Massachusetts is a state founded through early English colonization efforts like the 1620 Plymouth Colony and 1630 Massachusetts Bay Colony, which became the sixth U.S. state on February 6, 1788. Its municipal framework emerged from colonial-era self-governance traditions, with towns initially serving as primary administrative units. The state now comprises 351 municipalities: 56 cities and 295 towns, distinguished by governance structures—cities use mayor-council systems, while towns rely on town meetings and select boards.
Unlike many states, Massachusetts municipalities operate with considerable autonomy, as counties (14 total) primarily handle judicial and regional services rather than direct governance. In addition, the State Covers 8,257 square miles and is made up of dense urban centers like Boston (population ~675,647) and rural towns such as Gosnold (population 67). Over 80% of residents live in urban areas, concentrated in Greater Boston, Worcester, and Springfield.
State Information Overview
| Category | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Municipalities | 351 (56 cities, 295 towns) |
| Population (2024 est.) | 7,136,171 |
| Largest City | Boston (675,647) |
| Smallest Town | Gosnold (67) |
| Land Area | 8,257 sq mi |
| Counties | 14 |
| National Historical Sites | 12 |
Caption: U.S. Census Bureau, Massachusetts Secretary of State, World Population Review. Data updated as of March 8, 2025.
Cities and Towns by Alphabetical Letter
Cities in Massachusetts that start with A
- Abington
- Acton
- Acushnet
- Adams
- Agawam Town
- Alford
- Amesbury Town
- Amherst Town
- Andover
- Aquinnah
- Arlington
- Ashburnham
- Ashby
- Ashfield
- Ashland
- Athol
- Attleboro
- Auburn
- Avon
- Ayer
Cities in Massachusetts that start with B
- Barnstable Town
- Barre
- Becket
- Bedford
- Belchertown
- Bellingham
- Belmont
- Berkley
- Berlin
- Bernardston
- Beverly
- Billerica
- Blackstone
- Blandford
- Bolton
- Boston
- Bourne
- Boxborough
- Boxford
- Boylston
- Braintree Town
- Brewster
- Bridgewater Town
- Brimfield
- Brockton
- Brookfield
- Brookline
- Buckland
- Burlington
Cities in Massachusetts that start with C
- Cambridge
- Canton
- Carlisle
- Carver
- Charlemont
- Charlton
- Chatham
- Chelmsford
- Chelsea
- Cheshire
- Chester
- Chesterfield
- Chicopee
- Chilmark
- Clarksburg
- Clinton
- Cohasset
- Colrain
- Concord
- Conway
- Cummington
Cities in Massachusetts that start with D
- Dalton
- Danvers
- Dartmouth
- Dedham
- Deerfield
- Dennis
- Dighton
- Douglas
- Dover
- Dracut
- Dudley
- Dunstable
- Duxbury
Cities in Massachusetts that start with E
- East Bridgewater
- East Brookfield
- Eastham
- Easthampton Town
- East Longmeadow
- Easton
- Edgartown
- Egremont
- Erving
- Essex
- Everett
Cities in Massachusetts that start with F
- Fairhaven
- Fall River
- Falmouth
- Fitchburg
- Florida
- Foxborough
- Framingham
- Franklin Town
- Freetown
Cities in Massachusetts that start with G
- Gardner
- Georgetown
- Gill
- Gloucester
- Goshen
- Gosnold
- Grafton
- Granby
- Granville
- Great Barrington
- Greenfield
- Groton
- Groveland
Cities in Massachusetts that start with H
- Hadley
- Halifax
- Hamilton
- Hampden
- Hancock
- Hanover
- Hanson
- Hardwick
- Harvard
- Harwich
- Hatfield
- Haverhill
- Hawley
- Heath
- Hingham
- Hinsdale
- Holbrook
- Holden
- Holland
- Holliston
- Holyoke
- Hopedale
- Hopkinton
- Hubbardston
- Hudson
- Hull
- Huntington
Cities in Massachusetts that start with I
Cities in Massachusetts that start with K
- Kingston
Cities in Massachusetts that start with L
- Lakeville
- Lancaster
- Lanesborough
- Lawrence
- Lee
- Leicester
- Lenox
- Leominster
- Leverett
- Lexington
- Leyden
- Lincoln
- Littleton
- Longmeadow
- Lowell
- Ludlow
- Lunenburg
- Lynn
- Lynnfield
Cities in Massachusetts that start with M
- Malden
- Manchester-by-the-Sea
- Mansfield
- Marblehead
- Marion
- Marlborough
- Marshfield
- Mashpee
- Mattapoisett
- Maynard
- Medfield
- Medford
- Medway
- Melrose
- Mendon
- Merrimac
- Methuen Town
- Middleborough
- Middlefield
- Middleton
- Milford
- Millbury
- Millis
- Millville
- Milton
- Monroe
- Monson
- Montague
- Monterey
- Montgomery
- Mount Washington
Cities in Massachusetts that start with N
- Nahant
- Nantucket
- Natick
- Needham
- New Ashford
- New Bedford
- New Braintree
- Newbury
- Newburyport
- New Marlborough
- New Salem
- Newton
- Norfolk
- North Adams
- Northampton
- North Andover
- North Attleborough Town
- Northborough
- Northbridge
- North Brookfield
- Northfield
- North Reading
- Norton
- Norwell
- Norwood
Cities in Massachusetts that start with O
- Oak Bluffs
- Oakham
- Orange
- Orleans
- Otis
- Oxford
Cities in Massachusetts that start with P
- Palmer Town
- Paxton
- Peabody
- Pelham
- Pembroke
- Pepperell
- Peru
- Petersham
- Phillipston
- Pittsfield
- Plainfield
- Plainville
- Plymouth
- Plympton
- Princeton
- Provincetown
Cities in Massachusetts that start with Q
- Quincy
Cities in Massachusetts that start with R
- Randolph Town
- Raynham
- Reading
- Rehoboth
- Revere
- Richmond
- Rochester
- Rockland
- Rockport
- Rowe
- Rowley
- Royalston
- Russell
- Rutland
Cities in Massachusetts that start with S
- Salem
- Salisbury
- Sandisfield
- Sandwich
- Saugus
- Savoy
- Scituate
- Seekonk
- Sharon
- Sheffield
- Shelburne
- Sherborn
- Shirley
- Shrewsbury
- Shutesbury
- Somerset
- Somerville
- Southampton
- Southborough
- Southbridge Town
- South Hadley
- Southwick
- Spencer
- Springfield
- Sterling
- Stockbridge
- Stoneham
- Stoughton
- Stow
- Sturbridge
- Sudbury
- Sunderland
- Sutton
- Swampscott
- Swansea
Cities in Massachusetts that start with T
- Taunton
- Templeton
- Tewksbury
- Tisbury
- Tolland
- Topsfield
- Townsend
- Truro
- Tyngsborough
- Tyringham
Cities in Massachusetts that start with U
- Upton
- Uxbridge
Cities in Massachusetts that start with W
- Wakefield
- Wales
- Walpole
- Waltham
- Ware
- Wareham
- Warren
- Warwick
- Washington
- Watertown Town
- Wayland
- Webster
- Wellesley
- Wellfleet
- Wendell
- Wenham
- Westborough
- West Boylston
- West Bridgewater
- West Brookfield
- Westfield
- Westford
- Westhampton
- Westminster
- West Newbury
- Weston
- Westport
- West Springfield Town
- West Stockbridge
- West Tisbury
- Westwood
- Weymouth Town
- Whately
- Whitman
- Wilbraham
- Williamsburg
- Williamstown
- Wilmington
- Winchendon
- Winchester
- Windsor
- Winthrop Town
- Woburn
- Worcester
- Worthington
- Wrentham
Cities in Massachusetts that start with Y
- Yarmouth
Note
Massachusetts has no towns in alphabetical order, beginning with the letters J, V, X, and Z
Interactive Massachusetts Map
Questions & Answers
What are the English town names in Massachusetts?
Many Massachusetts town names have English origins, reflecting the state’s historical ties to England. For example, towns like Braintree are named after places in England, such as Braintree in Essex. Other towns with English roots include Amesbury, Andover, Arlington, Beverly, and Bolton. Additionally, towns ending in “ham” like Dedham, Framingham, and Stoneham, have counterparts in England, where “ham” means a village
What are the 3 most populated cities in Massachusetts?
The three most populated cities in Massachusetts are Boston, with a population of approximately 653,833 people; Worcester, which follows with a population of about 207,62; and Springfield, which ranks third with a population of around 153,672.
What is the capital and largest city in Massachusetts?
Boston is the capital and largest city of the state of Massachusetts, with a population of about 653,833 people in 2025
Which state is closer to Massachusetts?
States near Massachusetts are New Hampshire, and Vermont to the north, New York to the west, and Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south
