Cemeteries in Massachusetts
Our directory lists 2,047 cemeteries in Massachusetts, spread across 14 counties and 402 cities and towns. Identified types include 864 historic cemeteries (42%), 631 municipal cemeteries (31%) and 203 church cemeteries (10%). New Bedford has the highest number of listings of any city in the state, with 31. The earliest recorded establishment year among Massachusetts listings is 1624. 86 listings include a phone number or website.
Featured cemeteries in Massachusetts
- Central Burying Ground125 Boylston Street, Boston · est. 1756Church cemetery
- Cohasset Central Cemetery25 Joy Place, Cohasset · est. 1705Cemetery
- East Main Street CemeteryMain Street, Dalton · est. 1781Cemetery
- Main Street Cemetery321 Main Street, Dalton · est. 1788Cemetery
- Mountain View Cemetery15 Church Road, ShrewsburyCemetery
- Vine Lake Cemetery625 Main Street, Medfield · est. 1651Municipal cemetery
- Saint Michael Cemetery500 Canterbury Street, BostonCemetery
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery97 Canton Street, Stoughton · est. 1857Catholic cemetery
- Fairview CemeteryDalton · est. 1885Cemetery
- Highland CemeteryBraintree · est. 1751Christian cemetery
- Hingham Cemetery12 South Street, Hingham · est. 1672Cemetery
- Bell Rock CemeteryMalden · est. 1649Cemetery
Ranked by how complete the record is (address, contact details, founding year), not by size or popularity.
Cemetery types in Massachusetts
Religious cemeteries
Veterans cemeteries
- Fort Devens Post CemeteryDevens, MAMilitary cemetery
- Massachusetts National CemeteryPocasset, MANational cemetery
- Phillips Academy CemeteryAndover, MA · est. 1820Military cemetery
- Massachusetts Veterans' Memorial CemeteryAgawam, MAVeterans cemetery
- Holy Cross National CemeteryWare, MANational cemetery
- Massachusetts Veterans Memorial CemeteryWinchendon, MAVeterans cemetery
- Polish National CemeterySpringfield, MANational cemetery
- Veterans CemeteryNewburyport, MAVeterans cemetery
Historic cemeteries
- Central Burying Ground125 Boylston Street, Boston, MA · est. 1756Church cemetery
- Cohasset Central Cemetery25 Joy Place, Cohasset, MA · est. 1705Cemetery
- East Main Street CemeteryMain Street, Dalton, MA · est. 1781Cemetery
- Main Street Cemetery321 Main Street, Dalton, MA · est. 1788Cemetery
- Mountain View Cemetery15 Church Road, Shrewsbury, MACemetery
- Saint Michael Cemetery500 Canterbury Street, Boston, MACemetery
- Vine Lake Cemetery625 Main Street, Medfield, MA · est. 1651Municipal cemetery
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery97 Canton Street, Stoughton, MA · est. 1857Catholic cemetery
How Massachusetts compares
Massachusetts has 2.9 listed cemeteries per 10,000 residents, against 5.3 for the United States, which puts it 35th of 51 states and DC on this measure. Census estimates count 61,133 deaths here in 2024, about 122 for each of the 500 funeral homes we know of (16th of 51 by number of funeral homes).
| Measure | Massachusetts | the United States | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cemeteries per 10,000 residents | 2.9 | 5.3 | 35th of 51 |
| Cemeteries per 100 square miles | 26.2 | 5.1 | 5th of 51 |
| Deaths in 2024 (estimate) | 61,133 | 3,086,925 | 18th of 51 |
| Deaths in 2024 per listed cemetery | 29.9 | 17.2 | 16th of 51 |
| Funeral homes | 500 | 21,457 | 16th of 51 |
| Deaths in 2024 per funeral home | 122 | 144 | 29th of 51 |
| Cremation providers | 34 | 3,611 | 29th of 51 |
| Monument dealers | 31 | 1,091 | 11th of 51 |
| Notable burials | 5,034 | 68,091 | 4th of 51 |
Population and deaths: US Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates. Land area: 2020 Census Gazetteer. Funeral homes, cremation providers and monument dealers come from our sister directory, Funeral Home Directory USA. Ranks run from the highest value down, among states and DC with the figure available. Compare Massachusetts with other places.
Notable people buried in Massachusetts
Wikidata records 5,034 notable people as buried in 417 Massachusetts cemeteries. The best documented:
- Ralph Waldo Emerson1803-1882American philosopherSleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, MA
- Emily Dickinson1830-1886American poetWest Cemetery, Amherst Center, MA
- Henry David Thoreau1817-1862American essayist, poet, and philosopherSleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, MA
- William James1842-1910American philosopher, psychologist, and pragmatistCambridge Cemetery, North Brighton, MA
- Harriet Beecher Stowe1811-1896American abolitionist and authorPhillips Academy Cemetery, Andover, MA
- Nathaniel Hawthorne1804-1864American authorSleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, MA
- Louisa May Alcott1832-1888American novelistSleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, MA
- Eugene O'Neill1888-1953American playwrightForest Hills Cemetery, Roslindale, MA
Cities with the most cemeteries
- New Bedford31
- Easton29
- Woburn27
- Charlemont24
- Brockton20
- Middleton19
- Bridgewater19
- Stoughton17
- Lowell16
- South Peabody16
- Danvers16
- Athol16
- New Marlborough16
- Peabody15
- Gloucester15
- Barre15
- Nantucket14
- Newburyport13
- Head of Westport13
- North Lakeville13
- Chesterfield13
- Haverhill12
- Taunton12
- Ware12
- Weymouth11
- Pittsfield11
- Greenfield11
- Amesbury11
- Rockland11
- Abington11
- Montague11
- Adams11
- Scituate11
- Sheffield11
- Fall River10
- Methuen10
- Westfield10
- Marlborough10
- Northampton10
- Charlton10
- Freetown10
- West Boylston10
- Walpole10
- Mendon10
- Lanesborough10
- Becket10
- Chicopee9
- Attleboro9
- North Andover9
- West Springfield9
- Milford9
- Swansea9
- Lynnfield9
- Rehoboth9
- Blackstone9
- Plymouth9
- Rockport9
- North Pembroke9
- East Dennis9
- Otis9
Cemeteries by county
Frequently asked questions
How many cemeteries are there in Massachusetts?
Our directory currently lists 2,047 cemeteries in Massachusetts, across 14 counties. The count includes active cemeteries as well as small family and historic burial grounds recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Are there veterans cemeteries in Massachusetts?
Yes. We list 8 veterans cemeteries in Massachusetts, including national and state veterans cemeteries. Eligible veterans, their spouses and some dependents can be buried in a VA national cemetery at no cost.
How do I find historic cemeteries in Massachusetts?
We list 864 cemeteries in Massachusetts with a recorded heritage designation, historic tag or establishment year before 1900. County historical societies and the state historic preservation office keep more detailed burial records.
Related guides
- Religious Burial Customs in the USHow Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Orthodox and Latter-day Saint traditions shape burial, timing and cemetery choice.
- Gravestone Symbols and Their MeaningsWhat willows, lambs, hands, urns, fraternal emblems and Latin abbreviations on American gravestones usually mean, and how styles changed from colonial times to today.
- How Much Does a Cemetery Plot Cost?What drives plot prices in the US, typical ranges by cemetery type and region, and the fees that come on top of the plot itself.
- What Is a Veterans Cemetery?National, state and post cemeteries explained, what they provide, and how they differ from a veterans section.