County Commons · Massachusetts

Massachusetts: state government and every county

The state's own money — what it collects and what it spends on — its official offices, how to vote, and a page for each of its 14 counties. Every number from official public records, with sources.

7,136,171 people (2024 Census estimate, +2.0% since 2020) · 14 counties

The state's money — Massachusetts state government, fiscal 2023

The state government took in $80.9 billion and spent $82.2 billion · $11,512 per resident. It owed $68.3 billion in debt at year's end.

Of every $100 it spends

Public welfare$44.28 · $34.4 billion
Education$23.01 · $17.9 billion
Other and unallocable$13.59 · $10.6 billion
Highways$3.87 · $3 billion
Governmental administration$3.69 · $2.9 billion
Health$3.19 · $2.5 billion
Interest on general debt$2.52 · $2 billion
Correction$2.20 · $1.7 billion
Hospitals$1.66 · $1.3 billion
Police protection$1.14 · $888.1 million
Natural resources$0.45 · $353 million
Parks and recreation$0.39 · $305.3 million

✓ These 12 functions add to the state's general expenditure, $77.7 billion, exactly. “Public welfare” is mostly Medicaid. Money the state passes to counties, cities and school districts is counted in the function it pays for.

Where its money comes from

Taxes$41.6 billion
Individual income tax$21.9 billion
General sales tax$9.4 billion
Corporate income tax$4.6 billion
Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol and others)$3.1 billion
Other taxes (severance, transfer and others)$1.4 billion
License taxes (vehicles, businesses, hunting and others)$1.3 billion
Property tax (state share)$14.1 million
From other governments (mostly federal aid)$25.5 billion
Charges and fees (tuition, tolls, hospital charges)$6.4 billion
Other general revenue (interest, rents, settlements)$6.6 billion
Pension and insurance trust earnings and contributions$10.7 billion

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Annual Survey of State Government Finances (State Totals), last revised Sept. 16, 2025. These are the state government's own books — counties, cities and school districts are separate.

State government — official sites

Official state website: mass.gov
Governor: Maura Healey

Source: USA.gov state government directory.

Voting

State election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Early voting: 2026-10-17 to 2026-10-30. Last day to register to vote: 2026-10-24. Mail ballot request deadline: 2026-10-27. Election Day: 2026-11-03. Last day for mailed ballots to arrive: 2026-11-06.

Source: Secretary of the Commonwealth, 2026 Information for Voters, p. 4 · Cambridge Election Commission, 2026 State Election guide (return deadlines) · Mass. General Laws ch. 54, sec. 93

Full County Commons sites in Massachusetts

Middlesex County — the budget line by line, your tax bill, audits, offices and elections.

Every county in Massachusetts — 14; ★ has a full site

Every state