These Are The 10 Most Successful Cities In Massachusetts

Top 10 Most Successful Cities in Massachusetts for 2026

Success can be defined in many ways. Is it reflected in your bank balance, the satisfaction of a well-delivered presentation, or perhaps in the laughter from a great joke? Ultimately, success is subjective, encompassing a range of personal and communal achievements.

At Zippia, we prefer to quantify success through measurable criteria. By analyzing various metrics, we’ve identified the ten most successful cities in Massachusetts for 2026. Here’s the updated list:

If you’re skeptical about our selection, keep reading. There’s a systematic approach behind our findings.

For more insights about Massachusetts, check out:

Top 100 Highest Paying Jobs in Massachusetts
Top 100 Largest Companies in Massachusetts
Best Startups to Work For in Boston

How We Determined the Most Successful Cities in Massachusetts

Traditionally, success is often equated with wealth. However, we believe that true success encompasses a broader scope, taking into account various socio-economic factors. Our analysis for 2026 utilized the latest available data from the American Community Survey, focusing on key indicators such as income, poverty rates, and unemployment rates.

1. Melrose

Population: 27,509
Median Income: $86,409
Poverty Level: 2.7%
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%

2. Newton

Population: 86,945
Median Income: $118,639
Poverty Level: 5.0%
Unemployment Rate: 5.7%

3. Franklin Town

Population: 32,393
Median Income: $101,980
Poverty Level: 3.6%
Unemployment Rate: 6.9%

4. Amesbury Town

Population: 16,554
Median Income: $76,463
Poverty Level: 4.6%
Unemployment Rate: 6.9%

5. Braintree Town

Population: 36,543
Median Income: $87,500
Poverty Level: 4.1%
Unemployment Rate: 8.3%

6. Woburn

Population: 38,826
Median Income: $77,883
Poverty Level: 5.1%
Unemployment Rate: 7.0%

7. Watertown Town

Population: 32,880
Median Income: $86,461
Poverty Level: 6.7%
Unemployment Rate: 7.7%

8. Peabody

Population: 51,868
Median Income: $62,234
Poverty Level: 6.8%
Unemployment Rate: 6.1%

9. Marlborough

Population: 39,141
Median Income: $71,424
Poverty Level: 7.2%
Unemployment Rate: 6.9%

10. Medford

Population: 56,981
Median Income: $77,868
Poverty Level: 10.2%
Unemployment Rate: 6.7%

Measuring Success

If you’re still questioning the criteria used to evaluate these cities, you’re not alone. Success is a multifaceted concept, and while our metrics may seem simplistic, they provide valuable insights into community well-being. Congratulations to Melrose and the other cities on our list. For those that didn’t make this year’s rankings, there’s always next year!

Detailed List of the Most Successful Cities in Massachusetts

Rank	City	Median Income	Poverty Rate	Unemployment Rate
1	Melrose	$86,409	2.7%	4.8%
2	Newton	$118,639	5.0%	5.7%
3	Franklin Town	$101,980	3.6%	6.9%
4	Amesbury Town	$76,463	4.6%	6.9%
5	Braintree Town	$87,500	4.1%	8.3%
6	Woburn	$77,883	5.1%	7.0%
7	Watertown Town	$86,461	6.7%	7.7%
8	Peabody	$62,234	6.8%	6.1%
9	Marlborough	$71,424	7.2%	6.9%
10	Medford	$77,868	10.2%	6.7%
11	Newburyport	$83,149	7.3%	8.7%
12	Beverly	$73,980	8.4%	7.0%
13	Waltham	$73,162	10.7%	6.3%
14	Cambridge	$75,909	15.1%	5.8%
15	Easthampton Town	$56,927	8.0%	6.1%
16	Methuen Town	$68,587	7.5%	8.0%
17	Agawam Town	$63,561	8.6%	7.0%
18	Weymouth Town	$69,099	6.3%	9.4%
19	Somerville	$66,866	14.6%	6.5%
20	Attleboro	$65,141	8.3%	8.8%
21	Winthrop Town	$64,169	8.4%	8.9%
22	Quincy	$62,710	8.9%	9.4%
23	Barnstable Town	$58,933	12.8%	7.7%
24	Gloucester	$60,229	9.1%	10.0%
25	Westfield	$60,845	9.5%	9.5%
26	Haverhill	$61,208	10.7%	9.1%
27	Northampton	$58,179	15.4%	7.8%
28	Greenfield Town	$48,493	14.0%	7.4%
29	Leominster	$59,263	11.5%	10.1%
30	Salem	$59,044	13.0%	9.5%
31	West Springfield Town	$52,806	10.4%	10.5%
32	Taunton	$52,225	11.8%	10.4%
33	Everett	$51,056	12.9%	10.1%
34	Palmer Town	$51,846	11.2%	10.6%
35	Chicopee	$47,276	12.1%	10.1%
36	Revere	$50,900	14.0%	10.4%
37	Boston	$54,485	20.3%	10.0%
38	Malden	$55,523	15.4%	11.0%
39	Pittsfield	$43,489	15.4%	10.8%
40	Gardner	$46,589	15.3%	11.3%
41	Lynn	$47,195	16.8%	10.9%
42	Southbridge Town	$42,376	16.5%	10.4%
43	Lowell	$49,164	17.3%	11.5%
44	Chelsea	$48,725	18.1%	11.2%
45	Worcester	$46,105	20.2%	10.5%
46	Brockton	$48,569	15.5%	13.6%
47	Fitchburg	$46,628	18.1%	12.5%
48	North Adams	$37,654	17.7%	11.7%
49	New Bedford	$36,813	21.3%	12.2%
50	Lawrence	$34,496	23.9%	13.5%
51	Holyoke	$35,550	26.2%	14.4%
52	Fall River	$33,763	21.3%	15.0%
53	Springfield	$34,731	26.5%	15.4%

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Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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