5.4
marriages per 1,000 residents
Massachusetts’ provisional marriage rate for 2024. The federal rate counts marriages in the state where the ceremony took place.
Source: CDC, 2024 data ↗Reference guide
Massachusetts marriage statistics and license facts.
A concise, sourced snapshot of marriage rates and the practical timing couples need to plan a Massachusetts ceremony. Last updated October 30, 2026.
At a glance
The numbers behind a Massachusetts “I do.”
These figures distinguish statewide marriage-rate data from the rules that shape a couple’s planning timeline. Marriage rates count marriages where they occurred, not where each person lives.
35%
higher than the 2020 rate
The Massachusetts rate rose from 4.0 per 1,000 residents in 2020 to 5.4 in 2024, a calculation from the CDC’s state series.
Source: CDC state series, 2020 and 2024 ↗~14%
below the 2019 rate
The 2024 Massachusetts rate of 5.4 per 1,000 was about 14% below the 2019 rate of 6.3, based on the same CDC series.
Source: CDC state series, 2019 and 2024 ↗Planning timeline
Three numbers couples should know before setting the date.
days
Massachusetts normally has a three-day wait after a couple applies for a marriage license. A court may waive it in some circumstances.
State guidance ↗days
A Massachusetts marriage license is valid for 60 days. Couples who do not marry within that window need to apply again.
State guidance ↗years old
Clerks must verify that both parties are at least 18 before issuing a Massachusetts marriage certificate.
Massachusetts law ↗Reading the data
A useful reference, with the right context.
The CDC’s rates are provisional counts, so they may be revised as reporting is completed. They measure marriages that happened in Massachusetts, which means they include couples who travelled here to marry and do not measure where either spouse lives.
License requirements are practical planning facts, not a substitute for advice about an individual situation. City and town clerks can confirm local appointments, fees and document requirements.
Cite this page
Share a source your readers can check.
Suggested citation: Justice of the Peace Martin T. Rich, “Massachusetts Marriage Statistics and License Facts,” updated October 30, 2026.