What it costs to live here, and how good a place it is to live, in plain numbers.
Best place to live rank
#6
6th out of 50 states overall.
Better than most states for overall quality of life.
How we rank states ›Cost to live here
#48
48th cheapest state, about 50% above average.
To live the way $75,000 affords in an average state, you would need about $112,000 here.
How we measure cost ›Massachusetts ranks 6th of 50 states for overall quality of life and 48th for affordability. It does best on healthcare, education, and walkability, and struggles most with climate, green space, and cost. A typical household earns about $114,000 a year, and the cost of living runs about 50% above average.
Our Best Life Rank scores every state on the things that shape daily life, from cost and climate to schools and safety. Here is how Massachusetts scores on each, best to worst.
Each factor is ranked 1 (best) to 50 (worst) across all states. Green is strong, yellow is middling, red is weak.
Typical household income
$114,000
1st highest
Typical home price
$642,000
3rd highest
Overall cost of living
50% above average
48th cheapest
Total taxes on a typical household
About 14%
7th highest income tax
Typical commute
About 30 min
one way
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