The land that Massachusetts real estate sits upon goes back farther than human history, of course. Before European colonization, the area belonged to the Wampanoag, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Mahican, and Massachusetts tribes, all Algonquian-speaking peoples. Initial European contact and settlement was friendly. Nevertheless, after contact nearly 90% of the populations of these people fell to disease. Many of those remaining fell fighting proxy wars between the Americans and the French.

Massachusetts was a major center of the US revolution from Colonial England, and led the industrialization of the nation in the 19th century. It became the first state to legalize same sex marriage in 2001, and legalized marijuana use in 2016.

Massachusetts’ population was 7,029,917 as of the 2020 census, up nearly half a million from 2010. With so many people moving in you might worry if you still can buy land in Massachusetts. But it offers just shy of 3 million housing units. Furthermore, more than 17,000 building permits were issued in 2020 alone. Roughly 63% of the housing in the state is owner-occupied.

 Just over 91% of Massachusetts residents over the age of 25 have high school diplomas, and just over 44% have a Bachelor’s degree or higher. The median household income was $84,385 in 2020.

Like much of New England, Boston has a humid continental climate dominated by the Atlantic Ocean. If you do buy real estate in Massachusetts, you can expect rain, snow and cold winters, but also warm summers and an average of 197 sunny days each year.  Most years, the state sees 49 inches of rain, compared to the national average of 38. It also sees 47 inches of snow on average, nearly twice the US average. In mid-summer, daytime high temperatures average around 82 degrees F, whereas January sees lows around 16 degrees F. It is prone to ‘nor-easters’ – intense winter storms coming off the sea. It also gets the occasional tropical storm or hurricane, especially in the southeast.  

Boston is the capital as well as the largest city in the state, so it is a prime place to buy or rent a house in Massachusetts. It had 675,000+ residents as of 2020, though there are nearly 5 million people living in the Greater Boston metro area. Boston is known for its art and cultural scene, its scientific research universities and its historical landmarks. 

Living in Greater Boston, you’ll be able to see a variety of pro sports teams play home games, see the oldest public park in the US (Boston Common), see the Franklin Park Zoo, tour the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, or spend the day at the museum of Fine Arts.

Worcester is the seat of its county government, boasting a population of more than 206,000 people in 2020. It is the 2nd largest single city in New England, and is located near the geographic center of the state. Worcester is a great place to buy real estate in Massachusetts because of its thriving biotech industries and efforts at urban renewal. 

 Residents and visitors to Worcester can explore sights like Bancroft tower, attend the stART on the Street local arts festival, attend the largest and most elaborate St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the state, or visit the 549-acre Green Hill Park

Springfield is the seat of Hampden County. If you are buying a condo in Massachusetts, do not overlook Springfield as a location. Its population was nearly 156,000 in 2020. That makes it the 12th largest city in the Northeastern US. Its major employers include Smith& Wesson, General Dynamics and MassMutual, and the job market is strong. 

Springfield’s people can enjoy 6 Flags New England, a thriving dining and street food scene, and many famous music venues. Local fairs and festivals include the Eastern States Exposition, the Hoop City Jazz Festival, Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend, Springfield Gay Pride Week and the Stearns Square Concert Series. 

Here are a few of the best reasons to consider buying real estate in Massachusetts:

 They have a very strong sports culture. Whether your game is baseball, football, hockey or basketball, Boston’s pro teams have a very loyal fan base all over the nation. 

Summertime in Massachusetts is beautiful. Warm but not hot, temperatures rarely even reach the 90s, or drop below the 60s. Beautiful. 

Massachusetts’ schools are among the nation’s best. MIT, Harvard, Tufts, Boston College… the list goes on and on. Some of the oldest and best universities in the country are at your doorstep.  

The economy is diverse, making it resilient. 

Massachusetts’ economy is the 3rd best in the US according to WalletHub, and the best in terms of innovation

Maybe. It might be the best thing you ever did, But no real estate in Massachusetts can be called ‘cheap’ with a straight face, and it is a big decision. Unless you are investing to fill out your property portfolio, you should choose the kind of place you’d really want to live. It is hard to make that decision from a website or an ad, though. 

It is probably a better idea to see for yourself. Plan a get-away, and spend a few days or a week in Massachusetts. Don’t spend all of it in Boston, either – get into the countryside a little, so you can really get to know the state. Is it the kind of place you can imagine living happily?