- U.S. State: Massachusetts
- Abbreviation: MA
- Joined the USA: February 6th, 1788 (6th State)
- Located: Northeastern United States
- Capital City: Boston, MA
- Most Populated City: Boston, MA
34 Massachusetts Facts for Kids
- Massachusetts is a state in the United States of America.
- Massachusetts became a U.S. State on Wednesday, February 6th, 1788.
- Massachusetts was the 6th state to join the United States.
- The U.S. state of Massachusetts covers 10,565 square miles.
- Massachusetts is the 44th largest state by area in the United States.
- In 2019, the population of Massachusetts was estimated to be 6,893,000 residents by the U.S. Census Bureau.
- In 2019, Massachusetts was the 15th most populated state in the United States.
- A person who is from or lives in Massachusetts is called a Massachusettsan or a Bay Stater.
- The capital city of Massachusetts is Boston.
- The seven most populated cities in Massachusetts are Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, Cambridge, New Bedford, Brockton and Quincy.
- The largest city by population in Massachusetts is Boston.
- The largest metropolitan area in Massachusetts is the Greater Boston metropolitan area.
- The U.S. state of Massachusetts has 14 counties.
- The most populated county in Massachusetts is Middlesex County with 1,612.000 residents (2019, U.S. Census Bureau).
- The largest county by area in Massachusetts is Worcester County with 1,513 square miles.
- The highest elevation point in Massachusetts is Mount Greylock at 3,489 feet above sea level.
- The lowest elevation point in Massachusetts is the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean at sea level.
- The average precipitation (rain and snow) in Massachusetts is 48.4 inches.
- Massachusetts is the 12th wettest state by precipitation (rain and snow) in the United States.
- The average temperature in Massachusetts is 48.1 °F.
- Massachusetts is the 36th warmest state in the United States.
- The warmest temperature ever recorded in Massachusetts was 107 °F on August 2nd, 1975.
- The coldest temperature ever recorded in Massachusetts was -40 °F on January 22nd, 1984.
- A few natural disasters that can affect Massachusetts are hurricanes, ice storms and nor’easters.
- Massachusetts is in one time zone, Eastern Time Zone (ET).
- Massachusetts is also known as the Bay State or the Old Colony State.
- The first battle of the American Revolutionary War was fought in Massachusetts.
- The USPS abbreviation for Massachusetts is MA.
- The official state flower for Massachusetts is the Mayflower (Epigaea repens).
- The official state tree for Massachusetts is the American Elm (Ulmus americana).
- The official state insect for Massachusetts is the ladybug (Coccinellidae).
- The official state fish for Massachusetts is the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).
- The official state bird for Massachusetts is the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus).
- The official state gemstone for Massachusetts is rhodonite.
Pictures of Massachusetts
A picture of the U.S. state flag of Massachusetts, USA.
A picture of Boston, the capital city of Massachusetts, USA.
A picture of the Paul Revere statue at the Old North Church.
Additional Resources on Massachusetts
- About Massachusetts – Learn about the U.S. state of Massachusetts on the National Geographic Kids website.
- History of Massachusetts – Discover the history of the U.S. state of Massachusetts on the History of Massachusetts website.
- Facts About Massachusetts – Find more facts about the U.S. state of Massachusetts on the Visit Massachusetts website.
- Massachusetts – Britannica – Read the Britannica article on the U.S. state of Massachusetts to learn more about it.