Average Farm Size Increased in Most Counties

Despite losing farmland, most counties have seen an increase in the average farm size. This is because most farms that stopped farming in Massachusetts were small farms. The largest increases in average farm size can be seen in Dukes County, where the average farm size increased by over 44 percent (Figure 2.4). Other counties whose average farm size grew included: Norfolk (33 percent); Berkshire (26 percent); Essex (25 percent); and Middlesex (14 percent). Both Plymouth and Bristol Counties saw decreases by seven percent and two percent, respectively.