A graduate-degree density that reshapes every electoral map it touches
Greater Boston holds one of the highest concentrations of college-educated adults in the country, a demographic reality that has steadily widened Democratic margins in federal races while leaving local contests more competitive than the regional reputation suggests.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 1.6M | D+39.2 | 554,471 | 235,118 | 814,832 | 8.2% |
| Middlesex | 1.6M | D+39.2 | 554,471 | 235,118 | 814,832 | 8.2% |
| Middlesex | 1.5M | D+39.2 | 554,471 | 235,118 | 814,832 | 8.2% |
| Middlesex | 1.5M | D+39.2 | 554,471 | 235,118 | 814,832 | 8.2% |
| Essex | 813K | D+20.2 | 236,624 | 155,336 | 401,851 | 4.0% |
| Suffolk | 785K | D+52.1 | 222,280 | 66,480 | 299,193 | 3.0% |
| Essex | 769K | D+20.2 | 236,624 | 155,336 | 401,851 | 4.0% |
| Suffolk | 768K | D+52.1 | 222,280 | 66,480 | 299,193 | 3.0% |
| Essex | 735K | D+20.2 | 236,624 | 155,336 | 401,851 | 4.0% |
| Suffolk | 731K | D+52.1 | 222,280 | 66,480 | 299,193 | 3.0% |
| Norfolk | 730K | D+28.5 | 242,712 | 132,497 | 386,447 | 3.9% |
| Essex | 723K | D+20.2 | 236,624 | 155,336 | 401,851 | 4.0% |
| Norfolk | 691K | D+28.5 | 242,712 | 132,497 | 386,447 | 3.9% |
| Suffolk | 690K | D+52.1 | 222,280 | 66,480 | 299,193 | 3.0% |
| Norfolk | 658K | D+28.5 | 242,712 | 132,497 | 386,447 | 3.9% |
| Norfolk | 650K | D+28.5 | 242,712 | 132,497 | 386,447 | 3.9% |
| Plymouth | 535K | D+8.8 | 159,962 | 133,544 | 300,129 | 3.0% |
| Plymouth | 507K | D+8.8 | 159,962 | 133,544 | 300,129 | 3.0% |
| Plymouth | 492K | D+8.8 | 159,962 | 133,544 | 300,129 | 3.0% |
| Plymouth | 473K | D+8.8 | 159,962 | 133,544 | 300,129 | 3.0% |
| Rockingham | 319K | R+2.4 | 97,611 | 102,539 | 202,922 | 2.0% |
| Rockingham | 300K | R+2.4 | 97,611 | 102,539 | 202,922 | 2.0% |
| Rockingham | 297K | R+2.4 | 97,611 | 102,539 | 202,922 | 2.0% |
| Rockingham | 277K | R+2.4 | 97,611 | 102,539 | 202,922 | 2.0% |
| Strafford | 133K | D+12.0 | 42,373 | 33,162 | 76,688 | 0.8% |
| Strafford | 126K | D+12.0 | 42,373 | 33,162 | 76,688 | 0.8% |
| Strafford | 122K | D+12.0 | 42,373 | 33,162 | 76,688 | 0.8% |
| Strafford | 112K | D+12.0 | 42,373 | 33,162 | 76,688 | 0.8% |
| Group | Local | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 73.8% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(20) | 9.3% | 19.3% |
▶Black / African American(16) | 7.0% | 12.2% |
▶Asian(6) | 6.7% | 6.0% |
Multiracial / Other | 2.9% | 4.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(10) | 1.7% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: +62.2pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Catholic-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Democratic-leaning urban and suburban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36.9% | 73.5% | — | — | |
| 5.5% | 11.0% | — | — | |
| 3.4% | 6.8% | — | — | |
| 3.2% | 6.4% | — | — | |
| 0.9% | 1.8% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.5% | 0.9% | — | — |
| 0.3% | 0.5% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 49.8% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area? 18,587,476 residents across 28 counties.
44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 11pp above the national average. Places with similar education levels vote D+16 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Governor | D+28.1 | R+10.8 | 38.9pp |
| Senate vs Governor | D+25.4 | R+10.8 | 36.2pp |
| President vs Senate | D+28.1 | D+25.4 | 2.7pp |