HomeMassachusettsMiddlesex County
Middlesex County, Massachusetts: commercial real estate data.
Middlesex County, Massachusetts had an estimated 1,668,956 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,631,915, across 818 square miles. County output reached $240.67 bn in 2024, 44,624 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 2,321 7(a) approvals worth $735.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Middlesex County
How many people live in Middlesex County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,638,365
- Households634,215
- Average household size2.58
- Median household income$130,847
- Median age38.9
- Median gross rent$2,201 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$727,800
- Home value to household income5.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher59.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree30.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over1,160,120
- Population under 18318,865
- Share under 1819.5 percent
- Population 65 and over267,007
- Share 65 and over16.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 641,052,493
- Civilian labor force946,989
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over71.8 percent
- Rank by population among Massachusetts counties1st of 14
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included21st of 3,222
Middlesex County is the 1st largest of 14 Massachusetts counties by population. A median home costs 5.6 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 19.5 percent against 16.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Middlesex County
Is Middlesex County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20241,668,956
- Census 2020 base population1,631,915
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.27 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202424,024
- Births, 202416,251
- Deaths, 202411,726
- Natural change, 20244,525
- Net domestic migration, 2024-9,643
- Net international migration, 202429,046
- Total net migration, 202419,403
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-56,918
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1085th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.27 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Middlesex County
Where are people moving to Middlesex County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving46,356
- People arriving, from those returns66,901
- Tax returns filed by households leaving54,730
- Net household movement-8,374
- Adjusted gross income arriving$5.99 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-1.36 bn
- Average income of an arriving household$129,274
- Average income of a leaving household$134,399
- Largest single originSuffolk County (10,277 households)
- Largest single destinationSuffolk County (8,050 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County | 10,277 | 14,082 | $1.24 bn |
| Essex County | 4,327 | 6,721 | $369.1 m |
| Norfolk County | 3,638 | 5,509 | $566.1 m |
| Worcester County | 3,037 | 4,649 | $250.8 m |
| Hillsborough County | 1,118 | 1,608 | $85.1 m |
| Plymouth County | 673 | 971 | $73.1 m |
| New York County | 624 | 812 | $119.6 m |
| Los Angeles County | 571 | 819 | $78.4 m |
Households arriving report $5,125 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Suffolk County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Middlesex County
What is the Middlesex County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$240.67 bn
- County GDP, 2023$227.40 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.8 percent
- GDP change over five years31.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Massachusetts areas BEA publishes1st of 14
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes14th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$146,894
Output grew 5.8 percent in the latest year and 31.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Middlesex County
Employment by industry in Middlesex County
- Covered employment, annual average926,104
- Establishments reporting58,457
- Average annual pay$113,704
- Average weekly wage$2,187
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment159,395
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$198,377
- Health care and social assistance, employment125,576
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$71,058
- Retail trade, employment70,488
- Retail trade, average annual pay$46,022
- Manufacturing, employment67,086
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$137,097
- Accommodation and food services, employment62,812
- Educational services, employment57,273
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 159,395 | 10,312 | $198,377 |
| Health care and social assistance | 125,576 | 11,512 | $71,058 |
| Retail trade | 70,488 | 4,288 | $46,022 |
| Manufacturing | 67,086 | 1,649 | $137,097 |
| Accommodation and food services | 62,812 | 3,450 | $37,809 |
| Educational services | 57,273 | 1,201 | $101,275 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 46,985 | 2,952 | $82,635 |
| Construction | 42,904 | 4,737 | $103,224 |
Professional, scientific and technical services is the largest private sector at 159,395 jobs, 17.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Middlesex County
How many businesses are in Middlesex County?
- Establishments, all industries44,624
- Employment at those establishments963,417
- Annual payroll$97.83 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Middlesex County
Building permits in Middlesex County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20243,495
- Declared construction value permitted$1.24 bn
- Single family units authorized889
- Multifamily units authorized2,606
- Multifamily share of units74.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$355,539
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.5
Multifamily is 74.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Middlesex County
SBA loans in Middlesex County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded2,321
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$735.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$316,790
- Median 7(a) approval$130,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$717,800
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)22,548
- Jobs per approval9.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active125
- Distinct industries receiving approvals372
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer3.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms86
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2,153
- Franchise loans189
- Franchise share of approvals8.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (117)
- Most active lenderEastern Bank (477)
- 504 approvals recorded815
- 504 gross approval dollars$549.1 m
- Average 504 approval$673,802
- Median 504 approval$414,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval7.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.0
- Most active CDCBay Colony Development Corporation (414)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$1.28 bn
The average approval of $316,790 sits well above the median of $130,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 3.7 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Middlesex County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Middlesex County
Do SBA loans in Middlesex County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded469
- Paid in full441
- Charged off28
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans6.0 percent
- Status: Paid in full441
- Status: Cancelled301
- Status: Exempt from disclosure1,400
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed151
- Status: Charged off28
Of the 469 loans that have reached a final outcome, 6.0 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Middlesex County
SBA lending by place in Middlesex County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending82
- Cambridge, approvals120
- Woburn, approvals119
- Waltham, approvals100
- Framingham, approvals97
- Marlborough, approvals95
- Lowell, approvals82
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 120 | $37,945,500 |
| Woburn | 119 | $41,812,700 |
| Waltham | 100 | $32,765,200 |
| Framingham | 97 | $23,422,900 |
| Marlborough | 95 | $25,031,400 |
| Lowell | 82 | $19,812,500 |
| Somerville | 81 | $32,949,000 |
| Wakefield | 81 | $23,152,800 |
| 74 other borrower cities | 1,546 | $498,378,300 |
Cambridge accounts for 120 approvals against 119 in Woburn. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Middlesex County
How large is Middlesex County?
- Land area818 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Massachusetts counties3rd of 14
- Width, east to west44.9 mi
- Height, north to south39.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land2,003
- Establishments per square mile54.55
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Middlesex County
Flood risk in Middlesex County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book54
- Of those, participating in the NFIP54
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
- Radon levels in Middlesex County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places Middlesex County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Middlesex County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Middlesex County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,638,365
- Households634,215
- Average household size2.58
- Median household income$130,847
- Median age38.9
Common questions
Middlesex County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Middlesex County, Massachusetts?
The Census Bureau estimates 1,668,956 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 1,638,365, in 634,215 households, ranking 1st of 14 Massachusetts counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Middlesex County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.27 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,631,915, to 1,668,956 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 16,251 births against 11,726 deaths, with net migration of 19,403. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Middlesex County?
$130,847. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $727,800, which is 5.6 times income, and median gross rent is $2,201 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Middlesex County?
44,624 establishments, employing 963,417 people with an annual payroll of $97.83 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Middlesex County?
Professional, scientific and technical services is the largest private sector at 159,395 jobs, 17.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 926,104 jobs at an average annual pay of $113,704, or $2,187 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Middlesex County?
2,321 7(a) approvals totaling $735.3 m since FY2020, across 125 lenders, with a median approval of $130,000, plus 815 504 approvals worth $549.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Middlesex County get paid back?
Of the 469 loans that have reached a final outcome, 441 were paid in full and 28 charged off, a charge-off rate of 6.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Middlesex County?
3,495 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.24 bn. Multifamily was 74.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Middlesex County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Middlesex County come from?
The largest single origin is Suffolk County, with 10,277 households. Arriving households report an average income of $129,274 against $134,399 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Middlesex County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Middlesex County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Middlesex County
Cities and places in Middlesex.
37 Census places lie wholly or partly in Middlesex County. All 37 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | city | 118,796 | 120 | Wholly in this county |
| Lowell | city | 118,368 | 82 | Wholly in this county |
| Newton | city | 89,044 | 43 | Wholly in this county |
| Somerville | city | 81,036 | 81 | Wholly in this county |
| Framingham | city | 72,399 | 97 | Wholly in this county |
| Malden | city | 65,906 | 68 | Wholly in this county |
| Waltham | city | 64,902 | 100 | Wholly in this county |
| Medford | city | 59,354 | 67 | Wholly in this county |
| Everett | city | 50,045 | 68 | Wholly in this county |
| Arlington | CDP | 46,350 | 74 | Wholly in this county |
| Woburn | city | 41,939 | 119 | Wholly in this county |
| Marlborough | city | 41,647 | 95 | Wholly in this county |
| Watertown | city | 35,543 | 58 | Wholly in this county |
| Lexington | CDP | 34,295 | 44 | Wholly in this county |
| Melrose | city | 29,650 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Wakefield | CDP | 27,793 | 81 | Wholly in this county |
| Belmont | CDP | 27,175 | 31 | Wholly in this county |
| Burlington | CDP | 26,274 | 68 | Wholly in this county |
| Reading | CDP | 25,612 | 32 | Wholly in this county |
| Winchester | CDP | 23,406 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Stoneham | CDP | 23,355 | 38 | Wholly in this county |
| Wilmington | CDP | 23,336 | 47 | Wholly in this county |
| Hudson | CDP | 15,719 | 66 | Wholly in this county |
| Maynard | CDP | 10,712 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Pinehurst | CDP | 6,845 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cochituate | CDP | 6,471 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| West Concord | CDP | 5,876 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hopkinton | CDP | 3,426 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Littleton Common | CDP | 3,289 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ayer | CDP | 3,098 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Hanscom AFB | CDP | 2,110 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Pepperell | CDP | 1,971 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| East Pepperell | CDP | 1,949 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Devens | CDP | 1,723 | 1 | 42.6 percent here, 57.4 percent Worcester County |
| Groton | CDP | 1,232 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Shirley | CDP | 1,146 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Townsend | CDP | 987 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
A further 734 of the county's 2,321 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Middlesex County, the largest being Billerica (69), Natick (51), Acton (47). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.