Suffolk County, Massachusetts Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Suffolk County is located in Massachusetts with a total population of 785,121. It is the 4th most populous county out of 14 in Massachusetts. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Suffolk County is 33.9 years. This is 15% lower than the state median of 40.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Suffolk County is $95,631. This is 8% lower than the state median of $103,960. It is also 18% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.2%. This is 61% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. The unemployment rate is 6.3%. This is 22% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $705,800. Housing costs are 26% higher than the state median of $562,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 36.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 42% lower than the state average of 62.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Suffolk County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 23.2%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (17.1% vs 6.4%). The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (23.2% vs 13.3%).

Education

50.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 7% 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 87.5%. Notably, 23.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Suffolk 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.