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Massachusetts's 8th congressional district

U.S. House district for Massachusetts

Field	Value
state	Massachusetts
district number	8
image name
image caption	Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
representative	Stephen Lynch
party	Democratic
residence	Boston
population	784,982
population year	2024
median income	$118,563
percent white	66.3
percent hispanic	6.8
percent black	9.4
percent asian	9.6
percent more than one race	5.8
percent other race	2.0
cpvi	D+15

| percent more than one race = 5.8 Massachusetts's 8th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts, including the southern fourth of Boston. It is represented by Democrat Stephen Lynch. For one congressional term (1791–1793), it served as the home district of the District of Maine. The district boundaries were significantly changed, as of the elections of 2012, due to redistricting after the 2010 census, with the old 8th district largely being shifted to the new 7th district. The new 8th district comprises many of the communities of the old 9th district, as well as some easternmost Norfolk County communities and northernmost Plymouth County communities of the old 10th district.

This district has the distinction of being the only one ever represented by someone who had previously served as president of the United States, as John Quincy Adams held this office after leaving the presidency from 1843 until his death in 1848.

Recent election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results
2008	President	Obama 59% - 40%
Senate	Kerry 67% - 33%
2010	Senate (Spec.)	Brown 55% - 45%
Governor	Patrick 45% - 42%
2012	President	Obama 60% - 40%
Senate	Warren 51% - 49%
2014	Senate	Markey 62% - 38%
Governor	Baker 51% - 45%
	2016	President	Clinton 60% - 33%
2018	Senate	Warren 59% - 38%
Governor	Baker 67% - 32%
Secretary of the Commonwealth	Galvin 74% - 22%
Attorney General	Healey 71% - 29%
Treasurer and Receiver-General	Goldberg 69% - 27%
Auditor	Bump 64% - 30%
2020	President	Biden 67% - 31%
Senate	Markey 67% - 33%
2022	Governor	Healey 64% - 35%
Secretary of the Commonwealth	Galvin 70% - 28%
Attorney General	Campbell 63% - 37%
Auditor	DiZoglio 55% - 38%
2024	President	Harris 62% - 35%
Senate	Warren 59% - 40%

Cities and towns in the district

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of four counties and 21 municipalities:

Bristol County (1)

:Easton

Norfolk County (12)

:Avon, Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton (part; also 7th), Norwood, Quincy, Stoughton, Walpole, Westwood, Weymouth

Plymouth County (7)

:Abington, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Hingham, Hull, West Bridgewater, Whitman

Suffolk County (1)

:Boston (part; also 7th)

List of members representing the district

Representative	Party	Years	Cong
ress	Electoral history	District location
District created March 4, 1789
[[File:Jonathan Grout.jpg	100px]]
Jonathan Grout
(Lunenburg)		Anti-Administration	nowrap	March 4, 1789 –
March 3, 1791		Elected in 1788.
Redistricted to the and lost re-election.	1789–1793
Worcester County
Vacant	nowrap	March 4, 1791 –
April 4, 1791
[[File:George Thatcher.jpg	100px]]
George Thatcher
(Biddeford)		Pro-Administration	nowrap	April 4, 1791 –
March 3, 1793	Redistricted from the and re-elected late in 1791.
Redistricted to the .
District inactive	nowrap	March 4, 1793 –
March 3, 1795
[[File:Gilbert Stuart - Fisher Ames - NPG.79.215 - National Portrait Gallery.jpg	100px]]
Fisher Ames
(Dedham)		Federalist	nowrap	March 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1797		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1794.
Retired.	1795–1803
"1st Middle district"
[[File:Harrison Gray Otis by Chester Harding, 1833, oil on canvas, from the National Portrait Gallery - NPG-7700056A 2.jpg	100px]]
Harrison Gray Otis
(Boston)		Federalist	nowrap	March 4, 1797 –
March 3, 1801		Elected in 1796.
Re-elected in 1798.
Retired.
[[File:William Eustis.jpg	100px]]
William Eustis
(Boston)		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1801 –
March 3, 1803		Elected in 1800.
Redistricted to the .
Lemuel Williams
(New Bedford)		Federalist	nowrap	March 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1805		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1802.
Lost re-election.	1803–1815
"Barnstable district"
Isaiah L. Green
(Barnstable)		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1805 –
March 3, 1809		Elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Retired.
Gideon Gardner
(Nantucket)		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1809 –
March 3, 1811		Elected in 1808.
Retired.
Isaiah L. Green
(Barnstable)		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1811 –
March 3, 1813		Elected in 1810.
Lost re-election.
John Reed Jr.
(Yarmouth)		Federalist	nowrap	March 4, 1813 –
March 3, 1815		Elected in 1812.
Redistricted to the .
William Baylies
(Bridgewater)		Federalist	nowrap	March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1817		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1814.
Retired.	1815–1823
"Plymouth district"
Zabdiel Sampson
(Plymouth)		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1817 –
July 26, 1820		Elected in 1817 on the second ballot.
Resigned to become collector of customs in Plymouth.
Vacant	nowrap	July 26, 1820 –
November 24, 1820
Aaron Hobart
(Hanover)		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	November 24, 1820 –
March 3, 1823		Elected in 1820.
Later elected on the second ballot to finish Sampson's term and seated December 18, 1820.
Redistricted to the .
Samuel Lathrop
(West Springfield)		Adams-Clay Federalist	nowrap	March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1822.
Re-elected in 1825 on the third ballot.
1823–1833
"Hampden district"
	Anti-Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1827
[[File:IsaacBates.jpg	100px]]
Isaac C. Bates
(Northampton)	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1835		Elected in 1827 on the third ballot.
Re-elected in 1828.
Re-elected in 1830.
Re-elected in 1833.
Retired.
1833–1843
[[File:William Barron Calhoun.png	100px]]
William B. Calhoun
(Springfield)		Anti-Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837		Elected in 1834.
Re-elected in 1836.
Re-elected in 1838.
Re-elected in 1840.
Retired.
	Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1843
[[File:John Quincy Adams by GPA Healy, 1858.jpg	100px]]
John Quincy Adams
(Quincy)		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1843 –
February 23, 1848		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1842.
Re-elected in 1844.
Re-elected in 1846.
Died.	1843–1853
"All the towns in Norfolk County; Abington, North Bridgewater, Hingham, and Hull, in the County of Plymouth; and Brighton, Holliston, Natick, Newton, and Sherburne, in the County of Middlesex."
Vacant	nowrap	February 23, 1848 –
April 2, 1848
[[File:Southworth and Hawes - Horace Mann (Zeno Fotografie) (cropped).jpg	100px]]
Horace Mann
(West Newton)		Whig	nowrap	April 3, 1848 –
March 3, 1853		Elected to finish Adams's term.
Re-elected later in 1848.
Re-elected in 1850.

[[File:Tappan Wentworth (Massachusetts Congressman).jpg	100px]]
Tappan Wentworth
(Lowell)		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855		Elected in 1852.
1853–1863
"The city of Lowell, and the towns of Acton, Ashby, Ashland, Bedford, Billerica, Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Framingham, Groton, Hopkinton, Lincoln, Littleton, Marlborough, Natick, Pepperell, Shirley, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wayland. Westford, and Weston, in the county of Middlesex; and the towns of Berlin, Bolton, Harvard, Lunenburg, Northborough, Southborough, and Westborough, in the county of Worcester."
[[File:Chauncey L. Knapp.jpg	100px]]
Chauncey L. Knapp
(Lowell)		Know Nothing	nowrap	March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1857		Elected in 1854.
Re-elected in 1856.

	Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1857 –
March 3, 1859
[[File:CRTrain.jpg	100px]]
Charles R. Train
(Framingham)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1863		Elected in 1858.
Re-elected in 1860.

[[File:JohnDBaldwindrawing.jpg	100px]]
John D. Baldwin
(Worcester)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1863 –
March 3, 1869		Elected in 1862.
Re-elected in 1864.
Re-elected in 1866.
1863–1873

[[File:George Frisbie Hoar - Brady-Handy.jpg	100px]]
George F. Hoar
(Worcester)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1869 –
March 3, 1873		Elected in 1868.
Re-elected in 1870.
Redistricted to the .
John M. S. Williams
(Cambridge)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875		Elected in 1872.
1873–1883
"Ashland, Wards 22, 23, 25, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Dedham, Dover, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Sherborn, Southboro', Watertown, Wayland, and Weston."
[[File:William Wirt Warren (Massachusetts Congressman).jpg	100px]]
William W. Warren
(Boston)		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1877		Elected in 1874.
Lost re-election.
[[File:William Claflin - Brady-Handy.jpg	100px]]
William Claflin
(Newton)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1877 –
March 3, 1881		Elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Retired.
[[File:John Wilson Candler.png	100px]]
John W. Candler
(Brookline)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1881 –
March 3, 1883		Elected in 1880.

[[File:WilliamARussell.jpg	100px]]
William A. Russell
(Lawrence)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1885		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1882.
1883–1893
[[File:1891 District 8 detail of Massachusetts Congressional Districts map BPL 11063.png	300px]]
[[File:Charles Herbert Allen, 1898.jpg	100px]]
Charles H. Allen
(Lowell)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1885 –
March 3, 1889		Elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Retired.
[[File:Frederick T. Greenhalge.jpg	100px]]
Frederic T. Greenhalge
(Lowell)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1889 –
March 3, 1891		Elected in 1888.
Lost re-election.
[[File:Moses T. Stevens.png	100px]]
Moses T. Stevens
(North Andover)		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1893		Elected in 1890.
Redistricted to the .
[[File:SamuelMcCall.jpg	100px]]
Samuel W. McCall
(Winchester)	Republican	March 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1913		Elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
1893–1903
Arlington, Boston (Wards 9, 10, 11), Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, Winchester.
1903–1913
Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, Winchester, Woburn.
[[File:Frederick Simpson Deitrick (Massachusetts Congressman).jpg	100px]]
Frederick Simpson Deitrick
(Cambridge)		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1915		Elected in 1912.
1913–1933
Middlesex County: Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham, Wakefield, Watertown, Winchester.
[[File:Frederick W Dallinger.jpg	100px]]
Frederick W. Dallinger
(Cambridge)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1915 –
March 3, 1925		Elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.

[[File:Harry I. Thayer (Massachusetts Congressman).jpg	100px]]
Harry I. Thayer
(Wakefield)		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1925 –
March 10, 1926		Elected in 1924.
Died.
Vacant	nowrap	March 10, 1926 –
November 2, 1926
[[File:Frederick W Dallinger.jpg	100px]]
Frederick W. Dallinger
(Cambridge)		Republican	nowrap	November 2, 1926 –
October 1, 1932		Elected to finish Thayer's term and elected to the next term.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Resigned to become judge of United States Customs Court.
Vacant	nowrap	October 1, 1932 –
March 3, 1933
[[File:ArthurDHealey (cropped).jpg	100px]]
Arthur D. Healey
(Somerville)		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1933 –
August 3, 1942		Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Resigned to become judge of US District Court for Massachusetts.	1933–1943
Cambridge (Wards 2, 3), Everett, Malden, Medford, Somerville.
Vacant	nowrap	August 3, 1942 –
January 3, 1943
[[File:1935 Angier Goodwin senator Massachusetts.png	100px]]
Angier Goodwin
(Melrose)	Republican	January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1955		Elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Lost re-election.	publisher = Wright & Potter	location = Boston	title = Population of Massachusetts as determined by the sixteenth census of the United States, 1940	author = Commonwealth of Massachusetts	date = 1941	oclc = 10056477	quote=House No. 2849	chapter=Population of Congressional Districts	chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/populationofmass1940mass#page/35/mode/1up }}
1953–1963
[[File:Torbert Macdonald.jpg	100px]]
Torbert H. Macdonald
(Malden)		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1955 –
January 3, 1963		Elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Redistricted to .
[[File:SpeakerO'Neill.jpg	100px]]
Tip O'Neill
(Cambridge)	Democratic	January 3, 1963 –
January 3, 1987		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Retired.	title=Official Congressional Directory: 88th Congress	year=1963	location=Washington DC	publisher=Government Printing Office	chapter= Massachusetts	hdl=2027/mdp.39015071164118?urlappend=%3Bseq=103	chapter-url= http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015071164118?urlappend=%3Bseq=103 }}
title=1977 Official Congressional Directory: 95th Congress	year=1977	publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office	location=Washington DC	chapter=Massachusetts	hdl=2027/uc1.31158002391372?urlappend=%3Bseq=117	chapter-url= http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.31158002391372?urlappend=%3Bseq=117 }}
1983–1993
Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 21, 22), Cambridge, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown.
[[File:Joe Kennedy II.jpg	100px]]
Joe Kennedy II
(Boston)	Democratic	January 3, 1987 –
January 3, 1999		Elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Retired.
1993–2003
Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22), Cambridge, Chelsea, Somerville, Watertown.
[[File:Mike Capuano.jpg	100px]]
Mike Capuano
(Somerville)	Democratic	January 3, 1999 –
January 3, 2013		Elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Redistricted to the .
2003–2013
[[File:MA-08 congressional district.gif	300px]]
In Middlesex County: Cambridge, and Somerville. In Suffolk County: Boston, Wards 1, 2, Ward 3, Precincts 1–4, 7, 8, Ward 4, Ward 5, Precincts 1, 2, 6–10, Ward 7, Precinct 10, Wards 8–12, Ward 13, Precincts 1, 2, 4–6, Ward 14, Ward 15, Precincts 1–5, 7–9, Ward 16, Precincts 1, 3, Ward 17, Precincts 1–3, 5–12; Ward 18, Precincts 1–8, 13–15, 21, Ward 19, Precincts 1, 3–6, 8, 9, Wards 21 and 22, (the remainder of Boston is in the 9th district), and Chelsea.
[[File:Stephen Lynch 113th Congress.jpg	100px]]
Stephen Lynch
(Boston)	Democratic	January 3, 2013 –
present		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Re-elected in 2024.	2013–2023
[[File:Massachusetts US Congressional District 8 (since 2013).tif	300px]]
In Bristol County: Precincts 1 and 2 in Raynham.
2023–present
[[File:Massachusetts's 8th congressional district in Boston (since 2023).svg	250px]]

Recent election results

2024

References

Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

References

"2024 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau.
(April 3, 2025). "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)".
"The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 2011 Congressional Districts (Chapter 177 of the Acts of 2011".
"Dra 2020".
[https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST25/CD118_MA06.pdf https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST25/CD118_MA08.pdf]
John Hayward. (1849). "Gazetteer of Massachusetts". J.P. Jewett & Co..
(1862). "Massachusetts Register 1862". Adams, Sampson, & Co..
(1861). "Congressional Directory for the Second Session of the Thirty-Seventh Congress". House of Representatives.
Ben. Perley Poore. (1869). "Congressional Directory for the First Session of the Forty-First Congress". Government Printing Office.
(1874). "Massachusetts Register and Business Directory, 1878". Sampson, Davenport, and Co..
Ben. Perley Poore. (1878). "Congressional Directory: 45th Congress". Government Printing Office.
L.A. Coolidge. (1897). "Official Congressional Directory: Fifty-Fifth Congress". Government Printing Office.
A.J. Halford. (1909). "Congressional Directory: 60th Congress". [[Government Printing Office]].
Francis M. Cox. (1893). "Official Congressional Directory: Fifty-Third Congress". Government Printing Office.
(1916). "Official Congressional Directory: 64th Congress". Government Printing Office.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (1921). "Population of Massachusetts as determined by the fourteenth census of the United States 1920". Wright & Potter.
(1938). "Official Congressional Directory: 75th Congress". Government Printing Office.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (1941). "Population of Massachusetts as determined by the sixteenth census of the United States, 1940". Wright & Potter.
(1968). "Official Congressional Directory: 90th Congress". Government Printing Office.
(1991). "1991–1992 Official Congressional Directory: 102nd Congress". Government Printing Office.
"Geographical History of the 7th District". U.S. House of Representatives.
"Our Campaigns - MA - District 08 Race - Nov 07, 2006".
"2012 U.S. House Results".
The totals do not include Blank/Scattered Ballots although they were reported.
"2014 U.S. House Results".
(November 8, 2016). "Massachusetts Secretary of State General Election Results 2016". Massachusetts Secretary of State.
"2020 - US House - All General Election Results".
"2022 U.S. House General Election - 8th Congressional District".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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