Frost dates by state › Massachusetts
Massachusetts frost dates
Average last spring and first fall frost dates for Massachusetts’s largest cities, with each city’s USDA hardiness zone.
Reviewed October 2026
Among Massachusetts’s 20 largest cities, the average last spring frost ranges from Apr 4 in Boston to May 3 in Springfield. Elevation, distance from the coast and city heat all shift the date, so use your own ZIP code below for the closest match.
| City | Average last spring frost | Average first fall frost | Frost-free days | Hardiness zone | Weather station used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | Apr 4 | Nov 9 | 219 | 7a | Boston Logan Intl Airport, MA, 2 mi |
| Worcester | Apr 23 | Oct 21 | 181 | 6a–6b | Worcester Rgnl Airport, MA, 3 mi |
| Springfield | May 3 | Oct 8 | 158 | 6a–6b | Westfield Barnes Muni Airport, MA, 9 mi |
| Cambridge | Apr 19 | Oct 23 | 187 | 6b–7a | Jamaica Plain, MA, 5 mi |
| Lowell | Apr 30 | Oct 10 | 163 | 6a–6b | Lowell, MA, 2 mi |
| Brockton | Apr 22 | Oct 19 | 180 | 6b | Brockton, MA, 3 mi |
| Lynn | Apr 25 | Oct 20 | 178 | 6b–7a | Marblehead, MA, 5 mi |
| Quincy | Apr 25 | Oct 22 | 180 | 6b–7a | Hingham, MA, 5 mi |
| New Bedford | Apr 29 | Oct 15 | 169 | 7a | New Bedford Muni Airport, MA |
| Fall River | Apr 29 | Oct 15 | 169 | 7a | New Bedford Muni Airport, MA, 8 mi |
| Newton | Apr 19 | Oct 23 | 187 | 6b | Jamaica Plain, MA, 5 mi |
| Lawrence | Apr 13 | Oct 28 | 198 | 6b | Lawrence, MA |
| Somerville | Apr 4 | Nov 9 | 219 | 6b–7a | Boston Logan Intl Airport, MA, 5 mi |
| Framingham | Apr 26 | Oct 12 | 169 | 6b | Natick, MA, 5 mi |
| Haverhill | May 1 | Oct 12 | 164 | 6a–6b | Haverhill, MA, 2 mi |
| Malden | Apr 4 | Nov 9 | 219 | 6b–7a | Boston Logan Intl Airport, MA, 5 mi |
| Waltham | Apr 28 | Oct 10 | 165 | 6b | Bedford Hanscom Fld, MA, 6 mi |
| Taunton | Apr 22 | Oct 19 | 180 | 6b | Taunton, MA, 2 mi |
| Revere | Apr 4 | Nov 9 | 219 | 6b–7a | Boston Logan Intl Airport, MA, 4 mi |
| Weymouth Town | Apr 25 | Oct 22 | 180 | 6b–7a | Hingham, MA, 2 mi |
Frost dates are the dates after (spring) or before (fall) which the chance of a 32°F freeze is below 50%, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for the weather station nearest each city’s center. Zones are from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the ZIP codes around each city; a range means nearby ZIP codes differ. Cities are the 20 largest by Census Bureau 2024 population estimates.
An average is not a guarantee. There’s still about a 1 in 2 chance of frost after the average last spring date. Many gardeners wait an extra week or two before setting out tomatoes, peppers and basil, and keep covers handy.
Planting dates for Boston
Timed from Boston’s average last frost of Apr 4, using University of New Hampshire Extension’s planting guidance. For your exact dates, enter your ZIP code in the calendar below.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant outside |
|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Feb 14 to Feb 28 | Apr 11 to Apr 18 |
| Peppers | Feb 7 to Feb 21 | Apr 18 |
| Lettuce | Jan 31 to Feb 7 | Mar 7 to Mar 14 |
| Broccoli | Jan 24 to Feb 7 | Mar 7 to Mar 21 |
| Cucumbers | Mar 14 to Mar 21 | Apr 11 to Apr 18 |
| Basil | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Apr 18 |
When to plant, for your garden
Your seed-starting and planting dates, timed from your last spring frost. Full calendar, 12 crops.
Enter your ZIP code to look up your average last frost date and hardiness zone, or type the date in yourself.
Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023, ZIP code data from PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed Oct. 20, 2026.
More about frost dates
How to find your last frost date, and what your zone means · Full planting calendar · How to start seeds indoors
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