Is being in an area of Massachusetts that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Boston and Worcester, while others want peace and quiet like in Palmer Town and North Adams, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Massachusetts have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Bay State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
What’s the fastest growing city in Massachusetts for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Everett ranks as the fastest-growing city in Massachusetts. If you happen to be a resident of Everett, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Massachusetts grow like weeds.
For more Massachusetts state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Cheapest Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Most Dangerous Cities In Massachusetts
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Massachusetts For 2026
1. Everett
/10
Population: 50,045
Population 2010: 40,560
Percent Growth 23.4%
Absolute Growth: 9,485
More on Everett: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Revere
/10
Population: 60,012
Population 2010: 50,008
Percent Growth 20.0%
Absolute Growth: 10,004
More on Revere: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Lawrence
/10
Population: 88,736
Population 2010: 75,177
Percent Growth 18.0%
Absolute Growth: 13,559
More on Lawrence: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Chelsea
/10
Population: 39,908
Population 2010: 34,532
Percent Growth 15.6%
Absolute Growth: 5,376
More on Chelsea: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Worcester
/10
Population: 207,055
Population 2010: 179,994
Percent Growth 15.0%
Absolute Growth: 27,061
More on Worcester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Cambridge
/10
Population: 118,796
Population 2010: 103,506
Percent Growth 14.8%
Absolute Growth: 15,290
More on Cambridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Lynn
/10
Population: 101,709
Population 2010: 89,625
Percent Growth 13.5%
Absolute Growth: 12,084
More on Lynn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Malden
/10
Population: 65,906
Population 2010: 58,180
Percent Growth 13.3%
Absolute Growth: 7,726
More on Malden: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Lowell
/10
Population: 118,368
Population 2010: 105,089
Percent Growth 12.6%
Absolute Growth: 13,279
More on Lowell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Quincy
/10
Population: 102,114
Population 2010: 90,780
Percent Growth 12.5%
Absolute Growth: 11,334
More on Quincy: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Bay State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 48 Massachusetts cities with a population over 12,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Bay State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Massachusetts.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Massachusetts with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Massachusetts, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Massachusetts are led by Everett which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Massachusetts are Everett, Revere, Lawrence, Chelsea, Worcester, Cambridge, Lynn, Malden, Lowell, and Quincy.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- North Adams
- Holyoke
- Pittsfield
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Massachusetts
- Safest Places In Massachusetts
- Worst Places To Live In Massachusetts
Fastest Growing Places In Massachusetts For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everett | 50,045 | 40,560 | 23.4% | 9,485 |
| 2 | Revere | 60,012 | 50,008 | 20.0% | 10,004 |
| 3 | Lawrence | 88,736 | 75,177 | 18.0% | 13,559 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 39,908 | 34,532 | 15.6% | 5,376 |
| 5 | Worcester | 207,055 | 179,994 | 15.0% | 27,061 |
| 6 | Cambridge | 118,796 | 103,506 | 14.8% | 15,290 |
| 7 | Lynn | 101,709 | 89,625 | 13.5% | 12,084 |
| 8 | Malden | 65,906 | 58,180 | 13.3% | 7,726 |
| 9 | Lowell | 118,368 | 105,089 | 12.6% | 13,279 |
| 10 | Quincy | 102,114 | 90,780 | 12.5% | 11,334 |