Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in Massachusetts

Counties in Massachusetts by poverty rate

Suffolk County had the highest poverty rate of 14 counties in 2015, at 19.8%. Norfolk County had the lowest, at 7.1%. The median was 11.7% and the figure for Massachusetts was 11.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest19.8Suffolk County
Lowest7.1Norfolk County
Median11.714 counties
Massachusetts11.5History

All counties, 2015

CSVChart (SVG)

Suffolk CountySuffolk County: 19.8 %19.8Hampden CountyHampden County: 17.1 %17.1Hampshire CountyHampshire County: 15.3 %15.3Berkshire CountyBerkshire County: 14.3 %14.3Bristol CountyBristol County: 12.6 %12.6Worcester CountyWorcester County: 12.1 %12.1Franklin CountyFranklin County: 11.8 %11.8Essex CountyEssex County: 11.5 %11.5Plymouth CountyPlymouth County: 9.7 %9.7Dukes CountyDukes County: 8.5 %8.5Barnstable CountyBarnstable County: 7.6 %7.6Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County: 7.6 %7.6Nantucket CountyNantucket County: 7.3 %7.3Norfolk CountyNorfolk County: 7.1 %7.1
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015 (%)
1Suffolk County19.8
2Hampden County17.1
3Hampshire County15.3
4Berkshire County14.3
5Bristol County12.6
6Worcester County12.1
7Franklin County11.8
8Essex County11.5
9Plymouth County9.7
10Dukes County8.5
11Barnstable County7.6
11Middlesex County7.6
13Nantucket County7.3
14Norfolk County7.1

Other periods

About this ranking

People living in families or alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), all ages.

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Rank Counties in Massachusetts by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Suffolk County, with 19.8% in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Norfolk County, with 7.1% in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Massachusetts: more rankings