| Municipalities of Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Municipality |
| Location | Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
| Found in | County |
| Created |
|
| Number | 351 |
| Possible types | |
| Populations | 70 (Gosnold) – 675,647 (Boston) |
| Areas | 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) (Nahant) – 96.5 square miles (250 km2) (Plymouth) |
| Government | |
| Subdivisions | |
Massachusetts is a state located in the Northeastern United States. Municipalities in the state are classified as either towns or cities, distinguished by their form of government under state law. Towns have an open town meeting or representative town meeting form of government; cities, on the other hand, use a mayor-council or council-manager form. Based on the form of government, as of 2023,[1] there are 292 towns and 59 cities in Massachusetts. Over time, many towns have voted to become cities; 14 municipalities still refer to themselves as "towns" even though they have a city form of government.[1]
The Census Bureau classifies towns in Massachusetts as a type of "minor civil division" and cities as a type of "populated place". However, from the perspective of Massachusetts law, politics, and geography, cities and towns are the same type of municipal unit, differing primarily in their form of government and some state laws which set different rules for each type.
There is no unincorporated land in Massachusetts. The land area of the state is completely divided up among the 351 municipalities.
- ^ a b John Ouellette (September 19, 2023). "Local Government 101". Massachusetts Municipal Association.