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Across most of America, the African American and Hispanic communities comprise "most of the minority". We're not totally sure that's a term, but it's an accurate reflection of the state of race in America.
Asians are a "minority of the minority", generally. But not everywhere.
There are now over 17 million people who identify as Asian living in America, making up 5.6% of the total population. According to the most recent American Community Survey, the Asian population in Massachusetts is 477,667 - at 6.8% of the total population of Massachusetts.
And, unlike African Americans that fall under one group in the Census, Asian Americans have many sub-groups -- Chinese, Filipino, and Indian being the three largest sub-groups.
So, what how does the Asian population stratify across Massachusetts? Which cities and towns in Massachusetts have seen the greatest increase in their Asian population?
Here are the cities in Massachusetts with the largest Asian population in 2023:
Which city in Massachusetts had the largest Asian population? Quincy took the number one over all spot for the largest Asian in Massachusetts for 2023. 29.84% of Quincy identify as Asian.
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked.
To see where Massachusetts ranked as a state on diversity, we have a ranking of the most diverse states in America.
And if you already knew these places were Asian, check out the best places to live in Massachusetts or the most diverse places in Massachusetts.
The 10 Most Asian Cities In Massachusetts For 2023
/10
Population: 100,544
% Asian: 29.84%
# Of Asian Residents: 30,002
Percent Change Since 2010: 46.32%
More on Quincy: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 65,602
% Asian: 27.03%
# Of Asian Residents: 17,735
Percent Change Since 2010: 59.72%
More on Malden: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 114,804
% Asian: 22.18%
# Of Asian Residents: 25,461
Percent Change Since 2010: 22.31%
More on Lowell: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 38,712
% Asian: 19.69%
# Of Asian Residents: 7,624
Percent Change Since 2010: 213.23%
More on Braintree Town: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 116,892
% Asian: 18.22%
# Of Asian Residents: 21,293
Percent Change Since 2010: 51.91%
More on Cambridge: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 88,647
% Asian: 14.96%
# Of Asian Residents: 13,261
Percent Change Since 2010: 46.32%
More on Newton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 64,655
% Asian: 12.11%
# Of Asian Residents: 7,828
Percent Change Since 2010: 16.21%
More on Waltham: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 35,171
% Asian: 11.94%
# Of Asian Residents: 4,200
Percent Change Since 2010: 107.92%
More on Watertown Town: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 60,708
% Asian: 10.52%
# Of Asian Residents: 6,386
Percent Change Since 2010: 59.01%
More on Medford: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 672,814
% Asian: 9.59%
# Of Asian Residents: 64,505
Percent Change Since 2010: 20.28%
More on Boston: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Massachusetts With The Largest Asian Population For 2023
We still believe in the accuracy of data -- especially from the census. So that's where we went to get the breakdown of race across Massachusetts.
That lead us to the Census's most recently available data, the 2017-2021 American Community Survey data from the US Census.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: Hispanic OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- Hispanic or Latino
- White alone*
- Black or African American alone*
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
- Asian alone*
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
- Some other race alone*
- Two or more races*
Our particular column of interest here was the number of people who identified as Asian alone.
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 12,000 people. That left us with 52 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Asian. The percentages ranked from 29.8% to 0.8%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percent of Asian population with a higher score being more Asian than a lower score. Quincy took the distinction of being the most Asian, while Holyoke was the least Asian city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Massachusetts ranked by population of Asian residents or, for a more general take on diversity in America, head over to our ranking of the most diverse cities in America.
Summary: Asian Populations Across Massachusetts
If you're looking for a breakdown of Asian populations across Massachusetts according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you're curious enough, here are the least Asian places in Massachusetts:
- Holyoke
- Southbridge Town
- Barnstable Town
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Massachusetts
- Safest Places In Massachusetts
- Best Counties To Live In Massachusetts
Table: Asian Population By City In Massachusetts
| Rank | City | % Asian |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quincy | 29.84% |
| 2 | Malden | 27.03% |
| 3 | Lowell | 22.18% |
| 4 | Braintree Town | 19.69% |
| 5 | Cambridge | 18.22% |
| 6 | Newton | 14.96% |
| 7 | Waltham | 12.11% |
| 8 | Watertown Town | 11.94% |
| 9 | Medford | 10.52% |
| 10 | Boston | 9.59% |
| 11 | Woburn | 9.55% |
| 12 | Somerville | 9.3% |
| 13 | Melrose | 8.28% |
| 14 | Everett | 8.15% |
| 15 | Weymouth Town | 7.02% |
| 16 | Worcester | 6.76% |
| 17 | Franklin Town | 6.22% |
| 18 | Marlborough | 5.22% |
| 19 | Revere | 5.09% |
| 20 | West Springfield Town | 4.89% |
| 21 | Lynn | 4.81% |
| 22 | Methuen Town | 4.44% |
| 23 | Westfield | 3.95% |
| 24 | North Adams | 3.8% |
| 25 | Leominster | 3.52% |
| 26 | Chelsea | 3.51% |
| 27 | Northampton | 3.49% |
| 28 | Gardner | 3.11% |
| 29 | Salem | 3.05% |
| 30 | Attleboro | 2.68% |
| 31 | Fall River | 2.66% |
| 32 | Springfield | 2.65% |
| 33 | Agawam Town | 2.32% |
| 34 | Beverly | 2.02% |
| 35 | Brockton | 1.92% |
| 36 | Easthampton Town | 1.87% |
| 37 | Taunton | 1.79% |
| 38 | Chicopee | 1.71% |
| 39 | Palmer Town | 1.7% |
| 40 | Lawrence | 1.65% |
| 41 | Gloucester | 1.6% |
| 42 | Haverhill | 1.56% |
| 43 | Winthrop Town | 1.53% |
| 44 | Newburyport | 1.48% |
| 45 | Fitchburg | 1.42% |
| 46 | New Bedford | 1.41% |
| 47 | Pittsfield | 1.35% |
| 48 | Peabody | 1.34% |
| 49 | Amesbury Town | 1.05% |
| 50 | Barnstable Town | 0.85% |
| 51 | Southbridge Town | 0.8% |
| 52 | Holyoke | 0.75% |
