The highest and lowest earning towns in Massachusetts, ranked
Census data shows a staggering gap: in several MetroWest suburbs the typical household earns more than $250,000, while in Ware, North Adams, and Adams the typical household earns under $50,000.
The 30-second version
New Census data lays bare the income divide in Massachusetts. At the top, a cluster of MetroWest suburbs post median household incomes at or above $250,000, the highest number the Census publishes. At the bottom, former mill towns and small rural communities in central and western Massachusetts post medians under $60,000. The statewide median sits near $101,500.
The highest earners
Five towns hit the Census Bureau's reporting cap of $250,000 in median household income, meaning the true figure is higher but unpublished, according to TownTapestry and Massachusetts Demographics, both drawing on the American Community Survey 2020-2024 estimates:
- Wellesley (Norfolk County): $250,000+, typical home value $1.58 million
- Weston (Middlesex County): $250,000+, typical home value $1.69 million
- Dover (Norfolk County): $250,000+, typical home value $1.34 million
- Carlisle (Middlesex County): $250,000+
- Sherborn (Middlesex County): $250,000+
Just below the cap: Lexington at $238,444, Sudbury at $236,250, Medfield at $235,800, Winchester at $230,198, and Wayland at $224,000. Seven of the top ten are in Middlesex County.
The lowest earners
At the other end of the 123 ranked communities, per CensusEasy:
- Ware: $45,158
- North Adams: $47,500
- Adams: $48,775
- Springfield: $52,656
- Holyoke: $53,605
- Greenfield: $55,614
- Fall River: $56,673
- New Bedford: $56,981
- Spencer: $59,931
- Lawrence: $60,433
The list splits into two groups: small rural towns like Ware and Spencer, and former industrial cities like Springfield, Holyoke, Fall River, New Bedford, and Lawrence that never fully recovered from the loss of manufacturing.
The gap
The typical Wellesley or Weston household earns more than five times what the typical Ware household earns. For context, the median household income across the United States is roughly $78,000, and Massachusetts has the highest state median in the country, per Forbes.
The fine print
These figures come from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates, the most recent full release. The Census caps reported median income at $250,000, so the order among the top five towns cannot be determined from public data. Rankings cover communities with enough residents to qualify, and margins of error apply, especially in smaller towns.
Cover image is an AI-generated illustration, not a photo of any specific town.