Results of the 2020 Census show good news for Massachusetts in terms of population.
Secretary of State William Galvin says Massachusetts is the fastest-growing state in the Northeast. The population grew by 7.4%, putting the state over 7 million residents for the first time ever.
"As a mecca for employment, education, health care, we have brought people here," Galvin said.
And the demographics are changing. The population has become older and more diverse over the decade.
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The state lost 236,000 white residents with the percentage in Massachusetts going from 76% white in 2010 to 68% in 2020.
More on the census results
At the same time, the Hispanic/Latino population grew from 10% to 13%.
The state's Asian population of 7.2% is now slightly ahead of the Black population, which is 7%.
And it is not just the state's largest cities -- Boston, Worcester and Springfield -- showing that diverse population growth. Four other cities -- Quincy, Lynn, Brockton and New Bedford -- are all showing population over 100,000 for the first time.
Suffolk university professor Rachel Cobb said all of this is viewed from different lenses depending on what your "place in the world is. I think the real question is, do we view this as a zero sum game? Or do we view this as a change?"
Cobb says immigration has always been the driving force in population growth.
"And the reason that we have a booming economy, in part, is because of our openness to immigration and our willingness to have immigrants," Cobb said.
The increase in population growth means millions more federal dollars to Massachusetts in the coming decade.
