Farm Census

Massachusetts farms by county

2022 Census of Agriculture · 14 counties

7,083 farms464,451 acres in farms66 acres per farm on average

Massachusetts farms sold $607 million of products in 2022, 47th among the 50 states.

Its average farm size is the second-smallest among the states.

Nursery and greenhouse: 27.0%Nursery and greenhouse27.0%Fruit and nuts: 21.7%Fruit and nuts21.7%Vegetables and melons: 20.9%Vegetables and melons20.9%Milk: 10.1%Milk10.1%Aquaculture: 6.2%Aquaculture6.2%Hay and other crops: 3.4%3.4%Poultry and eggs: 2.8%2.8%Cattle and calves: 2.4%2.4%Other animals: 1.3%1.3%Grains and oilseeds: 1.2%1.2%Horses and mules: 0.8%0.8%Christmas trees: 0.7%0.7%Tobacco: 0.5%0.5%Hogs and pigs: 0.5%0.5%Sheep and goats: 0.4%0.4%Nursery and greenhouse: 27.0%Nursery and greenhouse27.0%Fruit and nuts: 21.7%Fruit and nuts21.7%Vegetables and melons: 20.9%20.9%Milk: 10.1%Milk10.1%Aquaculture: 6.2%6.2%Hay and other crops: 3.4%3.4%Poultry and eggs: 2.8%2.8%Cattle and calves: 2.4%2.4%Other animals: 1.3%1.3%Grains and oilseeds: 1.2%Horses and mules: 0.8%Christmas trees: 0.7%Tobacco: 0.5%Hogs and pigs: 0.5%Sheep and goats: 0.4%
What Massachusetts farms sold in 2022.

Which county leads each crop and animal

The county with the largest published figure for each item, and how much of the state total it holds. Items are ordered by how important Massachusetts is for them nationally.

Crop or animalLeading countyIts share of the stateCounties with figures
BerriesPlymouth County77.0%14
ApplesWorcester County30.5%9
Horses and poniesWorcester County22.9%12
VegetablesHampshire County31.1%14
PotatoesHampshire County76.4%10
GoatsWorcester County33.3%12
Sheep and lambsWorcester County22.6%12
Corn for silageBerkshire County24.4%10
Hay and haylageWorcester County29.5%13
Milk cowsBerkshire County27.2%7
Orchard landWorcester County31.2%13
Laying hensWorcester County63.9%14
Cattle and calvesBerkshire County20.2%13
Beef cowsWorcester County28.3%9

Every county in Massachusetts

Sorted by farm sales. Linked counties have their own profile page, chosen because they stand out nationally or within the state.

CountyFarmsAvg acresSalesLargest group
Plymouth County80967$90.2MFruit and nuts
Middlesex County61742$87.9MNursery and greenhouse
Worcester County1,62356$87.1MNursery and greenhouse
Franklin County73398$76.4MNursery and greenhouse
Hampshire County71874$58.8MVegetables and melons
Bristol County50755$46.2MNursery and greenhouse
Barnstable County34911$40.1MAquaculture
Essex County44142$36.7MNursery and greenhouse
Berkshire County471153$36.0MMilk
Hampden County49160$26.6MVegetables and melons
Norfolk County21344$12.8MVegetables and melons
Dukes County6697$4.4MAquaculture
Nantucket County1754$3.0MFruit and nuts
Suffolk County287$1.1MNursery and greenhouse

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms7,241−2.2%
Land in farms, acres491,653−5.5%
Average farm size, acres68−2.9%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$475 million+27.8%

Source: USDA NASS, 2022 and 2017 Census of Agriculture. How to read these pages.