This Massachusetts Family Owns the Most Land in the State

Massachusetts is one of the best states in which to live in the U.S. The small but heavily populated New England state is famous for its stunning and varying landscapes from beaches to mountains, its rich history, world-renowned colleges, and some pretty spectacular sports teams.

In addition to all its offerings, Massachusetts is also a great place to live based on its quality of life. Massachusetts is home to some of the best public education in the country and has one of the highest median incomes and one of the highest GDP per capita in the nation. Several media outlets, including wisevoter.com, rank Massachusetts as the second wealthiest state in the country, behind only New York state

Massachusetts residents might hold an annual median income of just under $89,026, according to census.gov, but there are plenty of Bay State residents who take home far more than that. Like WAY more than that. As of January 3, 2024, Forbes reports that there are 22 billionaires living in Massachusetts.

So is one of those billionaires the largest land owner in Massachusetts? Not quite.

Who is the Largest Land Owner in Massachusetts?

The largest private landowner in Massachusetts is a company called W.D. Cowls, a family-owned business that has been managing timberland in the Pioneer Valley for almost 300 years. The company owns properties in 30 towns in Massachusetts. According to World Population Review, the family has purchased and conserved over 5,500 acres of land.

According to the company's website, family ownership is in its ninth generation

Since 1741, Cowls has been sustainably managing timberland and building the Pioneer Valley from its Home Farm in North Amherst, MA. Settling first Hadley, MA and then Amherst, Cowls is proud to have supplied the lumber and timbers that built the Pioneer Valley’s first homes. Today we are well known as Massachusetts’ largest private landowner