Massachusetts Snapshot: Population density 2011

snapshot:population density, 2011

By Matt Carroll, Boston Globe | Jan. 17, 2013

Greater Boston is full of communities with dense populations, led by Somerville, Cambridge, Chelsea, and Boston. Those communities that are the least dense include western Mass. towns such as Gosnold, Mount Washington and Hawley. The data is from the 2011 Census.

Community:

Community	Population per square mile	Rank	Population 2011	Square miles
ABINGTON	1,616.9	69	16,072	9.94
ACTON	1,109.3	99	22,152	19.97
ACUSHNET	559.1	172	10,316	18.45
ADAMS	367.6	203	8,433	22.94
AGAWAM	1,224.4	86	28,455	23.24
ALFORD	42.5	317	491	11.56
AMESBURY	1,323.5	83	16,411	12.4
AMHERST	1,362.8	79	37,776	27.72
ANDOVER	1,078.8	101	33,455	31.01
AQUINNAH	59.0	308	316	5.36
ARLINGTON	8,357.1	12	43,290	5.18
ASHBURNHAM	157.8	269	6,101	38.67
ASHBY	130.5	275	3,106	23.8
ASHFIELD	43.2	316	1,742	40.3
ASHLAND	1,347.8	80	16,767	12.44
ATHOL	356.9	206	11,624	32.57
ATTLEBORO	1,586.5	70	43,645	27.51
AUBURN	1,057.6	104	16,244	15.36
AVON	1,001.8	105	4,388	4.38
AYER	831.6	123	7,501	9.02
BARNSTABLE	752.3	138	45,167	60.04
BARRE	122.2	277	5,416	44.33
BECKET	38.2	321	1,768	46.26
BEDFORD	979.3	110	13,455	13.74
BELCHERTOWN	277.3	230	14,621	52.73
BELLINGHAM	889.0	116	16,447	18.5
BELMONT	5,362.0	18	24,987	4.66
BERKLEY	388.0	197	6,418	16.54
BERLIN	222.5	254	2,877	12.93
BERNARDSTON	91.2	291	2,135	23.41
BEVERLY	2,397.3	45	39,796	16.6
BILLERICA	1,570.3	71	40,654	25.89
BLACKSTONE	830.9	124	9,057	10.9
BLANDFORD	23.9	335	1,234	51.74
BOLTON	246.6	243	4,915	19.93
BOSTON	12,907.0	4	625,087	48.43
BOURNE	482.6	185	19,745	40.91
BOXBOROUGH	487.4	184	5,049	10.36
BOXFORD	334.9	211	8,028	23.97
BOYLSTON	272.7	233	4,371	16.03
BRAINTREE	2,589.2	41	35,990	13.9
BREWSTER	427.1	194	9,815	22.98
BRIDGEWATER	970.8	111	26,686	27.49
BRIMFIELD	104.0	284	3,611	34.71
BROCKTON	4,392.9	27	94,316	21.47
BROOKFIELD	219.1	256	3,401	15.52
BROOKLINE	8,708.7	10	59,132	6.79
BUCKLAND	97.5	286	1,908	19.56
BURLINGTON	2,096.1	52	24,755	11.81
CAMBRIDGE	16,491.1	2	106,038	6.43
CANTON	1,146.9	94	21,710	18.93
CARLISLE	319.2	216	4,903	15.36
CARVER	308.2	221	11,573	37.55
CHARLEMONT	48.7	312	1,270	26.1
CHARLTON	306.3	224	13,026	42.53
CHATHAM	377.4	201	6,122	16.22
CHELMSFORD	1,508.0	73	34,156	22.65
CHELSEA	16,278.1	3	35,649	2.19
CHESHIRE	119.4	278	3,216	26.94
CHESTER	36.4	324	1,338	36.73
CHESTERFIELD	39.2	319	1,219	31.1
CHICOPEE	2,419.5	44	55,333	22.87
CHILMARK	45.9	314	878	19.14
CLARKSBURG	132.6	274	1,692	12.76
CLINTON	2,395.3	46	13,653	5.7
COHASSET	767.9	133	7,595	9.89
COLRAIN	38.6	320	1,676	43.38
CONCORD	715.7	145	17,836	24.92
CONWAY	50.5	311	1,903	37.71
CUMMINGTON	37.7	322	870	23.05
DALTON	307.8	222	6,714	21.81
DANVERS	2,010.2	56	26,696	13.28
DARTMOUTH	553.3	174	34,065	61.57
DEDHAM	2,382.3	47	24,895	10.45
DEERFIELD	159.2	268	5,140	32.29
DENNIS	689.3	148	14,199	20.6
DIGHTON	317.0	217	7,094	22.38
DOUGLAS	233.7	247	8,500	36.37
DOVER	367.1	204	5,627	15.33
DRACUT	1,424.3	76	29,767	20.9
DUDLEY	542.8	175	11,426	21.05
DUNSTABLE	194.1	262	3,213	16.55
DUXBURY	637.5	161	15,141	23.75
EAST BRIDGEWATER	804.3	130	13,866	17.24
EAST BROOKFIELD	222.6	253	2,190	9.84
EASTHAM	354.0	208	4,953	13.99
EASTHAMPTON	1,194.0	89	16,023	13.42
EAST LONGMEADOW	1,212.9	87	15,731	12.97
EASTON	813.5	128	23,136	28.44
EDGARTOWN	152.8	272	4,124	26.99
EGREMONT	64.6	305	1,218	18.84
ERVING	130.2	276	1,806	13.87
ESSEX	249.4	240	3,531	14.16
EVERETT	12,455.9	5	42,101	3.38
FAIRHAVEN	1,281.6	85	15,892	12.4
FALL RIVER	2,867.9	36	88,962	31.02
FALMOUTH	712.3	146	31,514	44.24
FITCHBURG	1,457.1	75	40,449	27.76
FLORIDA	30.7	330	748	24.36
FOXBOROUGH	845.8	121	16,983	20.08
FRAMINGHAM	2,746.5	40	68,991	25.12
FRANKLIN	1,191.1	90	31,851	26.74
FREETOWN	242.6	244	8,881	36.61
GARDNER	914.5	113	20,293	22.19
GEORGETOWN	637.4	162	8,248	12.94
GILL	107.7	281	1,505	13.98
GLOUCESTER	1,117.6	98	29,014	25.96
GOSHEN	60.6	306	1,053	17.37
GOSNOLD	5.7	351	76	13.34
GRAFTON	783.9	131	17,827	22.74
GRANBY	223.5	251	6,227	27.86
GRANVILLE	37.1	323	1,567	42.24
GREAT BARRINGTON	156.4	270	7,065	45.18
GREENFIELD	805.8	129	17,511	21.73
GROTON	328.2	213	10,755	32.77
GROVELAND	728.1	143	6,509	8.94
HADLEY	224.8	249	5,241	23.31
HALIFAX	468.1	189	7,560	16.15
HAMILTON	536.0	178	7,826	14.6
HAMPDEN	261.8	234	5,142	19.64
HANCOCK	20.0	340	713	35.73
HANOVER	893.9	114	13,954	15.61
HANSON	683.9	151	10,266	15.01
HARDWICK	77.7	298	3,000	38.59
HARVARD	248.0	242	6,537	26.36
HARWICH	581.6	170	12,236	21.04
HATFIELD	204.3	260	3,273	16.02
HAVERHILL	1,840.7	62	61,351	33.33
HAWLEY	11.0	349	338	30.86
HEATH	28.4	332	708	24.9
HINGHAM	991.4	106	22,277	22.47
HINSDALE	96.9	287	2,020	20.84
HOLBROOK	1,478.4	74	10,866	7.35
HOLDEN	497.5	182	17,407	34.99
HOLLAND	200.3	261	2,482	12.39
HOLLISTON	731.6	142	13,689	18.71
HOLYOKE	1,874.4	60	39,905	21.29
HOPEDALE	1,149.6	93	5,932	5.16
HOPKINTON	567.8	171	15,080	26.56
HUBBARDSTON	107.2	282	4,397	41.03
HUDSON	1,675.1	68	19,264	11.5
HULL	3,415.5	30	10,349	3.03
HUNTINGTON	81.7	295	2,177	26.64
IPSWICH	407.6	196	13,279	32.58
KINGSTON	685.2	150	12,696	18.53
LAKEVILLE	356.5	207	10,659	29.9
LANCASTER	291.8	226	8,076	27.68
LANESBOROUGH	105.8	283	3,073	29.04
LAWRENCE	11,059.8	7	76,976	6.96
LEE	223.8	250	5,907	26.4
LEICESTER	471.2	188	11,008	23.36
LENOX	235.4	246	4,995	21.22
LEOMINSTER	1,416.1	77	40,898	28.88
LEVERETT	81.3	297	1,857	22.85
LEXINGTON	1,934.0	58	31,718	16.4
LEYDEN	39.7	318	714	17.99
LINCOLN	447.5	192	6,430	14.37
LITTLETON	542.5	176	9,017	16.62
LONGMEADOW	1,751.1	64	15,795	9.02
LOWELL	7,812.9	14	107,584	13.77
LUDLOW	777.8	132	21,116	27.15
LUNENBURG	383.1	199	10,122	26.42
LYNN	8,414.0	11	91,040	10.82
LYNNFIELD	1,152.6	92	11,687	10.14
MALDEN	11,848.3	6	60,071	5.07
MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA	557.2	173	5,176	9.29
MANSFIELD	1,134.5	96	23,212	20.46
MARBLEHEAD	4,407.1	26	19,964	4.53
MARION	337.1	210	4,932	14.63
MARLBOROUGH	1,844.2	61	38,895	21.09
MARSHFIELD	888.3	117	25,271	28.45
MASHPEE	596.2	168	13,998	23.48
MATTAPOISETT	368.9	202	6,079	16.48
MAYNARD	1,948.9	57	10,212	5.24
MEDFIELD	834.5	122	12,108	14.51
MEDFORD	6,970.3	15	56,738	8.14
MEDWAY	1,121.6	97	12,842	11.45
MELROSE	5,813.0	16	27,263	4.69
MENDON	323.8	215	5,861	18.1
MERRIMAC	749.0	140	6,389	8.53
METHUEN	2,126.2	51	47,627	22.4
MIDDLEBOROUGH	334.2	212	23,241	69.55
MIDDLEFIELD	21.6	338	521	24.16
MIDDLETON	647.7	159	9,049	13.97
MILFORD	1,924.4	59	28,096	14.6
MILLBURY	846.0	120	13,307	15.73
MILLIS	653.4	157	7,945	12.16
MILLVILLE	649.1	158	3,200	4.93
MILTON	2,084.5	55	27,182	13.04
MONROE	11.3	348	121	10.71
MONSON	193.4	263	8,565	44.28
MONTAGUE	278.5	228	8,465	30.4
MONTEREY	36.1	325	956	26.5
MONTGOMERY	55.7	309	838	15.05
MOUNT WASHINGTON	7.5	350	166	22.22
NAHANT	2,771.0	37	3,436	1.24
NANTUCKET	212.1	257	10,142	47.81
NATICK	2,211.5	50	33,349	15.08
NEEDHAM	2,306.3	48	29,083	12.61
NEW ASHFORD	16.8	344	227	13.54
NEW BEDFORD	4,730.8	24	95,183	20.12
NEW BRAINTREE	48.4	313	1,002	20.7
NEWBURY	277.1	231	6,719	24.25
NEWBURYPORT	2,094.5	53	17,552	8.38
NEW MARLBOROUGH	31.8	328	1,500	47.2
NEW SALEM	22.1	337	994	44.98
NEWTON	4,761.5	23	85,945	18.05
NORFOLK	760.8	136	11,290	14.84
NORTH ADAMS	666.9	154	13,632	20.44
NORTHAMPTON	827.1	125	28,501	34.46
NORTH ANDOVER	1,072.1	102	28,571	26.65
NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH	1,542.1	72	28,745	18.64
NORTHBOROUGH	766.5	134	14,203	18.53
NORTHBRIDGE	917.4	112	15,761	17.18
NORTH BROOKFIELD	222.9	252	4,695	21.06
NORTHFIELD	88.4	293	3,042	34.41
NORTH READING	1,135.7	95	15,048	13.25
NORTON	663.6	155	19,052	28.71
NORWELL	506.1	181	10,562	20.87
NORWOOD	2,748.2	39	28,801	10.48
OAK BLUFFS	622.8	164	4,590	7.37
OAKHAM	90.4	292	1,909	21.12
ORANGE	222.4	255	7,864	35.36
ORLEANS	415.5	195	5,887	14.17
OTIS	44.7	315	1,602	35.84
OXFORD	516.6	179	13,758	26.63
PALMER	385.3	198	12,149	31.53
PAXTON	327.3	214	4,821	14.73
PEABODY	3,149.6	34	51,653	16.4
PELHAM	52.5	310	1,317	25.07
PEMBROKE	821.2	127	17,934	21.84
PEPPERELL	514.9	180	11,616	22.56
PERU	32.5	327	842	25.93
PETERSHAM	22.8	336	1,238	54.24
PHILLIPSTON	69.5	302	1,687	24.26
PITTSFIELD	1,091.9	100	44,472	40.73
PLAINFIELD	30.7	329	647	21.05
PLAINVILLE	752.4	137	8,322	11.06
PLYMOUTH	588.5	169	56,767	96.46
PLYMPTON	191.8	264	2,837	14.79
PRINCETON	96.6	289	3,424	35.44
PROVINCETOWN	304.3	225	2,940	9.66
QUINCY	5,536.9	17	92,909	16.78
RANDOLPH	3,211.1	32	32,336	10.07
RAYNHAM	653.6	156	13,399	20.5
READING	2,517.7	42	25,001	9.93
REHOBOTH	249.9	239	11,621	46.5
REVERE	8,876.3	9	52,459	5.91
RICHMOND	77.3	299	1,466	18.96
ROCHESTER	155.1	271	5,261	33.93
ROCKLAND	1,754.8	63	17,583	10.02
ROCKPORT	990.9	107	7,006	7.07
ROWE	16.7	345	394	23.55
ROWLEY	315.3	219	5,902	18.72
ROYALSTON	30.1	331	1,262	41.89
RUSSELL	101.1	285	1,776	17.56
RUTLAND	226.9	248	8,002	35.26
SALEM	5,142.5	19	41,654	8.1
SALISBURY	541.0	177	8,348	15.43
SANDISFIELD	17.4	342	910	52.32
SANDWICH	480.1	187	20,664	43.04
SAUGUS	2,441.9	43	26,836	10.99
SAVOY	19.2	341	688	35.86
SCITUATE	1,061.3	103	18,233	17.18
SEEKONK	750.0	139	13,740	18.32
SHARON	760.8	135	17,734	23.31
SHEFFIELD	67.2	303	3,236	48.15
SHELBURNE	81.6	296	1,898	23.25
SHERBORN	260.8	235	4,162	15.96
SHIRLEY	459.7	190	7,272	15.82
SHREWSBURY	1,723.6	65	35,730	20.73
SHUTESBURY	66.7	304	1,776	26.61
SOMERSET	2,242.5	49	18,187	8.11
SOMERVILLE	18,617.8	1	76,519	4.11
SOUTHAMPTON	205.4	259	5,781	28.15
SOUTHBOROUGH	692.6	147	9,800	14.15
SOUTHBRIDGE	823.9	126	16,775	20.36
SOUTH HADLEY	987.4	108	17,486	17.71
SOUTHWICK	307.1	223	9,509	30.96
SPENCER	357.0	205	11,728	32.85
SPRINGFIELD	4,771.2	22	153,155	32.1
STERLING	256.7	237	7,834	30.52
STOCKBRIDGE	84.4	294	1,936	22.94
STONEHAM	3,521.8	29	21,659	6.15
STOUGHTON	1,692.6	67	27,150	16.04
STOW	377.9	200	6,658	17.62
STURBRIDGE	248.6	241	9,300	37.41
SUDBURY	732.2	141	17,843	24.37
SUNDERLAND	256.9	236	3,697	14.39
SUTTON	277.8	229	8,995	32.38
SWAMPSCOTT	4,556.1	25	13,896	3.05
SWANSEA	688.8	149	15,884	23.06
TAUNTON	1,200.2	88	55,940	46.61
TEMPLETON	250.9	238	8,039	32.04
TEWKSBURY	1,412.1	78	29,258	20.72
TISBURY	610.4	166	4,004	6.56
TOLLAND	15.3	346	485	31.64
TOPSFIELD	481.4	186	6,133	12.74
TOWNSEND	274.4	232	9,019	32.87
TRURO	95.1	290	2,002	21.05
TYNGSBOROUGH	676.8	152	11,411	16.86
TYRINGHAM	17.4	343	325	18.7
UPTON	351.7	209	7,569	21.52
UXBRIDGE	457.1	191	13,503	29.54
WAKEFIELD	3,372.3	31	25,191	7.47
WALES	116.8	279	1,839	15.75
WALPOLE	1,179.8	91	24,234	20.54
WALTHAM	4,817.4	21	61,181	12.7
WARE	286.4	227	9,854	34.41
WAREHAM	612.9	165	21,941	35.8
WARREN	187.1	265	5,152	27.53
WARWICK	21.0	339	783	37.27
WASHINGTON	14.2	347	535	37.76
WATERTOWN	7,846.2	13	32,248	4.11
WAYLAND	862.2	119	13,131	15.23
WEBSTER	1,347.0	81	16,824	12.49
WELLESLEY	2,765.4	38	28,152	10.18
WELLFLEET	138.6	273	2,748	19.83
WENDELL	26.6	333	851	31.99
WENHAM	635.2	163	4,904	7.72
WESTBOROUGH	893.4	115	18,333	20.52
WEST BOYLSTON	596.2	167	7,691	12.9
WEST BRIDGEWATER	441.8	193	6,954	15.74
WEST BROOKFIELD	181.4	266	3,713	20.47
WESTFIELD	882.8	118	41,119	46.58
WESTFORD	724.6	144	22,181	30.61
WESTHAMPTON	59.1	307	1,604	27.14
WESTMINSTER	205.6	258	7,302	35.51
WEST NEWBURY	315.7	218	4,268	13.52
WESTON	668.1	153	11,371	17.02
WESTPORT	310.7	220	15,550	50.05
WEST SPRINGFIELD	1,696.1	66	28,410	16.75
WEST STOCKBRIDGE	70.2	301	1,298	18.48
WEST TISBURY	111.1	280	2,778	25.01
WESTWOOD	1,341.9	82	14,721	10.97
WEYMOUTH	3,181.4	33	54,116	17.01
WHATELY	74.4	300	1,501	20.18
WHITMAN	2,093.2	54	14,569	6.96
WILBRAHAM	640.4	160	14,229	22.22
WILLIAMSBURG	96.6	288	2,477	25.63
WILLIAMSTOWN	164.6	267	7,720	46.89
WILMINGTON	1,316.8	84	22,557	17.13
WINCHENDON	238.8	245	10,335	43.28
WINCHESTER	3,575.2	28	21,594	6.04
WINDSOR	25.6	334	894	34.99
WINTHROP	8,913.1	8	17,737	1.99
WOBURN	3,040.3	35	38,520	12.67
WORCESTER	4,835.8	20	181,631	37.56
WORTHINGTON	36.0	326	1,154	32.06
WRENTHAM	496.7	183	11,027	22.2
YARMOUTH	980.6	109	23,779	24.25

SOURCE: US Census; Mass. Department of Revenue