Scottish Population in Massachusetts by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights

The Scottish population in Massachusetts totals 126,870, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Boston (7,201), followed by Worcester (2,084) and Cambridge (1,940), each hosting visible segments of the community. While these urban centers anchor much of the population, the statewide total points to a broader presence in unincorporated areas and smaller towns beyond major city boundaries. The analysis below explores how Scottish residents are distributed across Massachusetts''s urban and rural landscape.

Top 5 cities with the largest Scottish population in Massachusetts

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  • 1
    Boston
    Scottish population in Boston is 7,201
    1.08% of Boston population is Scottish
  • 2
    Worcester
    Scottish population in Worcester is 2,084
    1.01% of Worcester population is Scottish
  • 3
    Cambridge
    Scottish population in Cambridge is 1,940
    1.65% of Cambridge population is Scottish
  • 4
    Plymouth town
    Scottish population in Plymouth town is 1,699
    2.71% of Plymouth town population is Scottish
  • 5
    Newton
    Scottish population in Newton is 1,532
    1.73% of Newton population is Scottish

Overview of Scottish population in Massachusetts

  • Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey documents Massachusetts with 126,870 Scottish residents (1.8% of 7.0 million total state population), ranking the state at the 68th percentile nationally among U.S. jurisdictions for Scottish demographic representation.
  • Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census data records indicate Massachusetts's Scottish population of 1.8% exceeds the national average of 1.6% by a factor of 1.1.
  • Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey records show Massachusetts hosts 126,870 Scottish residents, representing 2.4% of the nation's total Scottish population of 5.3 million, establishing the state as a significant demographic concentration center within national boundaries.
  • Population Density per Square Mile: U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey data shows Massachusetts maintains 16.3 Scottish Americans per square mile, representing more than ten times the national average of 1.5 per square mile, placing the state among jurisdictions with the highest demographic concentrations nationally.
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333 Cities in Massachusetts Ranked by Scottish Population

View Methodology
American Community Survey data [1] show Scottish population in Massachusetts present in Boston, Worcester, and Cambridge, along with several other incorporated cities reporting non-zero populations. The table below provides broader statistics, including total population figures, density measures, and demographic distributions based on current ACS data for all incorporated cities included in this analysis*.
cities in Massachusetts ranked by Scottish population count
Rank by Scottish Population
City
Scottish Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total Massachusetts Scottish Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Boston 7,201 1.08% 5.68%
2 Worcester 2,084 1.01% 1.64%
3 Cambridge 1,940 1.65% 1.53%
4 Plymouth town 1,699 2.71% 1.34%
5 Newton 1,532 1.73% 1.21%
6 Brookline town 1,522 2.42% 1.20%
7 Barnstable Town 1,487 3.02% 1.17%
8 1,485 3.23% 1.17%
9 1,322 5.69% 1.04%
10 1,283 1.59% 1.01%
11 1,266 2.19% 1.00%
12 1,263 1.95% 1.00%
13 1,127 2.08% 0.89%
14 1,121 1.07% 0.88%
15 1,099 2.48% 0.87%
16 1,089 2.57% 0.86%
17 1,016 3.40% 0.80%
18 1,012 4.15% 0.80%
19 1,002 1.49% 0.79%
20 1,001 3.21% 0.79%
21 972 3.87% 0.77%
22 970 0.96% 0.76%
23 961 2.64% 0.76%
24 954 2.35% 0.75%
25 937 1.59% 0.74%
26 890 2.04% 0.70%
27 880 3.07% 0.69%
28 844 2.30% 0.67%
29 838 0.54% 0.66%
30 816 3.02% 0.64%
31 810 0.80% 0.64%
32 801 2.44% 0.63%
33 776 2.14% 0.61%
33 776 3.25% 0.61%
34 765 5.17% 0.60%
35 745 1.94% 0.59%
36 728 0.78% 0.57%
37 708 2.14% 0.56%
38 706 1.33% 0.56%
39 703 1.61% 0.55%
39 703 2.35% 0.55%
40 701 2.79% 0.55%
40 701 1.17% 0.55%
41 697 2.84% 0.55%
42 678 2.80% 0.53%
43 673 2.28% 0.53%
44 664 2.61% 0.52%
45 663 1.59% 0.52%
46 659 2.88% 0.52%
47 658 1.59% 0.52%
48 655 2.49% 0.52%
49 640 2.35% 0.50%
50 636 1.15% 0.50%
51 619 1.33% 0.49%
51 619 3.36% 0.49%
52 606 0.53% 0.48%
53 599 2.09% 0.47%
54 597 2.92% 0.47%
55 594 3.69% 0.47%
56 591 1.95% 0.47%
57 588 2.11% 0.46%
58 587 1.89% 0.46%
59 582 3.19% 0.46%
60 581 2.91% 0.46%
60 581 2.25% 0.46%
61 549 4.14% 0.43%
62 547 1.74% 0.43%
63 546 2.85% 0.43%
64 540 1.86% 0.43%
65 539 3.17% 0.42%
66 536 1.52% 0.42%
67 530 1.65% 0.42%
67 530 5.29% 0.42%
68 522 1.53% 0.41%
69 517 3.60% 0.41%
69 517 7.37% 0.41%
70 516 1.25% 0.41%
71 513 1.23% 0.40%
72 498 4.91% 0.39%
73 495 1.97% 0.39%
73 495 1.73% 0.39%
74 494 3.24% 0.39%
75 490 2.41% 0.39%
76 484 3.10% 0.38%
77 479 2.70% 0.38%
78 478 1.99% 0.38%
79 473 3.81% 0.37%
80 469 3.08% 0.37%
81 466 3.45% 0.37%
82 465 1.20% 0.37%
83 460 2.84% 0.36%
84 456 3.95% 0.36%
85 455 2.63% 0.36%
86 453 3.28% 0.36%
87 440 4.15% 0.35%
88 437 1.67% 0.34%
89 434 3.36% 0.34%
90 430 3.01% 0.34%
91 428 2.24% 0.34%
92 419 2.67% 0.33%
93 414 2.08% 0.33%
93 414 2.77% 0.33%
93 414 3.00% 0.33%
94 412 2.15% 0.32%
95 405 2.29% 0.32%
96 402 4.73% 0.32%
97 401 1.41% 0.32%
98 400 5.28% 0.32%
99 398 2.56% 0.31%
100 394 2.85% 0.31%
101 393 1.96% 0.31%
102 389 1.68% 0.31%
103 388 0.79% 0.31%
104 387 2.26% 0.31%
104 387 1.58% 0.31%
105 383 1.94% 0.30%
106 378 6.27% 0.30%
107 370 1.76% 0.29%
108 366 1.98% 0.29%
109 363 1.11% 0.29%
110 361 0.55% 0.28%
111 360 4.65% 0.28%
112 359 1.94% 0.28%
113 356 4.40% 0.28%
114 353 4.33% 0.28%
115 352 4.72% 0.28%
116 350 5.27% 0.28%
116 350 1.62% 0.28%
117 347 3.51% 0.27%
118 346 3.43% 0.27%
119 344 0.34% 0.27%
120 332 2.16% 0.26%
121 330 5.20% 0.26%
122 329 3.87% 0.26%
123 328 0.86% 0.26%
124 325 2.79% 0.26%
125 322 7.37% 0.25%
126 315 1.37% 0.25%
127 313 2.05% 0.25%
128 311 1.90% 0.25%
129 309 2.98% 0.24%
130 303 1.85% 0.24%
131 302 4.33% 0.24%
132 298 2.33% 0.23%
133 294 3.02% 0.23%
134 293 4.34% 0.23%
134 293 0.33% 0.23%
134 293 1.68% 0.23%
135 291 2.48% 0.23%
135 291 2.18% 0.23%
136 289 0.89% 0.23%
136 289 1.90% 0.23%
137 279 1.66% 0.22%
138 278 2.39% 0.22%
139 276 3.03% 0.22%
139 276 1.51% 0.22%
139 276 3.40% 0.22%
140 272 1.76% 0.21%
141 264 5.43% 0.21%
142 263 1.84% 0.21%
143 260 3.08% 0.20%
144 257 3.07% 0.20%
145 256 1.61% 0.20%
145 256 2.27% 0.20%
146 255 0.43% 0.20%
146 255 2.07% 0.20%
147 253 2.24% 0.20%
148 252 1.73% 0.20%
149 247 1.30% 0.19%
150 245 0.86% 0.19%
150 245 3.61% 0.19%
150 245 1.42% 0.19%
151 240 2.61% 0.19%
152 237 1.27% 0.19%
153 236 5.44% 0.19%
154 231 2.50% 0.18%
155 230 1.10% 0.18%
156 229 2.70% 0.18%
157 225 3.91% 0.18%
158 223 1.87% 0.18%
159 218 4.29% 0.17%
160 217 1.62% 0.17%
161 216 1.83% 0.17%
162 214 2.46% 0.17%
163 212 3.23% 0.17%
164 209 1.45% 0.16%
165 208 2.99% 0.16%
166 207 1.29% 0.16%
167 206 1.82% 0.16%
167 206 2.90% 0.16%
168 204 1.91% 0.16%
169 203 1.11% 0.16%
170 202 6.07% 0.16%
171 200 2.97% 0.16%
172 198 3.58% 0.16%
173 197 2.56% 0.16%
174 192 3.33% 0.15%
174 192 2.12% 0.15%
175 189 3.32% 0.15%
176 186 2.85% 0.15%
177 184 3.88% 0.15%
178 183 1.16% 0.14%
179 182 3.54% 0.14%
179 182 1.97% 0.14%
179 182 2.20% 0.14%
180 180 1.30% 0.14%
180 180 1.72% 0.14%
181 179 1.81% 0.14%
182 176 1.67% 0.14%
182 176 1.48% 0.14%
182 176 1.47% 0.14%
183 175 3.86% 0.14%
184 174 2.74% 0.14%
185 173 1.84% 0.14%
186 171 1.49% 0.13%
187 170 1.31% 0.13%
187 170 3.17% 0.13%
188 169 4.63% 0.13%
189 168 3.13% 0.13%
190 166 2.63% 0.13%
191 163 3.13% 0.13%
192 161 1.27% 0.13%
193 154 1.24% 0.12%
194 153 2.46% 0.12%
195 152 2.12% 0.12%
196 151 2.62% 0.12%
197 147 1.81% 0.12%
198 145 1.77% 0.11%
199 141 1.74% 0.11%
199 141 0.75% 0.11%
200 130 2.49% 0.10%
201 129 0.87% 0.10%
202 126 0.77% 0.10%
203 125 3.92% 0.10%
204 123 0.69% 0.10%
205 120 4.09% 0.09%
206 117 3.52% 0.09%
206 117 1.51% 0.09%
207 114 1.84% 0.09%
208 113 1.86% 0.09%
209 112 2.54% 0.09%
210 109 1.18% 0.09%
211 108 1.04% 0.09%
212 105 1.98% 0.08%
212 105 3.65% 0.08%
212 105 3.00% 0.08%
213 104 1.66% 0.08%
214 103 1.27% 0.08%
214 103 1.50% 0.08%
215 102 4.81% 0.08%
216 100 4.81% 0.08%
217 99 2.01% 0.08%
218 98 2.56% 0.08%
219 96 2.61% 0.08%
219 96 0.87% 0.08%
219 96 5.73% 0.08%
220 92 5.34% 0.07%
220 92 1.84% 0.07%
221 91 1.36% 0.07%
222 88 0.22% 0.07%
223 87 3.38% 0.07%
224 86 2.66% 0.07%
224 86 1.46% 0.07%
225 82 1.08% 0.06%
226 80 4.55% 0.06%
226 80 2.41% 0.06%
226 80 2.95% 0.06%
227 79 1.44% 0.06%
228 74 4.09% 0.06%
229 73 2.16% 0.06%
230 72 1.96% 0.06%
230 72 7.07% 0.06%
231 71 3.55% 0.06%
231 71 0.77% 0.06%
232 68 2.37% 0.05%
233 67 1.35% 0.05%
234 65 1.33% 0.05%
234 65 3.91% 0.05%
235 63 1.83% 0.05%
235 63 3.44% 0.05%
235 63 3.70% 0.05%
236 60 3.70% 0.05%
236 60 3.13% 0.05%
237 59 3.16% 0.05%
238 58 2.17% 0.05%
238 58 1.84% 0.05%
238 58 6.74% 0.05%
239 56 3.79% 0.04%
239 56 3.70% 0.04%
239 56 3.68% 0.04%
240 55 2.49% 0.04%
241 53 1.60% 0.04%
241 53 1.07% 0.04%
242 50 5.46% 0.04%
242 50 2.59% 0.04%
243 49 1.03% 0.04%
244 48 3.20% 0.04%
245 46 2.67% 0.04%
246 44 3.30% 0.03%
247 43 3.25% 0.03%
247 43 4.46% 0.03%
248 42 3.41% 0.03%
248 42 0.79% 0.03%
248 42 3.02% 0.03%
249 41 3.86% 0.03%
250 37 3.18% 0.03%
250 37 2.21% 0.03%
250 37 2.21% 0.03%
251 36 2.14% 0.03%
252 33 0.89% 0.03%
252 33 5.08% 0.03%
253 32 4.01% 0.03%
254 31 1.89% 0.02%
255 30 2.84% 0.02%
255 30 4.82% 0.02%
256 29 1.42% 0.02%
256 29 2.47% 0.02%
257 28 2.33% 0.02%
258 27 4.28% 0.02%
259 26 3.32% 0.02%
259 26 1.42% 0.02%
259 26 1.38% 0.02%
260 24 2.49% 0.02%
261 23 2.82% 0.02%
262 21 2.71% 0.02%
263 18 1.95% 0.01%
264 16 1.83% 0.01%
265 14 1.33% 0.01%
266 13 1.77% 0.01%
267 11 0.36% 0.01%
267 11 1.24% 0.01%
268 4 0.32% 0.00%
269 0 - -
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Methodology

This ranking list is based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS is one of the most reliable sources for understanding population trends across different locations, and it provides estimates for various racial and ethnic groups at city, county, state and all geography levels down to the Census block group.
This list ranks city in Massachusetts by their Scottish population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census defines Scottish population

The U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-identify their ancestry, meaning individuals can write upto ancestries when responding to the survey. In this ranking, we include everyone who identifies as having Scottish ancestry, whether alone or in combination with another ancestry.
Here are a few important things to know about how ancestry is reported:
  • Some people identify as Scottish alone, while others identify as Scottish along with another race (such as Scottish and German).
  • We’ve used the “Scottish alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the Scottish population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as Scottish alone or in combination in city. To provide additional context, we’ve also included two key percentages:
  1. % of Total City Population – This shows what percentage of the total state population identifies as Scottish .
  2. % of Total Massachusetts Scottish Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. Scottish population lives in that state.
To keep things simple, all population numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number, and percentages are rounded to one decimal place. Because of rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100%.

Things to Keep in Mind

Like all survey-based data, ACS estimates come with some limitations. Here are a few things to be aware of:
  • In places with very small Scottish populations, the numbers may not be reported at all due to privacy protections or sampling variability in the survey.
  • Since the ACS is based on a sample, the numbers are estimates, not exact counts. That means they may slightly differ from other sources like the decennial U.S. Census.
  • City that don’t have any reported Scottish population are not included in the ranking but are listed separately below for reference.
This ranking is meant to provide a clear, data-driven look at where Scottish populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

  1. 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
  2. 2023.