Snapshot: Population change, 1970-2010

By Matt Carroll, Boston Globe | June 2, 2011
Suburban towns and communities near the ocean experienced the most growth between 1970 and 2010. Those seeing the most growth were Mashpee, West Tisbury and Brewster. The data is from the US Census, 1970 and 2010.
CommunityChange 1970-2010RankPopulation 2010Population 1970
ABINGTON30%19215,98512,334
ACTON48%13321,92414,770
ACUSHNET33%17510,3037,767
ADAMS-28%3488,48511,772
AGAWAM31%18528,43821,717
ALFORD64%106494302
AMESBURY43%13916,28311,388
AMHERST44%13837,81926,331
ANDOVER40%15133,20123,695
AQUINNAH164%22311118
ARLINGTON-20%34542,84453,524
ASHBURNHAM75%926,0813,484
ASHBY35%1693,0742,274
ASHFIELD36%1671,7371,274
ASHLAND87%8016,5938,882
ATHOL4%27411,58411,185
ATTLEBORO32%17843,59332,907
AUBURN5%26616,18815,347
AVON-18%3424,3565,295
AYER0%2937,4277,393
BARNSTABLE128%3645,19319,842
BARRE41%1485,3983,825
BECKET91%701,779929
BEDFORD-1%30213,32013,513
BELCHERTOWN147%2814,6495,936
BELLINGHAM17%23116,33213,967
BELMONT-13%33224,72928,285
BERKLEY216%116,4112,027
BERLIN37%1652,8662,099
BERNARDSTON28%1962,1291,659
BEVERLY3%27939,50238,348
BILLERICA27%20040,24331,648
BLACKSTONE37%1609,0266,566
BLANDFORD43%1401,233863
BOLTON157%244,8971,905
BOSTON-4%315617,594641,071
BOURNE56%11919,75412,636
BOXBOROUGH244%74,9961,451
BOXFORD98%617,9654,032
BOYLSTON57%1184,3552,774
BRAINTREE2%28335,74435,050
BREWSTER449%39,8201,790
BRIDGEWATER125%3826,56311,829
BRIMFIELD89%753,6091,907
BROCKTON5%26793,81089,040
BROOKFIELD64%1053,3902,063
BROOKLINE0%29958,73258,886
BUCKLAND1%2921,9021,892
BURLINGTON11%24724,49821,980
CAMBRIDGE5%269105,162100,361
CANTON26%20221,56117,100
CARLISLE69%974,8522,871
CARVER376%411,5092,420
CHARLEMONT41%1471,266897
CHARLTON179%1712,9814,654
CHATHAM34%1716,1254,554
CHELMSFORD8%25633,80231,432
CHELSEA15%23735,17730,625
CHESHIRE8%2553,2353,006
CHESTER30%1911,3371,025
CHESTERFIELD74%941,222704
CHICOPEE-17%34055,29866,676
CHILMARK155%25866340
CLARKSBURG-14%3361,7021,987
CLINTON2%28613,60613,383
COHASSET8%2537,5426,954
COLRAIN18%2291,6711,420
CONCORD9%25217,66816,148
CONWAY90%721,897998
CUMMINGTON55%122872562
DALTON-10%3316,7567,505
DANVERS1%28826,49326,151
DARTMOUTH81%8534,03218,800
DEDHAM-8%32624,72926,938
DEERFIELD32%1795,1253,873
DENNIS120%4014,2076,454
DIGHTON52%1287,0864,667
DOUGLAS187%158,4712,947
DOVER23%2095,5894,529
DRACUT62%10929,45718,214
DUDLEY41%15011,3908,087
DUNSTABLE146%293,1791,292
DUXBURY97%6215,0597,636
EAST BRIDGEWATER65%10213,7948,347
EAST BROOKFIELD21%2162,1831,801
EASTHAM143%304,9562,043
EASTHAMPTON23%21016,05313,012
EAST LONGMEADOW21%21715,72013,029
EASTON90%7123,11212,157
EDGARTOWN175%184,0671,481
EGREMONT8%2541,2251,138
ERVING43%1411,8001,260
ESSEX31%1843,5042,670
EVERETT-2%30741,66742,485
FAIRHAVEN-3%30915,87316,332
FALL RIVER-8%32888,85796,898
FALMOUTH98%5931,53115,942
FITCHBURG-7%32240,31843,343
FLORIDA12%245752672
FOXBOROUGH19%22616,86514,218
FRAMINGHAM7%25968,31864,048
FRANKLIN77%8931,63517,830
FREETOWN108%538,8704,270
GARDNER2%28220,22819,748
GEORGETOWN55%1238,1835,290
GILL36%1661,5001,100
GLOUCESTER3%27828,78927,941
GOSHEN118%411,054483
GOSNOLD-10%3307583
GRAFTON52%12717,76511,659
GRANBY14%2406,2405,473
GRANVILLE55%1211,5661,008
GREAT BARRINGTON-6%3187,1047,537
GREENFIELD-4%31417,45618,116
GROTON108%5110,6465,109
GROVELAND20%2236,4595,400
HADLEY40%1545,2503,760
HALIFAX113%457,5183,537
HAMILTON22%2147,7646,373
HAMPDEN12%2435,1394,572
HANCOCK6%262717675
HANOVER37%16113,87910,107
HANSON43%14210,2097,148
HARDWICK26%2032,9902,379
HARVARD-51%3516,52013,426
HARWICH108%5212,2435,892
HATFIELD16%2343,2792,825
HAVERHILL32%18360,87946,120
HAWLEY50%129337224
HEATH84%82706383
HINGHAM18%23022,15718,845
HINSDALE28%1972,0321,588
HOLBROOK-8%32910,79111,775
HOLDEN38%15717,34612,564
HOLLAND166%212,481931
HOLLISTON12%24413,54712,069
HOLYOKE-20%34639,88050,112
HOPEDALE38%1595,9114,292
HOPKINTON150%2614,9255,981
HUBBARDSTON205%124,3821,437
HUDSON19%22719,06316,084
HULL3%27610,2939,961
HUNTINGTON37%1632,1801,593
IPSWICH23%21213,17510,750
KINGSTON111%4712,6295,999
LAKEVILLE142%3110,6024,376
LANCASTER32%1818,0556,095
LANESBOROUGH4%2713,0912,972
LAWRENCE14%23976,37766,915
LEE-8%3255,9436,426
LEICESTER20%22110,9709,140
LENOX-13%3345,0255,804
LEOMINSTER24%20740,75932,939
LEVERETT84%831,8511,005
LEXINGTON-2%30431,39431,886
LEYDEN89%76711376
LINCOLN-16%3396,3627,567
LITTLETON40%1528,9246,380
LONGMEADOW1%29015,78415,630
LOWELL13%241106,51994,239
LUDLOW20%22021,10317,580
LUNENBURG36%16810,0867,419
LYNN0%29590,32990,294
LYNNFIELD7%25711,59610,826
MALDEN6%26559,45056,127
MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA0%3005,1365,151
MANSFIELD133%3323,1849,939
MARBLEHEAD-7%32319,80821,295
MARION42%1454,9073,466
MARLBOROUGH38%15838,49927,936
MARSHFIELD65%10325,13215,223
MASHPEE987%114,0061,288
MATTAPOISETT34%1726,0454,500
MAYNARD4%27010,1069,710
MEDFIELD22%21312,0249,821
MEDFORD-13%33356,17364,397
MEDWAY61%11112,7527,938
MELROSE-19%34326,98333,180
MENDON131%345,8392,524
MERRIMAC49%1326,3384,245
METHUEN33%17347,25535,456
MIDDLEBOROUGH70%9623,11613,607
MIDDLEFIELD81%86521288
MIDDLETON122%398,9874,044
MILFORD45%13727,99919,352
MILLBURY11%24913,26111,987
MILLIS39%1567,8915,686
MILLVILLE81%873,1901,764
MILTON-1%30127,00327,190
MONROE-44%350121216
MONSON16%2338,5607,355
MONTAGUE0%2968,4378,451
MONTEREY60%112961600
MONTGOMERY88%78838446
MOUNT WASHINGTON221%1016752
NAHANT-17%3413,4104,119
NANTUCKET170%1910,1723,774
NATICK6%26133,00631,057
NEEDHAM-3%31028,88629,748
NEW ASHFORD25%205228183
NEW BEDFORD-7%32095,072101,777
NEW BRAINTREE58%116999631
NEWBURY75%906,6663,804
NEWBURYPORT10%25017,41615,807
NEW MARLBOROUGH46%1351,5091,031
NEW SALEM109%49990474
NEWTON-7%31985,14691,066
NORFOLK141%3211,2274,656
NORTH ADAMS-29%34913,70819,195
NORTHAMPTON-4%31628,54929,664
NORTH ANDOVER74%9328,35216,284
NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH54%12528,71218,665
NORTHBOROUGH54%12614,1559,218
NORTHBRIDGE32%18215,70711,887
NORTH BROOKFIELD18%2284,6803,967
NORTHFIELD15%2353,0322,631
NORTH READING32%18014,89211,264
NORTON101%5619,0319,487
NORWELL35%17010,5067,796
NORWOOD-7%32428,60230,815
OAK BLUFFS227%94,5271,385
OAKHAM161%231,902730
ORANGE28%1957,8396,104
ORLEANS93%675,8903,055
OTIS97%631,612820
OXFORD33%17713,70910,345
PALMER4%27212,14011,680
PAXTON29%1934,8063,731
PEABODY7%26051,25148,080
PELHAM41%1491,321937
PEMBROKE59%11317,83711,193
PEPPERELL95%6411,4975,887
PERU231%8847256
PETERSHAM22%2151,2341,015
PHILLIPSTON93%661,682872
PITTSFIELD-22%34744,73757,020
PLAINFIELD126%37648287
PLAINVILLE67%1008,2644,953
PLYMOUTH203%1356,46818,606
PLYMPTON130%352,8201,224
PRINCETON103%543,4131,681
PROVINCETOWN1%2892,9422,911
QUINCY5%26892,27187,966
RANDOLPH19%22432,11227,035
RAYNHAM100%5713,3836,705
READING10%25124,74722,539
REHOBOTH78%8811,6086,512
REVERE20%22251,75543,159
RICHMOND1%2911,4751,461
ROCHESTER196%145,2321,770
ROCKLAND12%24617,48915,674
ROCKPORT23%2116,9525,636
ROWE42%144393277
ROWLEY93%685,8563,040
ROYALSTON56%1201,258809
RUSSELL28%1941,7751,382
RUTLAND149%277,9733,198
SALEM2%28441,34040,556
SALISBURY98%588,2834,179
SANDISFIELD67%99915547
SANDWICH295%520,6755,239
SAUGUS6%26326,62825,110
SAVOY115%44692322
SCITUATE7%25818,13316,973
SEEKONK23%20813,72211,116
SHARON42%14317,61212,367
SHEFFIELD37%1623,2572,374
SHELBURNE3%2771,8931,836
SHERBORN24%2064,1193,309
SHIRLEY47%1347,2114,909
SHREWSBURY85%8135,60819,196
SHUTESBURY262%61,771489
SOMERSET0%29418,16518,088
SOMERVILLE-15%33775,75488,779
SOUTHAMPTON89%775,7923,069
SOUTHBOROUGH68%989,7675,798
SOUTHBRIDGE-2%30816,71917,057
SOUTH HADLEY3%28017,51417,033
SOUTHWICK50%1309,5026,330
SPENCER33%17411,6888,779
SPRINGFIELD-7%321153,060163,905
STERLING84%847,8084,247
STOCKBRIDGE-16%3381,9472,312
STONEHAM3%27521,43720,725
STOUGHTON15%23626,96223,459
STOW65%1016,5903,984
STURBRIDGE90%739,2684,878
SUDBURY31%18717,65913,506
SUNDERLAND65%1043,6842,236
SUTTON95%658,9634,590
SWAMPSCOTT2%28713,78713,578
SWANSEA26%20415,86512,640
TAUNTON28%19855,87443,756
TEMPLETON37%1648,0135,863
TEWKSBURY27%19928,96122,755
TISBURY75%913,9492,257
TOLLAND182%16485172
TOPSFIELD16%2326,0855,225
TOWNSEND109%508,9264,281
TRURO62%1082,0031,234
TYNGSBOROUGH169%2011,2924,204
TYRINGHAM40%153327234
UPTON116%427,5423,488
UXBRIDGE63%10713,4578,253
WAKEFIELD-2%30624,93225,402
WALES116%431,838852
WALPOLE33%17624,07018,149
WALTHAM-2%30360,63261,582
WARE21%2189,8728,187
WAREHAM90%7421,82211,492
WARREN41%1465,1353,633
WARWICK59%115780492
WASHINGTON31%186538411
WATERTOWN-19%34431,91539,307
WAYLAND-3%31212,99413,461
WEBSTER12%24216,76714,917
WELLESLEY0%29827,98228,051
WELLFLEET58%1172,7501,743
WENDELL109%48848405
WENHAM27%2014,8753,849
WESTBOROUGH45%13618,27212,594
WEST BOYLSTON20%2197,6696,369
WEST BRIDGEWATER-3%3116,9167,152
WEST BROOKFIELD40%1553,7012,653
WESTFIELD31%18841,09431,433
WESTFORD112%4621,95110,368
WESTHAMPTON103%551,607793
WESTMINSTER70%957,2774,273
WEST NEWBURY88%794,2352,254
WESTON4%27311,26110,870
WESTPORT59%11415,5329,791
WEST SPRINGFIELD0%29728,39128,461
WEST STOCKBRIDGE-4%3131,3061,354
WEST TISBURY505%22,740453
WESTWOOD15%23814,61812,750
WEYMOUTH-2%30553,74354,610
WHATELY31%1891,4961,145
WHITMAN11%24814,48913,059
WILBRAHAM19%22514,21911,984
WILLIAMSBURG6%2642,4822,342
WILLIAMSTOWN-8%3277,7548,454
WILMINGTON31%19022,32517,102
WINCHENDON54%12410,3006,682
WINCHESTER-4%31721,37422,269
WINDSOR92%69899468
WINTHROP-14%33517,49720,335
WOBURN2%28538,12037,406
WORCESTER3%281181,045176,572
WORTHINGTON61%1101,156718
WRENTHAM50%13110,9557,315
YARMOUTH98%6023,79312,033
SOURCE: US Census