What Growing Zone Is Massachusetts In?
USDA hardiness zones
5b to 7b
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Massachusetts spans USDA hardiness zone 5b to 7b across its major population centers, according to the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. That's a real range, not a single number: where you fall in it depends on where in the state you actually are.
Hardiness zone for ZIP 02108 (Boston)
Your USDA hardiness zone
Zone 7a
Avg. annual minimum (°F)
0°F to 5°F
Avg. annual minimum (°C)
-18°C to -15°C
Nearest reference point: Boston, MA
This is a regional estimate based on the nearest of 826 reference points, each matched to the official 2023 USDA zone map. It’s accurate to within about a half-zone across most of the country, but elevation shifts zones over short distances, so if you’re in mountainous terrain, check the official USDA map for your exact address (see Sources below).
Massachusetts's USDA Hardiness Zones
Here's how the zone shifts across Massachusetts's major cities:
For your exact zone by ZIP code, use the Hardiness Zone Finder, and for what a zone number actually measures (and doesn't), see how zones actually work.
Frost Dates in Massachusetts
Frost dates track zone, so they shift across Massachusetts the same way the zone number does:
- Berkshires (Pittsfield) (zone 5): average last frost Apr 8 - Apr 22, average first frost Oct 8 - Oct 22.
- Nantucket (zone 7): average last frost Mar 18 - Apr 1, average first frost Oct 29 - Nov 12.
These are averages, not guarantees. For your specific frost window, use the Frost Date Calculator. For a full vegetable-by-vegetable planting calendar already calculated from Massachusetts's frost dates, see the Massachusetts Planting Calendar.
Massachusetts spans a wide range for its size -- the inland Berkshires sit around zone 5, while the ocean-buffered islands of Cape Cod and Nantucket reach 7a/7b, a gap driven mainly by distance from the moderating Atlantic.
What Grows Well in Massachusetts's Zones
A few real, zone-appropriate picks recommended by UMass Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment for Massachusetts landscapes: not an exhaustive list, but a genuine starting point.
- Northern bayberry (Morella pensylvanica)
- Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
- Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
- Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)
- Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
- American cranberrybush (Viburnum trilobum)
Ready to find your exact zone? Use the Hardiness Zone Finder: enter your ZIP code for a precise match against the 2023 USDA map.
Massachusetts Growing Zone FAQ
What growing zone is Massachusetts in?
Massachusetts spans USDA hardiness zones 5b to 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Pittsfield is zone 5b and Worcester is zone 6a; enter your ZIP code in the Hardiness Zone Finder for your exact zone.
What growing zone is Boston, MA?
Boston is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.
What growing zone is Cape Cod, MA?
Cape Cod is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.
What growing zone is Pittsfield, MA?
Pittsfield is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.
What growing zone is Worcester, MA?
Worcester is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.
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The Spacing & Planting Cheat Sheet
When to start, when to plant, how far apart.
Sources & further reading
Zone and city data checked against the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Plant recommendations sourced from UMass Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment. Climate note sourced from Wikipedia, Climate of Massachusetts (secondary source). For more on how we build and verify reference data across this site, see our methodology page.
Growing zones in nearby states
Gardening near a state line? Zones don't stop at the border:
- New York growing zones
- Connecticut growing zones
- New Hampshire growing zones
- Rhode Island growing zones
- Vermont growing zones
Or browse all 51 state growing-zone guides.