On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Census Bureau released updated population estimates for Massachusetts cities and towns for July 1, 2025. These estimates are developed by distributing the Census Bureau’s county-level population estimates to individual municipalities according to housing unit shares, persons-per unit, and occupancy statistics.

According to the new estimates, 14 out of Massachusetts’ 26 cities or towns with populations of 50,000 or more in 2020 increased in population from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025. Worcester led the group in terms of total population gained with an estimated 1,916 person increase over the year. Plymouth was the fastest-growing large place in terms of percentage growth, with a 1.3% population increase.

The City of Boston showed population decrease from 2024 to 2025 by 1,338 or 0.2%, after gains in year 2022 through 2024. Following a few years of pandemic-related border restrictions, the years 2022-2024 saw an uptick in immigration that boosted the city’s population in last year’s estimate. Since then, changing immigration policy has brought levels down again in the most recent year, contributing to the loss of population in Suffolk County and in Boston.

Among all 351 individual cities and towns in Massachusetts, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 166 municipalities, or 47%, increased in population between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025. In last year’s V2024 estimates, 283 municipalities gained population. Again, we see the effects of decreased international migration and an increase in domestic out migration in the county-level estimates that the municipal estimates are based on. The largest population gains from 2024 to 2025 were estimated in Everett (2,362), Worcester (1,916), Plymouth (912), and Cambridge (751), representing a balanced increase in population to both larger cities as well as smaller, mid-size, and larger towns.

The Vintage 2025 population estimates for cities and towns reflect the broader trends observed in the county-level estimates released in March 2026. In the six counties that lost population this year, 3 out of 15 (20%) Barnstable towns gained population, 1 out of 32 (3%) Berkshire towns gained population, 0 out of 7 Dukes towns gained population, 2 out of 26 (8%) Franklin towns gained population, 1 out of 20 (5%) Hampshire towns gained population, and 0 out of 4 Suffolk towns gained population.

In Bristol and Nantucket Counties, 100% of the cities and towns have gained population (Nantucket is only the town of Nantucket County). Essex County and Middlesex County only saw 38% and 44%, respectively, of their cities and towns gain population in the V2025 city and town estimates, while still gaining population at the county level. Hampden County (87%), Norfolk County (79%), Plymouth County (70%), and Worcester County (67%), all saw a majority of their cities and towns gain population, while also gaining population at the county level in the V2025 estimates.

For detailed information about the Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates, access the interactive dashboard and full UMDI report below.