Middlesex County | |
|---|---|
  ,_Lowell,_Massachusetts.JPG)  Images, from top down, left to right: The Great Dome at MIT; Hartwell Tavern in Minute Man National Historical Park; Historic buildings of the Lowell mills; Walden Pond in Concord | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Massachusetts | |
 Massachusetts's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 42°29′N 71°23′W / 42.49°N 71.39°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Massachusetts |
| Founded | May 10, 1643 |
| Named for | Middlesex, England |
| Seat | Lowell and Cambridge (de jure) |
| Largest city | Cambridge |
| Area | |
| • Total | 847 sq mi (2,190 km2) |
| • Land | 818 sq mi (2,120 km2) |
| • Water | 29 sq mi (80 km2) 3.5% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 1,632,002  |
| • Density | 1,996/sq mi (771/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th |
Middlesex County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,632,002,[1] making it the most populous county in both Massachusetts and New England and the 22nd most populous county in the United States. This also makes the county the most populous county on the East Coast outside of New York or Florida. Middlesex County is one of two U.S. counties (along with Santa Clara County, California) to be amongst the top 25 counties with the highest household income and the 25 most populated counties. It is included in the Census Bureau's Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH Metropolitan Statistical Area. As part of the 2020 United States census, the Commonwealth's mean center of population for that year was geo-centered in Middlesex County, in the town of Natick[2][a] (this is not to be confused with the geographic center of Massachusetts, which is in Rutland, Worcester County).
On July 11, 1997, Massachusetts abolished the executive government of Middlesex County primarily due to the county's insolvency.[3] Middlesex County continues to exist as a geographic boundary[4] and is used primarily as district jurisdictions within the court system and for other administrative purposes; for example, as an election district. The National Weather Service weather alerts (such as severe thunderstorm warning) continue to localize based on Massachusetts's counties.
- ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Middlesex County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- ^ "STATEFP,STNAME,POPULATION,LATITUDE,LONGITUDE". United States Census Bureau. April 1, 2020. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ Concannon, Brendan (2014). "Massachusetts County Government: A Viable Institution?". Undergraduate Review. 10. Bridgewater State University: 55–62. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
- ^ Mass. Gen. L. c. 34B
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).