Middlesex County vs Suffolk County
A side-by-side comparison of Middlesex County and Suffolk County: population, income, housing, and more.
Middlesex County and Suffolk County are counties in Massachusetts. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Middlesex County has the higher population (1,622,896 vs 782,172 in Suffolk County). Middlesex County has the higher median household income ($126,779 vs $92,859 in Suffolk County). Middlesex County has the higher median home value ($687,200 vs $680,700 in Suffolk County).
Population, income & housing
| Middlesex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,622,896 | 782,172 |
| Median age | 38.9 yrs | 33.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $126,779 | $92,859 |
| Median home value | $687,200 | $680,700 |
| Median gross rent | $2,126 | $2,069 |
| Housing units | 660,814 | 353,930 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 36.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.0% | 49.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 6.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Middlesex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,600,842 → 1,622,896 (+1.4%) | 796,605 → 782,172 (-1.8%) |
| Median household income | $102,603 → $126,779 (+23.6%) | $69,669 → $92,859 (+33.3%) |
| Median home value | $500,700 → $687,200 (+37.2%) | $496,500 → $680,700 (+37.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,636 → $2,126 (+30.0%) | $1,590 → $2,069 (+30.1%) |
Middlesex County
1,600,8421,622,896
$102,603$126,779
$500,700$687,200
$1,636$2,126
Suffolk County
796,605782,172
$69,669$92,859
$496,500$680,700
$1,590$2,069
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Middlesex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.1% | 4.9% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.5% | 11.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.6% | 13.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.1% | 22.5% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.8% | 13.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.8% | 10.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.1% | 10.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 7.7% |
| 75 and over | 6.7% | 5.3% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Middlesex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.7% | 44.1% |
| Black or African American | 4.8% | 17.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 13.1% | 8.9% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Two or more races | 5.0% | 5.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% | 22.8% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Middlesex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.6% | 12.4% |
| High school graduate | 17.5% | 20.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 17.0% | 17.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 28.8% | 26.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 30.2% | 23.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Middlesex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 56.0% | 36.6% |
| Carpooled | 6.4% | 6.2% |
| Public transit | 8.0% | 23.6% |
| Walked | 4.2% | 12.3% |
| Bicycle | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Worked from home | 22.2% | 17.5% |
| Other means | 1.6% | 1.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Middlesex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 46.9% | 13.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 6.9% | 6.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 20.6% | 35.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 9.7% | 17.6% |
| 20 or more units | 15.3% | 26.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Poverty & households
| Middlesex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 16.5% |
| Average household size | 2.48 | 2.29 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 30 | 31 |
| Median year structure built | 1961 | 1948 |
Full profiles
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