| State: | Massachusetts |
| District Number: | 8 |
| Image Caption: | Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023 |
| Representative: | Stephen Lynch |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Residence: | Boston |
| Population: | 773,868[1] |
| Population Year: | 2022 |
| Median Income: | $103,758 |
| Percent White: | 66.3 |
| Percent Hispanic: | 6.8 |
| Percent Black: | 9.4 |
| Percent Asian: | 9.6 |
| Percent More Than One Race: | 5.8 |
| Percent Other Race: | 2.0 |
| Cpvi: | D+15[2] |
Massachusetts's 8th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts, including part of Boston. It is represented by Democrat Stephen Lynch. For one congressional term (1791–1793), it served as the home district of the District of Maine. The district boundaries were significantly changed, as of the elections of 2012, due to redistricting after the 2010 census, with the old 8th district largely being shifted to the new 7th district.[3] The new 8th district comprises many of the communities of the old 9th district, as well as some easternmost Norfolk County communities and northernmost Plymouth County communities of the old 10th district.
This district has the distinction of being the only one ever represented by someone who had previously served as president of the United States, as John Quincy Adams held this office after leaving the presidency from 1843 until his death in 1848.
| Year | Office | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | President | Gore 72 - 17% | ||
| 2004 | President | Kerry 79 - 19% | ||
| 2008 | President | Obama 58 - 40.5% | ||
| 2012 | President | Obama 57.8 - 40.8% | ||
| 2016 | President | Clinton 60.4 - 34.4% | ||
| 2020 | President | Biden 66 - 32% |
In Bristol County: Precincts 1 and 2 in Raynham.
In Norfolk County: Avon, Braintree, Canton, Cohasset, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton:Precincts 2–4, and 6–9, Norwood, Quincy, Stoughton, Walpole, Westwood and Weymouth.
In Plymouth County: Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Hingham, Hull, Scituate, West Bridgewater, and Whitman.
In Suffolk County: Boston, Ward 3: Precincts 1–6; Ward 5: Precincts 3–5, 11; Ward 6, Ward 7: Precincts 1–9, Ward 11: Precincts 9 and 10, Ward 13: Precincts 3, 7 and 10, Ward 16: Precincts 2, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 12, Ward 19: Precincts 1–6, 8 and 9, and Ward 20: Precincts 1, 2, and 4–20.
| Representative | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history | District location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District created March 4, 1789 | ||||||||
| align=left | Jonathan Grout | Anti-Administration | nowrap | March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1791 | Elected in 1788. Redistricted to the and lost re-election. | 1789–1793 Worcester County | ||
| Vacant | nowrap | March 4, 1791 – April 4, 1791 | ||||||
| align=left | George Thatcher | Pro-Administration | nowrap | April 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | Redistricted from the and re-elected late in 1791. Redistricted to the . | |||
| District inactive | nowrap | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | ||||||
| align=left | Fisher Ames | Federalist | nowrap | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1794. Retired. | 1795–1803 "1st Middle district" | ||
| align=left | Harrison Gray Otis | Federalist | nowrap | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1801 | Elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Retired. | |||
| align=left | William Eustis | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Elected in 1800. Redistricted to the . | |||
| align=left | Lemuel Williams | Federalist | nowrap | March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1802. Lost re-election. | 1803–1815 "Barnstable district" | ||
| align=left | Isaiah L. Green | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1809 | Elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Gideon Gardner | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811 | Elected in 1808. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Isaiah L. Green | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813 | Elected in 1810. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | John Reed Jr. | Federalist | nowrap | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 | Elected in 1812. Redistricted to the . | |||
| align=left | William Baylies | Federalist | nowrap | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1814. Retired. | 1815–1823 "Plymouth district" | ||
| align=left | Zabdiel Sampson | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1817 – July 26, 1820 | Elected in 1817 on the second ballot. Resigned to become collector of customs in Plymouth. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | July 26, 1820 – November 24, 1820 | ||||||
| align=left | Aaron Hobart | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | November 24, 1820 – March 3, 1823 | Elected in 1820. Later elected on the second ballot to finish Sampson's term and seated December 18, 1820. Redistricted to the . | |||
| Samuel Lathrop | Adams-Clay Federalist | nowrap | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1825 on the third ballot. | 1823–1833 "Hampden district" | |||
| Anti-Jacksonian | nowrap | March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827 | ||||||
Isaac C. Bates | Anti-Jacksonian | March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1835 | Elected in 1827 on the third ballot. Re-elected in 1828. Re-elected in 1830. Re-elected in 1833. Retired. | |||||
| 1833–1843 | ||||||||
William B. Calhoun | Anti-Jacksonian | nowrap | March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 | Elected in 1834. Re-elected in 1836. Re-elected in 1838. Re-elected in 1840. Retired. | ||||
| Whig | nowrap | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843 | ||||||
| align=left | John Quincy Adams | Whig | nowrap | March 4, 1843 – February 23, 1848 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1842. Re-elected in 1844. Re-elected in 1846. Died. | 1843–1853 "All the towns in Norfolk County; Abington, North Bridgewater, Hingham, and Hull, in the County of Plymouth; and Brighton, Holliston, Natick, Newton, and Sherburne, in the County of Middlesex."[4] | ||
| Vacant | nowrap | February 24, 1848 – April 2, 1848 | ||||||
| align=left | Horace Mann | Whig | nowrap | April 3, 1848 – March 3, 1853 | Elected to finish Adams's term. Re-elected later in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. | |||
| align=left | Tappan Wentworth | Whig | nowrap | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | Elected in 1852. | 1853–1863 "The city of Lowell, and the towns of Acton, Ashby, Ashland, Bedford, Billerica, Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Framingham, Groton, Hopkinton, Lincoln, Littleton, Marlborough, Natick, Pepperell, Shirley, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wayland. Westford, and Weston, in the county of Middlesex; and the towns of Berlin, Bolton, Harvard, Lunenburg, Northborough, Southborough, and Westborough, in the county of Worcester."[5] | ||
Chauncey L. Knapp | Know Nothing | nowrap | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | Elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. | ||||
| Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859 | ||||||
| align=left | Charles R. Train[6] | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863 | Elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. | |||
| align=left | John D. Baldwin | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1869 | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. | 1863–1873 | ||
| align=left | George F. Hoar[7] | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1873 | Elected in 1868. Re-elected in 1870. Redistricted to the . | |||
| align=left | John M. S. Williams | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | Elected in 1872. | 1873–1883 "Ashland, Wards 22, 23, 25, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Dedham, Dover, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Sherborn, Southboro', Watertown, Wayland, and Weston."[8] | ||
| align=left | William W. Warren | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 | Elected in 1874. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | William Claflin[9] | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1881 | Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Retired. | |||
| align=left | John W. Candler | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 | Elected in 1880. | |||
| align=left | William A. Russell | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1882. | 1883–1893 | ||
| align=left | Charles H. Allen | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889 | Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Frederic T. Greenhalge | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891 | Elected in 1888. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Moses T. Stevens | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | Elected in 1890. Redistricted to the . | |||
Samuel W. McCall[10] [11] | Republican | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1913 | Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. | 1893–1903 Arlington, Boston (Wards 9, 10, 11), Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, Winchester.[12] | ||||
| 1903–1913 Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, Winchester, Woburn. | ||||||||
| align=left | Frederick Simpson Deitrick | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915 | Elected in 1912. | 1913–1933 Middlesex County: Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham, Wakefield, Watertown, Winchester.[13] | ||
| align=left | Frederick W. Dallinger | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1925 | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. | |||
| align=left | Harry I. Thayer | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1925 – March 10, 1926 | Elected in 1924. Died. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | March 10, 1926 – November 2, 1926 | ||||||
| align=left | Frederick W. Dallinger | Republican | nowrap | November 2, 1926 – October 1, 1932 | Elected to finish Thayer's term and elected to the next term. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Resigned to become judge of United States Customs Court. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | October 1, 1932 – March 3, 1933 | ||||||
| align=left | Arthur D. Healey[14] | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1933 – August 3, 1942 | Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Resigned to become judge of US District Court for Massachusetts. | 1933–1943 Cambridge (Wards 2, 3), Everett, Malden, Medford, Somerville. | ||
| Vacant | nowrap | August 3, 1942 – January 3, 1943 | ||||||
Angier Goodwin | Republican | January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1955 | Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Lost re-election. | 1943–1953 Everett, Lynnfield, Malden, Medford, Melrose, N. Reading, Reading, Saugus, Somerville (Wards 4, 5, 6, 7), Stoneham, Wakefield. | ||||
| 1953–1963 | ||||||||
| align=left | Torbert H. Macdonald | Democratic | nowrap | January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1963 | Elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Redistricted to . | |||
Tip O'Neill[15] | Democratic | January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1987 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Retired. | 1963–1973 Boston (Wards 1, 2, 3, 21, 22), Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville.[16] | ||||
| 1973–1983 Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 5, 21, 22), Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown. | ||||||||
| 1983–1993 Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 21, 22), Cambridge, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown.[17] | ||||||||
Joe Kennedy II[18] | Democratic | January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1999 | Elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Retired. | |||||
| 1993–2003 Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22), Cambridge, Chelsea, Somerville, Watertown.[19] | ||||||||
Mike Capuano | Democratic | January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2013 | Elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the . | |||||
| 2003–2013 In Middlesex County: Cambridge, and Somerville. In Suffolk County: Boston, Wards 1, 2, Ward 3, Precincts 1–4, 7, 8, Ward 4, Ward 5, Precincts 1, 2, 6–10, Ward 7, Precinct 10, Wards 8–12, Ward 13, Precincts 1, 2, 4–6, Ward 14, Ward 15, Precincts 1–5, 7–9, Ward 16, Precincts 1, 3, Ward 17, Precincts 1–3, 5–12; Ward 18, Precincts 1–8, 13–15, 21, Ward 19, Precincts 1, 3–6, 8, 9, Wards 21 and 22, (the remainder of Boston is in the 9th district), and Chelsea. | ||||||||
Stephen Lynch | Democratic | January 3, 2013 – present | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. | 2013–2023 In Bristol County: Precincts 1 and 2 in Raynham. In Norfolk County: Avon, Braintree, Canton, Cohasset, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton:Precincts 2–4, and 6–9, Norwood, Quincy, Randolph, Stoughton, Walpole, Westwood, and Weymouth. In Plymouth County: Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Hingham, Hull, Scituate, West Bridgewater, and Whitman. In Suffolk County: Boston, Ward 3: Precincts 1–6; Ward 5: Precincts 3–5, 11; Ward 6, Ward 7: Precincts 1–9, Ward 11: Precincts 9 and 10, Ward 13: Precincts 3, 7, and 10, Ward 16: Precincts 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12, Ward 19: Precincts 1–6, 8, and 9, and Ward 20: Precincts 1, 2, and 4–20. | ||||
| 2023–present | ||||||||