Massachusetts's congressional districts
Encyclopedia
After the 1890 Census and starting with the Fifty-third United States Congress in 1893, Massachusetts Congressional Districts were numbered west to east: with the in the west (Berkshire County
) and the highest numbered district at Cape Cod.
Before then, the district numeration was not as consistent; sometimes running east to west, other times going counter-clockwise around Boston.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Berkshire County is a non-governmental county located on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2010 census, the population was 131,219. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield...
) and the highest numbered district at Cape Cod.
Before then, the district numeration was not as consistent; sometimes running east to west, other times going counter-clockwise around Boston.
Current districts
- 1st districtMassachusetts's 1st congressional districtMassachusetts's 1st congressional district is in western and central Massachusetts. The largest Massachusetts district in area, it covers about one-third of the state and is more rural than the rest. It has the state's highest point, Mount Greylock...
, represented by John OlverJohn OlverJohn Walter Olver is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Early in his career, he was a chemistry professor and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
(D) - 2nd districtMassachusetts's 2nd congressional districtMassachusetts's 2nd congressional district is in south central Massachusetts. It contains Springfield, the chief city of Western Massachusetts, as well as some of the southern suburbs of Worcester...
, represented by Richard NealRichard NealRichard Edmund Neal is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former city councilor and mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts....
(D) - 3rd districtMassachusetts's 3rd congressional districtMassachusetts's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in central and southeastern Massachusetts. It contains Worcester, the state's second-biggest city. It has been based out of Worcester County since the 1890s. Previously the district had been located in coastal Essex County...
, represented by Jim McGovernJim McGovernJames Patrick "Jim" McGovern is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
(D) - 4th districtMassachusetts's 4th congressional districtMassachusetts's 4th congressional district is mostly in southern Massachusetts and includes the South Coast region. It is represented by Barney Frank, who has served the district since January 1981....
, represented by Barney FrankBarney FrankBarney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
(D) - 5th districtMassachusetts's 5th congressional districtMassachusetts's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in northeastern Massachusetts. It contains the cities of Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Methuen...
, represented by Niki TsongasNiki TsongasNicola Dickson "Niki" Sauvage Tsongas is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She is the widow of U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas, who represented the 5th district in the 1970s...
(D) - 6th districtMassachusetts's 6th congressional districtMassachusetts's 6th congressional district is in northeastern Massachusetts. It contains most of Essex County, including the North Shore and Cape Ann. It is currently represented by John F...
, represented by John TierneyJohn F. TierneyJohn F. Tierney is the United States representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party and an advocate for liberal policies and government oversight. A former attorney, he has served since 1997....
(D) - 7th districtMassachusetts's 7th congressional districtMassachusetts's 7th congressional district is a congressional district in eastern Massachusetts, including several suburbs north and west of Boston. It is currently represented by Edward J...
, represented by Ed MarkeyEd MarkeyEdward John "Ed" Markey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1976. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Boston's northern and western suburbs, such as Medford and Framingham. Markey is the Dean of both the Massachusetts and New England House delegations...
(D) - 8th districtMassachusetts's 8th congressional districtMassachusetts's 8th congressional district is in eastern Massachusetts, including part of Boston and the immediately adjacent cities of Cambridge, Somerville, and Chelsea. With an area of just , it is the smallest by area of Massachusetts's ten congressional districts. It is currently represented...
, represented by Mike CapuanoMike CapuanoMichael Everett "Mike" Capuano is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, which was once represented by John F. Kennedy and Tip O'Neill, includes the northern three-fourths of Boston, as well as Somerville and Cambridge...
(D) - 9th districtMassachusetts's 9th congressional districtMassachusetts's 9th congressional district is in eastern Massachusetts, including part of Boston and some of its southern suburbs. It is currently represented by Stephen Lynch, who has served the district since 2001. It has subsumed much of the former 11th District in the south suburbs of Boston...
, represented by Stephen LynchStephen Lynch (politician)Stephen F. Lynch is the U.S. representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party who has served since 2001. Lynch was previously an ironworker and lawyer, and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
(D) - 10th districtMassachusetts's 10th congressional districtMassachusetts's 10th congressional district is a political constituency that includes parts of the South Shore of Massachusetts, and all of Cape Cod and the islands. With a population of 635,901 and a land area of , it is the most populous of Massachusetts's ten congressional districts and the...
, represented by Bill KeatingWilliam R. KeatingWilliam Richard "Bill" Keating is the U.S. Representative for . From 1999 to 2011 he was District Attorney of Norfolk County. He is a member of the Democratic Party and a former Massachusetts state representative and state senator....
(D)
History of Apportionment
| Census Year |
Resident Population |
Number of Representatives |
Constituents per Representative (Massachusetts) |
Constituents per Representative (nationally) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1789 | No Census | 8 | N/A | N/A |
| 1790 | 378,787 | 14 | 27,056 | 30,000 |
| 1800 | 422,845 | 17 | 24,873 | 33,000 |
| 1810 | 472,040 | 20 | 23,602 | 35,000 |
| 1820 | 523,287 | 13 | 40,253 | 40,000 |
| 1830 | 610,408 | 12 | 50,867 | 47,700 |
| 1840 | 737,699 | 10 | 73,770 | 70,680 |
| 1850 | 994,514 | 11 | 90,410 | 93,425 |
| 1860 | 1,231,066 | 10 | 123,107 | 127,381 |
| 1870 | 1,457,351 | 11 | 132,486 | 131,425 |
| 1880 | 1,783,085 | 12 | 148,590 | 151,912 |
| 1890 | 2,238,947 | 13 | 172,227 | 173,901 |
| 1900 | 2,805,346 | 14 | 200,381 | 194,182 |
| 1910 | 3,366,416 | 16 | 210,401 | 212,407 |
| 1920 | 3,852,356 | 16 | N/A | N/A |
| 1930 | 4,249,614 | 15 | 283,307 | 280.675 |
| 1940 | 4,316,721 | 14 | 308,337 | 301,164 |
| 1950 | 4,690,514 | 14 | 335,037 | 344,587 |
| 1960 | 5,148,578 | 12 | 429,048 | 410,481 |
| 1970 | 5,689,170 | 12 | 477,223 | 469,088 |
| 1980 | 5,737,093 | 11 | 521,549 | 519,235 |
| 1990 | 6,016,425 | 10 | 602,905 | 572,466 |
| 2000 | 6,349,097 | 10 | 635,557 | 646,952 |
| 2010 | 6,547,629 | 9 | 728,849 | 710,767 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
