Interpretation of Death Rates Data
Death Rate Report for Massachusetts by County
All Cancer Sites, 2019-2023
All Races (includes Hispanic), Both Sexes, All Ages
Sorted by Recentaapc
Explanation of Column HeadersDeath Rate (95% Confidence Interval) - The death rate is based upon 100,000 people and is for 5 year(s). Rates are age-adjusted by 5-year age groups to the 2000 U.S. standard million population (the Healthy People 2020 goals are based on rates adjusted using different methods but the differences should be minimal).
Recent Trends - This is an interpretation of the AAPC:
- Rising when 95% confidence interval of average annual percent change is above 0.
- Stable when 95% confidence interval of average annual percent change includes 0.
- Falling when 95% confidence interval of average annual percent change is below 0.
AAPC (95% Confidence Interval) - The Average Annual Percent Change is the change in rate over time. These AAPCs are based upon APCs that were calculated by Joinpoint Regression Program
Other Notes
- Larger confidence intervals indicate less stability of the data. This is often due to low counts that are not quite low enough to be suppressed.
- Data is currently being suppressed if there are fewer than 16 counts for the time period.
Line by Line Interpretation of the Report
Nantucket County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Rural
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : Yes
- Rate : The death rate is 105.6 with a 95% confidence interval from 84.6 to 130.5 and 18 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 14 (8, 14)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling
because the trend is -3.8 with a 95% confidence interval from -5.2 to -2.5.
Dukes County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Rural
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : Yes
- Rate : The death rate is 110.4 with a 95% confidence interval from 95.1 to 128.1 and 40 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 13 (9, 14)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -3.3 with a 95% confidence interval from -4.2 to -2.3.
Suffolk County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 126.6 with a 95% confidence interval from 123.0 to 130.2 and 991 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 12 (9, 13)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.7 with a 95% confidence interval from -3.0 to -2.4.
Essex County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 131.2 with a 95% confidence interval from 128.1 to 134.3 and 1,430 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 9 (7, 11)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.2 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.4 to -2.1.
Middlesex County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 127.0 with a 95% confidence interval from 124.7 to 129.2 and 2,531 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 11 (9, 13)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.2 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.3 to -2.0.
Barnstable County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 128.8 with a 95% confidence interval from 124.0 to 133.8 and 647 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 10 (7, 13)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.0 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.3 to -1.7.
Norfolk County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 135.5 with a 95% confidence interval from 132.1 to 138.8 and 1,315 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 7 (6, 9)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.0 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.2 to -1.8.
Plymouth County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 146.7 with a 95% confidence interval from 142.7 to 150.7 and 1,102 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 3 (1, 6)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.9 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.2 to -1.7.
Hampshire County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 133.4 with a 95% confidence interval from 126.4 to 140.7 and 289 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 8 (5, 12)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.8 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.4 to -1.3.
Worcester County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 143.0 with a 95% confidence interval from 139.8 to 146.3 and 1,557 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 5 (3, 6)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.7 with a 95% confidence interval from -1.9 to -1.4.
Berkshire County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 144.7 with a 95% confidence interval from 137.5 to 152.3 and 326 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 4 (1, 7)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.6 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.0 to -1.2.
Hampden County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 151.0 with a 95% confidence interval from 146.6 to 155.5 and 925 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 2 (1, 4)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.4 with a 95% confidence interval from -1.7 to -1.1.
Bristol County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Urban
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 152.0 with a 95% confidence interval from 148.0 to 156.0 and 1,159 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 1 (1, 3)
- Recent Trend : The trend is stable
because the trend is -1.3 with a 95% confidence interval from -3.3 to 0.2.
Franklin County
- 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes Φ : Rural
- Met Healthy People Objective of 122.7? : No
- Rate : The death rate is 138.9 with a 95% confidence interval from 129.1 to 149.5 and 160 average annual counts over 2019-2023.
- CI*Rank ⋔ : 6 (2, 11)
- Recent Trend : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.2 with a 95% confidence interval from -1.8 to -0.7.
Notes:
Created by statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov on 03/23/2026 12:11 pm.
State Cancer Registries may provide more current or more local data.
† Death data provided by the National Vital Statistics System public use data file. Death rates calculated by the National Cancer Institute using SEER*Stat. Death rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population (20 age groups: <1, 1-4, 5-9, ... , 80-84, 85-89, 90+).
Population counts for denominators are based on Census populations as modified by NCI.
The US Population Data File is used with mortality data.
⋔ Results presented with the CI*Rank statistics help show the usefulness of ranks. For example, ranks for relatively rare diseases or less populated areas may be essentially meaningless because of their large variability, but ranks for more common diseases in densely populated regions can be very useful. More information about methodology can be found on the CI*Rank website.
When displaying county information, the CI*Rank for the state is not shown because it's not comparable. To see the state CI*Rank please view the statistics at the US By State level.
Φ Rural–urban county classifications are based on the 2023 USDA Rural–Urban Continuum Codes (except for Connecticut Counties which use 2013 codes). State-level cancer rates for rural areas are calculated using cancer cases registered exclusively in rural counties, while state-level cancer rates for urban areas are calculated using cases registered exclusively in urban counties.
Data for United States does not include Puerto Rico.