Earned vs. Unearned Income — 2021, across MA
Where this is
Shading: Earned vs. Unearned Income
Lower (-0.04 pts to +0.02 pts)Lower-middle (+3.25 pts to +6.48 pts)Middle (+9.09 pts to +11.89 pts)Upper-middle (+11.94 pts to +17.14 pts)Higher (+17.17 pts to +18.48 pts)
Each unit is shaded by its Earned vs. Unearned Income value and grouped into equal-count bands (quantiles) against the other units shown — lighter = lower, darker = higher. It ranks position among the units in view; it does not grade places, and the ranges shift with which units are shown.
In Barnstable County, 41.17% of income comes from sources other than work — 17.17 pts above the national median (24.00%), the 3rd-highest of 14 shown.
Ranked by Earned vs. Unearned Income among the 14 units measured here for 2021. Rank groups them into equal-count bands (Lower→Higher). Typical (median) here: 34.79%.
| Unit | Unearned share | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Dukes County | 42.48% | Higher |
| Nantucket County | 42.08% | Higher |
| Barnstable County (selected) | 41.17% | Higher |
| Suffolk County | 41.14% | Upper-middle |
| Berkshire County | 36.13% | Upper-middle |
| Norfolk County | 35.94% | Upper-middle |
| Franklin County | 35.89% | Middle |
| Hampshire County | 33.70% | Middle |
| Middlesex County | 33.09% | Middle |
| Essex County | 30.48% | Lower-middle |
| Plymouth County | 29.10% | Lower-middle |
| Hampden County | 27.25% | Lower-middle |
| Worcester County | 24.02% | Lower |
| Bristol County | 23.96% | Lower |
The map is bounded to this parent geography — it shows the selected unit among its own siblings only, the same depth rule the drill-down uses. Shading ranks position on the measure among the units shown; it does not grade places.
Shading by Earned vs. Unearned Income for 2021; units without a value for this measure/year are shown as “no data.”
Earned vs. Unearned Income
▲ 2022: Elevated Unearned Income map ↗
| Amount | % of total | % of bucket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total income | $14.39B | 100.0% | |
| Earned | $9.03B | 62.7% | |
| Wages | $7.30B | 50.7% | 80.9% |
| Self-employment | $1.73B | 12.0% | 19.1% |
| Unearned | $5.37B | 37.3% | |
| Retirement | $2.24B | 15.5% | 41.7% |
| Investment | $2.07B | 14.4% | 38.6% |
| Transfers | $864.41M | 6.0% | 16.1% |
| Other/unclassified | $191.06M | 1.3% | 3.6% |
135,210 returns filed
▲ 2021: Elevated Unearned Income map ↗ ▶ on map
| Amount | % of total | % of bucket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total income | $15.07B | 100.0% | |
| Earned | $8.87B | 58.8% | |
| Wages | $7.11B | 47.2% | 80.2% |
| Self-employment | $1.76B | 11.7% | 19.8% |
| Unearned | $6.20B | 41.2% | |
| Retirement | $2.12B | 14.0% | 34.1% |
| Investment | $2.91B | 19.3% | 46.9% |
| Social Security | $731.06M | 4.9% | 11.8% |
| Unemployment | $309.65M | 2.1% | 5.0% |
| Other/unclassified | $136.28M | 0.9% | 2.2% |
134,100 returns filed
▲ 2020: Elevated Unearned Income map ↗
| Amount | % of total | % of bucket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total income | $12.63B | 100.0% | |
| Earned | $7.86B | 62.2% | |
| Wages | $6.59B | 52.2% | 83.8% |
| Self-employment | $1.27B | 10.1% | 16.2% |
| Unearned | $4.77B | 37.8% | |
| Retirement | $1.80B | 14.2% | 37.7% |
| Investment | $1.95B | 15.5% | 40.9% |
| Social Security | $654.79M | 5.2% | 13.7% |
| Unemployment | $567.44M | 4.5% | 11.9% |
| Other/unclassified | -$200.96M | -1.6% | -4.2% |
136,960 returns filed
▲ 2019: Elevated Unearned Income map ↗
| Amount | % of total | % of bucket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total income | $11.41B | 100.0% | |
| Earned | $7.27B | 63.8% | |
| Wages | $6.05B | 53.1% | 83.2% |
| Self-employment | $1.22B | 10.7% | 16.8% |
| Unearned | $4.13B | 36.2% | |
| Retirement | $1.85B | 16.2% | 44.8% |
| Investment | $1.59B | 14.0% | 38.6% |
| Transfers | $670.64M | 5.9% | 16.2% |
| Other/unclassified | $15.34M | 0.1% | 0.4% |
129,610 returns filed