| County | Rank | Change (2020) ↓ | 2026 Pop. | 2020 Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire County | 1 | 10% | 163,451 | 148,597 |
| Worcester County | 2 | 4.23% | 893,282 | 857,028 |
| Nantucket County | 3 | 3.95% | 14,803 | 14,240 |
| Plymouth County | 4 | 3.9% | 548,995 | 528,413 |
| Bristol County | 5 | 3.41% | 596,415 | 576,723 |
| Middlesex County | 6 | 3.17% | 1,676,029 | 1,624,461 |
| Norfolk County | 7 | 2.52% | 741,897 | 723,647 |
| Dukes County | 8 | 2.45% | 21,084 | 20,580 |
| Essex County | 9 | 2.39% | 827,136 | 807,799 |
| Barnstable County | 10 | 2.22% | 233,127 | 228,055 |
| Hampden County | 11 | 0.35% | 465,258 | 463,651 |
| Suffolk County | 12 | -0.14% | 790,247 | 791,372 |
| Franklin County | 13 | -0.64% | 70,485 | 70,938 |
| Berkshire County | 14 | -1.86% | 127,399 | 129,816 |
Massachusetts's counties show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2026. Hampshire County leads with 1.6% annualized growth, followed by Worcester County (0.69%) and Nantucket County (0.65%). The largest counties are Middlesex County (1,676,029), Worcester County (893,282), and Essex County (827,136). Of the 14 counties in Massachusetts, 11 are growing while 3 have experienced population decline. Overall, counties averaged 0.42% annualized growth, with total population growing by 0.43% annually.
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