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 2020, at 16.5%. Nantucket County had the lowest, at 5.3%. The median was 9.2% and the figure for Massachusetts was 9.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest16.5Suffolk County
Lowest5.3Nantucket County
Median9.214 counties
Massachusetts9.4History

All counties, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

Suffolk CountySuffolk County: 16.5 %16.5Hampden CountyHampden County: 14.3 %14.3Franklin CountyFranklin County: 10.7 %10.7Bristol CountyBristol County: 10.1 %10.1Berkshire CountyBerkshire County: 10 %10Worcester CountyWorcester County: 9.5 %9.5Hampshire CountyHampshire County: 9.3 %9.3Essex CountyEssex County: 9 %9Barnstable CountyBarnstable County: 7.7 %7.7Dukes CountyDukes County: 7.5 %7.5Plymouth CountyPlymouth County: 7.2 %7.2Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County: 7.1 %7.1Norfolk CountyNorfolk County: 5.9 %5.9Nantucket CountyNantucket County: 5.3 %5.3
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Suffolk County16.5-0.2 pts
2Hampden County14.3+0.5 pts
3Franklin County10.7+1.4 pts
4Bristol County10.1-1.2 pts
5Berkshire County10-1.2 pts
6Worcester County9.5+0.1 pts
7Hampshire County9.3-1.8 pts
8Essex County9+0.2 pts
9Barnstable County7.7+1.2 pts
10Dukes County7.5+0.2 pts
11Plymouth County7.2-0.2 pts
12Middlesex County7.1+0.2 pts
13Norfolk County5.9+0.1 pts
14Nantucket County5.3-0.2 pts

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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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 16.5% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Nantucket County, with 5.3% in 2020.

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