Boston.com
By Ross Cristantiello
June 9, 2026
Massachusetts recorded 978 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2025, the lowest number since 2012.
There were fewer opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts last year than the state has seen in more than a decade, according to preliminary data recently released by public health officials.
Among Massachusetts residents, there were 978 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths in 2025. This is the first time since 2013 that officials have recorded fewer than 1,000 deaths.
The number of opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts remained relatively consistent from 2005 through 2011, before increasing dramatically from 2012 to 2016. The state saw more than 2,000 deaths every year from 2016 through 2023, with a peak of 2,364 deaths in 2022, according to data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.