Groundwork

Market rankings · Massachusetts

Barbershops in Massachusetts

Every metro area, small-town market and county in Massachusetts, ranked by the Groundwork market score for barbershops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
1,666
186 chain locations (11%)
Official establishments
164
+36.7% since 2019
Household spending a year
$3.2B
On personal care products and services
Listings per 10k households
6.0
13% above the U.S.
Spending per listing
$1.9M
3% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#26 of 51
Market score 48 · Lower middle

A site report maps the barbershops on map listings around any address in Massachusetts by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

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Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

Massachusetts has 1,666 barbershops on map listings as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 11% of them, against 12% across the U.S. That comes to 6.0 for every 10,000 households, 13% above the U.S. rate of 5.3.

Households in Massachusetts spend about $3.2B a year on personal care products and services, or $1,165 per household, 16% above the U.S. average. Spread across 1,666 barbershops, that is $1.9M per shop, 3% above the U.S. figure of $1.9M. The spending figure covers all personal care products and services, not only barbershops.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as barber shops in Massachusetts was 164 in 2023, up 36.7% from 2019. That is one for every 16,982 households, against one for every 16,589 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 28.5% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 29 SBA-backed loans worth $2.6M have gone to businesses classed as barber shops in Massachusetts.

Among the 50 states and DC, Massachusetts ranks #26 for barbershops, with a Groundwork market score of 48 (lower middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Amherst Town-Northampton metro area scores highest (89). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest (71).

Every market in Massachusetts for barbershops

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Massachusetts, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.

Metro areas

Metro areas reaching Massachusetts, ranked for barbershops by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Amherst Town-Northampton, MA89203.2$3.3M+10.4%#3 of 387
2Barnstable Town, MA69514.8$2.3M+2.4%#58 of 387
3Worcester, MA602246.7$1.7M+3.7%#117 of 387
4Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH561,1425.9$2.1M+2.3%#141 of 387
5Pittsfield, MA54244.2$2.4M−1.2%#160 of 387
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA494376.5$1.6M+2.1%#201 of 387
6Springfield, MA371196.5$1.5M+0.2%#300 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Massachusetts, ranked for barbershops by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Greenfield, MA71103.2$3M−0.3%#60 of 377
2Vineyard Haven, MA6856.6$1.9M+3.1%#82 of 377
Nantucket, MANot scored11.9$7.2M+3.6%

Counties

Counties in Massachusetts, ranked for barbershops by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Hampshire County, MA88203.2$3.3M+10.4%#23 of 1,356
2Plymouth County, MA73984.8$2.5M+3.5%#170 of 1,356
3Norfolk County, MA701294.6$2.9M+2.2%#230 of 1,356
4Barnstable County, MA69514.8$2.3M+2.4%#266 of 1,356
5Middlesex County, MA683695.8$2.2M+2.8%#283 of 1,356
6Dukes County, MA6456.6$1.9M+3.1%#372 of 1,356
7Worcester County, MA642246.7$1.7M+3.7%#374 of 1,356
8Franklin County, MA63103.2$3M−0.3%#382 of 1,356
9Bristol County, MA601526.5$1.6M+2.9%#456 of 1,356
10Berkshire County, MA55244.2$2.4M−1.2%#566 of 1,356
11Essex County, MA482197.0$1.6M+2.3%#754 of 1,356
12Hampden County, MA451196.5$1.5M+0.2%#840 of 1,356
13Suffolk County, MA412457.5$1.5M+0.1%#919 of 1,356
Nantucket County, MANot scored11.9$7.2M+3.6%

Markets with fewer than 5 barbershops on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.

Questions

How many barbershops are in Massachusetts?

Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,666 barbershops in Massachusetts. 186 of them (11%) are chain locations. The listings count barbershops. Official counts show 164 businesses with payroll classed as barber shops in 2023, up 36.7% from 2019. Official counts also show 2,754 one-person businesses without payroll.

How much do households in Massachusetts spend on personal care products and services?

About $3.2B a year, or $1,165 per household. That is 16% above the U.S. average (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,666 barbershops on map listings, it comes to $1.9M per shop. That spending covers all personal care products and services, which barbershops share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 2,785,042 households in Massachusetts and national spending patterns by income.

How does Massachusetts compare with the U.S. for barbershops?

Massachusetts has 6.0 barbershops per 10,000 households, 13% above the U.S. rate of 5.3. Spending per shop is $1.9M, 3% above the U.S. figure of $1.9M. At the U.S. ratio of barbershops to household spending, Massachusetts would have about 1,721, against 1,666 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 16,982 households, against one for every 16,589 across the U.S. The official count rose 36.7% from 2019 to 2023, against +28.5% for the U.S.

Which market in Massachusetts has the highest market score for barbershops?

Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Amherst Town-Northampton metro area scores highest, at 89 (high). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest, at 71 (upper middle). Among 13 scored counties in Massachusetts, Hampshire County scores highest, at 88 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.

What is the Groundwork market score?

The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Massachusetts scores 48 for barbershops (lower middle), #26 of the 50 states and DC.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Massachusetts. It maps the barbershops on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.

Barbershops in other states

All 51 states

Top markets for barbershops across the U.S. · All business types in Massachusetts

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This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.