RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 105 SHOWN OF 105

Most residents in poverty, Massachusetts cities · 2000

Massachusetts cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2000 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 105 cities in Massachusetts that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

MassachusettsAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 1990

01Boston, MAMA672,973115,072+7%

02Springfield, MAMA154,70235,100+11%

03Worcester, MAMA213,86230,938+19%

04New Bedford, MAMA101,83418,942+13%

05Lowell, MAMA119,97117,650−5%

06Lawrence, MAMA89,32017,533−9%

07Fall River, MAMA95,29815,732+19%

08Lynn, MAMA104,23614,709+14%

09Brockton, MAMA106,13413,663+8%

10Cambridge, MAMA122,58813,112+28%

11Holyoke, MAMA38,02310,511−6%

12Somerville, MAMA84,2119,680+11%

13Chelsea, MAMA40,1308,175+18%

14Revere, MAMA60,1416,924+39%

15Chicopee, MAMA55,3106,696+21%

16Quincy, MAMA103,1736,384+10%

17Fitchburg, MAMA42,1365,874+2%

18Taunton, MAMA62,5225,620+35%

19Framingham, MAMA73,0215,384+39%

20Haverhill, MAMA68,3615,365+18%

21Brookline, MAMA63,2665,301+13%

22Pittsfield, MAMA42,9095,215+10%

23Malden, MAMA66,3705,164+27%

24Westfield, MAMA40,5464,520+47%

25Everett, MAMA53,5724,494+31%

26Waltham, MAMA65,0374,147+10%

27Leominster, MAMA44,1943,926+43%

28Salem, MAMA45,3813,900−12%

29Newton, MAMA90,7413,616+1%

30Medford, MAMA59,8343,557−11%

31Northampton, MAMA31,0472,846−15%

32North Adams, MAMA12,3682,668+11%

33Gloucester, MAMA30,6272,665+23%

34Attleboro, MAMA47,4472,588+5%

35Peabody, MAMA55,9532,566+19%

36Marlborough, MAMA42,7722,482+38%

37Beverly, MAMA43,3632,287−10%

38Woburn, MAMA43,9622,279+24%

39Greenfield, MAMA17,6912,152+13%

40Gardner, MAMA21,4831,998−10%

41Milford, MAMA27,7311,833+72%

42Arlington, MAMA46,3501,722−17%

43Webster, MAMA12,2281,587+14%

44Norwood, MAMA31,5421,250+9%

45Saugus, MAMA28,7731,107+10%

46Dedham, MAMA25,2371,076−3%

47Belmont, MAMA27,1751,071+19%

48Lexington, MAMA34,2951,028+35%

49Wellesley, MAMA30,3471,017+36%

50Hull, MAMA10,138921+10%

51Melrose, MAMA29,597908−24%

52Stoneham, MAMA23,355905−19%

53Newburyport, MAMA19,148891−5%

54Marblehead, MAMA20,413871+30%

55Athol, MAMA8,801863−21%

56South Yarmouth, MAMA11,552843−27%

57Ware, MAMA6,369842−6%

58Wakefield, MAMA27,793766−26%

59Hudson, MAMA15,719761+34%

60Danvers, MAMA28,098740−33%

61West Yarmouth, MAMA6,194738+31%

62Somerset, MAMA18,298732+19%

63Needham, MAMA32,459727−20%

64Milton, MAMA28,587726−7%

65Spencer, MAMA5,661724+18%

66Holbrook, MAMA11,380687+2%

67Adams, MAMA5,427682+22%

68Andover, MAMA9,451652+69%

69Reading, MAMA25,612620+31%

70Clinton, MAMA7,658620+10%

71Middleborough Center, MAMA8,155596−1%

72Maynard, MAMA10,712584+2%

73Oxford, MAMA5,671576+153%

74Plymouth, MAMA7,918570−17%

75Winchester, MAMA23,406541+2%

76East Falmouth, MAMA6,245530−31%

77Swampscott, MAMA15,277527−0%

78Abington, MAMA17,053526−16%

79Mansfield Center, MAMA7,222437+32%

80Burlington, MAMA26,274435−40%

81Wilmington, MAMA23,336415−3%

82Whitinsville, MAMA7,115386−12%

83Bliss Corner, MAMA5,405368−29%

84Salisbury, MAMA5,656360+26%

85Williamstown, MAMA5,070351−16%

86Nantucket, MAMA10,017350+152%

87Longmeadow, MAMA15,696321−8%

88Hingham, MAMA5,130310+86%

89North Westport, MAMA5,289303+83%

90Lynnfield, MAMA13,064289−8%

91Foxborough, MAMA6,251281−8%

92Marshfield, MAMA5,161274+26%

93Pinehurst, MAMA6,845262+188%

94Kingston, MAMA5,910256+1%

95Yarmouth Port, MAMA5,961232+33%

96Northborough, MAMA6,392196+42%

97Scituate, MAMA5,796194+20%

98East Harwich, MAMA5,654193−10%

99Walpole, MAMA6,461182−13%

100Sharon, MAMA6,232172−3%

101West Concord, MAMA5,876169+3%

102Medfield, MAMA6,849159+20%

103Cochituate, MAMA6,471150+4%

104North Scituate, MAMA6,492117−20%

105Bellingham, MAMA5,325117−24%

SHOWING 1–105 OF 105

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS