Has your city or town gotten more Republican or Democratic over the last 50 years?

A municipality-based look at Massachusetts presidential voting from 1972 through 2020.

Brent Benson
2023-01-23

It’s not like Massachusetts, where they’re baptized Democrats.

Massachusetts is often seen as a liberal bastion and uniformly supportive of the Democratic Party as in this quote by pollster Joel Benenson (he was contrasting Massachusetts with a Democratic-trending New Jersey in 2002) but its history and present behavior is much more complicated.

In the last 50 years Massachusetts presidential election maps have gone from a sea of red cities and towns puncuated with several blue islands in 1984, to blue as far as the eye can see with only a handful of red towns 12 years later in 1996. There have been several noticeable geographic trends in Massachusetts partisanship over the last 50 years including increased Democratic dominance in far Western Massachusetts, a move from Republican to Democratic support in the rich suburbs of Boston, and stubborn Republican consistency in the rural parts of Hampden County and much of Worcester, Bristol, and Plymouth counties.

In 1984 82% of Massachusetts’ cities and towns voted for Republican Ronald Reagan over Walter Mondale and Reagan carried a small majority of the Commonweath’s voters. In 1996, Bill Clinton won a majority of votes in all but nine Massachusetts municipalities while besting Bob Dole by over 25 points.

This retrospective looks at the two-party (Dem/GOP) vote margin for every Massachusetts presidential election from 1972 through 2020 and identifies municipalities that have been consistently Democratic, consistently Republican, and towns that have seen political transformation over the last 50 years. (The Democratic Margin is the number of percentage point difference between the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate. For example, in Carlisle, MA in 1972 George McGovern (D) got 571 votes (39%) while Richard Nixon (R) got 896 votes (61%) giving a Democratic margin of 39% - 61% = -22 points.)

1972

George McGovern (D) 55% over Richard Nixon (R) 45%

1976

Jimmy Carter (D) 58% over Gerald Ford (R) 42%

1980

Ronald Reagan (R) 50% over Jimmy Carter (D) 50%

1984

Ronald Reagan (R) 51% over Walter Mondale (D) 49%

1988

Michael Dukakis (D) 54% over George HW Bush (R) 46%

1992

Bill Clinton (D) 62% over George HW Bush (R) 38%

1996

Bill Clinton (D) 69% over Bob Dole (R) 31%

2000

Al Gore (D) 65% over George W Bush (R) 35%

2004

John Kerry (D) 63% over George W Bush (R) 37%

2008

Barack Obama (D) 63% over John McCain (R) 37%

2012

Barack Obama (D) 62% over Mitt Romney (R) 38%

2016

Hillary Clinton (D) 65% over Donald Trump (R) 35%

2020

Joe Biden (D) 67% over Donald Trump (R) 33%

Consistently Republican towns

The only Massachusetts municipality that has voted Republican in every presidential election from 1972 through 2020 is Granville, a small town in Hampden County on the Connecticut border. It’s western neighbor, Tolland, came close to sharing this distinction, but was prevented by a 75 to 75 vote tie between President Bill Clinton and challenger Senator Bob Dole in 1996.

Historically Republican towns (Dem margin 1972-2020)
city_town 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Blandford −52 −29 −49 −43 −22 −5 10 −11 −3 −1 −7 −23 −19
Granville1 −57 −29 −53 −56 −39 −23 −9 −21 −9 −10 −14 −24 −17
Montgomery −42 −24 −28 −48 −30 −17 2 −19 −8 −4 −11 −17 −12
Tolland −26 −16 −33 −45 −32 −8 2 0 −10 −8 −4 −17 −31 −16
1 Granville is the only city/town to vote Republican in every election
2 Tolland's only non-GOP victory was a 75-75 vote Clinton-Dole tie in 1996

All four of these solidly Republican towns are in the western Massachusetts county of Hampden. The Democratic-leaning Pioneer Valley cities like Springfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke keep Hampden County from being the most Republican county in the state.

The bluest of the blue

The most Democratic municipalities in Massachusetts include the university-dominated cities of Amherst and Cambridge, and two towns on the ocean, Provincetown on the tip of Cape Cod and Aquinnah on the western end of the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

Historically Democratic cities/towns (Dem margin 1972-2020)
city_town 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Amherst 37 36 43 42 51 68 67 63 74 79 74 82 85
Aquinnah1 33 71 57 79 74 74 84 80 85 83 74 74 80
Cambridge 49 47 51 53 57 68 72 70 74 79 78 87 87
Provincetown2 33 43 28 35 55 73 78 75 77 78 82 82 86
1 Aquinnah had the largest average Democratic margin of 73 points
2 Provincetown had the largest median Democratic margin of 74.5 points

Communities with colleges and universities are often more liberal than surrounding communities (but is is not clear whether this is a causal relationship).

The resort town of Provincetown has had a long association and support for the LGBTQ+ community and progressive politics in general. The island town of Aquinnah is an import ancestral area for the indigenous Wampanoag people and continues to have a significant indigigenous population, which may explain some of its Democratic strength.

Historic Margins by City/Town

Sorted by 2020 Democratic vote margin

MA Dem-GOP Presidential margin 1972-2020
city_town 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Blandford −52 −29 −49 −43 −22 −5 10 −11 −3 −1 −7 −23 −19
Wales −3 24 −20 −25 2 19 30 13 6 9 5 −20 −18
Granville −57 −29 −53 −56 −39 −23 −9 −21 −9 −10 −14 −24 −17
Russell −19 8 −10 −30 −19 13 21 −5 1 5 0 −27 −17
Tolland −26 −16 −33 −45 −32 −8 0 −10 −8 −4 −17 −31 −16
Southwick −13 11 −20 −25 −9 3 18 −3 −5 −4 −15 −23 −15
Chester −10 14 −22 −26 −5 8 21 −10 −1 9 4 −22 −14
Phillipston −21 8 −20 −38 −13 4 32 −3 −4 8 −1 −19 −13
Berkley −5 15 −16 −28 −15 17 30 15 6 1 −4 −14 −12
Montgomery −42 −24 −28 −48 −30 −17 2 −19 −8 −4 −11 −17 −12
East Brookfield −12 20 −4 −25 −24 −1 19 −2 −14 −13 −17 −23 −11
North Brookfield −12 18 −8 −31 −29 −3 13 0 −8 −6 −10 −22 −11
Acushnet 25 45 0 6 21 51 61 49 38 21 16 −8 −11
Douglas −1 19 −17 −20 −8 2 28 5 −5 −7 −15 −20 −9
Oakham −22 −1 −19 −24 −13 2 14 −5 −1 −4 −9 −19 −9
Warren 8 37 0 −10 −8 23 36 18 7 5 10 −17 −9
Millville 22 48 20 −3 12 15 42 27 2 −3 −6 −17 −9
Freetown −10 18 −22 −21 −7 20 36 23 12 4 2 −13 −8
Dudley 16 35 1 −11 −3 17 32 19 9 3 −2 −15 −8
Dighton −17 4 −13 −22 −9 11 31 21 8 0 −3 −15 −7
Winchendon 2 31 −7 −20 −3 21 34 12 8 10 5 −13 −7
Holland −12 22 −13 −34 −7 14 24 6 −1 1 −8 −21 −6
Middleborough −18 3 −21 −29 −25 3 22 9 −3 −6 −7 −15 −6
Lakeville −24 −7 −33 −35 −30 −4 16 1 −10 −11 −16 −16 −6
Rochester −29 −7 −29 −34 −21 5 16 8 1 −3 −11 −12 −6
Brimfield −18 7 −17 −24 −12 5 18 6 1 0 −10 −17 −6
Rehoboth −21 −3 −18 −25 −9 6 17 10 4 3 −5 −12 −6
Brookfield −21 13 −17 −35 −29 2 26 5 2 3 −2 −14 −5
Hampden −27 −4 −26 −31 −13 −5 6 −3 −1 0 −10 −16 −5
Templeton −3 28 −6 −16 −4 15 41 20 13 6 0 −15 −5
Monroe −7 3 −25 −13 6 12 29 27 31 36 21 −2 −5
Spencer 9 29 −4 −20 −14 6 30 13 5 2 −3 −15 −5
Charlton −8 16 −15 −32 −16 −2 17 3 −6 −8 −11 −17 −5
Swansea 0 21 5 −3 15 30 43 35 27 18 16 −5 −4
Middleton −7 6 −23 −31 −21 0 20 8 −3 −7 −16 −10 −4
Carver −11 12 −21 −25 −11 7 28 17 6 1 −4 −12 −3
Monson −11 15 −4 −18 1 14 27 7 12 11 3 −8 −3
New Braintree −19 3 −11 −18 −49 −1 22 −6 4 8 5 −14 −3
Ashby −28 0 −26 −36 −19 −3 18 3 −4 −3 −7 −15 −3
Oxford 0 31 0 −18 −6 13 34 18 8 3 −2 −13 −2
Blackstone 21 44 7 −15 10 16 38 25 10 8 5 −11 −2
East Bridgewater −15 0 −25 −38 −28 −8 21 11 −4 −5 −7 −12 −2
Palmer 14 38 12 −2 11 24 36 20 19 13 10 −11 −2
Ludlow 19 41 12 0 17 27 37 26 23 17 10 −6 −2
Ware 25 48 11 3 13 32 47 21 22 17 14 −8 −2
Hubbardston −19 2 −16 −27 −14 6 22 0 −2 −3 −9 −14 −2
Agawam −1 20 −6 −17 4 13 30 18 13 8 3 −9 −2
West Bridgewater −24 −10 −35 −41 −36 −13 7 −5 −9 −12 −11 −14 −1
Hanson −13 3 −23 −34 −17 −1 24 12 1 −4 −9 −12 −1
Halifax −8 5 −28 −32 −25 −7 24 12 0 −2 −3 −13 −1
Leicester 9 30 2 −16 0 12 34 17 9 6 2 −8 −1
Huntington −27 −6 −13 −23 −5 10 16 −7 3 12 7 −14 −1
Dracut 11 35 −5 −28 −13 10 36 20 2 0 −7 −11 −1
Webster 22 44 11 −6 1 21 37 22 12 8 5 −7 0
Sutton −16 12 −15 −31 −25 −4 15 1 −6 −7 −17 −11 0
Barre 7 31 2 −10 −4 18 35 10 6 8 3 −9 0
West Brookfield −19 1 −27 −31 −23 −2 20 5 4 4 1 −7 0
Hardwick 15 37 5 −8 2 28 34 13 17 14 12 −11 1
Townsend −21 5 −24 −37 −18 4 23 5 −5 −5 −13 −10 1
Florida −20 12 −25 −31 −9 16 40 22 34 29 34 6 1
Raynham −14 −1 −25 −33 −20 2 26 15 2 −3 −6 −7 1
Westfield −1 18 −4 −13 2 15 27 9 9 9 6 −5 2
Athol −17 3 −27 −28 −17 12 33 10 8 15 10 −6 2
Plympton −15 6 −28 −35 −25 −7 17 6 −1 −6 −9 −10 3
Rutland −17 −3 −24 −29 −23 −6 13 4 −2 −1 −6 −7 3
Westport −2 22 −4 −9 4 28 39 32 28 27 20 1 3
Saugus 10 20 −6 −7 3 19 38 31 16 3 3 −7 3
Lynnfield −25 −24 −41 −36 −26 −13 2 −1 −7 −12 −23 −8 3
Uxbridge 16 34 5 −12 0 17 32 16 6 −1 −6 −6 3
Westminster −11 13 −15 −28 −11 9 26 11 2 4 −7 −5 4
Hanover −14 −5 −30 −30 −17 −4 15 5 −5 −10 −19 −6 4
Salisbury −16 12 −20 −24 0 17 36 22 12 11 8 −3 5
Northbridge 8 26 3 −20 −3 10 25 8 −2 −2 −9 −7 5
Millbury 17 41 11 −9 −1 14 39 23 11 7 2 −4 6
Rowley −21 −16 −31 −36 −18 −7 19 1 −6 0 −10 −4 6
Granby −7 15 −5 −21 4 12 28 12 15 13 9 −1 6
Tewksbury 7 20 −10 −24 −9 10 31 19 6 0 −5 −5 6
Somerset 4 27 10 5 21 37 49 44 36 29 25 4 6
Royalston −13 16 −24 −17 −8 11 28 9 11 21 19 −1 7
East Longmeadow −29 −5 −20 −28 −7 0 13 3 2 2 −5 −4 7
Wilbraham −29 −16 −29 −34 −14 −6 4 −2 1 2 −7 −3 7
Whitman −10 10 −19 −28 −20 1 24 17 6 0 0 −6 7
Sterling −31 −2 −30 −43 −29 −7 11 −2 −4 −6 −13 −4 8
Mendon −33 −2 −27 −44 −27 −4 17 8 −5 −4 −10 −5 8
Orange −32 −2 −30 −32 −14 5 27 2 2 16 16 −2 8
Bridgewater 2 16 −12 −19 −17 3 23 13 1 0 −3 −5 8
Pembroke −6 8 −20 −24 −12 2 29 17 5 0 −5 −3 8
West Springfield −6 10 −8 −14 2 10 27 15 14 14 9 2 8
Bellingham 11 29 −2 −20 0 17 40 28 12 7 2 0 8
Fairhaven 7 25 −4 4 21 44 54 45 40 29 24 5 9
Tyngsborough −2 21 −20 −37 −20 8 28 11 −1 −2 −8 −2 9
Kingston −2 6 −18 −23 −10 2 22 13 3 0 −8 −2 9
Seekonk −14 2 −7 −16 3 15 28 22 13 14 6 1 9
Pepperell −13 7 −25 −34 −20 4 24 8 −1 −1 −8 −3 9
Ashburnham −2 18 −7 −20 −4 13 30 20 7 9 3 −3 10
Bourne −22 −6 −23 −20 −6 7 19 9 2 2 −5 −3 10
Groveland −12 1 −21 −27 −9 5 24 9 1 1 −6 −3 10
Abington −6 9 −16 −20 −12 2 28 19 10 4 1 1 10
Southampton −19 2 −16 −27 −10 10 22 5 7 15 8 2 10
Hancock −24 0 −29 −27 −6 26 38 24 27 31 23 9 11
Billerica 5 21 −10 −21 −7 13 35 22 6 2 −1 −1 11
Wilmington 3 16 −10 −22 −7 9 32 21 5 −1 −4 0 11
Otis −27 −4 −29 −45 −17 15 22 −1 14 23 22 3 11
Wareham −11 11 −7 −10 2 21 39 28 18 17 13 3 11
Norton −7 4 −17 −30 −12 9 28 17 6 4 0 1 11
Rockland 8 20 −12 −19 −4 9 34 24 11 3 6 1 11
Dartmouth 1 11 −10 −3 13 40 44 38 36 28 25 12 11
Georgetown −24 −8 −26 −29 −11 7 22 8 0 2 −6 3 12
Wrentham −14 −7 −24 −32 −19 1 17 4 −2 −3 −13 1 12
Sandwich −27 −12 −34 −24 −10 8 13 4 −1 2 −5 1 12
Paxton −29 −7 −31 −31 −25 −9 5 4 4 3 −10 1 12
Fall River 27 44 33 29 41 55 68 59 53 48 50 23 13
Methuen 8 33 −4 −15 −14 5 28 17 5 10 4 7 13
Marshfield 0 5 −18 −19 −7 6 23 14 4 2 −6 1 13
Plainville −20 −7 −24 −37 −18 4 22 12 3 2 −4 0 13
Auburn −4 15 −10 −23 −7 10 30 21 14 11 5 6 13
Gardner 19 42 10 −1 10 28 47 34 26 22 17 8 14
Peabody 22 27 3 −1 9 27 46 38 23 16 13 9 14
Rowe −55 −39 −39 −35 −27 −14 4 −11 10 15 21 10 15
Taunton 19 30 7 −5 7 26 45 38 26 21 21 11 15
Southbridge 20 40 15 −7 10 28 48 34 23 31 30 18 15
North Reading −7 6 −19 −25 −10 4 21 10 0 −2 −8 4 15
Sturbridge −5 12 −10 −26 −6 9 21 11 7 8 −2 2 15
Chicopee 21 41 20 8 24 30 46 34 30 26 27 11 15
Lunenburg −12 12 −26 −34 −21 8 23 12 7 3 −5 2 16
Boxford −42 −41 −50 −50 −35 −20 −12 −12 −13 −6 −19 6 16
North Attleborough −13 −3 −26 −36 −20 0 21 12 2 3 −5 2 16
Peru −31 8 −18 −41 −8 21 24 20 26 35 41 10 16
Lancaster −34 −15 −25 −39 −19 0 16 2 0 0 −5 6 16
Plymouth −3 9 −15 −18 −7 12 27 18 9 7 3 4 17
Savoy −3 13 −18 −32 −15 10 35 7 34 42 40 6 17
Shirley −6 21 −8 −28 −16 15 26 14 7 6 2 7 17
Dunstable −26 −5 −41 −34 −24 −7 17 2 −2 1 −12 7 17
Boylston −17 −3 −18 −29 −17 −1 12 5 8 5 −2 12 17
Leominster 8 32 −4 −18 −6 16 38 25 16 13 7 9 18
Barnstable −23 −12 −29 −14 0 16 16 8 5 10 2 7 18
Braintree 1 8 −14 −15 −5 8 29 23 13 2 4 11 18
Mattapoisett −27 −19 −34 −24 −11 14 19 14 14 11 5 8 18
Cheshire 11 22 2 −19 12 40 49 34 40 44 42 14 18
Danvers −3 2 −22 −25 −14 3 23 16 7 11 3 9 19
Mashpee −1 5 −15 −11 4 19 21 12 7 9 1 7 19
Holden −33 −18 −34 −37 −23 −9 9 5 3 5 −2 10 19
Norwell −16 −16 −30 −30 −19 −6 6 −1 −3 −5 −15 7 19
Attleboro −8 1 −15 −28 −11 10 30 22 12 14 11 10 19
Merrimac −20 0 −19 −26 3 14 31 11 7 11 5 8 19
West Boylston −20 −1 −24 −33 −26 −5 11 4 4 3 −1 7 20
Clarksburg −3 21 −3 −19 17 43 52 30 38 46 45 22 20
Haverhill 9 25 8 −6 8 20 36 25 15 18 13 12 20
Walpole 0 3 −12 −22 −10 0 20 11 3 −1 −8 9 21
Yarmouth −32 −18 −35 −19 −7 9 15 9 8 10 5 11 21
Sandisfield −7 7 −18 −15 20 42 35 28 34 31 31 14 21
Topsfield −38 −31 −44 −37 −27 −9 0 −6 −4 0 −9 15 21
Foxborough −9 −6 −15 −27 −10 5 26 15 7 5 0 10 21
Erving −18 5 −1 −11 −6 9 37 23 31 45 47 17 22
Avon 5 19 −13 −13 −5 10 37 27 13 1 4 8 22
Holbrook 4 16 −10 −17 −6 12 36 27 14 9 11 10 22
Princeton −39 −21 −35 −39 −27 −7 5 1 4 6 −2 14 22
Milford 23 31 13 −4 7 26 44 32 19 18 13 17 22
Dennis −31 −16 −34 −18 −6 11 16 11 10 12 7 13 22
Weymouth 7 12 −7 −11 2 16 32 27 17 9 10 12 22
Easton −17 −5 −30 −31 −23 −2 17 13 4 4 −7 11 23
Woburn 22 28 3 −5 5 16 37 27 14 9 9 13 23
Norfolk −21 −11 −33 −40 −24 −12 5 −3 −7 −4 −14 9 23
Upton −15 5 −12 −28 −13 7 23 12 6 4 −4 12 23
Fitchburg 20 44 8 −6 9 28 44 34 25 23 21 21 23
Middlefield −39 −11 −20 −14 1 32 18 11 21 33 45 15 23
Stoneham 6 10 −9 −6 4 16 34 30 19 12 9 14 24
Clinton 11 35 12 −11 −1 20 44 27 19 18 18 16 24
New Bedford 22 39 15 25 39 60 70 63 55 50 54 34 24
Petersham −24 −3 −19 −15 −13 5 25 8 13 17 14 14 24
Hopedale −9 9 −11 −23 −5 12 33 25 14 12 5 12 25
Winthrop 12 13 3 2 7 27 43 38 27 19 19 15 25
North Andover −6 7 −14 −20 −18 −3 11 3 −1 6 −6 14 25
Berlin −33 −10 −21 −37 −19 −1 20 5 10 10 5 15 26
Belchertown 1 18 6 0 13 30 35 21 27 29 22 17 26
Wakefield 5 8 −10 −9 0 16 33 26 17 12 5 16 26
Chatham −44 −32 −42 −30 −17 −3 0 −7 2 10 0 14 26
Burlington 7 16 −13 −20 −5 10 31 21 13 9 6 17 26
Franklin 12 18 −2 −18 0 13 31 20 8 8 0 15 26
Duxbury −31 −26 −37 −35 −19 −9 −1 −4 −1 3 −11 14 26
Medway −1 8 −12 −22 −8 10 26 17 8 9 1 15 26
Harwich −35 −20 −35 −19 −6 11 12 5 8 16 10 16 27
Millis 1 1 −16 −21 1 9 26 16 11 11 4 16 27
Westhampton −40 −10 −23 −24 −15 15 21 5 17 24 25 21 27
Mansfield −5 6 −17 −26 −12 7 27 15 8 8 1 15 27
New Salem −32 −16 −35 −34 −6 21 30 12 24 35 30 24 28
Chelmsford −13 −1 −23 −32 −17 5 22 12 7 9 0 17 28
Chesterfield −27 −20 −29 −21 −9 11 17 −9 11 25 33 20 28
Grafton 3 25 −2 −19 −10 10 29 17 8 8 5 16 28
Newbury −27 −16 −31 −30 −9 7 17 9 7 11 4 18 28
Goshen −40 −21 −16 −14 4 17 34 13 28 37 33 26 29
Becket −20 14 −24 −21 8 35 39 25 31 45 45 22 29
Windsor −19 −1 −13 −28 0 45 47 22 37 47 50 33 30
Hull 23 30 −2 8 21 35 49 39 30 22 19 22 30
Revere 30 37 8 13 16 33 51 48 34 23 33 27 30
Canton 5 8 −13 −16 −8 8 25 23 14 9 6 21 30
Heath −36 −1 −18 10 8 21 20 13 26 37 41 19 30
Scituate −7 −7 −23 −19 −7 7 16 9 6 7 −1 19 30
Marion −27 −24 −33 −24 −14 9 14 13 16 18 8 23 31
Ayer −7 23 −5 −21 −8 19 32 22 10 15 13 18 31
Longmeadow −27 −22 −32 −24 −8 12 15 18 17 17 4 21 31
Hinsdale −7 16 −3 −17 6 30 37 29 41 37 42 20 31
Hudson 8 17 1 −21 −4 15 38 28 20 19 15 23 32
Norwood 17 13 −4 −7 0 16 32 25 19 14 13 23 32
Shrewsbury −2 15 −10 −18 −9 6 22 15 12 16 9 22 32
Falmouth −10 4 −12 −5 8 26 30 21 18 22 15 23 32
Nahant 7 6 −6 −2 8 18 35 29 26 20 21 22 32
Westwood −19 −20 −32 −28 −20 −8 3 2 6 7 −2 25 33
West Newbury −25 −19 −30 −33 −11 2 12 3 7 11 1 23 33
Ipswich −13 −6 −16 −23 −6 6 23 10 12 15 9 24 34
Stoughton 11 19 0 −7 4 25 39 38 26 20 18 26 34
Adams 25 39 18 1 32 51 61 48 52 55 57 31 34
South Hadley −4 12 −4 −6 10 20 33 23 26 28 25 23 34
Amesbury −5 16 −7 −17 11 18 36 21 17 23 17 23 34
New Ashford −11 0 −4 −7 −8 32 52 33 27 41 46 44 34
Reading −14 −12 −22 −18 −4 12 25 20 17 14 6 24 34
Northfield −34 −22 −25 −11 6 26 35 23 32 45 40 31 34
Lanesborough 0 17 −1 −14 11 44 43 31 40 41 45 25 34
Marlborough 13 19 5 −17 −2 16 35 22 16 18 17 28 35
Lowell 21 37 13 −6 8 26 48 39 27 33 36 38 35
Essex −25 −27 −34 −30 −17 2 16 8 8 13 9 25 35
Charlemont −48 −21 −25 −24 −6 16 35 22 32 47 47 28 35
Worthington −41 −23 −30 −16 2 26 27 7 30 39 40 31 36
Brewster −26 −22 −30 −12 4 18 20 11 17 21 14 23 36
Quincy 14 15 0 −3 6 21 40 34 29 19 25 31 36
Leyden −19 −1 −11 −2 17 28 37 14 39 51 49 38 36
Warwick −29 11 −22 2 6 23 35 18 37 50 51 31 36
Bernardston −45 −23 −28 −30 −8 6 27 16 26 41 42 30 37
Andover −17 −14 −28 −23 −15 1 9 4 8 13 2 26 37
Gloucester 1 10 −6 −9 13 26 42 34 30 32 28 29 37
Hingham −12 −15 −25 −25 −13 −2 8 5 5 8 −3 28 37
Colrain −35 −14 −27 −27 3 22 27 5 27 45 45 33 37
Westford −11 3 −21 −35 −20 1 17 7 5 11 1 25 37
Hawley −40 −3 −6 −19 −1 3 23 8 28 22 32 22 38
Bolton −21 −6 −25 −30 −15 5 14 2 9 14 3 29 38
Northborough −14 −6 −18 −31 −15 2 21 13 12 14 6 27 38
Washington −15 −1 −11 −13 12 46 46 34 34 52 55 42 38
Whately −17 3 −3 −1 20 35 40 22 39 39 35 28 38
Orleans −36 −35 −41 −28 −13 2 4 0 8 18 13 28 39
Dedham 9 6 −11 −10 −1 13 29 26 21 14 15 29 39
Littleton −14 0 −16 −27 −12 10 27 17 16 17 11 29 39
Worcester 19 34 14 9 17 30 47 42 37 38 40 42 39
Groton −22 −3 −21 −25 −12 12 20 11 11 17 7 29 39
Hatfield 1 30 19 1 21 33 46 25 33 36 36 32 39
Wenham −35 −32 −44 −43 −29 −18 −9 −11 −3 3 −9 28 39
Holyoke 15 28 16 6 25 27 53 37 38 47 55 49 39
Hamilton −26 −28 −36 −37 −26 −13 −1 −9 −6 8 −1 28 40
Cohasset −16 −18 −26 −23 −18 −5 7 −2 3 5 −7 28 40
Beverly 2 2 −11 −14 3 16 32 25 19 22 19 31 40
Hopkinton −4 −6 −10 −25 −12 7 21 7 4 9 −1 30 41
Lynn 25 30 14 8 21 35 53 47 40 40 46 41 41
Medfield −21 −20 −30 −29 −17 −1 8 6 6 8 −6 30 41
Dover −40 −48 −55 −44 −38 −22 −19 −18 −3 4 −13 29 41
Gill −19 1 5 8 30 40 50 34 40 51 51 38 42
Lee 2 7 −3 −20 15 36 46 33 43 49 51 40 42
Eastham −32 −26 −28 −18 1 22 20 13 20 25 20 30 43
Ashland 2 2 2 −14 2 21 38 29 22 23 19 35 43
Southborough −14 −12 −14 −23 −12 8 17 10 9 15 3 30 43
Gosnold −65 −50 −32 −42 −2 17 37 8 9 33 15 14 44
Cummington −37 −22 −29 −21 −4 36 38 19 36 44 45 36 44
Edgartown −20 −8 0 −13 16 26 39 27 32 40 35 39 44
Everett 28 34 13 13 17 33 54 49 37 34 45 41 44
New Marlborough −43 −18 −19 −20 5 24 33 24 35 48 41 44 44
Dalton −4 4 −7 −22 12 35 42 35 40 47 47 40 44
Winchester −6 −10 −17 −11 −3 12 18 15 19 21 12 37 45
Waltham 12 18 2 −2 7 21 40 34 28 29 28 39 45
Holliston −10 −12 −17 −24 −7 15 31 24 20 20 14 35 45
North Adams 16 34 19 6 37 50 60 46 51 58 59 41 45
Sheffield −36 −18 −23 −34 −9 11 28 24 36 51 44 40 45
Marblehead −14 −19 −28 −16 −4 16 21 19 20 23 12 37 46
Manchester-by-the-Sea −14 −22 −28 −23 −15 3 5 3 12 23 11 40 46
Hadley 7 29 12 3 17 38 43 26 37 42 41 43 46
Swampscott 5 3 −4 1 12 30 43 40 32 28 21 36 46
Plainfield −28 −5 −19 −19 8 33 34 26 42 54 55 42 46
Westborough −19 −12 −26 −31 −13 4 20 13 17 21 13 37 46
Nantucket −20 −11 −5 −8 20 28 33 28 28 37 27 37 46
Springfield 12 30 20 16 30 38 55 49 44 55 61 56 48
Stow −20 −17 −27 −30 −10 9 22 19 20 19 12 36 48
Newburyport −1 12 −7 −2 16 25 39 28 28 34 25 41 48
Melrose −7 −3 −15 −8 3 19 33 30 25 22 22 38 48
Deerfield −1 10 11 8 29 39 43 33 42 47 43 43 49
Milton 7 −1 −10 −9 −4 10 25 24 26 24 22 43 49
Montague 2 18 15 9 34 41 55 39 44 54 57 45 49
Lawrence 29 52 20 5 6 20 51 46 41 62 68 70 49
Maynard 11 21 6 −13 0 23 41 31 27 29 28 40 49
Rockport −17 −12 −17 −9 7 19 32 24 28 36 28 39 49
Bedford −9 −6 −18 −14 −3 15 25 21 23 25 19 39 49
Weston −25 −33 −37 −25 −18 2 4 8 17 23 4 45 50
Greenfield −12 −2 1 0 22 33 43 32 43 52 53 45 50
Framingham 9 5 1 −2 11 30 43 40 34 36 35 49 51
Easthampton 3 23 7 −6 11 30 44 28 35 44 44 41 51
Medford 25 30 11 12 17 31 48 45 38 34 39 46 51
Malden 21 29 16 14 22 38 55 50 42 39 45 48 52
Boxborough −31 −12 −24 −27 −9 17 27 17 22 29 21 45 53
Harvard −18 −19 −27 −23 −7 13 18 17 27 31 23 48 53
Tyringham −7 6 −4 −12 25 43 28 5 30 42 34 48 53
Pittsfield 17 22 10 1 28 48 55 48 51 56 59 49 53
Natick 6 2 0 −6 11 24 36 33 29 31 26 47 53
Oak Bluffs −4 6 13 2 22 35 52 43 43 46 42 48 54
Buckland −40 −25 −21 −22 −1 17 28 16 37 52 50 51 54
Salem 33 31 12 11 21 35 51 44 38 40 41 47 54
Sharon 22 20 4 14 27 48 54 57 42 35 28 49 54
Brockton 8 21 −9 −10 −4 20 40 38 33 41 49 49 54
Sudbury −14 −18 −21 −17 −2 17 22 21 26 29 17 49 55
Conway 0 −2 6 15 32 51 48 35 46 55 53 55 56
Carlisle −22 −18 −25 −18 −5 20 17 16 27 34 20 52 57
Chelsea 37 46 25 21 31 39 64 57 47 53 64 65 57
Needham −14 −17 −26 −12 −1 17 26 28 30 33 22 52 58
Wellesley −19 −24 −27 −15 −5 12 13 14 25 31 15 53 59
Richmond −17 −6 −14 −25 7 36 40 41 54 53 51 53 59
Randolph 19 27 5 8 22 39 54 50 44 46 53 58 59
Sherborn −31 −39 −42 −32 −24 −2 0 5 15 22 10 48 59
Watertown 22 27 15 21 27 40 47 45 45 46 45 54 60
Wellfleet −15 −4 −14 8 25 38 43 36 40 44 43 50 60
Belmont −2 1 −7 3 11 24 31 29 35 41 32 53 60
Sunderland 21 38 32 32 36 54 54 35 55 58 54 56 61
Truro −5 8 −6 10 21 43 48 40 46 50 45 50 61
Tisbury −6 2 17 12 35 40 49 40 49 54 51 61 61
Williamsburg −12 4 0 4 23 48 52 40 49 60 58 55 62
Wayland −8 −14 −18 −9 3 21 28 29 33 38 27 57 62
Shelburne −42 −29 −28 −12 8 28 32 26 46 58 59 56 63
Lenox −4 7 −20 −27 15 32 39 39 48 55 55 59 64
Acton −17 −18 −18 −14 2 23 29 27 34 39 34 57 64
Egremont −36 −13 −20 −18 4 32 42 41 50 59 63 62 64
Stockbridge 3 2 3 11 35 51 53 46 60 65 61 59 65
Wendell 0 32 28 44 50 69 62 47 72 75 72 59 65
Monterey −11 18 14 10 34 53 50 41 55 62 62 65 65
West Stockbridge −6 5 0 −8 17 38 50 40 56 65 63 57 65
Lexington 7 4 −3 7 17 33 38 38 44 48 41 62 66
Newton 20 16 13 26 35 50 56 57 52 53 45 65 66
Concord −3 −6 −7 −2 7 24 27 27 36 44 35 63 67
Lincoln 5 −2 −7 8 14 34 33 35 46 54 42 65 67
Great Barrington −7 5 4 −10 19 40 53 48 60 69 66 66 67
Boston 33 26 24 27 33 46 58 57 57 61 61 71 68
Arlington 15 16 5 14 23 37 46 44 47 48 48 63 69
Alford −41 −17 −27 −25 −7 30 24 27 40 64 57 63 69
Ashfield −18 −17 −16 −1 17 42 44 34 56 64 65 64 69
West Tisbury 16 19 27 36 47 60 58 55 61 67 62 67 70
Mount Washington −53 −45 −65 −54 −27 27 30 50 50 62 63 60 73
Williamstown −1 9 6 7 29 47 50 47 59 61 65 72 73
Chilmark −10 −1 23 29 40 56 44 39 58 65 65 74 76
Leverett 9 19 36 35 46 63 61 49 66 72 69 69 76
Brookline 25 16 25 39 48 60 61 63 60 65 58 77 78
Shutesbury 19 24 16 39 49 63 66 61 74 74 74 75 78
Northampton 8 23 24 27 40 56 63 53 63 70 72 76 79
Somerville 35 43 28 30 42 54 67 63 65 67 71 78 79
Aquinnah 33 71 57 79 74 74 84 80 85 83 74 74 80
Pelham 0 22 15 21 40 49 55 50 64 72 69 77 80
Amherst 37 36 43 42 51 68 67 63 74 79 74 82 85
Provincetown 33 43 28 35 55 73 78 75 77 78 82 82 86
Cambridge 49 47 51 53 57 68 72 70 74 79 78 87 87

Which towns have changed the most?

The areas of Massachusetts that have become more liberal over the last 50 years are the western Massachusets counties of Berkshire, Hampshire, and Franklin counties, and also the ring of affluent Boston suburban communities that may still vote for moderate Republicans like Charlie Baker, but voted in large numbers for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and by even larger margins for Joe Biden in 2020.

The towns that have moved the most towards the GOP since 1972 are Achushent (-60), Millville (-56), Ware (-52), and (Dudley -49).

The towns that have moved the most in the Democratic direction are Mount Washington (+101), Alford (+85), Gosnold (+83), and Shelburne (+80).

Regardless of national trends, there is little sign that Massachusetts will become universally blue and that some towns will remain sympathetic to Republican candidates and conservative attitudes.