.6 years)
- Rank of 2022 average Mass. temperature: 3rd warmest year on record
- Rank of 2001-2022 24-month average Mass. temperature: warmest 2-year period on record
- Category, WalletHub’s Charitableness rankings, 2022: Rich and Uncharitable
- WallHub’s Mass. rankings: 5th richest, 37th most charitable
And…
- Average temperature: 37th (47.1F)
- Households with pet owners, 2023: 44th (49.1 percent, [28.9% dogs, 23.5% cats])
- Largest lake: Webster Lake (Nipmuc name: Chargoggagoggmanchauggauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg) -1,442 acres
Governance and Budget
- 24/7 Wall St.’s Best/Worst Run States Index, 2021: 13th
- Rank, state spending per capita, FY 2021, (latest avail.) – 16th ($9,624)
- Mass. state and local debt per capita, 2023: $14,263 – 3rd in nation
- Rank among states, state and local tax burden, Tax Foundation 2022 survey: 37th
- State government bond ratings – S & P, Moody’s and Fitch: AA+, Aa1, AA+ (All second-highest rating)
- Government employees per 10,000 population: 10th (472/10k)2
- Rank, Percentage of state pension liability funded: 40th (69 percent)
- Unfunded state pension liability, 2022: $35.1 billion
And…
- Alphabetical order among the states: 22nd
- Rank of UMass/Amherst campus dining nationally, Princeton Review, 2023: 1st
- Registered snowmobiles 2019: 15,450
- Increase from 2016: 2939
Health and Safety
- Rank, Sharecare Wellbeing Index 2022: 1st
- Overall health of population rank, 2023, America’s Health Rankings (c): 2nd
- Rank, Leapfrog Group rating of state hospital safety, 2023: 16th
- Rank, Percentage of residents with no health coverage, 2023: 41th (5.35 percent)
- Increase from 2022: 36 percent
- Drug overdose deaths, 2022: 2357, up 57 from 2021 (2.5 percent)
- Rank among states, drug use deaths, in 2021, last year available: 19th
- Gun ownership rate: 49th (22.6 percent)
- Gun injury rate per 100,000, 2021: 50th 3.4/100,000
- Rank, violent crime rate, 2022: 33rd (308 violent crimes/100k people)
And…
- Rank in height among American buildings of Hancock Tower: 91st (790 ft.)
- Rank of the Hancock Tower in 2016: 61st
- Years the Park St. Church was the tallest building in America: 18 (1810-1828)
Economy and Economic Climate
- Rank among states, CNBC Top Places for Business 2023: 15th
- Rank, Chief Executive Magazine’s Best and Worst States for Business, 2023: 44th (unchanged)
- Tax Foundation State Business Tax Climate Ranking, 2024: 46th
- Rank, Forbes Top States for Business, 2022: 19th
- Tax Foundation State Business Tax Climate Ranking, 2024: 46th
- Rank, top marginal corporate income tax rate: 12th (8 percent)
- Rank, Forbes Best States to Start a Business in 2023: 13th
- Rank, gross domestic product per capita, 2022: 3rd ($77,897)
- 2022 Massachusetts GDP: $688.39 billion
And…
- Rank of state-name length in letters: 10/12
- Miles of neon tubing in the pre-2006 Citgo sign in Kenmore square: 5
- Number of light-emitting diodes in the current sign: 218,000
Personal Economy
- Unemployment rate, November 2023: 8th lowest (2.8 percent)
- Rank, 2022 median household income: 4th ($93,550)
- Rank, per-capita personal income, 2022: 2nd ($84,561)
- Rank, top marginal state income tax rate: 44th (9 percent 1M+)
- Rank, percent living in poverty: 30th (10.4%…poverty level for family of 4=$30,000)
- Rank in 2016: 37th
- Rank, Consumer Price Index, 3rd Quarter 2022: 3rd highest -149.9/100
- Rank, per capita income, 2022 – 2nd ($84,561)
- Rank, Gross State Product per capita, Q3 2022: 3rd
- Percent in poverty, 2022: 10.4
- Rank, percent in poverty, 2022: 44th
- Rank, National Housing Low-Income Housing Coalition’s Housing Wage needed to afford 2-bedroom apartment, 2022: 3rd ($41.64/hr)
- Massachusetts minimum wage, 2023: $15/hr
- National Low-Income Housing Coalition estimate, hrs. needed at minimum wage to afford a 2-bedroom apartment, 2023: 111 Rank: 3rd
- Rank in 2015: 7th
And…
- Champagne excise tax, national rank: 32nd ($ .70/gallon)
- Rank in percentage of smuggled cigarettes as a percentage of cigarettes consumed: 4th (37.6%, N.Y. #1, 54.5%)
- Rank, state cigarette tax per pack: 6th ($3.51/pack)
Education and Innovation
- Rank, 2015 high school graduation rate: 21st (91.1%)
- Rank, average teacher salary: 2nd ($88,903)
- Rank, per-pupil expenditure: 6th ($19,193)
- Rank, average combined SAT score: 20 (1129)
- Rank, ACT score: 2nd (26.5)
- Rank, Milken state Science and Technology Index, 2022: 1st
- Average internet speed; 401 Mbps (12th- DE first, KY last; national ave. 49 Mbps)
- Rank, 2016 Bloomberg State Innovation Index: 1st