Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Massachusetts a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Massachusetts.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Bay State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Massachusetts, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 14 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Massachusetts For 2026
Norfolk County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Massachusetts. And you should avoid Hampden County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Massachusetts. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Massachusetts and the cheapest places to live in Massachusetts.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Massachusetts For 2026
1. Norfolk County
Biggest Place: Quincy
Population: 730,082
Median Income: $130,739 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $768,983 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.9% (3rd best)
More on Norfolk County: Data
2. Nantucket County
Biggest Place: Nantucket
Population: 14,483
Median Income: $139,688 (best)
Median Home Price: $3,047,305 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.3% (best)
More on Nantucket County: Data
3. Middlesex County
Biggest Place: Cambridge
Population: 1,638,365
Median Income: $130,847 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $815,478 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.4% (2nd best)
More on Middlesex County: Data
4. Dukes County
Biggest Place: Vineyard Haven
Population: 20,933
Median Income: $125,786 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $1,532,600 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.6% (14th best)
More on Dukes County: Data
5. Barnstable County
Biggest Place: Barnstable Town
Population: 231,668
Median Income: $95,241 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $750,046 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.0% (5th best)
More on Barnstable County: Data
6. Hampshire County
Biggest Place: Northampton
Population: 162,028
Median Income: $87,001 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $442,612 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.0% (4th best)
More on Hampshire County: Data
7. Plymouth County
Biggest Place: Brockton
Population: 535,075
Median Income: $114,201 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $640,329 (8th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.1% (6th best)
More on Plymouth County: Data
8. Berkshire County
Biggest Place: Pittsfield
Population: 129,430
Median Income: $76,013 (12th best)
Median Home Price: $382,917 (12th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.4% (9th best)
More on Berkshire County: Data
9. Essex County
Biggest Place: Lynn
Population: 813,054
Median Income: $101,883 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $716,685 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.1% (7th best)
More on Essex County: Data
10. Worcester County
Biggest Place: Worcester
Population: 867,788
Median Income: $95,939 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $492,236 (10th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.3% (8th best)
More on Worcester County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Massachusetts county is the best?
To give you the best county in Massachusetts, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Massachusetts across each of the criteria from one to 14, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Massachusetts.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Bay State.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the best counties to live in Massachusetts.
Read on to see why Norfolk County is the best county, while Hampden County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Massachusetts.
Summary: The Best Counties In Massachusetts To Call Home For 2026
Living in Massachusetts can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Massachusetts are Norfolk County, Nantucket County, Middlesex County, Dukes County, Barnstable County, Hampshire County, Plymouth County, Berkshire County, Essex County, and Worcester County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Massachusetts according to the data:
- Hampden County
- Bristol County
- Suffolk County
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
- Cheapest Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Best Places To Buy A House In Massachusetts
- Best Places To Retire In Massachusetts
- Safest Places In Massachusetts
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Massachusetts
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norfolk County | 730,082 | $130,739 | $768,983 |
| 2 | Nantucket County | 14,483 | $139,688 | $3,047,305 |
| 3 | Middlesex County | 1,638,365 | $130,847 | $815,478 |
| 4 | Dukes County | 20,933 | $125,786 | $1,532,600 |
| 5 | Barnstable County | 231,668 | $95,241 | $750,046 |
| 6 | Hampshire County | 162,028 | $87,001 | $442,612 |
| 7 | Plymouth County | 535,075 | $114,201 | $640,329 |
| 8 | Berkshire County | 129,430 | $76,013 | $382,917 |
| 9 | Essex County | 813,054 | $101,883 | $716,685 |
| 10 | Worcester County | 867,788 | $95,939 | $492,236 |
| 11 | Franklin County | 70,944 | $74,907 | $364,154 |
| 12 | Suffolk County | 785,121 | $95,631 | $768,791 |
| 13 | Bristol County | 582,270 | $85,625 | $539,520 |
| 14 | Hampden County | 462,815 | $71,306 | $343,807 |