Four out of five cities and towns in Massachusetts added residents between 2023 and 2024, with the state’s population rising 1.9% since 2020, according to new Census Bureau estimates, offering a counterpoint to fears of decline. 

While experts credit immigration for the growth, they caution it may be short-lived as federal policies grow more restrictive.

“When you look at statewide figures as longer term trends, immigration has been saving our butts,” said Peter Ciurczak, a senior research analyst at Boston Indicators. 

In 2024, according to a summary by UMass Amherst based on Census Bureau data, approximately 90,000 international immigrants arrived in Massachusetts from abroad, compared to roughly 27,500 domestic migrants who left Massachusetts. 

From July 1, 2023, to 2024, the state population increased by 69,603 people, representing an increase of just under 1%, the most significant rise in annual percentage the state has seen in over a decade. 

Top 10 Mass. Cities and Towns with Most Population Gain

The annual estimates of the resident population for cities and towns in Massachusetts from April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024. Data is from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Population growth is essential because it leads to increased federal appropriations for funding resources and greater representation in Congress. 

However, with new federal immigration policies slowing down border crossings, cutting research grants that sponsor international students, and even revoking student visas outright, experts say that the next round of numbers in the fall should come as no surprise if they decline. 

“It’s hard to say where we’re going to wind up,” said Ciurczak. “I think we’re in uncharted territory in terms of all of the potential impacts.” 

Mark Melnik, director of economic and public policy research at UMass Donahue Institute, agrees, saying, “Immigration drives so much of the story in Massachusetts.”

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers expressed concerns that the state’s population was declining due to domestic outmigration, primarily among young adults, and a decrease in immigration resulting from COVID-19 restrictions. 

Foreign-born workers have driven nearly 80% of the state’s labor force growth since the 1990s.

So the increase in outmigration and slowdown in immigration was a “double whammy,” said Melnik. 

Top 10 Mass. Cities and Towns That Lost Population

The annual estimates of the resident population for cities and towns in Massachusetts from April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024. Data is from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The increase in population also comes with a caveat — some of the numbers may be skewed slightly due to the method the Census Bureau used to interpret the data. 

The Census Bureau made revisions in December to improve the representation of humanitarian migrants by incorporating additional data in proportion to where immigrants have historically settled. 

As a result, Massachusetts, a significant destination for immigrants, appeared to experience an increase in its total population. 

There was no surprise in seeing that places that tend to host a lot of immigrants, such as Boston, Cambridge, and gateway cities, also experienced an uptick in population relative to other parts of the state. 

But Melnik believes that once the numbers are revised, the total will decrease. 

Massachusetts has a demographic problem, Melnik said. It has a relatively low birth rate and is an aging state. It is also a highly educated state, with the highest proportion of the population holding a college degree in the nation. The state also has the highest female labor force participation rates. 

When all of this adds up, it means later family formations, smaller household sizes, and lower birth rates. 

Immigration is a key part of replenishing the population and the labor market, Melnik said. 

On a side note, demographic maps outlining the shift in populations by county in the state show that during the pandemic, people moved away from major cities into the western portions of the state and to the Cape and Islands. 

That trend has since reversed course, Melnik said, and is back to levels seen before the pandemic. 

Ciurczak said people move for opportunities. People are moving to Massachusetts to improve their lives, their families, and their economic situations. And Massachusetts has a lot going for it, especially in the knowledge economy and schools. 

Concerns over slowing or declining population growth are troublesome, he said. 

“It’s hard to say population growth isn’t beneficial generally, and … to our economy and our culture and to the diaspora of citizens who come here,” Ciurczak said. 

Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.

Highest-rated Class of 2025 football recruits from Massachusetts

Campaign not loading? Click here

Massachusetts National Guard “Hometown Hero” Contest

OFFICIAL RULES

1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

2. Eligibility. Subject to the additional restrictions below, the Massachusetts National Guard “Hometown Hero” Contest (the “Contest”) is open to legal residents of the State of Massachusetts residing in the WFTX terrestrial viewing area, who are 18 years or older at the time of entry. Employees of WFTX (Boston), LLC (“Sponsor”), CMG Media Corporation, Massachusetts National Guard, and each of their respective affiliated companies, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotional agencies, and the family members of, and any persons domiciled with, any such employees, are not eligible to enter or to win. The term “family members” includes spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings, children, grandchildren, and in-laws, regardless of where they live. Professional actors and filmmakers, whether full-time or part-time, are allowed to compete so long as they do not belong to any professional organizations connected with the entertainment industry that would cause Sponsor to pay the entrant or any other person a fee or any other benefit for taking part in any Contest event.

3. How to Enter. The Contest will begin at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (“EST”) on May 27, 2025 and end at 10:00 a.m. EST on July 3, 2025 (the “Contest Period”).Sponsor will be the official timekeeper for the Contest.

Enter by visiting the Contest official registration page at the “Contests” page at https://www.boston25news.com/wfxt/contests/ (the “Website”), selecting the Massachusetts National Guard “Hometown Hero” Contest link, and completing all required information and following all posted instructions.

All entries must be received no later than 10:00 a.m. on July 3, 2025.

By participating in the Contest via Sponsor’s website, you agree to be bound by Sponsor’s Visitor Agreement (http://www.boston25news.com/visitor-agreement/) and Privacy Policy (http://www.boston25news.com/privacy-policy/), which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Failure to complete any of the steps in this section may result in the disqualification of your attempted entry as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor is not responsible for any issue that may prevent a Participant (as defined below) from being able to download or access the App or complete his/her entry.

An entry received through the Website, consistent with these Official Rules, will result in one (1) entry for the Contest.

Limit: One (1) entry per person and per email address during the Contest Period.

Submission

As part of the Contest entry process, you (the “Nominator”) must upload a short explanation (500 words or less) nominating a local resident (the “Nominee”) with whom you are affiliated in some way and explaining why such Nominee deserves to be recognized as the winner for the Massachusetts National Guard Hometown Hero Contest (the “Entry”). All Entries must include the following information:

· Name of the Nominee you are nominating

· Why this Nominee your Nominee deserves to be recognized as a “Hometown Hero”

By entering, you represent and warrant about your Entry:

(i) You are submitting your Entry on your behalf and not on behalf of any other individual.

(ii) It is your own original work or you have all the rights necessary to post or re-post the content. Each Entry must not contain any material that would violate or infringe upon the rights of any person or entity, including without limitation copyrights, trademarks or rights of privacy or publicity, or that is defamatory, threatening, indecent, obscene, or offensive, or that is unlawful, in violation of or contrary to any applicable laws or regulations, or which requires a license from any third party.

(iII) You have the express written consent of any identifiable locations or persons appearing or referenced in your Entry or entries to their Persona (as defined below) being used in the ways set out in these Official Rules, including Sponsor’s and Maurices Incorporated’s right to use your Entry for any future commercial purpose without restrictions, and you can make those authorizations available to Sponsor and Maurices Incorporatedupon request. Upon request, you will obtain written consent of any such persons for Sponsor and Maurices Incorporated in the form identified by Sponsor or and Maurices Incorporated.

(iv) the Entry does not reference any person other than entrant and the Nominee or any names, products or services of any company or entity or any third-party trademarks, logos, copyrights, trade dress or promotion of any brand, product, or service.

(v) Your Entry is appropriate for public viewing. Without limiting the foregoing, your Entry is not lewd, obscene, sexually explicit, pornographic, disparaging, defamatory, libelous, or otherwise contain content which Sponsor in its sole discretion decides is inappropriate or objectionable. Your Entry or entries must also not disparage or cast a negative light on any person, entity, or brand, product, or service.

(vi) Your Entry has not previously been published or accepted for publication and is not currently under consideration for publication and your Entry complies with all of Sponsor’s requirements and terms regarding the use of its services.

Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to not consider any Entry for the Contest if it believes the Entry violates or potentially violates any of the foregoing requirements or otherwise fails to comply with any provision of these Official Rules. You agree to reimburse Sponsor in full with respect to any losses, damages, and expenses, including reasonable legal fees (including, where permitted, reasonable attorney fees) that it may sustain from the breach of a representation or warranty made by you or the use of any rights granted by you to Sponsor hereunder. By entering, you warrant that your Entry complies with the requirements set out above including those at (i)–(vi) above. By entering, you will grant and you hereby grant to Sponsor a perpetual, irrevocable, exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sub-licensable, freely assignable license to reproduce your Entry and to otherwise use, exploit, copy, modify, adapt, edit, publish and display the Entry in any form, manner, venue, media or technology now known or later developed for any and all purposes, including, without limitation, for purposes of commercial or trade purposes, advertising, and promotion as Sponsor and each of its licensees or assignees determine, without further compensation, notification, or permission. Further, by entering, you hereby waive any moral rights you may have in any Entry in favor of the Sponsor.

By submitting your Entry you also grant to Sponsor the worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, fully sub-licensable, and freely transferable right, but not the obligation, to use any and all names, identities, titles, likenesses, distinctive appearances, physical likenesses, images, portraits, pictures, photographs (whether still or moving), screen personas, voices, vocal styles, statements, gestures, mannerisms, personalities, performance characteristics, biographical data, signatures, and any other indicia or imitations of identity or likeness listed, provided, referenced, or otherwise contained in the Entry and/or image (all attributes, collectively, per person, a “Persona”) for purposes of advertising and trade, in any format, medium, or technology now known or later developed without further notice, approval, or compensation, unless prohibited by law.

Maximum one (1) entry per person and per email address during the Contest Period.

The use of multiple identities and/or accounts is prohibited, and any attempt to obtain more than the stated number of entries will void that participant’s entries and may result in participant’s disqualification. Incomplete, forged, altered, automated, mechanically reproduced, lost, late, misdirected, garbled, or illegible entries, or entries that do not meet the size or formatting requirements specified above, will be disqualified. Sponsor will not be responsible for failure to receive entries due to transmission failures or technical failures of any kind, including, without limitation, malfunctioning of any network, hardware, or software, whether originating with sender, Sponsor, or Sponsor’s Contest application service provider. In the event of a dispute, all online entries will be deemed to have been submitted by the owner of the ISP account from which they were sent, provided that such person satisfies all other Contest eligibility requirements. For these purposes, an ISP account holder shall mean the natural person assigned to such ISP account by the Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning ISP addresses for the domain associated with such ISP account.

All entries become property of Sponsor, and none will be returned. Any questions regarding the number of entries submitted or the owner of an ISP account shall be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, and Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entries by persons who submit false or misleading entry information or who Sponsor determines to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Contest.

4. Winner Selection. Starting June 5, 2025, at or about 10:30 a.m. EST on each Thursday of the Contest Period, one (1) Entry will be selected as the potential weekly winner by a committee of qualified judges selected in Sponsor’s sole discretion. Winner selection will be made based on the following criteria (“Criteria”): (1) entry clarity and composition (25%); and (2) compelling reasons the Nominee is going above and beyond to benefit his/her community (75%). The Entry with the highest cumulative score from among all eligible Entries received up to such judging date will be designated the winning entry.

A total of five (5) weekly winners will be selected during the Contest Period.

1. Prize Description. Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules, each weekly winning Nominee will receive recognition of their selection as a Hometown Hero on the Boston 25 News broadcast on the Friday following their selection as the winner.

6. Winner Notification and Acceptance. The Nominator of the potential winning Nominee will be notified on or about each Thursday of the Contest Period, at the telephone number or email address provided on the potential winner’s Entry form. In order to win, the Nominator must respond to Sponsor’s notification at the time of notice or attempted notice. Sponsor and Nominator will confer on the appropriate method to contact the winning Nominee.

In order to claim a prize, potential winner must respond to Sponsor’s notification six (6) hours of notice or attempted notice.

Potential winners may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility, and a liability and publicity release (except where prohibited by law), which may be notarized and returned within thirty (30) days days/hours of notification.

Sponsor’s inability to reach a potential winner after a reasonable (as solely determined by Sponsor) effort has been made, the failure of a potential winner to timely respond to a prize notification, the return of any prize notification as undeliverable, and/or a potential winner’s failure to comply with any term or condition of these Official Rules may, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, result in the potential winner’s disqualification and the selection of a substitute winner from among all remaining eligible entries received during the Contest Period.

A PARTICIPANT IS NOT A WINNER OF ANY PRIZE UNLESS AND UNTIL SPONSOR HAS COMPLETED ITS VERIFICATION OF PARTICIPANT’S ELIGIBILITY.

The winner may waive the right to receive a prize. Prizes are non-assignable and non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash. No substitutions allowed by winner. Prizes and individual components of prize packages are subject to availability. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes or components of prize packages with a prize or component of equal or greater value. As applicable, the winner is solely responsible for reporting and payment of any taxes on a prize. The winner may be required to provide information to Sponsor for tax purposes and/or complete an IRS W-9 form in order to claim a prize. The winner is solely responsible for all federal, state and local taxes on prize value and, as applicable, will be issued an IRS Form 1099 based on the prize value determined by Sponsor. Prizes not won and claimed by eligible winners in accordance with these Official Rules will not be awarded and will remain the property of Sponsor.

7. Participation. By participating, participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor and any Contest judges or administrators selected by Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify persons found tampering with or otherwise abusing any aspect of this Contest as solely determined by Sponsor. In the event the Contest is compromised by a virus, non-authorized human intervention, tampering or other causes beyond the reasonable control of Sponsor which corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper operation of the Contest, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the Contest. Should the Contest be terminated prior to the stated expiration date, Sponsor reserves the right to award prizes based on the entries received before the termination date. Proof of sending or submission of an entry will not be deemed proof of receipt by Sponsor.

8. Publicity Release. BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, YOU AGREE THAT SPONSOR, CMG MEDIA GROUP, MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL GUARD, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS, DISTRIBUTORS, ADVERTISING/PROMOTION AGENCIES, AND PRIZE SUPPLIERS AND EACH SUCH COMPANY’S OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “RELEASED PARTIES”) HAVE THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT AND PERMISSION TO PUBLISH YOUR ENTRY ON THE WEBSITE AND TO BROADCAST, PUBLISH, OR OTHERWISE USE YOUR ENTRY AND/OR YOUR, NOMINEE TEACHER’S, AND WINNING SCHOOL’S NAME, BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION, AND LIKENESS IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST OR FOR ANY COMMERCIAL, PUBLICITY, OR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSE WITHOUT LIMITATION, REVIEW OR APPROVAL, OR COMPENSATION TO SUCH PARTY. BY ENTERING, YOU, GRANT THE RELEASED PARTIES AN EXCLUSIVE, ROYALTY-FREE AND IRREVOCABLE LICENSE AND RIGHT (BUT NOT THE OBLIGATION) TO TELECAST, BROADCAST, COPY, EDIT, ADAPT, MODIFY, REPRODUCE, PUBLISH, CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS OF, DISTRIBUTE, USE, OR OTHERWISE PUBLICLY DISPLAY ANY OR ALL OF YOUR ENTRIES, OR ANY PORTION THEREOF, IN ANY MANNER OR MEDIUM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN PERPETUITY, FOR COMMERCIAL, PUBLICITY, OR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES, AND TO LICENSE OTHERS TO DO SO, WITHOUT LIMITATION, REVIEW OR APPROVAL, OR COMPENSATION TO YOU.

9. Indemnification. If Sponsor’s use of your Entry causes Sponsor to be subject to a claim by any third party, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Released Parties, and all persons acting by, through, under or in concert with them, against any and all damages, costs, judgments and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) which the Released Parties (or any one of them) may incur as a result of the use of your Entry.

10. Release. BY PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST, EACH PARTICIPANT AGREES TO FULLY RELEASE, FOREVER DISCHARGE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE RELEASED PARTIES FROM AND AGAINST ANY CLAIMS, COSTS, LIABILITIES, LOSSES, INJURIES, AND DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE CONTEST, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY CLAIMS FOR PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, OR DAMAGE TO OR LOSS OF PROPERTY, LOSS OF ENJOYMENT, OR ANY OTHER HARM WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF: (1) PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST; (2) THE QUALITY, RECEIPT, POSSESSION, USE, OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE; OR (3) ANY TRAVEL OR ACTIVITY THAT IS RELATED TO THE CONTEST OR ANY PRIZE.

11. Limitations of Liability. By PARTICIPATING IN the Contest, PARTICIPANTs acknowledge and agree that EVERYTHING REGARDING THIS CONTEST, INCLUDING THE WEBSITE AND THE prize(S), ARE provided “as is” and that Sponsor makes no representations or warranties OF ANY KIND, express or implied, about the Prize(S) and sponsor hereby DISCLAIMS all such warranties, including, but not limited to, any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. (BECAUSE SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN IMPLIED WARRANTIES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH STATES, THE LIABILITY OF THE RELEASED PARTIES IS LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY SUCH STATE LAW.)

The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by PARTICIPANTs, printing OR PRODUCTION errors, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or EMPLOYED in the Contest; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Contest; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Contest, the processing of entries, or the notification of any winner; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from A PARTICIPANT’S participation in the Contest or receipt or use or misuse of any prize.

Only the number of prizes stated in these Official Rules is available to be won in the Contest. In the event that production, technical, seeding, programming, or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right to award the prize based upon which entries received the highest scores according to the judging criteria” or “the entries that received the highest number of votes.

12. Construction. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any such provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, these Official Rules shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained therein.

13. Sponsor. The Massachusetts National Guard “Hometown Hero” Contest is sponsored by WFTX (Boston), LLC. The decisions of Sponsor regarding the selection of winners and all other aspects of the Contest shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsor will not be responsible for typographical, printing, or other inadvertent errors in these Official Rules or in other materials or announcements relating to the Contest. For a list of winners (available after July 15, 2025) or a copy of these Official Rules, visit http://www.boston25news.com or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to “Winners List/Official Rules” (as applicable), Massachusetts National Guard “Hometown Hero” Contest, 25 Fox Drive, Dedham, MA 02026, Attn: Matthew Maguire. If you have any questions regarding this Contest, please contact matthew.maguire@boston25.com.

0144325.0730070 4924-0763-3478v1

Abbreviated rules for ads, website, etc.:

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. 5/27/25–7/3/25. Open to legal MA residents in the WFXT terrestrial viewing area; 18+. To enter, visit boston25news.com/wfxt/contests/ and submit entry with all req’d info. Limit: 1 entry/person. Add’l info and Official Rules: [boston25news.com/wfxt/contests]boston25news.com/wfxt/contests. Sponsor: WFXT (Boston) LLC, 25 Fox Drive, Dedham, MA 02026.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW