Data / Rankings / Bachelor's degree or higher, population 25 and over / Cities in Massachusetts

Cities in Massachusetts by share of adults with a bachelor's degree

Newton, MA had the highest share of adults with a bachelor's degree of 54 cities in 2021, at 80.2%. Lawrence, MA had the lowest, at 13.5%. The median was 35.2% and the figure for Massachusetts was 45.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest80.2Newton, MA
Lowest13.5Lawrence, MA
Median35.254 cities
Massachusetts45.2History

All cities, 2021

Newton, MA: 80.2 %Newton, MA80.2Cambridge, MA: 80 %Cambridge, MA80Amherst Town, MA: 70.8 %Amherst Town, MA70.8Somerville, MA: 65.9 %Somerville, MA65.9Newburyport, MA: 64.4 %Newburyport, MA64.4Northampton, MA: 62.3 %Northampton, MA62.3Melrose, MA: 62 %Melrose, MA62Medford, MA: 55.7 %Medford, MA55.7Waltham, MA: 55.5 %Waltham, MA55.5Franklin Town, MA: 54.7 %Franklin Town, MA54.7Boston, MA: 52.1 %Boston, MA52.1Framingham, MA: 50.7 %Framingham, MA50.7Beverly, MA: 50.5 %Beverly, MA50.5Salem, MA: 48.5 %Salem, MA48.5Woburn, MA: 46.4 %Woburn, MA46.4Braintree Town, MA: 46.3 %Braintree Town, MA46.3Quincy, MA: 45.6 %Quincy, MA45.6North Attleborough Town, MA: 44.6 %North Attleborough Town, MA44.6Malden, MA: 43 %Malden, MA43Winthrop Town, MA: 42.4 %Winthrop Town, MA42.4Weymouth Town, MA: 40.7 %Weymouth Town, MA40.7Marlborough, MA: 40.3 %Marlborough, MA40.3Bridgewater Town, MA: 39.7 %Bridgewater Town, MA39.7Barnstable Town, MA: 39.6 %Barnstable Town, MA39.6Gloucester, MA: 39.6 %Gloucester, MA39.6West Springfield Town, MA: 35.6 %West Springfield Town, MA35.6Agawam Town, MA: 35.3 %Agawam Town, MA35.3Greenfield, MA: 35 %Greenfield, MA35Peabody, MA: 34.9 %Peabody, MA34.9Pittsfield, MA: 33 %Pittsfield, MA33Westfield, MA: 32.6 %Westfield, MA32.6Worcester, MA: 32.3 %Worcester, MA32.3Leominster, MA: 31.8 %Leominster, MA31.8Attleboro, MA: 31.7 %Attleboro, MA31.7Randolph Town, MA: 30.5 %Randolph Town, MA30.5Haverhill, MA: 29.8 %Haverhill, MA29.8Lowell, MA: 27.4 %Lowell, MA27.4Palmer Town, MA: 24.9 %Palmer Town, MA24.9North Adams, MA: 24.7 %North Adams, MA24.7Revere, MA: 24.5 %Revere, MA24.5Everett, MA: 24.4 %Everett, MA24.4Fitchburg, MA: 23.7 %Fitchburg, MA23.7Taunton, MA: 22.5 %Taunton, MA22.5Holyoke, MA: 22 %Holyoke, MA22Chicopee, MA: 22 %Chicopee, MA22Lynn, MA: 21 %Lynn, MA21Chelsea, MA: 20.9 %Chelsea, MA20.9Brockton, MA: 20.1 %Brockton, MA20.1Springfield, MA: 19.5 %Springfield, MA19.5Gardner, MA: 19 %Gardner, MA19New Bedford, MA: 17 %New Bedford, MA17Southbridge Town, MA: 16.7 %Southbridge Town, MA16.7Fall River, MA: 15.7 %Fall River, MA15.7Lawrence, MA: 13.5 %Lawrence, MA13.5Newton, MA: 80.2 %Newton, MA80.2Cambridge, MA: 80 %Cambridge, MA80Amherst Town, MA: 70.8 %Amherst Town, MA70.8Somerville, MA: 65.9 %Somerville, MA65.9Newburyport, MA: 64.4 %Newburyport, MA64.4Northampton, MA: 62.3 %Northampton, MA62.3Melrose, MA: 62 %Melrose, MA62Medford, MA: 55.7 %Medford, MA55.7Waltham, MA: 55.5 %Waltham, MA55.5Franklin Town, MA: 54.7 %Franklin Town, MA54.7Boston, MA: 52.1 %Boston, MA52.1Framingham, MA: 50.7 %Framingham, MA50.7Beverly, MA: 50.5 %Beverly, MA50.5Salem, MA: 48.5 %Salem, MA48.5Woburn, MA: 46.4 %Woburn, MA46.4Braintree Town, MA: 46.3 %Braintree Town, MA46.3Quincy, MA: 45.6 %Quincy, MA45.6North Attleborough Town, MA: 44.6 %North Attleborough Town, MA44.6Malden, MA: 43 %Malden, MA43Winthrop Town, MA: 42.4 %Winthrop Town, MA42.4Weymouth Town, MA: 40.7 %Weymouth Town, MA40.7Marlborough, MA: 40.3 %Marlborough, MA40.3Bridgewater Town, MA: 39.7 %Bridgewater Town, MA39.7Barnstable Town, MA: 39.6 %Barnstable Town, MA39.6Gloucester, MA: 39.6 %Gloucester, MA39.6West Springfield Town, MA: 35.6 %West Springfield Town, MA35.6Agawam Town, MA: 35.3 %Agawam Town, MA35.3Greenfield, MA: 35 %Greenfield, MA35Peabody, MA: 34.9 %Peabody, MA34.9Pittsfield, MA: 33 %Pittsfield, MA33Westfield, MA: 32.6 %Westfield, MA32.6Worcester, MA: 32.3 %Worcester, MA32.3Leominster, MA: 31.8 %Leominster, MA31.8Attleboro, MA: 31.7 %Attleboro, MA31.7Randolph Town, MA: 30.5 %Randolph Town, MA30.5Haverhill, MA: 29.8 %Haverhill, MA29.8Lowell, MA: 27.4 %Lowell, MA27.4Palmer Town, MA: 24.9 %Palmer Town, MA24.9North Adams, MA: 24.7 %North Adams, MA24.7Revere, MA: 24.5 %Revere, MA24.5Everett, MA: 24.4 %Everett, MA24.4Fitchburg, MA: 23.7 %Fitchburg, MA23.7Taunton, MA: 22.5 %Taunton, MA22.5Holyoke, MA: 22 %Holyoke, MA22Chicopee, MA: 22 %Chicopee, MA22Lynn, MA: 21 %Lynn, MA21Chelsea, MA: 20.9 %Chelsea, MA20.9Brockton, MA: 20.1 %Brockton, MA20.1Springfield, MA: 19.5 %Springfield, MA19.5Gardner, MA: 19 %Gardner, MA19New Bedford, MA: 17 %New Bedford, MA17Southbridge Town, MA: 16.7 %Southbridge Town, MA16.7Fall River, MA: 15.7 %Fall River, MA15.7Lawrence, MA: 13.5 %Lawrence, MA13.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Newton, MA80.2
2Cambridge, MA80
3Amherst Town, MA70.8
4Somerville, MA65.9
5Newburyport, MA64.4
6Northampton, MA62.3
7Melrose, MA62
8Medford, MA55.7
9Waltham, MA55.5
10Franklin Town, MA54.7
11Boston, MA52.1
12Framingham, MA50.7
13Beverly, MA50.5
14Salem, MA48.5
15Woburn, MA46.4
16Braintree Town, MA46.3
17Quincy, MA45.6
18North Attleborough Town, MA44.6
19Malden, MA43
20Winthrop Town, MA42.4
21Weymouth Town, MA40.7
22Marlborough, MA40.3
23Bridgewater Town, MA39.7
24Barnstable Town, MA39.6
25Gloucester, MA39.6
26West Springfield Town, MA35.6
27Agawam Town, MA35.3
28Greenfield, MA35
29Peabody, MA34.9
30Pittsfield, MA33
31Westfield, MA32.6
32Worcester, MA32.3
33Leominster, MA31.8
34Attleboro, MA31.7
35Randolph Town, MA30.5
36Haverhill, MA29.8
37Lowell, MA27.4
38Palmer Town, MA24.9
39North Adams, MA24.7
40Revere, MA24.5
41Everett, MA24.4
42Fitchburg, MA23.7
43Taunton, MA22.5
44Holyoke, MA22
45Chicopee, MA22
46Lynn, MA21
47Chelsea, MA20.9
48Brockton, MA20.1
49Springfield, MA19.5
50Gardner, MA19
51New Bedford, MA17
52Southbridge Town, MA16.7
53Fall River, MA15.7
54Lawrence, MA13.5

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 25 and over whose highest degree is a bachelor's, master's, professional school or doctorate degree, as a percentage of all people aged 25 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Excludes associate degrees and college without a degree. Not comparable with EU tertiary attainment, which includes short-cycle tertiary education and usually covers ages 25 to 64.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. 4 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2021 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Massachusetts by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Massachusetts by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/massachusetts-cities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Massachusetts by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/massachusetts-cities?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Massachusetts by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/massachusetts-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_massachusetts_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Massachusetts by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/massachusetts-cities?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Massachusetts by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/massachusetts-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/massachusetts-cities?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Cities in Massachusetts by share of adults with a bachelor's degree using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"bachelors_degree_share","level":"municipality","within":"Massachusetts","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=bachelors_degree_share&level=municipality&within=Massachusetts&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which city has the highest share of adults with a bachelor's degree?

Newton, MA, with 80.2% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest share of adults with a bachelor's degree?

Lawrence, MA, with 13.5% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 4 cities have no value for 2021 and are not ranked.

Bachelor's degree or higher, population 25 and over: other rankings

Cities in Massachusetts: more rankings