Historical U.S. Census Totals for Middlesex County, Massachusetts

This article shows U.S. Census totals for Middlesex County, Massachusetts, broken down by municipality, from 1900 to 2000.

Like most areas of New England, Middlesex County is (and has been at all times since well before the 20th century) entirely divided into incorporated municipalities. There is no unincorporated territory. For any census, adding up the totals for each municipality should yield the county total.

There are two types of municipalities in Massachusetts, towns and cities. The tables below differentiate between towns and cities.

For more information on the New England municipal system, see New England town.

Corporate changes since 1900

There have been no changes in Middlesex County’s municipality roster since 1900.

1900

County Total: 565,696

*Lowell (city) 94,969
*Cambridge (city) 91,886
*Somerville (city) 61,643
*Malden (city) 33,664
*Newton (city) 33,587
*Everett (city) 24,336
*Waltham (city) 23,481
*Medford (city) 18,244
*Woburn (city) 14,254
*Marlborough (city) 13,609
*Melrose (city) 12,962
*Framingham 11,302
*Watertown 9,706
*Natick 9,488
*Wakefield 9,290
*Arlington 8,603
*Winchester 7,248
*Stoneham 6,197
*Concord 5,652
*Hudson 5,454
*Reading 4,969
*Chelmsford 3,984
*Belmont 3,929
*Lexington 3,831
*Pepperell 3,701
*Tewksbury 3,683
*Dracut 3,253
*Maynard 3,142
*Billerica 2,775
*Westford 2,624
*Hopkinton 2,623
*Holliston 2,598
*Ayer 2,446
*Wayland 2,303
*Acton 2,120
*Groton 2,052
*Weston 1,834
*Townsend 1,804
*Shirley 1,680
*Wilmington 1,596
*Ashland 1,525
*Sherborn 1,483
*Bedford 1,208
*Littleton 1,179
*Sudbury 1,150
*Lincoln 1,127
*North Reading 1,035
*Stow 1,002
*Ashby 876
*Tyngsborough 773
*Burlington 593
*Carlisle 480
*Dunstable 427
*Boxborough 316

1910

County Total: 669,915

*Lowell (city) 106,294
*Cambridge (city) 104,839
*Somerville (city) 77,236
*Malden (city) 44,404
*Newton (city) 39,806
*Everett (city) 33,484
*Waltham (city) 27,834
*Medford (city) 23,150
*Melrose (city) 15,715
*Woburn (city) 15,308
*Marlborough (city) 14,579
*Framingham 12,948
*Watertown 12,875
*Wakefield 11,404
*Arlington 11,187
*Natick 9,866
*Winchester 9,309
*Stoneham 7,090
*Hudson 6,743
*Concord 6,421
*Maynard 6,390
*Reading 5,818
*Belmont 5,542
*Chelmsford 5,010
*Lexington 4,918
*Tewksbury 3,750
*Dracut 3,461
*Pepperell 2,953
*Westford 2,851
*Ayer 2,797
*Billerica 2,789
*Holliston 2,711
*Hopkinton 2,452
*Wayland 2,206
*Groton 2,155
*Shirley 2,139
*Acton 2,136
*Weston 2,106
*Wilmington 1,858
*Townsend 1,761
*Ashland 1,682
*Sherborn 1,428
*Bedford 1,231
*Littleton 1,229
*Lincoln 1,175
*Sudbury 1,120
*Stow 1,115
*North Reading 1,059
*Ashby 885
*Tyngsborough 829
*Burlington 591
*Carlisle 551
*Dunstable 408
*Boxborough 317

1920

County Total: 778,352

*Lowell (city) 112,759
*Cambridge (city) 109,694
*Somerville (city) 93,091
*Malden (city) 49,103
*Newton (city) 46,054
*Everett (city) 40,120
*Medford (city) 39,038
*Waltham (city) 30,915
*Watertown 21,457
*Arlington 18,665
*Melrose (city) 18,204
*Framingham 17,033
*Woburn (city) 16,574
*Marlborough (city) 15,028
*Wakefield 13,025
*Natick 10,907
*Belmont 10,749
*Winchester 10,485
*Stoneham 7,873
*Hudson 7,607
*Reading 7,439
*Maynard 7,086
*Concord 6,461
*Lexington 6,350
*Chelmsford 5,682
*Dracut 5,280
*Tewksbury 4,450
*Billerica 3,646
*Westford 3,170
*Ayer 3,052
*Holliston 2,707
*Wilmington 2,581
*Pepperell 2,468
*Hopkinton 2,289
*Ashland 2,287
*Weston 2,282
*Shirley 2,260
*Groton 2,185
*Acton 2,162
*Wayland 1,935
*Townsend 1,575
*Sherborn 1,558
*Bedford 1,362
*North Reading 1,286
*Littleton 1,277
*Sudbury 1,121
*Stow 1,101
*Tyngsborough 1,044
*Lincoln 1,042
*Burlington 885
*Ashby 834
*Carlisle 463
*Dunstable 353
*Boxborough 298

1930

County Total: 934,924

*Cambridge (city) 113,643
*Somerville (city) 103,908
*Lowell (city) 100,234
*Newton (city) 65,276
*Medford (city) 59,714
*Malden (city) 58,036
*Everett (city) 48,424
*Waltham (city) 39,247
*Watertown 34,913
*Arlington 36,094
*Melrose (city) 23,170
*Framingham 22,210
*Belmont 21,748
*Woburn (city) 19,434
*Wakefield 16,318
*Marlborough (city) 15,587
*Natick 13,589
*Winchester 12,719
*Stoneham 10,060
*Reading 9,767
*Lexington 9,467
*Hudson 8,469
*Concord 7,477
*Maynard 7,156
*Chelmsford 7,022
*Dracut 6,912
*Billerica 5,880
*Tewksbury 5,585
*Wilmington 4,013
*Westford 3,600
*Weston 3,332
*Ayer 3,060
*Wayland 2,937
*Pepperell 2,922
*Holliston 2,864
*Bedford 2,603
*Hopkinton 2,563
*Acton 2,482
*Groton 2,434
*Shirley 2,427
*Ashland 2,397
*North Reading 1,945
*Townsend 1,752
*Burlington 1,722
*Lincoln 1,493
*Littleton 1,447
*Tyngsborough 1,358
*Sudbury 1,182
*Stow 1,142
*Ashby 982
*Sherborn 943
*Carlisle 569
*Dunstable 384
*Boxborough 312

1940

County Total: 971,390

*Cambridge (city) 110,879
*Somerville (city) 102,177
*Lowell (city) 101,389
*Newton (city) 69,873
*Medford (city) 63,083
*Malden (city) 58,010
*Everett (city) 46,784
*Waltham (city) 40,020
*Arlington 40,013
*Watertown 35,427
*Belmont 26,867
*Melrose (city) 25,333
*Framingham 23,214
*Woburn (city) 19,751
*Wakefield 16,223
*Marlborough (city) 15,154
*Winchester 15,081
*Natick 13,851
*Lexington 13,187
*Reading 10,866
*Stoneham 10,765
*Chelmsford 8,077
*Hudson 8,042
*Concord 7,972
*Billerica 7,933
*Dracut 7,339
*Maynard 6,812
*Tewksbury 6,261
*Wilmington 4,645
*Westford 3,830
*Bedford 3,807
*Weston 3,590
*Ayer 3,572
*Wayland 3,505
*Pepperell 3,114
*Holliston 3,000
*North Reading 2,886
*Acton 2,701
*Hopkinton 2,697
*Shirley 2,608
*Groton 2,550
*Ashland 2,479
*Burlington 2,275
*Townsend 2,065
*Lincoln 1,783
*Sudbury 1,754
*Littleton 1,651
*Tyngsborough 1,634
*Stow 1,243
*Ashby 1,026
*Sherborn 1,022
*Carlisle 747
*Dunstable 447
*Boxborough 376

1950

County Total: 1,064,569

*Cambridge (city) 120,740
*Somerville (city) 102,351
*Lowell (city) 97,249
*Newton (city) 81,994
*Medford (city) 66,113
*Malden (city) 59,804
*Waltham (city) 47,187
*Everett (city) 45,982
*Arlington 44,353
*Watertown 37,329
*Framingham 28,086
*Belmont 27,381
*Melrose (city) 26,988
*Woburn (city) 20,492
*Natick 19,838
*Wakefield 19,633
*Lexington 17,335
*Marlborough (city) 15,756
*Winchester 15,509
*Reading 14,006
*Stoneham 13,229
*Billerica 11,101
*Chelmsford 9,407
*Dracut 8,666
*Concord 8,623
*Hudson 8,211
*Tewksbury 7,505
*Wilmington 7,039
*Maynard 6,978
*Ayer 5,740
*Bedford 5,234
*Weston 5,026
*Wayland 4,407
*North Reading 4,402
*Shirley 4,271
*Westford 4,262
*Holliston 3,753
*Acton 3,510
*Ashland 3,500
*Hopkinton 3,486
*Pepperell 3,460
*Burlington 3,250
*Groton 2,889
*Townsend 2,817
*Sudbury 2,596
*Lincoln 2,427
*Littleton 2,349
*Tyngsborough 2,059
*Stow 1,700
*Ashby 1,464
*Sherborn 1,245
*Carlisle 876
*Dunstable 522
*Boxborough 439

1960

County Total: 1,238,742

*Cambridge (city) 107,716
*Somerville (city) 94,697
*Newton (city) 92,384
*Lowell (city) 92,107
*Medford (city) 64,971
*Malden (city) 57,676
*Waltham (city) 55,413
*Arlington 49,953
*Framingham 44,526
*Everett (city) 43,544
*Watertown 39,092
*Woburn (city) 31,214
*Melrose (city) 29,619
*Natick 28,831
*Belmont 28,715
*Lexington 27,691
*Wakefield 24,295
*Winchester 19,376
*Reading 19,259
*Marlborough (city) 18,819
*Billerica 17,867
*Stoneham 17,821
*Tewksbury 15,902
*Chelmsford 15,130
*Ayer 14,927
*Dracut 13,674
*Burlington 12,852
*Concord 12,517
*Wilmington 12,475
*Bedford 10,969
*Wayland 10,444
*Hudson 9,666
*North Reading 8,331
*Weston 8,261
*Ashland 7,779
*Maynard 7,695
*Sudbury 7,447
*Acton 7,238
*Westford 6,261
*Holliston 6,222
*Lincoln 5,613
*Shirley 5,202
*Littleton 5,109
*Hopkinton 4,932
*Pepperell 4,336
*Groton 3,904
*Townsend 3,650
*Tyngsborough 3,302
*Stow 2,573
*Ashby 1,883
*Sherborn 1,806
*Carlisle 1,488
*Dunstable 824
*Boxborough 744

1970

County Total: 1,398,397

*Cambridge (city) 100,361
*Lowell (city) 94,239
*Newton (city) 91,263
*Somerville (city) 88,779
*Medford (city) 64,397
*Framingham 64,048
*Waltham (city) 61,582
*Malden (city) 56,127
*Arlington 53,524
*Everett (city) 42,485
*Watertown 39,307
*Woburn (city) 37,406
*Melrose (city) 33,180
*Lexington 31,886
*Billerica 31,648
*Chelmsford 31,432
*Natick 31,057
*Belmont 28,285
*Marlborough (city) 27,936
*Wakefield 25,402
*Tewksbury 22,755
*Reading 22,539
*Winchester 22,269
*Burlington 21,980
*Stoneham 20,725
*Dracut 18,214
*Wilmington 17,102
*Concord 16,148
*Hudson 16,084
*Acton 14,770
*Bedford 13,513
*Sudbury 13,506
*Wayland 13,461
*Holliston 12,069
*North Reading 11,264
*Weston 10,870
*Westford 10,368
*Maynard 9,710
*Ashland 8,882
*Ayer 8,325
*Lincoln 7,567
*Littleton 6,380
*Hopkinton 5,981
*Pepperell 5,887
*Groton 5,109
*Shirley 4,909
*Townsend 4,281
*Tyngsborough 4,204
*Stow 3,984
*Sherborn 3,309
*Carlisle 2,871
*Ashby 2,274
*Boxborough 1,451
*Dunstable 1,292

1980

County Total: 1,367,034

*Cambridge (city) 95,322
*Lowell (city) 92,418
*Newton (city) 83,622
*Somerville (city) 77,372
*Framingham 65,113
*Waltham (city) 58,200
*Medford (city) 58,076
*Malden (city) 53,386
*Arlington 48,219
*Everett (city) 37,195
*Billerica 36,727
*Woburn (city) 36,626
*Watertown 34,384
*Melrose (city) 30,055
*Chelmsford 31,174
*Marlborough (city) 30,617
*Natick 29,461
*Lexington 29,479
*Belmont 26,100
*Wakefield 24,895
*Tewksbury 24,635
*Burlington 23,486
*Reading 22,678
*Stoneham 21,424
*Dracut 21,249
*Winchester 20,701
*Acton 17,544
*Wilmington 17,471
*Concord 16,293
*Hudson 16,408
*Sudbury 14,027
*Westford 13,434
*Bedford 13,067
*Holliston 12,622
*Wayland 12,170
*North Reading 11,455
*Weston 11,169
*Maynard 9,590
*Ashland 9,165
*Pepperell 8,061
*Townsend 7,201
*Hopkinton 7,114
*Lincoln 7,098
*Ayer 6,993
*Littleton 6,970
*Groton 6,154
*Tyngsborough 5,683
*Stow 5,144
*Shirley 5,124
*Sherborn 4,049
*Carlisle 3,306
*Boxborough 3,126
*Ashby 2,311
*Dunstable 1,671

1990

County Total: 1,398,468

*Lowell (city) 103,439
*Cambridge (city) 95,802
*Newton (city) 82,585
*Somerville (city) 76,210
*Framingham 64,989
*Waltham (city) 57,878
*Medford (city) 57,407
*Malden (city) 53,884
*Arlington 44,630
*Billerica 37,609
*Woburn (city) 35,943
*Everett (city) 35,701
*Watertown 33,284
*Chelmsford 32,383
*Marlborough (city) 31,813
*Natick 30,510
*Lexington 28,974
*Melrose (city) 28,150
*Tewksbury 27,266
*Dracut 25,594
*Wakefield 24,825
*Belmont 24,720
*Burlington 23,302
*Reading 22,539
*Stoneham 22,203
*Winchester 20,267
*Acton 17,872
*Wilmington 17,651
*Hudson 17,233
*Concord 17,076
*Westford 16,392
*Sudbury 14,358
*Bedford 12,996
*Holliston 12,926
*Ashland 12,066
*North Reading 12,002
*Wayland 11,874
*Maynard 10,325
*Pepperell 10,098
*Weston 10,200
*Hopkinton 9,191
*Tyngsborough 8,642
*Townsend 8,496
*Lincoln 7,666
*Groton 7,511
*Littleton 7,051
*Ayer 6,871
*Shirley 6,118
*Stow 5,328
*Carlisle 4,333
*Sherborn 3,989
*Boxborough 3,343
*Ashby 2,717
*Dunstable 2,236

2000

County Total: 1,466,394

*Lowell (city) 105,167
*Cambridge (city) 101,355
*Newton (city) 83,829
*Somerville (city) 77,478
*Framingham 66,910
*Waltham (city) 59,226
*Malden (city) 56,340
*Medford (city) 55,765
*Arlington 42,389
*Billerica 38,981
*Everett (city) 38,037
*Woburn (city) 37,258
*Marlborough (city) 36,255
*Chelmsford 33,613
*Watertown 32,986
*Natick 32,170
*Lexington 30,355
*Tewksbury 28,851
*Dracut 28,562
*Melrose (city) 27,134
*Wakefield 24,804
*Belmont 24,194
*Reading 23,708
*Burlington 22,876
*Stoneham 22,219
*Wilmington 21,363
*Winchester 20,810
*Westford 20,754
*Acton 20,331
*Hudson 18,113
*Concord 16,993
*Sudbury 16,841
*Ashland 14,674
*North Reading 13,837
*Holliston 13,801
*Hopkinton 13,346
*Wayland 13,100
*Bedford 12,595
*Weston 11,469
*Pepperell 11,142
*Tyngsborough 11,081
*Maynard 10,433
*Groton 9,547
*Townsend 9,198
*Littleton 8,184
*Lincoln 8,056
*Shirley 7,616
*Ayer 7,287
*Stow 5,902
*Boxborough 4,868
*Carlisle 4,717
*Sherborn 4,200
*Ashby 2,845
*Dunstable 2,829

Notes

1970 Census

The Census Bureau made a number of revisions to 1970 census totals subsequent to their initial release. Middlesex County went through two rounds of revisions. The 1970 total for Middlesex County was originally reported as 1,397,268; for the city of Newton, 91,066; and for the town of Ayer, 7,393. Later, the county total was revised to 1,398,355, with Newton’s total changing to 91,263 and Ayer’s to 8,283. Newton’s total remained, but the totals for the county and for Ayer were later revised again to those shown in the list above. At least part of the issue with Ayer appears to have been an assignment error between Ayer and the neighboring town of Harvard, in Worcester County (the two towns shared in part the then-active Fort Devens military base); Harvard also went through two rounds of revisions, and in both the original and final totals, the collective population of Ayer and Harvard is the same.

2000 Census The Census Bureau made a number of revisions to 2000 census totals subsequent to their initial release. The 2000 total for Middlesex County was originally reported as 1,465,396; for the town of Chelmsford, 33,858, and for the town of Shirley, 6,373. The totals were later revised to those shown in the list above. At least part of the issue with Shirley may have been an assignment error between Shirley and the neighboring town of Lancaster, in Worcester County (the two towns shared in part the former Fort Devens military base); as a result of the revisions, Shirley’s total increased and Lancaster’s dropped, although not by exactly the same amount.

pecial note regarding Watertown

Watertown is among eleven municipalities in Massachusetts whose status as towns or cities is a matter of some ambiguity. This ambiguity is the result of questions around the legal status of towns which have since the 1970s, through home-rule petition, adopted forms of government that resemble city government and do not include the elements traditionally associated with town government (e.g., a board of selectmen, a town meeting). Of the eleven communities that have done so, all but one have generally continued to use the title "town" and are usually referred to by residents as "towns", but the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office considers all eleven to be legally cities. Other sources within state government often refer to all eleven municipalities as towns, however. Massachusetts seems to be the only New England state where this type of issue has arisen, even though other New England states also have municipalities which have adopted what amount to city forms of government but continue to call themselves "towns". In the other states, it does not appear that any need to officially label such municipalities as "cities" has been identified.

For purposes of the New England town page and its attendant pages, the ten affected communities which call themselves "towns", including Watertown, are classified as towns. The reader should be aware, however, that some sources will identify these municipalities as cities. Watertown adopted its present form of government in 1980.

The Census Bureau has been inconsistent in its handling of these municipalities. The Census Bureau listed all as towns through the 1990 Census. For the 2000 Census, some were inexplicably listed as towns and some as cities, a situation which continues in current Census materials. In the 2000 Census, Watertown was one of those listed as a city.

ee also

*United States Census
*Middlesex County, Massachusetts