Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district is located in central Massachusetts, encompassing much of Franklin, Hampshire, and Worcester counties, as well as small portions of Middlesex and Norfolk Counties. The largest municipalities in the district include Worcester (which is the second-largest city in New England after Boston), Leominster, Amherst, Shrewsbury, and Northampton.

Democrat Jim McGovern has represented the district since 2013; he previously represented the 3rd district since 1997.

Cities and towns represented As of the 2021 redistricting, the 2nd district includes 68 municipalities:

Franklin County (22)

Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Greenfield, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Shelburne, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell, Whatley

Hampshire County (9)

Amherst, Chesterfield, Goshen, Hadley, Hatfield, Northampton, Pelham, Westhampton, Williamsburg

Middlesex County (3)

Ashland, Holliston, Hopkinton

Norfolk County (1)

Medway

Worcester County (33)

Athol, Auburn, Barre, Boylston, Douglas, Grafton, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, Leominster, Millbury, Northborough, Northbridge, Oakham, Petersham, Paxton, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sterling, Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, Webster (part; also 1st; includes part of Webster CDP), West Boylston, Westborough, Westminster (part; also 3rd), Worcester

History of District Boundaries

1795 to 1803 Known as the 2nd Western District.

1803 to 1813 Known as the "Essex North" district.

1813 to 1833

Known as the "Essex South" district. From 1813-1815, the district was shaped in such a way that poet and Federalist Richard Alsop described it as a "Gerry-mander" (a portmanteau of Gerry—the governor at the time—and salamander). Illustrator Elkanah Tisdale subsequently used the term as the basis for a political cartoon, which popularized it and led to "gerrymandering" being used to describe the practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to gain a political advantage.

1843 to 1853

The Act of September 16, 1842, established the district on the North Shore and New Hampshire border, with the following municipalities:

In Essex County: Beverly, Danvers, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Ipswich, Lynn, Lynnfield, Manchester, Marblehead, Middleton, Rockport, Salem, Saugus, Topsfield, and Wenham In Middlesex County: Malden, Medford, Reading, South Reading, and Stoneham In Suffolk County: Chelsea

1860s "Parts of the counties of Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth."

1870s–1900s

1903 to 1913

During this decade, the district contained the following municipalities:

In Franklin County: Erving, Leverett, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, and Wendell In Hampshire County: Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Enfield, Granby, Hadley, Northampton, Pelham, Prescott, South Hadley, and Ware In Hampden County: Brimfield, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Hampden, Holland, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Monson, Palmer, Springfield, Wales, and Wilbraham In Worcester County: Athol, Barre, Brookfield, Dana, Hardwick, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Warren, and West Brookfield.

1913 to 1923 During this decade, the district contained the following municipalities:

In Franklin County: Bernardston, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Leverett, Montague, Northfield, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell, and Whately In Hampshire County: Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Enfield, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, Northampton, Pelham, South Hadley, Ware, and Williamsburg In Hampden County: Agawam, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Hampden, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Springfield, West Springfield, and Wilbraham

1920s–2002

2003 to 2013

During this decade, the district contained the following municipalities:

In Hampden County: Agawam, Brimfield, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Hampden, Holland, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Monson, Palmer, Springfield, Wales, Wilbraham In Hampshire County: Hadley, Northampton, South Hadley In Norfolk County: Bellingham In Worcester County: Blackstone, Brookfield, Charlton, Douglas, Dudley, East Brookfield, Grafton, Hopedale, Leicester, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, North Brookfield, Northbridge, Oxford, Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Sutton, Upton, Uxbridge, Warren, Webster

2013 to 2023 After the 2010 census, the shape of the district changed for the elections of 2012. The updated district covered central Massachusetts, including much of Worcester County, and was largely the successor to the old 3rd District. Most of the old 2nd district, including Springfield, was moved into the updated 1st district.

During this decade, the district contained the following municipalities:

In Franklin County: Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Greenfield, Leverett, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Wendell, Warwick, and Whately In Hampden County: Precinct 1 in Palmer In Hampshire County: Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, Hatfield, Northampton, Pelham, and Ware In Norfolk County: Precincts 4 and 5 in Bellingham In Worcester County: Athol, Auburn, Barre, Blackstone, Boylston, Douglas, Grafton, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, Leominster, Mendon, Millbury, Millville, Northborough, Northbridge, North Brookfield, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Spencer, Sterling, Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, Webster, West Boylston, Westborough, Precinct 1 in Winchendon, and Worcester.

Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentObama 61% - 37% SenateKerry 67% - 33%2010 Senate (Spec.)Brown 54% - 46% GovernorPatrick 48% - 42%2012 PresidentObama 61% - 39% SenateWarren 52% - 48%2014 SenateMarkey 58% - 42% GovernorBaker 50% - 44%2016 PresidentClinton 58% - 34%2018 SenateWarren 59% - 37% GovernorBaker 68% - 32% Secretary of the CommonwealthGalvin 69% - 27% Attorney GeneralHealey 68% - 32% Treasurer and Receiver-GeneralGoldberg 66% - 30% AuditorBump 60% - 32%2020 PresidentBiden 64% - 33% SenateMarkey 64% - 34%2022 GovernorHealey 63% - 35% Secretary of the CommonwealthGalvin 66% - 30% Attorney GeneralCampbell 62% - 38% AuditorDiZoglio 53% - 39%2024 PresidentHarris 60% - 37% SenateWarren 59% - 41%

List of members representing the district