Skip to content
Surf Wiki
Save to docs
general/congressional-districts-of-massachusetts

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Massachusetts's 5th congressional district

U.S. House district for Massachusetts


U.S. House district for Massachusetts

FieldValue
stateMassachusetts
district number5
image name
image captionInteractive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
representativeKatherine Clark
partyDemocratic
residenceRevere
population790,877
population year2024
median income$136,612
percent white64.6
percent hispanic10.5
percent black5.0
percent asian12.8
percent more than one race5.1
percent other race2.0
cpviD+24

| percent more than one race = 5.1 Massachusetts's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in eastern Massachusetts. The district is represented by Katherine Clark of the Democratic Party. Massachusetts's congressional redistricting after the 2010 census changed the borders of the district starting with the elections of 2012, with the new 3rd district largely taking the place of the old 5th. The 5th district covers many of the communities represented in the old 7th district.

On July 15, 2013, Ed Markey resigned from the seat to become the junior Senator from Massachusetts. On December 10, 2013, Democrat Katherine Clark won a special election to fill the seat for the remainder of the 113th Congress. She was sworn into office on December 12, 2013, and since January 2023 serves as the House Minority Whip.

The district has been in Democratic hands without interruption since 1975. Before Paul Tsongas' victory that year, it had only elected three Democrats in its entire existence and had been in Republican hands since 1895. It was one of the more moderate districts in heavily Democratic Massachusetts before redistricting in 2013. In state races, it supported Republican candidates for Governor William Weld, Paul Celluci, and Mitt Romney. In the 2007 special election to replace Marty Meehan, Republican candidate Jim Ogonowski ran an unexpectedly strong race before ultimately losing, 51–45%.

Composition

Massachusetts's congressional redistricting after the 2020 census (commencing with the 2022 election and the 118th Congress, whose House members were sworn in on January 3, 2023) assigns the 5th congressional district to much of Middlesex County, part of Norfolk County, and part of Suffolk County.

{{visible anchor|History}} and geography

Current

There are 23 municipalities in the 5th district, as of the 2021 redistricting. This list is sorted by county.

Middlesex County (20)

: Arlington, Bedford (part; also 6th), Belmont, Cambridge (part; also 7th), Framingham, Lexington, Lincoln, Malden, Maynard, Medford, Melrose, Natick, Stoneham, Sudbury, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Weston, Winchester, Woburn

Norfolk County (1)

: Wellesley (part; also 4th)

Suffolk County (2)

: Revere, Winthrop

Past

From 2013 through 2023, the municipalities of the 5th District were:

Middlesex County

  • Arlington
  • Ashland
  • Belmont
  • Cambridge (parts of)
  • Framingham
  • Holliston
  • Lexington
  • Lincoln
  • Malden
  • Medford
  • Melrose
  • Natick
  • Sherborn
  • Stoneham
  • Sudbury (parts of)
  • Waltham
  • Watertown
  • Wayland
  • Weston
  • Winchester
  • Woburn

Other

  • Revere, Suffolk County
  • Southborough, Worcester County
  • Winthrop, Suffolk County

Recent election results from statewide races

YearOfficeResults
2008PresidentObama 67% - 32%
SenateKerry 72% - 28%
2010Senate (Spec.)Coakley 56% - 44%
GovernorPatrick 54% - 38%
2012PresidentObama 67% - 33%
SenateWarren 59% - 41%
2014SenateMarkey 70% - 30%
GovernorCoakley 53% - 43%
2016PresidentClinton 69% - 25%
2018SenateWarren 69% - 27%
GovernorBaker 60% - 40%
Secretary of the CommonwealthGalvin 77% - 19%
Attorney GeneralHealey 78% - 22%
Treasurer and Receiver-GeneralGoldberg 75% - 22%
AuditorBump 68% - 25%
2020PresidentBiden 74% - 23%
SenateMarkey 75% - 24%
2022GovernorHealey 73% - 25%
Secretary of the CommonwealthGalvin 76% - 21%
Attorney GeneralCampbell 73% - 27%
AuditorDiZoglio 63% - 31%
2024PresidentHarris 71% - 26%
SenateWarren 70% - 30%

Recent election results

2024

List of members representing the district

Member
(District home)PartyYears ↑Cong
ressElectoral historyDistrict locationMember
(District home)PartyYears ↑Cong
ressElectoral historyDistrict location
District created March 4, 1789
[[File:George Partridge.jpg100px]]
George Partridge
(Duxbury)Pro-AdministrationnowrapMarch 4, 1789 –
August 14, 1790Elected in 1788.
Resigned.1789–1793
Barnstable County and Plymouth County
VacantnowrapAugust 15, 1790 –
March 3, 1791
Shearjashub Bourne
(Boston)Pro-AdministrationnowrapMarch 4, 1791 –
March 3, 1793Elected in 1790.
Redistricted to the .
District inactivenowrapMarch 4, 1793 –
March 3, 1795
Nathaniel Freeman Jr.
(Sandwich)Democratic-RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1799Elected in 1794.
Re-elected in 1796.
Retired.1795–1803
"1st Southern district"
Lemuel Williams
(New Bedford)FederalistnowrapMarch 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1803Elected in 1799.
Re-elected in 1800.
Redistricted to the .
Thomas Dwight
(Springfield)FederalistnowrapMarch 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1805Elected in 1802.
Retired.1803–1823
"Hampshire South district"
William Ely
(Springfield)FederalistnowrapMarch 4, 1805 –
March 3, 1815Elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Retired.
[[File:ElijahMills.jpg100px]]
Elijah H. Mills
(Northampton)FederalistnowrapMarch 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1819Elected in 1814.
Re-elected in 1816.
Lost re-election.
Samuel Lathrop
(West Springfield)FederalistnowrapMarch 4, 1819 –
March 3, 1823Elected in 1819 on the second ballot.
Re-elected in 1820.
Redistricted to the .
Jonas Sibley
(Worcester)Democratic-RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825Elected in 1823 on the second ballot.
Lost re-election.1823–1833
"Worcester South district"
[[File:John Davis daguerreotype by Mathew Brady 1849.jpg100px]]
John Davis
(Worcester)Anti-JacksonianMarch 4, 1825 –
January 14, 1834Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1826.
Re-elected in 1828.
Re-elected in 1830.
Re-elected in 1833.
Resigned to become Governor of Massachusetts.
1833–1843
VacantnowrapJanuary 15, 1834 –
February 16, 1834
[[File:LLincolnJr.jpg100px]]
Levi Lincoln Jr.
(Worcester)Anti-JacksoniannowrapFebruary 17, 1834 –
March 3, 1837Elected to finish Davis's term.
Re-elected later in 1834.
Re-elected in 1836.
Re-elected in 1838.
Re-elected in 1840.
Resigned to become Collector of the Port of Boston.
nowrapWhignowrapMarch 4, 1837 –
March 16, 1841
VacantnowrapMarch 17, 1841 –
May 2, 1841
[[File:Charles Hudson (Massachusetts).png100px]]
Charles Hudson
(Westminster)WhigMay 3, 1841 –
March 3, 1849Elected to finish Lincoln's term.
Re-elected late in 1843.
Re-elected in 1844.
Re-elected in 1846.
Lost re-election.
1843–1853
[[File:Charles Allen (Massachusetts Congressman).jpg100px]]
Charles Allen
(Worcester)Free SoilnowrapMarch 4, 1849 –
March 3, 1853Elected late in 1849.
Re-elected late in 1851.
Retired.
[[File:William Appleton by Southworth & Hawes c1852 (cropped).png100px]]
William Appleton
(Boston)WhignowrapMarch 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1852.
Lost re-election.1853–1863
[[File:Burlingame.gif100px]]
Anson Burlingame
(Cambridge)AmericannowrapMarch 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1857Elected in 1854.
Re-elected in 1856.
Re-elected in 1858.
Lost re-election.
nowrapRepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1857 –
March 3, 1861
[[File:William Appleton by Southworth & Hawes c1852 (cropped).png100px]]
William Appleton
(Boston)Constitutional UnionistnowrapMarch 4, 1861 –
September 27, 1861Elected in 1860.
Resigned because of failing health.
VacantnowrapSeptember 28, 1861 –
December 1, 1861
[[File:Samuel Hooper from Mass.gif100px]]
Samuel Hooper
(Boston)RepublicannowrapDecember 2, 1861 –
March 3, 1863Elected to finish Appleton's term.
Redistricted to the .
[[File:JohnBAlley.jpg100px]]
John B. Alley
(Lynn)RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1863 –
March 3, 1867Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1862.
Re-elected in 1864.
1863–1873
[[File:Benjamin Franklin Butler Brady-Handy.jpg100px]]
Benjamin F. Butler
(Lowell)RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1867 –
March 3, 1873Elected in 1866.
Re-elected in 1868.
Re-elected in 1870.
Redistricted to the .
[[File:Daniel W Gooch.png100px]]
Daniel W. Gooch
(Melrose)RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875Elected in 1872.
Lost re-election.1873–1883
[[File:Nathaniel Prentice Banks.jpg100px]]
Nathaniel P. Banks
(Waltham)IndependentnowrapMarch 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1877Elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Lost renomination.
RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1877 –
March 3, 1879
[[File:Selwyn Zadock Bowman.png100px]]
Selwyn Z. Bowman
(Somerville)RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1883Elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Lost re-election.
[[File:Leopold Morse.png100px]]
Leopold Morse
(Boston)DemocraticnowrapMarch 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1885Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1882.
Retired.1883–1893
[[File:Edward Daniel Hayden.png100px]]
Edward D. Hayden
(Woburn)RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1885 –
March 3, 1889Elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Retired.
[[File:Nathaniel Prentice Banks.jpg100px]]
Nathaniel P. Banks
(Waltham)RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1889 –
March 3, 1891Elected in 1888.
Retired.
[[File:Sherman Hoar.png100px]]
Sherman Hoar
(Waltham)DemocraticnowrapMarch 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1893Elected in 1890.
Declined renomination.
[[File:Moses T. Stevens.png100px]]
Moses T. Stevens
(North Andover)DemocraticnowrapMarch 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1895Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1892.
1893–1903
[[File:William S. Knox (Massachusetts Congressman).jpg100px]]
William S. Knox
(Lawrence)RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1895 –
March 3, 1903Elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Retired.
[[File:Butler Ames Massachusetts Congressman.png100px]]
Butler Ames
(Lowell)RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1903 –
March 3, 1913Elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Retired.1903–1913
[[File:John Jacob Rogers.png100px]]
John Jacob Rogers
(Lowell)RepublicannowrapMarch 4, 1913 –
March 28, 1925Elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Died.1913–1933
VacantnowrapMarch 28, 1925 –
June 30, 1925
[[File:Edith nourse rogers.jpg100px]]
Edith Nourse Rogers
(Lowell)RepublicanJune 30, 1925 –
September 10, 1960Elected to finish her husband's term.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Re-elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Died.
1933–1943
1943–1953
1953–1963
VacantnowrapSeptember 10, 1960 –
January 3, 1961
[[File:Frank B. Morse.jpg100px]]
F. Bradford Morse
(Lowell)RepublicanJanuary 3, 1961 –
May 1, 1972Elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Resigned to become U.N. Under Secretary General for Political and General Assembly Affairs.
1963–1973
VacantnowrapMay 1, 1972 –
January 3, 1973
[[File:Paul W. Cronin.jpg100px]]
Paul W. Cronin
(Andover)RepublicannowrapJanuary 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1975Elected in 1972.
Lost re-election.1973–1983
[[File:Senator Paul Tsongas.jpg100px]]
Paul Tsongas
(Lowell)DemocraticnowrapJanuary 3, 1975 –
January 3, 1979Elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
[[File:James Shannon.jpg100px]]
James Shannon
(Lawrence)DemocraticnowrapJanuary 3, 1979 –
January 3, 1983Elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
nowrapJanuary 3, 1983 –
January 3, 19851983–1993
[[File:ChesterGAtkins.jpg100px]]
Chester G. Atkins
(Concord)DemocraticnowrapJanuary 3, 1985 –
January 3, 1993Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Lost renomination.
[[File:Marty Meehan official portrait.jpg100px]]
Marty Meehan
(Lowell)DemocraticJanuary 3, 1993 –
July 1, 2007Elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Resigned to become Chancellor of University of Massachusetts Lowell.1993–2003
2003–2013
VacantnowrapJuly 1, 2007 –
October 16, 2007
[[File:Niki Tsongas, official 110th Congress photo portrait.jpg100px]]
Niki Tsongas
(Lowell)DemocraticnowrapOctober 16, 2007 –
January 3, 2013Elected to finish Meehan's term.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Redistricted to the .
[[File:Ed Markey, Official Portrait, 112th Congress 2.jpg100px]]
Ed Markey
(Malden)DemocraticnowrapJanuary 3, 2013 –
July 15, 2013Redistricted from the and re-elected in 2012.
Resigned when elected U.S. senator.2013–2023
[[File:Massachusetts US Congressional District 5 (since 2013).tif300px]]
VacantnowrapJuly 15, 2013 –
December 10, 2013
[[File:Katherine Clark 114th.jpg100px]]
Katherine Clark
(Revere)DemocraticDecember 10, 2013 –
presentElected to finish Markey's term.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Re-elected in 2024.
2023–present
[[File:Massachusetts's 5th congressional district (since 2023).svg250px]]

References

References

  1. "My Congressional District".
  2. (April 3, 2025). "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)".
  3. "The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 2011 Congressional Districts (Chapter 177 of the Acts of 2011)".
  4. "Elections: Special State Election".
  5. "Massachusetts Congressional Districts".
  6. "About the District".
  7. "Dra 2020".
  8. "PD43+ » Search Elections".
  9. The totals do not include Blank/Scatterings Ballots although they were reported.
  10. "PD43+ » Search Elections".
  11. (November 8, 2016). "Massachusetts Secretary of State General Election Results 2016". Massachusetts Secretary of State.
  12. Johnson, Cheryl L.. (February 28, 2019). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 2018". [[Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
  13. "2020 - US House - All General Election Results".
  14. "Our Campaigns - MA District 5 - 2nd Trial Race - Jan 01, 1849".
  15. "Our Campaigns - MA District 5 - 3rd Trial Race - Apr 07, 1851".
  16. (1861). "Congressional Directory for the Second Session of the Thirty-Seventh Congress". House of Representatives.
  17. Ben. Perley Poore. (1869). "Congressional Directory for the First Session of the Forty-First Congress". Government Printing Office.
  18. Ben. Perley Poore. (1994). "Congressional Directory: 45th Congress". Government Printing Office.
  19. Ben. Perley Poore. (1882). "Congressional Directory: 47th Congress". Government Printing Office.
  20. L.A. Coolidge. (1897). "Official Congressional Directory: Fifty-Fifth Congress". Government Printing Office.
  21. A.J. Halford. (1909). "Congressional Directory: 60th Congress". Government Printing Office.
  22. (1938). "Official Congressional Directory: 75th Congress". Government Printing Office.
  23. (1968). "Official Congressional Directory: 90th Congress". Government Printing Office.
  24. (1991). "1991-1992 Official Congressional Directory: 102nd Congress". Government Printing Office.
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Massachusetts's 5th congressional district — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report