Moving to Massachusetts A Complete Relocation Guide 2021

This is a complete guide for Moving to Massachusetts.
Get all the information you need to know about moving to Massachusetts

Moving to Massachusetts, the state with the highest number of educated residents in the entire United States, could be the best moving decision you ever make.

Massachusetts' low crime rates, high-quality healthcare system, and access to top-quality education, rated among the best in the world, makes the state a perfect place for families, millennials, young couples, and even students.

Massachusetts is home to several beautiful beaches including over 50 inland fresh-water beaches and 15 saltwater ocean beaches. If you enjoy swimming, surfing, parasailing, jet-skiing, and other water-related activities, you'd love moving to Massachusetts.

Moving to Massachusetts also means you'll get the chance to visit the Cape Cod anytime you want and go on whale-watching tours during summer vacations.

The state is also home to Boston, one of the best cities in the entire country. More so, Massachusetts has a booming job market and an unemployment rate that is lower than the national average.

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moving to massachusetts

Top 10 Reasons to move to Massachusetts

Moving to Massachusetts could There are many reasons why Massachusetts could be the best place for you. While it's impossible to list every reason why you moving to Massachusetts is worth it, we've listed 10 reasons for moving to the state. Here they are:

  • Massachusetts has one of the best healthcare systems in the country

    Massachusetts ranks on top of the health index being the best state for healthcare in the US. The state had the lowest average monthly insurance premiums and most percentage of insured adults and children. It also had the second-highest number of physicians per capita.

  • Massachusetts is home to some of the best schools in the world

    Massachusetts boasts of the best school system in the country and the state ranks top in both “quality” and “safety” categories.

  • Sports is a culture in Massachusetts

    The state has a long history of sports culture and basketball originated in Massachusetts. Most professional teams in the state have won multiple championships in their respective leagues. Baseball, football, basketball, and ice hockey are widely played and followed in the state.

  • Massachusetts is a haven for creatives and arts lover

    Massachusetts takes pride in its arts culture and has many centers for performing arts. It pays tribute to world-renowned painters, sculptors, and book illustrators at some of the finest small museums in the country. Massachusetts has museums, galleries, and gardens focusing on virtually every art form you can imagine.

  • You'll enjoy all four seasons in Massachusetts

    Massachusetts has all four distinct seasons, with noticeable differences between spring, summer, fall, and winter. The summers are warm and winters are cold and snowy. The summers bring on an average of 30 days of a thunderstorm a year. Average rainfall generally ranges from 1,000 to 1,500 millimeters or 40 to 60 inches a year while snowfall can often exceed 100 inches or 2.5 meters annually in the higher elevations

  • Massachusetts seafood is among the freshest and the best in the U.S.

    Undoubtedly, Massachusetts has the best seafood in the US. The state is loaded with seafood cuisines and picking one would be a real challenge.

    Here is a list of seafood to relish while in Massachusetts

    • Clam Chowder
    • Lobster Rolls
    • Cannolis
    • Baked Beans
    • Fish and Chips
    • Oysters

  • Massachusetts is a melting pot of various cultures

    Massachusetts has a welcoming culture and it embraces world cultures and visitors of all backgrounds. The diverse neighborhoods and cross-cultural events make the state a melting pot of multiple cultures.

  • Massachusetts is home to Boston, one of the best cities in the U.S.

    Boston is not just the capital city but it is also the state’s largest city and economic center. The birthplace of the American Revolution, the city still preserves its historic monuments related to the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the siege of Boston. In addition, it is also one of the best cities in the country to call home.

    • Tip: While moving the home, safety of your belongings is the priority and you need a trustworthy mover at your side. Know the top-rated moving companies in Massachusetts.

  • If you love hiking, you'll love Massachusetts

    From the woodsy hills of the Berkshires to the stunning heights of Mt Greylock, there is a handful of challenging and stress-free hikes to explore the natural side of Massachusetts.

    Here are our top 10 picks

    • Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Topsfield
    • Mount Norwottuck, Mount Holyoke State Park
    • The Skyline Trail Loop, Middlesex Fells Reservation
    • The Freedom Trail, Boston
    • Purgatory Chasm Trails, Purgatory Chasm State Reservation
    • Bish Bash Falls Trail, Bish Bash Falls State Park
    • Harrington Trail, Mount Wachusett
    • Mount Greylock, Mount Greylock State Reservation
    • Salem Heritage Trail, Salem
    • Mount Holyoke, Mount Holyoke Range State Park

  • Massachusetts has a neighborhood for everyone

    One of the biggest USPs of Massachusetts is cultural and racial diversity. The state embraced every culture from the bottom of the heart and its neighborhoods are highly diverse. This means everyone owns a space in Massachusetts.

massachusetts pros and cons

What are the Pros & Cons of Living in Massachusetts?

While considering your options about moving to Massachusetts, you should weigh up the pros and cons of living in the state. This will help you figure out if Massachusetts is the best place for you.

Pros of living in Massachusetts Cons of living in Massachusetts
Massachusetts is beautiful all year roundHigh cost of living
Massachusetts residents are the most educated in the countryTerrible traffic
Explore and enjoy beautiful beachesHarsh winter
Massachusetts residents are friendly peoplePoor mass transit system
Massachusetts is a growing tech hubHigh cost of housing
Access to the best higher institutions in the worldDensely populated due to its small size
Great healthcare systemPoor urban planning in some cities including Boston
It's safe to walk around in MassachusettsNightlife in Massachusetts isn't so thrilling
Massachusetts is rich in culture and historyFewer opportunities for the less educated
Sports culture and tasty foodsCities like Boston and others are difficult to navigate
place in massachusetts

Where are the best places to live in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts is home to several great neighborhoods, towns, and cities including Boston, Springfield, Worcester, and Cambridge etc. If you're considering moving to Massachusetts, you'll most likely be interested in the best places to stay in the state.

Here are the 10 best places to live in Massachusetts:

Place Population Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
Newton88,660$886,1002.9%
Melrose28,116$508,7002.8%
Woburn40,298$421,2003.7%
Newburyport17,990$514,7004.4%
Beverly41,731$411,7004.1%
Cambridge115,665$719,3004.4%
Medford57,771$464,4003.3%
Waltham62,979$497,1004.3%
Somerville80,434$616,1003.9%
Peabody52,865$372,3004.9%
cost of living in massachusetts

What's the cost of living in Massachusetts?

Cost of living is one of the key things to consider before moving to Massachusetts. The cost of living in Massachusetts is rated 127.2. The national average is 100, according to Best Places. This means the cost of living in Massachusetts is higher than the national average.

Housing is rated as the most significant factor in the cost of living index.

How is the rental market like in Massachusetts?

The average cost of renting a home or an apartment in Massachusetts is higher than the national average. However, more than 30% of Massachusetts residents are renters and about 1.4% of homes in the state are open to rent.

If you're contemplating moving to Massachusetts and renting a home, we've compiled key data about the state's housing market to help you get started.

  • Average rent price in Massachusetts $2,189, US is $1,470
  • Average cost of a studio Apartment is $1,139. The U.S. average is $821
  • Average cost of a 1 Bedroom is $1,274. The U.S. average is $930
  • Average cost of a 2 Bedroom is $1,580. The U.S. average is $1,148
  • Average cost of a 3 Bedroom is $1,985. The U.S. average is $1,537
  • Average cost of a 4 Bedroom is $2,167. The U.S. average is $1791

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Are homes affordable in Massachusetts?

More than 65% of Massachusetts residents are homeowners. If you're contemplating moving to Massachusetts and buying a home, we've collated key data about the state's housing market to help you get started. Here's a simple analysis of Massachusetts housing market:

  • The median home value in Massachusetts is $433,883
  • Massachusetts home values have gone up by 3.3% over the past year
  • Massachusetts home values are predicted to fall by 1.4% within the next year
  • The median list price per square foot in Massachusetts is $269
  • The median price of homes currently listed in Massachusetts is $464,900
  • The median price of homes that sold is $404,500
  • The median rent price in Massachusetts is $2,550
  • In Massachusetts 1.1 homes are foreclosed (per 10,000). The US value is 1.2
  • Delinquent mortgages in Massachusetts is 1.0%. The national value of 1.1%
jobs in massachusetts

How is the job market in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has a booming job market and the unemployment rate in the state is lower than the national average. If you're contemplating moving to Massachusetts, we've compiled key data about the state's job market to give you a better idea of what to expect when you move.

What's the median salary in Massachusetts?

Moving to Massachusetts could mean getting a new job and a new pay. How much will you most likely earn by moving to Massachusetts? We've collated significant data about incomes in Massachusetts and here they are:

  • The median household income in Massachusetts is $77,378
  • The average household income in Massachusetts is $106,627
  • The per capita income in Massachusetts is $41,794
  • High income households in Massachusetts (earning over $200,000 per year) is over 12%
  • The minimum wage in Massachusetts is $12 per hour
  • The average hourly rate in Massachusetts is $35 per hour

10 largest companies in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is home to several large companies making the unemployment rate in the state lower than the U.S. average. If you're mulling over moving to Massachusetts and getting a job, you'll most likely be interested in the largest companies in the state. Here are the 10 largest companies in Massachusetts:

  • General Electric
  • Raytheon Technologies
  • Liberty Mutual Insurance Group
  • TJX Companies
  • Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
  • Raytheon
  • Thermo Fisher Scientific
  • Biogen
  • BJ's Wholesale Club
  • State Street Corp

Best companies to work for in Massachusetts

Which company should you work for if you're moving to Massachusetts? There are tons of great companies and organizations to work for in Massachusetts. While it's impossible to list every one of them, we've made a top 10 list here to help you get started.

Here's a list of the 10 best companies to work for in Massachusetts:

  • Bain & Company
  • Cabot Corporation
  • The Boston Consulting Group
  • The Raytheon Company
  • Converse
  • Kronos Incorporated
  • Biogen Inc.
  • The Boston Beer Company
  • Cubist Pharmaceuticals
  • Pegasystems Inc.

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What are the top industries in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts' economy is driven by many large industries including finance, manufacturing, and life sciences etc. Moving to Massachusetts could mean you'll end up with one of these industries. So, we've collated a list of the biggest industries in the state and here they are:

  • Life Sciences
  • Finance
  • Information Technology
  • Manufacturing
  • Renewable Energy
  • Biotechnology
  • Marine trade
  • Engineering
  • Tourism
  • Higher education

Who are the biggest employers in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts is home to 16 Fortune 500 companies and several others. If you're considering moving to Massachusetts, we've made a list of the ten biggest employers in the state. Here they are:

  • Google
  • Big Y World Class Market
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Partners HealthCare System
  • Boston Children's Hospital
  • Harvard University
  • Takeda Pharmaceutical
  • SAP
  • Wellforce - Tufts Medical Center
  • Raytheon

What are the best jobs in Massachusetts for recent college grad?

Massachusetts has the highest number of educated residents in the United States. In fact, more than half of the people living in Massachusetts have an associate degree or higher.

If you're a recent college grad considering moving to Massachusetts, we've made a list of the 10 best jobs for recent college grads in the state to help you get started.

  • Business Analyst
  • Cytotechnologist
  • Teacher
  • Counselor
  • Sales Manager
  • Technician Writer
  • Programmer
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Financial Advisor
  • Database Administrator

What's the unemployment rate in Massachusetts?

If you're considering getting a new job after moving to Massachusetts, you'll most likely be interested in the unemployment rates in the state. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts is lower than the national average.

This means getting a job in Massachusetts is fairly easy. Here's a simple breakdown of Massachusetts job market:

Tip: When you’ve got a home to move in Massachusetts, getting the best moving quote will be your goal. Request moving company quotes to save on moving cost.

  • The unemployment rate in Massachusetts is 3.4%. The U.S. average is 3.9%
  • Massachusetts has witnessed a job market growth rate of 4.0% over the past year
  • Massachusetts future job growth is predicted to hit 39.3% over the next 10 years
  • The U.S. future job growth is expected to hit 33.5% in the next 10 years
taxes in massachusetts

Is Massachusetts a tax-friendly state?

Depending on where you're moving from, you may end up paying more in taxes or less when you move to Massachusetts. Here's a simple breakdown of Massachusetts tax rates:

  • State income tax in Massachusetts is 5.05% flat rate
  • Sales tax in Massachusetts is 6.25%
  • The average effective property tax rate in Massachusetts is 1.22
  • Gas tax in Massachusetts is 26.54 cents per gallon
massachusetts

What is Massachusetts most known for?

Massachusetts is well-known for its top-quality education. But there's more to the Codfish State than great schools. If you're moving to Massachusetts, you'll most likely be interested in what the state is mostly known for. So, we've collated a top 10 list of what Massachusetts is mostly known for. Here they are:

  • An American Sports Capital

    Massachusetts takes sports seriously, especially basketball, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, and football. In addition, it also hosts golf and cycle racing tournaments. The Boston Marathon is one of the celebrated events in the US.

  • Massachusetts Colleges & Universities

    Massachusetts is home to some of the prestigious colleges and universities in the US, including Harvard, Boston University, and MIT. It is no surprise that Massachusetts ranks first in education in the US.

  • Cape Cod

    At southeast Boston, the Cape Cod peninsula reaches out into the Atlantic offering long miles of beach and undulated vast farmlands. The 90-mile crescent-shaped land is accessible from the mainland through ferries.

  • Colonial landmarks

    In Massachusetts, you’ll come across a historic landmark at every corner. Perhaps no state in the US can claim as many colonial landmarks as Massachusetts. Here’s a list of landmarks you should not miss while in Massachusetts.

    • Veterans War Memorial
    • The Mount, Edith Warton’s Home
    • Minute Man National Historical Park
    • House of Seven Gables
    • Old State House
    • Old South Meeting Hall
    • Plymouth Rock
    • Race Point Lighthouse
    • Brant Point Lighthouse

  • Scenic landscapes

    Massachusetts is incredibly beautiful. The broad and breathtaking panoramas of unspoiled wilderness and natural wonders keep you exploring for more. The byways of Massachusetts crisscross a region that encompasses hundreds of square miles of protected open space that is home to species like moose, bobcat, grey fox, bald eagles, and herons.

  • Picturesque villages

    There’s no shortage of scenic surprises in Massachusetts. The state has an abundance of fascinating small towns, both on the picturesque seashore and well inland. Many of these towns were witnesses to the defining events in American history during the Revolutionary War.

    We’ve compiled a list of some of the stunningly beautiful villages in Massachusetts.

    • Northampton
    • Provincetown
    • Stockbridge
    • Hadley
    • Rockport
    • Westford
    • Newburyport
    • Rowe
    • Oak Bluff
    • Concord
    • Provincetown
    • Great Barrington

  • Freedom trail

    The 2.5-mile Freedom Trail is a route at downtown Boston that passes by 16 locations significant to the history of the United States. The path was marked largely with brick winds between Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown

  • Inventing basketball

    Basketball is perhaps the only game in history with a properly recorded beginning. It was invented in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, by James Naismith, a physical education instructor.

    • Tip: Often, you feel like calculating the moving cost before you connect with a moving company. To help you, we've got a free moving cost calculator.

  • The first state to legalize same-sex marriage

    Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage in 2003, to be the first state in the US to do so. On May 17, 2004, Marcia Kadish and Tanya McCloskey tied the knot at Cambridge City Hall to be the first legally married same-sex partners in the United States. On the same day, 77 other same-sex couples tied the knot across the state.

schools in massachusetts

What are the best schools and universities in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts is home to some of the best schools in the country and across the world. Massachusetts is rated as the state with the highest educational achievement. More than half of the people living in the state have an associate degree or higher.

If you're moving to Massachusetts, we've compiled a list of the best schools in the state to make it easier for you to make the right choice.

Best elementary schools in Massachusetts

  • Davis Thayer Elementary School
    Franklin School District, Public, K-5 | 231 students

  • Mary Lee Burbank School
    Belmont School District, Public, K-4 | 374 students

  • Highlands
    Braintree School District, Public, K-5 | 424 students

  • Baker School
    Brookline School District, Public, K-8 | 762 students

  • Michael Driscoll
    Brookline School District, Public, PK-8 | 629 students

Best middle schools in Massachusetts

  • Ashland Middle School
    Ashland School District, Public, 6-8 | 601 students

  • Winthrop L Chenery Middle School
    Belmont School District, Public, 5-8 | 1421 students

  • Boston Latin School
    Boston School District, Public, 7-12 | 2453 students

  • O'bryant School Math/Science
    Boston School District, Public, 7-12 | 1562 students

  • Baker School
    Brookline School District, Public, K-8 | 762 students

Best high schools in Massachusetts

  • MA Academy for Math and Science School
    Ma Academy For Math And Science, Public, 11-12 | 96 students

  • Belmont High School
    Belmont School District, Public, 9-12 | 1294 students

  • Sturgis Charter Public School
    Sturgis Charter Public (District), Charter, 9-12 | 816 students

  • Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
    Acton-Boxborough School District, Public, 9-12 | 1827 students

  • Boston Latin School
    Boston School District, Public, 7-12 | 2453 students

Best universities and colleges in Massachusetts

  • Harvard University

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Amherst College

  • Williams College

  • University of Massachusetts at Amherst

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