The state of Massachusetts is located in the New England area in the northeastern US. The state of Massachusetts is bounded by the state of Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, the state of New York to the west, and New Hampshire and Vermont towards the north, and the Atlantic Ocean towards the east. As of the 2010 Census, the people of Massachusetts was 6,547,629. The state of Massachusetts features two separate metropolitan areas, the eastern Boston metropolitan area and the western Springfield metropolitan area. Approximately two thirds of Massachusetts inhabitants lives in Greater Boston, most of which is either urban or suburban. Western Massachusetts features one urban area, the Knowledge Corridor along the Connecticut River, and a mix of college towns and rural areas. The state of Massachusetts is the most populous of the six New England states; the third most densely populated state within the US, and likewise has the US' twelfth highest GDP per capita.
Massachusetts played a significant cultural, commercial and historical part in American history. Plymouth was the second permanent English settlement within North America, and Puritans settling Massachusetts in the 1630s dominated New England for several years. Harvard University, founded during the year 1636, is the oldest institution of higher learning within the US. In the year 1692, the towns surrounding Salem experienced one of America's most infamous cases of mass hysteria, the Salem Witch Trials. During the eighteenth century, the Protestant First Great Awakening, that swept the Atlantic world, started from the pulpit of Northampton, Massachusetts preacher Jonathan Edwards. In the late 18th century, the city of Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty" for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution and the independence of the United States from Great Britain.
Massachusetts was at first dependent on agriculture, trade and fishing, but moved towards a manufacturing base during the Industrial Revolution. The economy of the state during the 20th century shifted again from manufacturing to services. During the 21st century, the state of Massachusetts is a leader in health care technology, higher education, financial services, higher technology, cannabis law reform, universal healthcare, and same-sex marriage.
In 2008, Massachusetts gross state product was estimated at $365 billion, according to the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis. During that same year, the per capita personal income was the 3rd highest in the United States at $50,735. 13 Fortune 500 companies are situated within the commonwealth, the biggest of which are the MassMutual Financial Services and the Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. CNBC's list of "Top States for Business for 2010" has recognized Massachusetts as the fifth best state in the nation. Sectors vital to the economy of Massachusetts include biotechnology, higher education, finance, health care, and tourism.
As of the year 2005, there were 7,700 farms in the state of Massachusetts encompassing a total of 520,000 acres (2,100 km2), averaging 68 acres (0.28 km2) apiece. Just about 2,300 of the state's 6,100 farms grossed below $2,500 in 2007. Particular agricultural products of note include tobacco, livestock, and fruits, tree nuts, and berries, wherein Massachusetts is nationally ranked 11th, 17th, and 16th, respectively. Massachusetts is the second largest cranberry producing state in the union, following Wisconsin.