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 2021, at 18.5%. Nantucket County had the lowest, at 5.9%. The median was 9.8% and the figure for Massachusetts was 10.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest18.5Suffolk County
Lowest5.9Nantucket County
Median9.814 counties
Massachusetts10.4History

All counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Suffolk CountySuffolk County: 18.5 %18.5Hampden CountyHampden County: 17 %17Bristol CountyBristol County: 11.9 %11.9Hampshire CountyHampshire County: 11.7 %11.7Berkshire CountyBerkshire County: 10.9 %10.9Franklin CountyFranklin County: 10.7 %10.7Worcester CountyWorcester County: 10 %10Essex CountyEssex County: 9.6 %9.6Barnstable CountyBarnstable County: 8 %8Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County: 7.7 %7.7Dukes CountyDukes County: 7.6 %7.6Plymouth CountyPlymouth County: 7.5 %7.5Norfolk CountyNorfolk County: 6.9 %6.9Nantucket CountyNantucket County: 5.9 %5.9
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Suffolk County18.5+2 pts
2Hampden County17+2.7 pts
3Bristol County11.9+1.8 pts
4Hampshire County11.7+2.4 pts
5Berkshire County10.9+0.9 pts
6Franklin County10.70 pts
7Worcester County10+0.5 pts
8Essex County9.6+0.6 pts
9Barnstable County8+0.3 pts
10Middlesex County7.7+0.6 pts
11Dukes County7.6+0.1 pts
12Plymouth County7.5+0.3 pts
13Norfolk County6.9+1 pts
14Nantucket County5.9+0.6 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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.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 18.5% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Nantucket County, with 5.9% 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, 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