Middlesex County, Massachusetts Demographics 2026
Middlesex County, Massachusetts has a population of 1,638,365, the 1st most populous county in Massachusetts. The median household income is $130,847 and the median home value is $727,800. The poverty rate is 7.7%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Middlesex County Quick Facts
How Middlesex County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,622,896 | 1,638,365 | +1.0% |
| Median household income | $126,779 | $130,847 | +3.2% |
| Median home value | $687,200 | $727,800 | +5.9% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.
State average: 53 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Middlesex County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 118,796 | $130,748 | 12.8% | $1,092,100 |
| Lowell | 118,368 | $78,658 | 16.9% | $429,200 |
| Newton | 89,044 | $190,304 | 4.5% | $1,264,900 |
| Somerville | 81,036 | $132,572 | 9.8% | $911,300 |
| Framingham | 72,399 | $107,419 | 10.4% | $627,300 |
| Malden | 65,906 | $100,606 | 11.4% | $633,500 |
| Waltham | 64,902 | $120,216 | 9.4% | $748,700 |
| Medford | 59,354 | $129,540 | 7.6% | $755,500 |
| Everett | 50,045 | $85,218 | 14.7% | $610,000 |
| Arlington | 46,350 | $150,701 | 5.4% | $933,800 |
| Woburn | 41,939 | $111,185 | 7.9% | $673,500 |
| Marlborough | 41,647 | $91,968 | 9.6% | $513,100 |
| Lexington | 34,295 | $238,444 | 4.7% | $1,203,100 |
| Melrose | 29,650 | $133,953 | 3.8% | $822,900 |
| Wakefield | 27,793 | $134,306 | 4.9% | $723,500 |
| Belmont | 27,175 | $183,137 | 3.6% | $1,159,000 |
| Burlington | 26,274 | $146,436 | 5.9% | $740,600 |
| Reading | 25,612 | $165,912 | 3.2% | $809,000 |
| Winchester | 23,406 | $230,198 | 4.7% | $1,215,200 |
| Stoneham | 23,355 | $113,964 | 5.3% | $671,900 |
| Wilmington | 23,336 | $168,152 | 3.8% | $680,500 |
| Hudson | 15,719 | $90,524 | 6.3% | $473,300 |
| Maynard | 10,712 | $124,067 | 8.3% | $527,400 |
| Pinehurst | 6,845 | $146,250 | 2.9% | $623,800 |
| Cochituate | 6,471 | $192,361 | 4.6% | $906,300 |
| West Concord | 5,876 | $183,228 | 6.5% | $904,200 |
| Hopkinton | 3,426 | $201,094 | 3.1% | $666,400 |
| Littleton Common | 3,289 | $135,074 | 1.2% | $558,200 |
| Ayer | 3,098 | $74,878 | 6.9% | $444,600 |
| Hanscom AFB | 2,110 | $104,688 | 0.0% | N/A |
| Pepperell | 1,971 | $76,726 | 10.9% | $457,300 |
| East Pepperell | 1,949 | $96,198 | 7.0% | $430,400 |
| Devens | 1,723 | $189,250 | 25.3% | $556,800 |
| Groton | 1,232 | $135,714 | 10.1% | $758,500 |
| Shirley | 1,146 | $108,494 | 5.9% | $395,800 |
| Townsend | 987 | $58,571 | 16.0% | $344,800 |
Explore Massachusetts Rankings
Population Overview
Middlesex County is located in Massachusetts with a total population of 1,638,365. It is the 1st most populous county out of 14 in Massachusetts. The county encompasses 36 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Middlesex County is 38.9 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 40.0 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Middlesex County is $130,847. This is 26% higher than the state median of $103,960. It is also 62% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.7%. This is 23% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.3%. This is 16% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $727,800. Housing costs are 29% higher than the state median of $562,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.6x. 61.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 62.5%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Middlesex County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 65.1% of the population. Asian residents account for 13.6%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (13.6% vs 7.2%).
Education
59.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Middlesex County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 26% higher than the state rate of 47.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.2%. Notably, 30.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Middlesex County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Massachusetts and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Middlesex County, Massachusetts?
Middlesex County has a population of 1,638,365, making it the 1st most populous county in Massachusetts.
What is the median income in Middlesex County?
The median household income in Middlesex County is $130,847 with a poverty rate of 7.7%.
How many cities are in Middlesex County, Massachusetts?
Middlesex County contains 36 Census-designated places.