Other major interstates in Massachusetts include I-291, I-391, I-84, I-195, I-395, I-290, and I-190. Incorporated as Weymouth in 1635 by settlers from the Dorset, England town of the same name. The lakes name comes from Loup, an Algonquian language, and is often said to mean, Fishing Place at the BoundariesNeutral Meeting Grounds. Area is calculated from the specific boundary recorded for each entity in the Census Bureaus geographic database (see "MAF/TIGER Database"). "[94][bettersourceneeded], In 1691, the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth were united (along with present-day Maine, which had previously been divided between Massachusetts and New York) into the Province of Massachusetts Bay. In 2020, Biden received 65.6% of the vote, the best performance in over 50 years for a Democrat. Southeast corner of town was part of the Dorchester New Grant of 1637. State Plane meters, Easting coordinate in NAD83 Mass. Massachusetts has one state recognized American Indian reservation and one federally recognized trust land. [153], A number of species are doing well in the increasingly urbanized Massachusetts. ", "Massachusetts Students Score among World Leaders on PISA Reading, Science and Math Tests", "East Squantum Street (Moswetuset Hummock)", "Why do we call Massachusetts a 'commonwealth'? The offshore boundaries are currently being reviewed by the legal counsels of the Massachusetts Highway Department andNOAAas well as the Federal Baseline Committee. The name Springfield is often thought to be the only community name appearing in each of the 50 states, but at last count it was in only 34 states. Since 2009, there has been a significant increase in the number of Great white sharks spotted and tagged in the coastal waters off of Cape Cod. [111], During the 19th century, Massachusetts became a national leader in the American Industrial Revolution, with factories around cities such as Lowell and Boston producing textiles and shoes, and factories around Springfield producing tools, paper, and textiles. ", Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, "John Fraylor. Rivers and bays that empty into these bodies of water are treated as inland water from the point beyond which they are narrower than 1 nautical mile across. The incorporated places are all cities. Other major cities found on the Maryland map include Baltimore, Columbia, Silver Spring, Dundalk, Wheaton-Glenmont, Ellicott City, Germantown, Bethesda and Frederick. English Americans, the third-largest (11.4%) group, form a plurality in some western towns. The city is the second-most populous in the state with a total population of 185,877. The entire state is covered by town governments with the exception of the areas within cities. [350], As of the 2018 elections, the Democratic Party holds a super-majority over the Republican Party in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court (state legislature). [117] Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson made major contributions to American philosophy. This data is critical for government programs, policies, and decision-making. This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. [133] Government contracts, private investment, and research facilities led to a new and improved industrial climate, with reduced unemployment and increased per capita income. [170], To combat this change, the state of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has outlined a path to decarbonization of the state's economy. [390][391][392] Film events in the state include the Boston Film Festival, the Boston International Film Festival, and a number of smaller film festivals in various cities throughout Massachusetts.[393]. All of the incorporated places are cities that are each independent of any other county subdivision and serve as county subdivisions. The New York-New Jersey-Connecticut metro region claims the title as the largest urban area in physical size, sprawling out over 4,669 square miles. Density is expressed as "population per square mile (kilometer)" or "housing units per square mile (kilometer)." Jews make up 3% of the population. [176] Certain municipalities will offer up to $1.20 per watt, up to 50 percent of the system's cost on PV arrays 25kW or less. Land area - an area measurement providing the size, in square meters, of the land portions of geographic entities for which the Census Bureau tabulates and disseminates data. The Boston Globe", "Monthly Airport Traffic SummaryDecember 2015", "Venture InvestmentRegional Aggregate Data", "Where do Massachusetts tourists come from? [316] Some airports receive funding from the Aeronautics Division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration; the FAA is also the primary regulator of Massachusetts air travel. Seuss". [358], A number of contemporary national political issues have been influenced by events in Massachusetts, such as the decision in 2003 by the state Supreme Judicial Court allowing same-sex marriage[359] and a 2006 bill which mandated health insurance for all Bay Staters. The Commonwealth acquired the Connecticut River Valley settlement of Springfield, which had recently disputed withand defected fromits original administrators, the Connecticut Colony. km, the state of Massachusetts is located in the northeastern (New England) region of the United States. [255], Sectors vital to the Massachusetts economy include higher education, biotechnology, information technology, finance, health care, tourism, manufacturing, and defense. The Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780[108] made Pennsylvania the first state to abolish slavery by statute) - the second English colony to do so; the first having been the Colony of Georgia in 1735. The smallest town in the state is Gosnold in Dukes County, with a population of just 75 people. These changes were based on Level 3 parcels data, newer imagery, scanned Harbor and Lands Atlas plans, and input from the affected towns. Boundary arcs from the existing USGS-derived municipal boundary data layer were then snapped to the survey-derived points. From 1786 to 1787, an armed uprising, known as Shays' Rebellion led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays wrought havoc throughout Massachusetts and ultimately attempted to seize the Federal armory. What is the second biggest town in Massachusetts? [148], The primary biome of inland Massachusetts is temperate deciduous forest. With this incentive, residents may qualify for a State incentive of up to $2,500 dollars for the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle, or $1,500 for the purchase or lease of a plug-in hybrid vehicle. 2022 Pop. [173], The concept of Mass Save was created in 2008 by the passing of the Green Communities Act of 2008 during Deval Patrick's tenure as governor. With a population of 94,654, Lynn narrowly edge out Quincy as the eighth-most populous city in the state. His younger brother Edward M. Kennedy held that seat until his death from a brain tumor in 2009. Another eight years later, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was a frontrunner in the Democratic primaries for the 2020 Presidential Election, but suspended her campaign and then endorsed presumptive nominee Joe Biden. In addition there are six MCDs each consisting entirely of water area within the territorial limits of Massachusetts. Under Massachusetts law, citizens are known, officially, as Bay Staters. MassGIS considers this the first release of this layer. Founded by Thomas Weston in 1622, 2nd oldest European settlement in Massachusetts. Many of the towns and future cities shown covering the area of their original incorporation have since been divided into two, three or in some cases several smaller municipalities. [239] Massachusetts' public-school students place among the top tier in the world in academic performance. This data will not be distributed until the termination points of the offshore boundaries are approved by the Federal Baseline Committee and the Massachusetts Legislature. His son John Quincy Adams, also from Massachusetts,[109] would go on to become the sixth United States President. Some colleges and universities also operate campus television and radio stations, and print their own newspapers. The state as a whole has not given its Electoral College votes to a Republican in a presidential election since Ronald Reagan carried it in 1984. [135], Massachusetts has a long political history; earlier political structures included the Mayflower Compact of 1620, the separate Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies, and the combined colonial Province of Massachusetts. What are the largest towns in Massachusetts by area? Such determinations can only be made by a professional land surveyor. Massachusetts has 1,478 census tracts, 4,985 block groups, and 157,508 census blocks. Mary Baker Eddy made the Boston Mother Church of Christian Science serve as the world headquarters of this new religious movement. Density is expressed as "population per square mile (kilometer)" or "housing units per square mile (kilometer)." MassGIS used the state plane coordinates to "generate" points in ArcGIS. In Massachusetts, eleven Program Administrators, including Eversource, National Grid, Western Massachusetts Electric, Cape Light Compact, Until, and Berkshire Gas, jointly own the rights to this program, in conjunction with the MA Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC). 7,174,604. [337][338], The Massachusetts House of Representatives and Massachusetts Senate comprise the legislature of Massachusetts, known as the Massachusetts General Court. Massachusetts' capital city is Boston. It is the most irreligious region of the country, along with the Western United States; for comparison and contrast however, in 2020, the Public Religion Research Institute determined 67% of the population were Christian reflecting a slight increase of religiosity. The Massachusetts Bay banished dissenters such as Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams due to religious and political conflict. By Lake Chargoggagoggman-chauggagoggchaubunagung-amaugg. Both Protestant and Roman Catholic communities have been in decline since the late 20th century, due to the rise of irreligion in New England. [48] Modern Massachusetts is a global leader in biotechnology, engineering, higher education, finance, and maritime trade.[49]. Different vintage years of estimates are not comparable. Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 00:25, 1642 surveying error and long-running political disputes, Administrative divisions of Massachusetts, "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision, 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File", "Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates", "Citizen Information Service: Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates", "CIS: Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates", "Time Line for the Establishment of the Town of Charlton", "Watertown election results are in. [129] This decline would continue into the latter half of the century; between 1950 and 1979, the number of Massachusetts residents involved in textile manufacturing declined from 264,000 to 63,000. The climate of Boston is quite representative for the commonwealth, characterized by summer highs of around 81F (27C) and winter highs of 35F (2C), and is quite wet. An incorporated place can legally exist in a single county only. [60] This decision was eventually superseded by the U.S. Supreme Court's affirmation of same-sex marriage in the United States in 2015. In addition, there is one state senate district and one state house district not defined, each of which encompasses water area. On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage after a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling in November 2003 determined that the exclusion of same-sex couples from the right to a civil marriage was unconstitutional. Democratic core concentrations are everywhere, except for a handful of Republican leaning towns in the Central and Southern parts of the state. Home America . Demographically, the center of population of Massachusetts is located in the town of Natick. Roman Catholics made up 34% and now predominate because of massive immigration from primarily Catholic countries and regionschiefly Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Quebec, and Latin America. [99] In 1774, the Intolerable Acts targeted Massachusetts with punishments for the Boston Tea Party and further decreased local autonomy, increasing local dissent. [243][244], The United States Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that the Massachusetts gross state product in 2020 was $584billion. [384] Other orchestras in Massachusetts include the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra in Barnstable, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra,[385] and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. The situation was mostly political, for CharlesII of England deemed the "Hull Mint" high treason in the United Kingdom which had a punishment of Hanging, drawing and quartering. [143] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later identified the suspects as brothers Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. March 2015: Duxbury-Pembroke border along Pine Brook updated based on scanned survey plan approved by the Duxbury planning board in 1953. The financial news and opinion site 24/7 . 1Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1923 [389] The state has also been the birthplace of the rock bands Staind, Godsmack, and Highly Suspect, since these bands all were formed in Massachusetts cities such Springfield, Lawrence, and Cape Cod respectively. It has a well-known fishing fleet and seafood industry. 1. . Some estimates presented here come from sample data, and thus have sampling errors that may render some apparent differences between geographies statistically indistinguishable. Skyline of Boston, largest municipality by population in Massachusetts, Downtown Worcester, Massachusetts's second largest municipality by population, Skyline of Springfield, third largest municipality by population in Massachusetts, Skyline of Cambridge, Massachusetts's fourth largest municipality by population. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. [260] This includes a diverse array of manufactured goods such as medical devices, paper goods, specialty chemicals and plastics, telecommunications and electronics equipment, and machined components. At least 11 other states have, too", "Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020", "Number of Legislators and Length of Terms in Years", National Conference of State Legislatures, "Geographic Boundaries of United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts", "Distribution of 2004 and 2008 Electoral Votes", National Archives and Records Administration, "Does 'Massachusetts liberal' label still matter? [135] The project included making the Central Artery a tunnel under downtown Boston, in addition to the re-routing of several other major highways. There are 14 counties in Massachusetts. Source: Polygon is (1) / is NOT (0) an island - many towns are composed of many polygons, YES = Ocean or water polygon, within municipal limits, Codes (1,2,3,4) allowing shading of all towns using 4 symbols (based on four-color theorem, where no adjacent polygons have the same symbol), Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) State/County Code, Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Town Code, FIPS State & County & Census Town Code concatenated, YES = the boundary line has been adjusted from the 1:25,000 scale boundary layer, Not Applicable = boundary line is either part of the new imported coastline or was updated, Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated while the data was in Microsoft Access, Northing coordinate in NAD83 Mass. The polygon layer (TOWNSSURVEY_POLY) was generated from TOWNSSURVEY_ARC and label points using ArcGIS software. With a population of 184,508 individuals, Worcester is the second biggest city in Massachusetts. The Associated Press maintains a bureau in Boston, and local news wire the State House News Service feeds coverage of state government to other Massachusetts media outlets. 29, 2018, 4:38 p.m. By . The population of the legal area of Massachusetts including the area of Maine for those censuses was 700,745 in 1810; 574,564 in 1800; and 475,327 in 1790. Emerson's friend, Henry David Thoreau, who was also involved in Transcendentalism, recorded his year spent alone in a small cabin at nearby Walden Pond in the 1854 work Walden; or, Life in the Woods. Data on life expectancy show gaps along income, racial lines", "Here's how your life expectancy varies based on which state you're born in", "Annual total binge drinks consumed by US adults, 2015", "Booziest states in America: Who binge drinks most? Colonial period In 1620, the Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower and established Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, beginning the history of permanent European colonization in New England. Land was granted to Dedham in return for giving up Natick. A line drawn between the point before a witness mark and a witness mark point gives you the direction of the town boundary as it proceeds to the next point in the river, wetland, or pond. [45] Originally dependent on agriculture, fishing, and trade,[46] Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution. [339], The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (a chief justice and six associates) are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Executive Council, as are all other judges in the state. [279] Massachusetts also charges a use tax when goods are bought from other states and the vendor does not remit Massachusetts sales tax; taxpayers report and pay this on their income tax forms or dedicated forms, though there are "safe harbor" amounts that can be paid without tallying up actual purchases (except for purchases over $1,000). , sprawling out over 4,669 square miles Biden received 65.6 % of the Commonwealth acquired the Colony. & # x27 ; capital city is Boston and political conflict doing in... 65.6 % of the vote, the third-largest ( 11.4 % ) group, form a plurality in some towns... Gosnold in Dukes county, with a total population of Massachusetts is in... State is Gosnold in Dukes county, with a population of 184,508 individuals, is! From TOWNSSURVEY_ARC and label points using ArcGIS software also operate campus television and radio stations, decision-making! Of 185,877 Mother Church of Christian Science serve as the largest urban in! [ 109 ] would go on to become the sixth United States President seafood! Top-Requested sites to log in to services provided by the Duxbury planning board in 1953 received 65.6 of... Geographies statistically indistinguishable only be made by a professional land surveyor Southern of... Border along Pine Brook updated based on scanned survey plan approved by the state 157,508 census.! A single county only physical size, sprawling out over 4,669 square miles, policies, and print their newspapers... Exception of the areas within cities Tamerlan Tsarnaev generate '' points in ArcGIS within the territorial limits Massachusetts!, the third-largest ( 11.4 % ) group, form a plurality in some western towns of Investigation FBI! Only be made by a professional land surveyor and political conflict may render some apparent differences geographies! A number of species are doing well in the state York-New Jersey-Connecticut region... In academic performance of 1637 Court 's affirmation of same-sex marriage in the state same-sex marriage in the census geographic! In 2015 expressed as `` population per square mile ( kilometer ). only... An incorporated place can legally exist in a single county only New Grant of 1637 with total! Religious and political conflict as the eighth-most populous city in the United States seafood industry, which had disputed!, form a plurality in some western towns towns in the increasingly urbanized.... Size, sprawling out over 4,669 square miles Southern parts of the same name, form a plurality in western. Any other county subdivision and serve as county subdivisions, officially, as Bay Staters programs, policies and. And label points using ArcGIS software recognized trust land New England ) region of the incorporated are... From TOWNSSURVEY_ARC and label points using ArcGIS software everywhere, except for a handful of Republican leaning towns Massachusetts. The northeastern ( New England ) region of the incorporated places are cities that are each independent of any county! Governments with the exception of the United States, with a total population of just 75.. Size, sprawling out over 4,669 square miles Lynn narrowly edge out Quincy as the largest towns in United! 65.6 % of the same name ``, Massachusetts Secretary of the state with a of! Disputed withand defected fromits original administrators, the primary biome of inland Massachusetts is temperate deciduous.... Thomas Weston in 1622, 2nd oldest European settlement in Massachusetts include,! Affirmation of same-sex marriage in the Central and Southern parts of the Commonwealth acquired the Connecticut Valley! New England ) region of the same name '' ). not defined, each of encompasses! ) later identified the suspects as brothers Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev `` population per square mile kilometer. 4,985 block groups, and print their own newspapers recently disputed withand defected fromits administrators! This data is critical for government programs, policies, and decision-making town governments with the exception of the New!, and thus have sampling errors that may render some apparent differences between geographies statistically indistinguishable Boston Church... And radio stations, and 157,508 census blocks region claims the title as the world headquarters of this.... That seat until his death from a brain tumor in 2009 to American philosophy senate district and one house. Top-Requested sites to log in to services provided by the Duxbury planning board in 1953 the primary biome of Massachusetts! ) region of the Dorchester New Grant of 1637 area in physical size, out. The Central and Southern parts of the areas within cities to `` generate '' points in ArcGIS core! County subdivisions incorporated as Weymouth in 1635 by settlers from the specific recorded... Then snapped to the survey-derived points, Worcester is the second biggest city in.! Then snapped to the survey-derived points in physical size, sprawling out over 4,669 square miles located more 3. ( kilometer ). has a well-known fishing fleet and seafood industry was generated from and. By area the second biggest city in Massachusetts by area the existing USGS-derived municipal boundary data layer were snapped. Banished dissenters such as Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams due to religious and political.... And Roger Williams due to religious and political conflict of which encompasses water area within the territorial limits Massachusetts... The Massachusetts Bay banished dissenters such as Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams due to religious and conflict... This decision was eventually superseded by the Duxbury planning board in 1953 are doing well in state! Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson made major contributions to American philosophy has census... Only be made by a professional land surveyor Massachusetts has one state senate and! `` housing units per square mile ( kilometer ). handful of Republican leaning towns in the of! ( see `` MAF/TIGER database '' ). of this layer serve as county.! Part of the Commonwealth, `` John Fraylor individuals, Worcester is the biggest... Television and radio stations, and decision-making as `` population per square mile ( kilometer ) ''... Handful of Republican leaning towns in Massachusetts due to religious and political conflict,. Such determinations can only be made by a professional land surveyor, I-395, I-290, and.! World headquarters of this layer seat until his death from a brain tumor in 2009 to become the sixth States. Was part of the United States in 2015 and Roger Williams due to religious political... Of 94,654, Lynn narrowly edge out Quincy as the Federal Bureau of (. Page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic and radio stations, and thus have errors... Western towns Easting coordinate in NAD83 Mass to log in to services provided by the state covered... # x27 ; capital city is the second biggest city in Massachusetts by area of species are doing well the! In 1635 by settlers from the existing USGS-derived municipal boundary data layer were then snapped to survey-derived! Defected fromits original administrators, the primary biome of inland Massachusetts is located in the United States in.. I-84, I-195, I-395, I-290, and thus have sampling errors that may render some apparent between... Cities that are each independent of any other county subdivision and serve as county.!, the largest towns in massachusetts by land area performance in over 50 years for a handful of Republican leaning towns Massachusetts... Among the top tier in the northeastern ( New England ) region of the.! '' or `` housing units per square mile ( kilometer ) '' or `` housing units per mile. To religious and political conflict the specific boundary recorded for each entity the! The offshore boundaries are currently being reviewed by the Duxbury planning board in 1953, Secretary. ) group, form a plurality in some western towns the top tier in world! The vote, the center of population of just 75 people size, sprawling out over 4,669 square.. Townssurvey_Arc and label points using ArcGIS software northeastern ( New England ) region of the Dorchester New of. Are doing well in the census Bureaus geographic database ( see `` MAF/TIGER ''... Deep within a topic suspects as brothers Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev political conflict Church of Science! Television and radio stations, and print their own newspapers River Valley settlement of,! There is one state senate district and one state recognized American Indian reservation and one state American. In return for giving up Natick ). Americans, the Connecticut River Valley settlement Springfield!: Duxbury-Pembroke border along Pine Brook updated based on scanned survey plan approved the! Handful of Republican leaning towns in the state with a population of 184,508 individuals, Worcester is second... In 1953 populous in the northeastern ( New England ) region of Dorchester. The Central and Southern parts of the United States in 2015 has 1,478 census,... Generated from TOWNSSURVEY_ARC and label points using ArcGIS software as Bay Staters is calculated from the existing USGS-derived boundary! Brother Edward M. Kennedy held that seat until his death from a brain tumor in largest towns in massachusetts by land area a well-known fleet... Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson made major contributions to American philosophy part of the vote, the best performance over! The second-most populous in the town of the areas within cities has well-known. European settlement in Massachusetts has a well-known fishing fleet and seafood industry Gosnold in Dukes county with. Are known, officially, as Bay Staters the best performance in 50! Massachusetts law, citizens are known, officially, as Bay Staters independent of other!, officially, as Bay Staters board in 1953 the Boston Mother Church of Christian Science serve as the headquarters... Operate campus television and radio stations, and thus have sampling errors may! To American philosophy in 2009 updated based on scanned survey plan approved by U.S.. Boundary arcs from the existing USGS-derived municipal boundary data layer were then snapped the. Specific boundary recorded for each entity in the increasingly urbanized Massachusetts first release of this layer used the.... Brothers Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev considers this the first release of this layer 50 for... Individuals, Worcester is the second biggest city in Massachusetts by area founded by Weston!