Most Americans have never been to small town Massachusetts. However, as the Bay Stater who live there know, small town Massachusetts is an awesome place to call home.
But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Massachusetts has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Bay State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.
After analyzing more than 100 of Massachusetts’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Massachusetts where you’d never want to live:
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the worst small towns in Massachusetts for 2024:
- Monson Center
- West Brookfield
- West Wareham
- Orange
- Onset
- Shelburne Falls
- Townsend
- Winchendon
- Baldwinville
- Dennis Port
So what is the worst small town to call home in Massachusetts for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Monson Center is the worst small town to live in Massachusetts.
While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Monson Center home. Everyone
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.
And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Massachusetts or the worst places to live in Massachusetts.
If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.
The 10 Worst Small Towns In Massachusetts For 2024
1. Monson Center
/10
Population: 1,673
Median Home Value: $318,067
Median Income: $51,902
Unemployment Rate: 16.6%
2. West Brookfield
/10
Population: 1,532
Median Home Value: $392,910
Median Income: $53,849
Unemployment Rate: 13.7%
3. West Wareham
/10
Population: 2,605
Median Home Value: $264,244
Median Income: $52,771
Unemployment Rate: 5.6%
4. Orange
/10
Population: 3,731
Median Home Value: $278,603
Median Income: $55,558
Unemployment Rate: 13.0%
5. Onset
/10
Population: 1,326
Median Home Value: $427,053
Median Income: $72,017
Unemployment Rate: 28.6%
6. Shelburne Falls
/10
Population: 1,699
Median Home Value: $353,746
Median Income: $54,250
Unemployment Rate: 7.1%
7. Townsend
/10
Population: 1,131
Median Home Value: $448,177
Median Income: $61,546
Unemployment Rate: 3.3%
8. Winchendon
/10
Population: 4,461
Median Home Value: $347,012
Median Income: $56,042
Unemployment Rate: 6.8%
9. Baldwinville
/10
Population: 2,286
Median Home Value: $327,887
Median Income: $1,000
Unemployment Rate: 21.1%
10. Dennis Port
/10
Population: 3,300
Median Home Value: $517,773
Median Income: $54,071
Unemployment Rate: 11.6%
Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Massachusetts is lousy or not?
To rank the worst small towns to live in Massachusetts, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.
We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.
Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (The lower, the worse)
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- Education (Number of high school dropouts)
- High Crime
We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 100 to be exact.
We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.
We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in Massachusetts.
There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Massachusetts
If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Bay State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The worst small towns in Massachusetts are Monson Center, West Brookfield, West Wareham, Orange, Onset, Shelburne Falls, Townsend, Winchendon, Baldwinville, and Dennis Port.
If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Massachusetts, according to science:
- Hopkinton (Pop. 3,298)
- Rowley (Pop. 1,642)
- Cordaville (Pop. 2,884)
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
Worst Small Towns In Massachusetts
| Rank | Town | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monson Center | 1,673 | 16.6% | $318,067 | $51,902 |
| 2 | West Brookfield | 1,532 | 13.7% | $392,910 | $53,849 |
| 3 | West Wareham | 2,605 | 5.6% | $264,244 | $52,771 |
| 4 | Orange | 3,731 | 13.0% | $278,603 | $55,558 |
| 5 | Onset | 1,326 | 28.6% | $427,053 | $72,017 |
| 6 | Shelburne Falls | 1,699 | 7.1% | $353,746 | $54,250 |
| 7 | Townsend | 1,131 | 3.3% | $448,177 | $61,546 |
| 8 | Winchendon | 4,461 | 6.8% | $347,012 | $56,042 |
| 9 | Baldwinville | 2,286 | 21.1% | $327,887 | $1,000 |
| 10 | Dennis Port | 3,300 | 11.6% | $517,773 | $54,071 |
| 11 | North Plymouth | 4,418 | 18.1% | $496,097 | $59,696 |
| 12 | Millers Falls | 1,061 | 4.3% | $272,783 | $60,455 |
| 13 | Holland | 1,452 | 3.1% | $347,199 | $78,462 |
| 14 | North Eastham | 1,971 | 10.5% | $738,545 | $81,544 |
| 15 | Acushnet Center | 3,164 | 7.8% | $347,171 | $67,333 |
| 16 | Northwest Harwich | 4,076 | 12.8% | $676,319 | $81,268 |
| 17 | Ocean Grove | 2,691 | 7.4% | $360,809 | $75,208 |
| 18 | Wilbraham | 3,839 | 3.8% | $417,239 | $97,891 |
| 19 | North Westport | 4,660 | 1.7% | $434,116 | $82,408 |
| 20 | Wareham Center | 2,654 | 4.9% | $486,599 | $69,286 |
| 21 | Smith Mills | 4,556 | 2.4% | $413,293 | $73,393 |
| 22 | South Lancaster | 1,642 | 19.0% | $413,414 | $101,250 |
| 23 | Turners Falls | 3,838 | 2.9% | $292,631 | $53,306 |
| 24 | South Ashburnham | 1,049 | 0.0% | $343,761 | $100,455 |
| 25 | Fiskdale | 2,827 | 8.6% | $434,603 | $83,546 |
| 26 | North Lakeville | 3,635 | 3.2% | $568,673 | $85,123 |
| 27 | Falmouth | 3,883 | 3.9% | $1,004,179 | $57,333 |
| 28 | Norton Center | 2,580 | 4.1% | $480,998 | $109,356 |
| 29 | Pepperell | 2,205 | 6.6% | $526,932 | $91,406 |
| 30 | Belchertown | 2,648 | 0.9% | $419,116 | $75,284 |
| 31 | North Brookfield | 2,437 | 2.0% | $353,765 | $73,904 |
| 32 | Granby | 1,176 | 4.3% | $357,557 | $94,663 |
| 33 | Weweantic | 1,593 | 12.5% | $451,164 | $1,000 |
| 34 | Marshfield | 4,868 | 4.8% | $703,570 | $93,491 |
| 35 | Dennis | 1,898 | 5.5% | $616,236 | $113,526 |
| 36 | Great Barrington | 1,890 | 3.4% | $565,708 | $44,583 |
| 37 | Groton | 1,472 | 3.4% | $713,192 | $121,484 |
| 38 | South Deerfield | 1,953 | 5.8% | $404,382 | $81,577 |
| 39 | Lenox | 1,999 | 0.0% | $574,399 | $57,460 |
| 40 | Devens | 1,763 | 1.0% | $546,771 | $106,875 |
| 41 | Harwich Port | 2,252 | 4.3% | $1,023,268 | $58,854 |
| 42 | Bellingham | 4,636 | 10.4% | $474,198 | $76,729 |
| 43 | Lee | 1,507 | 5.8% | $384,333 | $78,021 |
| 44 | Harwich Center | 1,419 | 7.1% | $648,190 | $71,806 |
| 45 | South Dennis | 3,101 | 3.0% | $503,647 | $81,607 |
| 46 | Hopedale | 4,137 | 5.4% | $479,179 | $117,135 |
| 47 | East Dennis | 3,711 | 4.9% | $788,836 | $85,321 |
| 48 | Provincetown | 3,433 | 8.3% | $936,176 | $91,711 |
| 49 | Ayer | 2,969 | 0.9% | $498,358 | $76,094 |
| 50 | Buzzards Bay | 2,993 | 2.4% | $509,858 | $88,791 |
| 51 | West Dennis | 2,732 | 1.7% | $595,341 | $82,955 |
| 52 | Brewster | 1,739 | 7.1% | $741,695 | $62,695 |
| 53 | Littleton Common | 2,870 | 9.1% | $577,441 | $122,854 |
| 54 | East Brookfield | 1,345 | 1.3% | $391,520 | $76,406 |
| 55 | Vineyard Haven | 2,367 | 3.7% | $893,682 | $65,313 |
| 56 | Hanscom Afb | 1,784 | 1.0% | $0 | $71,250 |
| 57 | Chatham | 1,637 | 8.6% | $1,164,923 | $84,554 |
| 58 | Hatfield | 1,331 | 1.5% | $441,149 | $99,500 |
| 59 | Lunenburg | 2,149 | 2.4% | $488,146 | $114,500 |
| 60 | East Douglas | 2,562 | 1.3% | $480,998 | $74,417 |
| 61 | East Pepperell | 1,999 | 4.5% | $478,928 | $109,265 |
| 62 | West Chatham | 1,633 | 6.2% | $865,796 | $130,213 |
| 63 | Rockport | 4,943 | 7.6% | $804,140 | $89,574 |
| 64 | Marshfield Hills | 2,458 | 0.0% | $863,726 | $164,571 |
| 65 | Upton | 2,596 | 6.4% | $659,276 | $104,913 |
| 66 | Sandwich | 2,948 | 4.4% | $634,967 | $99,333 |
| 67 | Rutland | 1,690 | 2.1% | $477,479 | $84,063 |
| 68 | Shirley | 1,359 | 6.9% | $487,915 | $85,119 |
| 69 | Westborough | 4,381 | 2.3% | $690,039 | $87,411 |
| 70 | Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock | 4,637 | 6.3% | $569,282 | $106,528 |
| 71 | West Falmouth | 1,793 | 8.7% | $812,460 | $167,083 |
| 72 | Mattapoisett Center | 2,645 | 3.9% | $732,821 | $95,986 |
| 73 | Forestdale | 3,912 | 2.2% | $589,616 | $118,382 |
| 74 | East Sandwich | 3,787 | 3.4% | $783,953 | $123,571 |
| 75 | Ipswich | 4,872 | 2.8% | $748,408 | $95,342 |
| 76 | Pocasset | 2,627 | 0.9% | $695,803 | $86,150 |
| 77 | Sturbridge | 2,222 | 0.0% | $461,996 | $123,375 |
| 78 | Millis-Clicquot | 4,718 | 1.8% | $563,315 | $111,192 |
| 79 | Hanson | 2,087 | 5.8% | $553,398 | $110,096 |
| 80 | Topsfield | 2,799 | 6.1% | $883,385 | $156,250 |
| 81 | Orleans | 1,665 | 0.0% | $1,012,474 | $72,422 |
| 82 | North Seekonk | 2,726 | 6.4% | $488,182 | $105,459 |
| 83 | Bourne | 1,782 | 0.0% | $595,227 | $76,103 |
| 84 | White Island Shores | 2,223 | 5.4% | $417,676 | $103,372 |
| 85 | Williamstown | 4,498 | 0.7% | $466,513 | $110,855 |
| 86 | Boxford | 2,714 | 5.6% | $970,105 | $247,557 |
| 87 | Mashpee Neck | 1,270 | 2.6% | $631,507 | $135,536 |
| 88 | Duxbury | 1,761 | 5.6% | $983,149 | $128,000 |
| 89 | Dover | 2,512 | 13.9% | $1,560,270 | $250,001 |
| 90 | Monument Beach | 3,024 | 2.2% | $579,998 | $93,688 |
| 91 | Essex | 1,880 | 1.1% | $808,059 | $143,615 |
| 92 | Teaticket | 1,561 | 1.4% | $547,972 | $86,250 |
| 93 | Sagamore | 3,966 | 3.0% | $598,629 | $113,289 |
| 94 | North Falmouth | 2,318 | 5.6% | $961,003 | $129,421 |
| 95 | North Pembroke | 3,954 | 1.6% | $591,079 | $156,429 |
| 96 | Nahant | 3,336 | 4.2% | $895,679 | $105,867 |
| 97 | South Duxbury | 3,409 | 5.1% | $1,137,712 | $197,632 |
| 98 | Hopkinton | 3,298 | 4.1% | $867,462 | $168,393 |
| 99 | Rowley | 1,642 | 0.0% | $712,705 | $101,995 |
| 100 | Cordaville | 2,884 | 2.7% | $866,770 | $190,170 |
