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 2024? Based on the most recent ACS data, Revere ranks as the fastest-growing city in Massachusetts. If you happen to be a resident of Revere, 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 2024
1. Revere
/10
Population: 60,577
Population 2010: 50,008
Percent Growth 21.1%
Absolute Growth: 10,569
More on Revere: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
2. Everett
/10
Population: 48,685
Population 2010: 40,560
Percent Growth 20.0%
Absolute Growth: 8,125
More on Everett: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Lawrence
/10
Population: 88,067
Population 2010: 75,177
Percent Growth 17.1%
Absolute Growth: 12,890
More on Lawrence: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
4. Chelsea
/10
Population: 39,890
Population 2010: 34,532
Percent Growth 15.5%
Absolute Growth: 5,358
More on Chelsea: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
5. Cambridge
/10
Population: 117,962
Population 2010: 103,506
Percent Growth 14.0%
Absolute Growth: 14,456
More on Cambridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
6. Methuen Town
/10
Population: 52,812
Population 2010: 46,393
Percent Growth 13.8%
Absolute Growth: 6,419
More on Methuen Town: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
7. Worcester
/10
Population: 204,191
Population 2010: 179,994
Percent Growth 13.4%
Absolute Growth: 24,197
More on Worcester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Malden
/10
Population: 65,463
Population 2010: 58,180
Percent Growth 12.5%
Absolute Growth: 7,283
More on Malden: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
9. Lynn
/10
Population: 100,653
Population 2010: 89,625
Percent Growth 12.3%
Absolute Growth: 11,028
More on Lynn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
10. Haverhill
/10
Population: 67,273
Population 2010: 60,203
Percent Growth 11.7%
Absolute Growth: 7,070
More on Haverhill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Bay State for 2024
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 2022)
We ranked all 52 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 2024. This report is our tenth 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 Revere 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 Revere, Everett, Lawrence, Chelsea, Cambridge, Methuen Town, Worcester, Malden, Lynn, and Haverhill.
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 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Revere | 60,577 | 50,008 | 21.1% | 10,569 |
| 2 | Everett | 48,685 | 40,560 | 20.0% | 8,125 |
| 3 | Lawrence | 88,067 | 75,177 | 17.1% | 12,890 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 39,890 | 34,532 | 15.5% | 5,358 |
| 5 | Cambridge | 117,962 | 103,506 | 14.0% | 14,456 |
| 6 | Methuen Town | 52,812 | 46,393 | 13.8% | 6,419 |
| 7 | Worcester | 204,191 | 179,994 | 13.4% | 24,197 |
| 8 | Malden | 65,463 | 58,180 | 12.5% | 7,283 |
| 9 | Lynn | 100,653 | 89,625 | 12.3% | 11,028 |
| 10 | Haverhill | 67,273 | 60,203 | 11.7% | 7,070 |