Business Statistics

Massachusetts is the largest state in New England with a little over 6 million residents (2000 census). It ranks 45th in area among the states of the nation, i.e. it is one of the smallest states, but 13th in population. Boston, the state capital, counts close to 600,000 residents and more than half of the state's total population lives in the Greater Boston area.

Massachusetts is an extraordinarily diverse state, comprised of 33% foreign stock residents. This explains why so many European expats feel at home in a state where 21% of the residents identify themselves as Irish, 14.5% as English, 13.6% as Italian, 9.9% as French, 6% as Portuguese and 5.1% as Polish. But Massachusetts is not just welcoming to European descendants. 5.4% declared their ancestry to be African-American, 6.8 % Hispanic, .2% Native Americans and 3.8% Asians.

Legal Holidays in Massachusetts
Note: Whenever a holiday falls on a Sunday it is observed on the following Monday.

• January 1: New Year's Day
• 3rd Monday in January: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• 3rd Monday in February: Washington's Birthday
• March 17: Evacuation Day*
• 3rd Monday in April: Patriot's Day
• Last Monday in May: Memorial Day
• June 17: Bunker Hill Day*
• July 4: Independence Day
• 1st Monday in September: Labor Day
• 2nd Monday in October: Columbus Day
• November 11: Veteran's Day
• 4th Thursday in November: Thanksgiving Day
• December 25: Christmas

* Celebrated only in Suffolk County (Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop)