MA / county FIPS 25025 / county research

Suffolk County, Massachusetts: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Suffolk County is 125.3 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Stomach deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 2,302 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (620), Air permit holder (minor source) (416), Small hazardous waste generator (387). One correctional facility operates in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 30 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 42.3391, -71.0609.

How this county ranks in Massachusetts

View on the heat map Scan an address in this county

Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Suffolk County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Childhood cancer (under 15)	Deaths	3.1	1.9	1.63x	1.8 to 5.1	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	3.6	2.7	1.33xSignificant	3 to 4.2	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	8.5	6.6	1.29xSignificant	7.6 to 9.5	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	20.7	16.4	1.26xSignificant	17.1 to 25	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	10	8.7	1.15xSignificant	9.1 to 11.1	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	53.9	51.8	1.04x	51.6 to 56.2	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.8	6.6	1.03x	6 to 7.7	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	14.3	13.9	1.03x	13.1 to 15.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11.3	11.3	1x	10.2 to 12.4	2020-2024
Thyroid	Deaths	0.5	0.5	1x	0.3 to 0.8	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	12.7	13	0.98x	11.6 to 13.9	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	421.9	453.4	0.93x	415.5 to 428.5	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	16.7	18.5	0.9x	15.4 to 18	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	4.1	4.6	0.89x	3.5 to 4.8	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	3.9	4.4	0.89x	3.3 to 4.6	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	16.5	18.7	0.88x	15.3 to 17.9	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	125.3	143.2	0.88x	121.8 to 128.9	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.4	6.2	0.87x	4.7 to 6.2	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	25.7	30.2	0.85x	24.1 to 27.4	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	12.3	14.5	0.85x	11.2 to 13.5	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	14.8	17.9	0.83x	13.6 to 16.1	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	3.7	4.8	0.77x	3.1 to 4.3	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	3	4.1	0.73x	2.5 to 3.6	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	2.7	3.7	0.73x	2.2 to 3.3	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	4.1	5.7	0.72x	3.5 to 4.8	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.4	2	0.7x	1.1 to 1.8	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	2.2	3.4	0.65x	1.7 to 2.7	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	13.8	23.8	0.58x	12.6 to 15	2019-2023

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Suffolk County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	6,117.2	9,842.6	-38%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	80.1	75.3	+6%	years
Child mortality	36.7	59.8	-39%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	4.3	6.2	-31%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	67.9	96.9	-30%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	42.1	28.6	+47%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 30 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde15.7 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride3.03 per million
Benzene2.02 per million
Acetaldehyde1.55 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 279 good, 2 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 37, peak 106.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

2,302 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit620
Air permit holder (minor source)416
Small hazardous waste generator387
Industrial wastewater discharge373
Brownfield property160
Gas station (mapped facility)65
Large hazardous waste generator60
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)49
Rail grade crossing41
Combined sewer overflow outfall33
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)29
Major air pollution source13
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)12
TRI reporting facility8
Large greenhouse gas emitter7
Heliport7
EPA air quality monitor5
Hazardous waste transporter4
Gas power plant3
Oil-fired power plant3
Solar power plant2
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Wind power plant1
Scrapyard (mapped facility)1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Lower Neponset River, Boston, Milton
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MAN000102204 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Gulf Oil Lp Chelsea, Chelsea
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $11,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311136 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.8
Global Petroleum Terminal, Revere
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $35,938.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043159961 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.4
Mystic Station, Charlestown
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene. Reports carcinogens. 25,567 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02129MYSTC173AL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Irving Oil Terminals, Revere, City Of
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311172 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.8
Global Companies Llc, Revere
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Toluene, Benzene, n-Hexane and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 14,795 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02151GLBLP140LE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Irving Oil Terminals Inc., Revere
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers), Benzene, n-Hexane and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 10,565 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02151RVNGL41LEE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Global Cos Llc - Chelsea Eastern Ave Terminal, Chelsea
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Benzene, n-Hexane, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 10,207 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02150GLFLL281EA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Chelsea Sandwich Petroleum Storage Facility, Chelsea
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311127 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Houghton Chemical Corp, Allston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Cyclohexane, Toluene, Ethylene glycol and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 3,727 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02134HSTNC52CAM (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Chelsea Sandwich Llc, Chelsea
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Naphthalene, Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 3,606 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02150CHLSS11BRO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Brigham And Women'S Faulkner Hospital, Boston
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $48,550.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001940446 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Tei Biosciences, Boston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chloroform, Methanol. Reports carcinogens. 1,382 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 0212WTBSCN7ELKI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Gulf Oil Lp Chelsea, Chelsea
Major air pollution source. Penalties $11,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311136 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Matep Llc, Boston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia. 39,343 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02215DVNCD474BR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.5
Gulf Oil Lp Chelsea, Chelsea
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $11,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311136 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Gulf Oil Lp Chelsea, Chelsea
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $11,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311136 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
The Gillette Co Llc, Boston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Nickel, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 131 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02106THGLLGILLE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
Boston Sand & Gravel - Charlestown Plant & Garage, Charlestown
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Lead. Reports carcinogens. 125 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02129BSTNS500FR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
Umass Boston Campus Eh&S, Dorchester
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024360939 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Medical Area Total Energy Plant, Boston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000881733 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Irving Oil Terminals, Revere, City Of
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311172 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Catalent Massachusetts Llc, Chelsea
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $32,150.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043957714 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Brigham And Women'S Faulkner Hospital, Boston
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $48,550.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001940446 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Mbta Cabot Garage, Boston
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024364196 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

Suffolk County Prison, Boston
EPA FRS registry ID
110071884921
Wastewater permit
Yes, significant noncompliance, 7 quarters in noncompliance
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Suffolk County

Massachusetts state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Suffolk County, and their findings.
Massachusetts vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Massachusetts health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Massachusetts environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Massachusetts drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

Scan an address in Suffolk County View on the heat map All Massachusetts counties