There are all types when it comes to being a snob in Massachusetts. You’ve got your Wine Snobs, Book Snobs, and, of course, Clothes Snobs. Then there are the Technology Snobs, Car Snobs, and yes, even City Snobsas in, I’m better than you because I live in (insert snooty city here).
How can we tell which Massachusetts cities are the snobbiest? By measuring snobby things, that’s how.
We used Saturday Night Science to look at things like expensive homes, high incomes, and overly educated populations by city in Massachusetts. These are the criteria you’d argue with a friend over a foodie dinner about who’s snobbier.
After analyzing 39 of the state’s most populous areas over 12,000 people, we came up with this ranking of the ten snobbiest places in the state of Massachusetts.
The Bay Stater in these places aren’t snobby, they just know they’re better than you.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Snobbiest Places In Massachusetts
Don’t freak out.
What’s the snobbiest place in Massachusetts? The snobbiest place in Massachusetts is Newton based on the data. If we had their wealth and lifestyle, we’d probably be a little snobby, too.
The most laid back? That would be Springfield.
We’re not so full of ourselves as to make this ranking up from nowhere. So here’s a look at the top ten and more on how we did it. And if you’re curious, Massachusetts is the 1st snobbiest in the United States.
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
The 10 Snobbiest Places In Massachusetts For 2026
/10
% Highly Educated: 81.0%
Median Income: $190,304
Median Home Price: $1,528,893
More on Newton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 81.0%
Median Income: $130,748
Median Home Price: $1,041,569
More on Cambridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 70.0%
Median Income: $132,572
Median Home Price: $940,239
More on Somerville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 67.0%
Median Income: $139,625
Median Home Price: $923,542
More on Newburyport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 63.0%
Median Income: $133,953
Median Home Price: $908,130
More on Melrose: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 60.0%
Median Income: $129,540
Median Home Price: $842,297
More on Medford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 57.0%
Median Income: $120,216
Median Home Price: $826,437
More on Waltham: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 55.0%
Median Income: $97,344
Median Home Price: $798,216
More on Boston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 53.0%
Median Income: $106,044
Median Home Price: $755,766
More on Beverly: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 46.0%
Median Income: $111,185
Median Home Price: $758,602
More on Woburn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How we determined the snobbiest cities in the Bay State
Do you think wed just come up with this list willy-nilly? Not a chance – we only use Saturday Night Science around here.
We gathered up all of the places in Massachusetts with populations of 12,000 people or more. This left us with a total of 39 places. Then, we looked at each place in terms of these snoot-er-iffic criteria (And no, its not a word. English snob.):
- Median home price (Higher is snobbier)
- Median household income (Higher is snobbier)
- Percent of population with a college degree (Higher is snobbier)
Incomes and college education levels come from the American Community Survey. Home prices come from Zillow.
Turned out this simple criteria was much better at sniffing out the snobby places then more snobby criteria like:
- Libaries per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Museums per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Private schools per capita (Higher is snobbier)
From there, we ranked each of our 39 places in each category with scores from one to 39. We then averaged each places ranking into one overall score, where the lowest score went to the snobbiest place in Massachusetts. So lets all flip a table in honor of Newton (with our pinkies up, of course.)
Before you get upset and ruin your blowout or something drastic here, lets remember that this is all in good fun. Would we live in one of these 10 places if we had the chance? Of course, we would.
And it’s not like your real estate agent would ever point out how snobby the town you’re moving to is. We’re here to keep you grounded, even if you’re wearing a monocle.
There You Have It – Now That You’re On Your High Horse
When it comes to snobbery, these places in Massachusetts are heading ever upward. Residents in these communities are well educated, well paid, and appear to have all the sophisticated culture and entertainment of an Ernst Lubitsch film right at their fingertips.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
The snobbiest cities in Massachusetts are Newton, Cambridge, Somerville, Newburyport, Melrose, Medford, Waltham, Boston, Beverly, and Woburn.
If you’re also curious enough, here are the most laid back places in Massachusetts, according to science:
- Springfield
- Fall River
- North Adams
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Cheapest Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Most Dangerous Cities In Massachusetts
- Richest Cities In Massachusetts
- Safest Places In Massachusetts
- Worst Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Massachusetts
Table: The Snobbiest Cities In Massachusetts For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Adult Highly Educated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newton, MA | 89,044 | $190,304 | $1,528,893 | 81.0% |
| 2 | Cambridge, MA | 118,796 | $130,748 | $1,041,569 | 81.0% |
| 3 | Somerville, MA | 81,036 | $132,572 | $940,239 | 70.0% |
| 4 | Newburyport, MA | 18,652 | $139,625 | $923,542 | 67.0% |
| 5 | Melrose, MA | 29,650 | $133,953 | $908,130 | 63.0% |
| 6 | Medford, MA | 59,354 | $129,540 | $842,297 | 60.0% |
| 7 | Waltham, MA | 64,902 | $120,216 | $826,437 | 57.0% |
| 8 | Boston, MA | 666,442 | $97,344 | $798,216 | 55.0% |
| 9 | Beverly, MA | 42,665 | $106,044 | $755,766 | 53.0% |
| 10 | Woburn, MA | 41,939 | $111,185 | $758,602 | 46.0% |
| 11 | Quincy, MA | 102,114 | $98,882 | $675,958 | 50.0% |
| 12 | Malden, MA | 65,906 | $100,606 | $684,055 | 45.0% |
| 13 | Peabody, MA | 54,695 | $96,657 | $694,094 | 36.0% |
| 14 | Gloucester, MA | 30,075 | $83,883 | $760,558 | 40.0% |
| 15 | Salem, MA | 44,795 | $85,153 | $606,558 | 47.0% |
| 16 | Marlborough, MA | 41,647 | $91,968 | $578,933 | 40.0% |
| 17 | Attleboro, MA | 46,762 | $98,954 | $532,570 | 34.0% |
| 18 | Northampton, MA | 30,962 | $80,288 | $486,075 | 63.0% |
| 19 | Haverhill, MA | 67,698 | $88,326 | $543,991 | 32.0% |
| 20 | Revere, MA | 60,012 | $86,969 | $612,970 | 24.0% |
| 21 | Everett, MA | 50,045 | $85,218 | $639,069 | 24.0% |
| 22 | Leominster, MA | 43,909 | $83,816 | $463,493 | 33.0% |
| 23 | Westfield, MA | 40,378 | $87,753 | $378,737 | 33.0% |
| 24 | Lynn, MA | 101,709 | $75,043 | $580,315 | 24.0% |
| 25 | Lowell, MA | 118,368 | $78,658 | $480,318 | 30.0% |
| 26 | Taunton, MA | 60,433 | $79,283 | $513,321 | 23.0% |
| 27 | Worcester, MA | 207,055 | $70,102 | $430,111 | 34.0% |
| 28 | Brockton, MA | 105,386 | $80,115 | $503,832 | 22.0% |
| 29 | Pittsfield, MA | 43,457 | $70,582 | $302,830 | 35.0% |
| 30 | Chelsea, MA | 39,908 | $72,179 | $526,190 | 21.0% |
| 31 | Fitchburg, MA | 41,798 | $73,040 | $396,820 | 25.0% |
| 32 | Lawrence, MA | 88,736 | $60,433 | $504,150 | 17.0% |
| 33 | Gardner, MA | 21,148 | $67,518 | $369,177 | 24.0% |
| 34 | Holyoke, MA | 37,813 | $53,605 | $322,895 | 25.0% |
| 35 | Chicopee, MA | 55,295 | $62,615 | $311,122 | 23.0% |
| 36 | New Bedford, MA | 100,998 | $56,981 | $434,261 | 17.0% |
| 37 | North Adams, MA | 12,606 | $47,500 | $252,588 | 29.0% |
| 38 | Fall River, MA | 94,082 | $56,673 | $445,781 | 16.0% |
| 39 | Springfield, MA | 154,749 | $52,656 | $294,613 | 20.0% |