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

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

Springfield, MA had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 54 cities in 2023, at 25.3%. Melrose, MA had the lowest, at 3.7%. The median was 11.2% and the figure for Massachusetts was 10%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest25.3Springfield, MA
Lowest3.7Melrose, MA
Median11.254 cities
Massachusetts10History

All cities, 2023

Springfield, MA: 25.3 %Springfield, MA25.3Amherst Town, MA: 24.1 %Amherst Town, MA24.1Holyoke, MA: 23.7 %Holyoke, MA23.7Fall River, MA: 20.9 %Fall River, MA20.9Chelsea, MA: 20.6 %Chelsea, MA20.6New Bedford, MA: 19.9 %New Bedford, MA19.9Worcester, MA: 19.8 %Worcester, MA19.8Lawrence, MA: 18.2 %Lawrence, MA18.2North Adams, MA: 18.1 %North Adams, MA18.1Boston, MA: 16.9 %Boston, MA16.9Southbridge Town, MA: 16.2 %Southbridge Town, MA16.2Lowell, MA: 16 %Lowell, MA16Greenfield, MA: 15.7 %Greenfield, MA15.7Fitchburg, MA: 15.5 %Fitchburg, MA15.5Everett, MA: 15.4 %Everett, MA15.4Chicopee, MA: 15.2 %Chicopee, MA15.2Gardner, MA: 14.3 %Gardner, MA14.3Brockton, MA: 13.9 %Brockton, MA13.9Taunton, MA: 13.7 %Taunton, MA13.7Lynn, MA: 13.7 %Lynn, MA13.7Salem, MA: 13.7 %Salem, MA13.7Pittsfield, MA: 13.6 %Pittsfield, MA13.6Malden, MA: 13.3 %Malden, MA13.3Northampton, MA: 12.5 %Northampton, MA12.5Cambridge, MA: 12.5 %Cambridge, MA12.5Revere, MA: 12.4 %Revere, MA12.4Quincy, MA: 11.4 %Quincy, MA11.4Framingham, MA: 11 %Framingham, MA11Westfield, MA: 11 %Westfield, MA11Gloucester, MA: 10.7 %Gloucester, MA10.7Haverhill, MA: 10.6 %Haverhill, MA10.6West Springfield Town, MA: 10.4 %West Springfield Town, MA10.4Somerville, MA: 10.2 %Somerville, MA10.2Leominster, MA: 10.1 %Leominster, MA10.1Beverly, MA: 10 %Beverly, MA10Marlborough, MA: 9.2 %Marlborough, MA9.2Attleboro, MA: 9.2 %Attleboro, MA9.2Waltham, MA: 8.6 %Waltham, MA8.6Palmer Town, MA: 8.6 %Palmer Town, MA8.6Medford, MA: 8.2 %Medford, MA8.2Woburn, MA: 7.8 %Woburn, MA7.8Weymouth Town, MA: 7.7 %Weymouth Town, MA7.7Randolph Town, MA: 7.4 %Randolph Town, MA7.4Barnstable Town, MA: 7.1 %Barnstable Town, MA7.1Winthrop Town, MA: 7.1 %Winthrop Town, MA7.1Agawam Town, MA: 6.9 %Agawam Town, MA6.9Peabody, MA: 6.5 %Peabody, MA6.5Franklin Town, MA: 5.5 %Franklin Town, MA5.5North Attleborough Town, MA: 5.4 %North Attleborough Town, MA5.4Braintree Town, MA: 5.2 %Braintree Town, MA5.2Newburyport, MA: 5.1 %Newburyport, MA5.1Bridgewater Town, MA: 4.9 %Bridgewater Town, MA4.9Newton, MA: 4.7 %Newton, MA4.7Melrose, MA: 3.7 %Melrose, MA3.7Springfield, MA: 25.3 %Springfield, MA25.3Amherst Town, MA: 24.1 %Amherst Town, MA24.1Holyoke, MA: 23.7 %Holyoke, MA23.7Fall River, MA: 20.9 %Fall River, MA20.9Chelsea, MA: 20.6 %Chelsea, MA20.6New Bedford, MA: 19.9 %New Bedford, MA19.9Worcester, MA: 19.8 %Worcester, MA19.8Lawrence, MA: 18.2 %Lawrence, MA18.2North Adams, MA: 18.1 %North Adams, MA18.1Boston, MA: 16.9 %Boston, MA16.9Southbridge Town, MA: 16.2 %Southbridge Town, MA16.2Lowell, MA: 16 %Lowell, MA16Greenfield, MA: 15.7 %Greenfield, MA15.7Fitchburg, MA: 15.5 %Fitchburg, MA15.5Everett, MA: 15.4 %Everett, MA15.4Chicopee, MA: 15.2 %Chicopee, MA15.2Gardner, MA: 14.3 %Gardner, MA14.3Brockton, MA: 13.9 %Brockton, MA13.9Taunton, MA: 13.7 %Taunton, MA13.7Lynn, MA: 13.7 %Lynn, MA13.7Salem, MA: 13.7 %Salem, MA13.7Pittsfield, MA: 13.6 %Pittsfield, MA13.6Malden, MA: 13.3 %Malden, MA13.3Northampton, MA: 12.5 %Northampton, MA12.5Cambridge, MA: 12.5 %Cambridge, MA12.5Revere, MA: 12.4 %Revere, MA12.4Quincy, MA: 11.4 %Quincy, MA11.4Framingham, MA: 11 %Framingham, MA11Westfield, MA: 11 %Westfield, MA11Gloucester, MA: 10.7 %Gloucester, MA10.7Haverhill, MA: 10.6 %Haverhill, MA10.6West Springfield Town, MA: 10.4 %West Springfield Town, MA10.4Somerville, MA: 10.2 %Somerville, MA10.2Leominster, MA: 10.1 %Leominster, MA10.1Beverly, MA: 10 %Beverly, MA10Marlborough, MA: 9.2 %Marlborough, MA9.2Attleboro, MA: 9.2 %Attleboro, MA9.2Waltham, MA: 8.6 %Waltham, MA8.6Palmer Town, MA: 8.6 %Palmer Town, MA8.6Medford, MA: 8.2 %Medford, MA8.2Woburn, MA: 7.8 %Woburn, MA7.8Weymouth Town, MA: 7.7 %Weymouth Town, MA7.7Randolph Town, MA: 7.4 %Randolph Town, MA7.4Barnstable Town, MA: 7.1 %Barnstable Town, MA7.1Winthrop Town, MA: 7.1 %Winthrop Town, MA7.1Agawam Town, MA: 6.9 %Agawam Town, MA6.9Peabody, MA: 6.5 %Peabody, MA6.5Franklin Town, MA: 5.5 %Franklin Town, MA5.5North Attleborough Town, MA: 5.4 %North Attleborough Town, MA5.4Braintree Town, MA: 5.2 %Braintree Town, MA5.2Newburyport, MA: 5.1 %Newburyport, MA5.1Bridgewater Town, MA: 4.9 %Bridgewater Town, MA4.9Newton, MA: 4.7 %Newton, MA4.7Melrose, MA: 3.7 %Melrose, MA3.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Springfield, MA25.3-0.1 pts
2Amherst Town, MA24.1+1.1 pts
3Holyoke, MA23.7-2.3 pts
4Fall River, MA20.9+1.2 pts
5Chelsea, MA20.6-0.8 pts
6New Bedford, MA19.9+1.1 pts
7Worcester, MA19.8+0.3 pts
8Lawrence, MA18.2-1.2 pts
9North Adams, MA18.1+3.1 pts
10Boston, MA16.9-0.6 pts
11Southbridge Town, MA16.2-1.7 pts
12Lowell, MA16-0.6 pts
13Greenfield, MA15.7+0.1 pts
14Fitchburg, MA15.5+1.6 pts
15Everett, MA15.4+1 pts
16Chicopee, MA15.2-0.2 pts
17Gardner, MA14.3-0.6 pts
18Brockton, MA13.9+1 pts
19Taunton, MA13.7+1 pts
20Lynn, MA13.7-0.4 pts
21Salem, MA13.7-0 pts
22Pittsfield, MA13.6-0.2 pts
23Malden, MA13.3-0.3 pts
24Northampton, MA12.5+1.2 pts
25Cambridge, MA12.5+0.3 pts
26Revere, MA12.4+0.2 pts
27Quincy, MA11.4+0.3 pts
28Framingham, MA11+0.7 pts
29Westfield, MA11+2.1 pts
30Gloucester, MA10.7-0.2 pts
31Haverhill, MA10.60 pts
32West Springfield Town, MA10.4-0.1 pts
33Somerville, MA10.2-0 pts
34Leominster, MA10.1+1 pts
35Beverly, MA10-0.6 pts
36Marlborough, MA9.2+0.4 pts
37Attleboro, MA9.20 pts
38Waltham, MA8.6-0.3 pts
39Palmer Town, MA8.6+0.3 pts
40Medford, MA8.2+0.8 pts
41Woburn, MA7.8+1.3 pts
42Weymouth Town, MA7.7+1.4 pts
43Randolph Town, MA7.4-2 pts
44Barnstable Town, MA7.1+0.2 pts
44Winthrop Town, MA7.1-1.1 pts
46Agawam Town, MA6.9+0.4 pts
47Peabody, MA6.5-0.5 pts
48Franklin Town, MA5.5+0.9 pts
49North Attleborough Town, MA5.4+0.2 pts
50Braintree Town, MA5.2+0.1 pts
51Newburyport, MA5.1-0.8 pts
52Bridgewater Town, MA4.9+0.5 pts
53Newton, MA4.7+0.1 pts
54Melrose, MA3.7-0.3 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 2023 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_massachusetts_by_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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)?

Springfield, MA, with 25.3% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Melrose, MA, with 3.7% in 2023.

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 2023 and are not ranked.

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

Cities in Massachusetts: more rankings