The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for Massachusetts was released in November 2012 and incorporated climate data from 1976 to 2005 — the first major revision since the 1990 map. Use the table below to compare 2012 zones to the current 2023 zones.
| Location | 2012 Hardiness Zone | 1990 Zone | 2023 Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abington | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Acton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Arlington | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Ashburnham | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Ashland | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Attleboro | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Auburn | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Bedford | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Belmont | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Berkley | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Beverly | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Billerica | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Blackstone | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Bolton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Boston | 7a — 0°F to 5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Brockton | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Brookline | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Burlington | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Cambridge | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Canton | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Carlisle | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Carver | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Charlton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Chelmsford | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Chelsea | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Chicopee | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Cohasset | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Concord | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Dalton | 5a — -20°F to -15°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F |
| Danvers | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Dedham | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Dighton | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Douglas | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Dracut | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Dudley | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| East Bridgewater | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| East Longmeadow | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Eastham | 7a — 0°F to 5°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F | 7b — 5°F to 10°F |
| Easton | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Everett | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Fairhaven | 7a — 0°F to 5°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Fall River | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Fitchburg | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Framingham | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Gardner | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F |
| Georgetown | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Gloucester | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Grafton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Greenfield | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5a — -20°F to -15°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Groveland | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Hadley | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5a — -20°F to -15°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Halifax | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Hamilton | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Hanover | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Harvard | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Haverhill | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Holden | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Holliston | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Holyoke | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Hudson | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Lancaster | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Lawrence | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Leicester | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Leominster | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Lexington | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Lincoln | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Littleton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Longmeadow | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Lowell | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Ludlow | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Lynn | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Malden | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Marblehead | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Marlborough | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Mashpee | 7a — 0°F to 5°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Medford | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Medway | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Melrose | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Mendon | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Merrimac | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Middleton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Milford | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Millbury | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Milton | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Montague | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5a — -20°F to -15°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Natick | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Needham | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| New Bedford | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Newburyport | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Newton | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Norfolk | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| North Andover | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| North Reading | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Northampton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5a — -20°F to -15°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Northbridge | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Norwell | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Norwood | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Paxton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Peabody | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Pembroke | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Pittsfield | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5a — -20°F to -15°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F |
| Plainville | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Quincy | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Raynham | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Reading | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Rehoboth | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Revere | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Rochester | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Rockland | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Salem | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Saugus | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Seekonk | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Shrewsbury | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Somerset | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Somerville | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| South Hadley | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Southampton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Southborough | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Southwick | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Springfield | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Sterling | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Stoneham | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Stoughton | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Stow | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Sudbury | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Sutton | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Swampscott | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Swansea | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 7a — 0°F to 5°F |
| Taunton | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Templeton | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F |
| Tewksbury | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Uxbridge | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Wakefield | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Waltham | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Wayland | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Wellesley | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Wenham | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| West Boylston | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| West Bridgewater | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Westfield | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Westford | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Westminster | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Weston | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Westwood | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Whitman | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Wilmington | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Winchester | 6b — -5°F to 0°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Woburn | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
| Worcester | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6a — -10°F to -5°F |
| Wrentham | 6a — -10°F to -5°F | 5b — -15°F to -10°F | 6b — -5°F to 0°F |
The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map was released in November 2012 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). It was the first major revision to the USDA map since 1990 and was developed in cooperation with Oregon State University’s PRISM Climate Group using more weather stations and finer-resolution data.
Official source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — planthardiness.ars.usda.gov
This interactive map presentation is provided by PlantMaps. The underlying hardiness zone boundary data is sourced from the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Zone assignments for individual cities and towns are derived from PlantMaps climate data.