Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in Massachusetts

Cities in Massachusetts by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Holyoke, MA had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 54 cities in 2022, at 26%. Melrose, MA had the lowest, at 4%. The median was 11% and the figure for Massachusetts was 9.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest26Holyoke, MA
Lowest4Melrose, MA
Median1154 cities
Massachusetts9.9History

All cities, 2022

Holyoke, MA: 26 %Holyoke, MA26Springfield, MA: 25.3 %Springfield, MA25.3Amherst Town, MA: 23 %Amherst Town, MA23Chelsea, MA: 21.4 %Chelsea, MA21.4Fall River, MA: 19.7 %Fall River, MA19.7Worcester, MA: 19.5 %Worcester, MA19.5Lawrence, MA: 19.4 %Lawrence, MA19.4New Bedford, MA: 18.8 %New Bedford, MA18.8Southbridge Town, MA: 17.9 %Southbridge Town, MA17.9Boston, MA: 17.5 %Boston, MA17.5Lowell, MA: 16.6 %Lowell, MA16.6Greenfield, MA: 15.5 %Greenfield, MA15.5Chicopee, MA: 15.5 %Chicopee, MA15.5North Adams, MA: 15.1 %North Adams, MA15.1Gardner, MA: 14.8 %Gardner, MA14.8Everett, MA: 14.4 %Everett, MA14.4Lynn, MA: 14.1 %Lynn, MA14.1Fitchburg, MA: 13.9 %Fitchburg, MA13.9Pittsfield, MA: 13.8 %Pittsfield, MA13.8Salem, MA: 13.7 %Salem, MA13.7Malden, MA: 13.5 %Malden, MA13.5Brockton, MA: 12.9 %Brockton, MA12.9Taunton, MA: 12.7 %Taunton, MA12.7Revere, MA: 12.3 %Revere, MA12.3Cambridge, MA: 12.1 %Cambridge, MA12.1Northampton, MA: 11.3 %Northampton, MA11.3Quincy, MA: 11.2 %Quincy, MA11.2Gloucester, MA: 10.9 %Gloucester, MA10.9Haverhill, MA: 10.6 %Haverhill, MA10.6West Springfield Town, MA: 10.5 %West Springfield Town, MA10.5Beverly, MA: 10.5 %Beverly, MA10.5Framingham, MA: 10.4 %Framingham, MA10.4Somerville, MA: 10.2 %Somerville, MA10.2Randolph Town, MA: 9.3 %Randolph Town, MA9.3Attleboro, MA: 9.2 %Attleboro, MA9.2Leominster, MA: 9.1 %Leominster, MA9.1Waltham, MA: 8.9 %Waltham, MA8.9Westfield, MA: 8.9 %Westfield, MA8.9Marlborough, MA: 8.8 %Marlborough, MA8.8Palmer Town, MA: 8.2 %Palmer Town, MA8.2Winthrop Town, MA: 8.2 %Winthrop Town, MA8.2Medford, MA: 7.4 %Medford, MA7.4Peabody, MA: 7 %Peabody, MA7Barnstable Town, MA: 6.9 %Barnstable Town, MA6.9Woburn, MA: 6.5 %Woburn, MA6.5Agawam Town, MA: 6.5 %Agawam Town, MA6.5Weymouth Town, MA: 6.3 %Weymouth Town, MA6.3Newburyport, MA: 5.9 %Newburyport, MA5.9North Attleborough Town, MA: 5.3 %North Attleborough Town, MA5.3Braintree Town, MA: 5.1 %Braintree Town, MA5.1Franklin Town, MA: 4.6 %Franklin Town, MA4.6Newton, MA: 4.6 %Newton, MA4.6Bridgewater Town, MA: 4.4 %Bridgewater Town, MA4.4Melrose, MA: 4 %Melrose, MA4Holyoke, MA: 26 %Holyoke, MA26Springfield, MA: 25.3 %Springfield, MA25.3Amherst Town, MA: 23 %Amherst Town, MA23Chelsea, MA: 21.4 %Chelsea, MA21.4Fall River, MA: 19.7 %Fall River, MA19.7Worcester, MA: 19.5 %Worcester, MA19.5Lawrence, MA: 19.4 %Lawrence, MA19.4New Bedford, MA: 18.8 %New Bedford, MA18.8Southbridge Town, MA: 17.9 %Southbridge Town, MA17.9Boston, MA: 17.5 %Boston, MA17.5Lowell, MA: 16.6 %Lowell, MA16.6Greenfield, MA: 15.5 %Greenfield, MA15.5Chicopee, MA: 15.5 %Chicopee, MA15.5North Adams, MA: 15.1 %North Adams, MA15.1Gardner, MA: 14.8 %Gardner, MA14.8Everett, MA: 14.4 %Everett, MA14.4Lynn, MA: 14.1 %Lynn, MA14.1Fitchburg, MA: 13.9 %Fitchburg, MA13.9Pittsfield, MA: 13.8 %Pittsfield, MA13.8Salem, MA: 13.7 %Salem, MA13.7Malden, MA: 13.5 %Malden, MA13.5Brockton, MA: 12.9 %Brockton, MA12.9Taunton, MA: 12.7 %Taunton, MA12.7Revere, MA: 12.3 %Revere, MA12.3Cambridge, MA: 12.1 %Cambridge, MA12.1Northampton, MA: 11.3 %Northampton, MA11.3Quincy, MA: 11.2 %Quincy, MA11.2Gloucester, MA: 10.9 %Gloucester, MA10.9Haverhill, MA: 10.6 %Haverhill, MA10.6West Springfield Town, MA: 10.5 %West Springfield Town, MA10.5Beverly, MA: 10.5 %Beverly, MA10.5Framingham, MA: 10.4 %Framingham, MA10.4Somerville, MA: 10.2 %Somerville, MA10.2Randolph Town, MA: 9.3 %Randolph Town, MA9.3Attleboro, MA: 9.2 %Attleboro, MA9.2Leominster, MA: 9.1 %Leominster, MA9.1Waltham, MA: 8.9 %Waltham, MA8.9Westfield, MA: 8.9 %Westfield, MA8.9Marlborough, MA: 8.8 %Marlborough, MA8.8Palmer Town, MA: 8.2 %Palmer Town, MA8.2Winthrop Town, MA: 8.2 %Winthrop Town, MA8.2Medford, MA: 7.4 %Medford, MA7.4Peabody, MA: 7 %Peabody, MA7Barnstable Town, MA: 6.9 %Barnstable Town, MA6.9Woburn, MA: 6.5 %Woburn, MA6.5Agawam Town, MA: 6.5 %Agawam Town, MA6.5Weymouth Town, MA: 6.3 %Weymouth Town, MA6.3Newburyport, MA: 5.9 %Newburyport, MA5.9North Attleborough Town, MA: 5.3 %North Attleborough Town, MA5.3Braintree Town, MA: 5.1 %Braintree Town, MA5.1Franklin Town, MA: 4.6 %Franklin Town, MA4.6Newton, MA: 4.6 %Newton, MA4.6Bridgewater Town, MA: 4.4 %Bridgewater Town, MA4.4Melrose, MA: 4 %Melrose, MA4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Holyoke, MA26-0.5 pts
2Springfield, MA25.3-1 pts
3Amherst Town, MA23-0.9 pts
4Chelsea, MA21.4-1.1 pts
5Fall River, MA19.7+0.8 pts
6Worcester, MA19.5+0.2 pts
7Lawrence, MA19.4+0.2 pts
8New Bedford, MA18.8+0.1 pts
9Southbridge Town, MA17.9-2.2 pts
10Boston, MA17.5-0.1 pts
11Lowell, MA16.6-0.9 pts
12Greenfield, MA15.5+2.3 pts
13Chicopee, MA15.5+0.9 pts
14North Adams, MA15.1+0.9 pts
15Gardner, MA14.8+0.7 pts
16Everett, MA14.4+1.6 pts
17Lynn, MA14.1-0.9 pts
18Fitchburg, MA13.9-0.7 pts
19Pittsfield, MA13.8+1 pts
20Salem, MA13.7-1.1 pts
21Malden, MA13.5-1.1 pts
22Brockton, MA12.9+1.4 pts
23Taunton, MA12.7-0.8 pts
24Revere, MA12.3-0.7 pts
25Cambridge, MA12.1-0.2 pts
26Northampton, MA11.3-0.1 pts
27Quincy, MA11.2+0.4 pts
28Gloucester, MA10.9+1.6 pts
29Haverhill, MA10.6-0.2 pts
30West Springfield Town, MA10.5+0.8 pts
31Beverly, MA10.5+0.5 pts
32Framingham, MA10.4-0.1 pts
33Somerville, MA10.2-0.3 pts
34Randolph Town, MA9.3-0.6 pts
35Attleboro, MA9.2+0.1 pts
36Leominster, MA9.1+1.2 pts
37Waltham, MA8.90 pts
38Westfield, MA8.9+1.9 pts
39Marlborough, MA8.8+0.5 pts
40Palmer Town, MA8.2-1.4 pts
41Winthrop Town, MA8.2-0.1 pts
42Medford, MA7.4-0.2 pts
43Peabody, MA7-1.1 pts
44Barnstable Town, MA6.9-1 pts
45Woburn, MA6.5+0.1 pts
46Agawam Town, MA6.5-0.5 pts
47Weymouth Town, MA6.3+0.3 pts
48Newburyport, MA5.90 pts
49North Attleborough Town, MA5.3+0.4 pts
50Braintree Town, MA5.1+0.9 pts
51Franklin Town, MA4.6-0.9 pts
52Newton, MA4.6+0.3 pts
53Bridgewater Town, MA4.4-1.3 pts
54Melrose, MA4+0.7 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. 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 cities are compared on one definition. 4 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2022 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 B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.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 B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Massachusetts by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Massachusetts by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Massachusetts by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Massachusetts by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_massachusetts_by_2022,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Massachusetts by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Massachusetts by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Massachusetts by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"Massachusetts","limit":10}
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Questions

Which city has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Holyoke, MA, with 26% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Melrose, MA, with 4% in 2022.

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 B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 4 cities have no value for 2022 and are not ranked.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in Massachusetts: more rankings