Table 55. Selected Operator Characteristics for Principal, Second, and Third Operator: 2012 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All operators 1 
Principal operator 
Second operator 
Third operator 
Operators number 
12,275 
7,755 
3,818 
702 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
7,196 
5,248 
1,566 
382 
Spouse of principal operator 
813 
(X) 
797 
16 
Female 
5,079 
2,507 
2,252 
320 
Spouse of principal operator 
1,783 
(X) 
1,737 
46 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
5,777 
3,878 
1,551 
348 
Other 
6,498 
3,877 
2,267 
354 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
9,138 
6,038 
2,811 
289 
Not on farm operated 
3,137 
1,717 
1,007 
413 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
4,195 
2,736 
1,198 
261 
Any 
8,080 
5,019 
2,620 
441 
1 to 49 days 
1,145 
743 
335 
67 
50 to 99 days 
744 
447 
247 
50 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
1,287 
759 
470 
58 
200 days or more 
4,904 
3,070 
1,568 
266 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
644 
328 
230 
86 
3 or 4 years 
915 
507 
331 
77 
5 to 9 years 
2,021 
1,119 
750 
152 
10 years or more 
8,695 
5,801 
2,507 
387 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
475 
223 
183 
69 
3 or 4 years 
809 
433 
303 
73 
5 to 9 years 
1,848 
993 
706 
149 
10 years or more 
9,143 
6,106 
2,626 
411 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
254 
60 
101 
93 
25 to 34 years 
801 
359 
305 
137 
35 to 44 years 
1,241 
655 
465 
121 
45 to 54 years 
3,133 
1,933 
1,025 
175 
55 to 64 years 
3,657 
2,415 
1,138 
104 
65 to 74 years 
2,195 
1,556 
590 
49 
75 years and over 
994 
777 
194 
23 
Average age 
55.7 
57.8 
53.5 
43.7 
Number of persons living in household 
24,454 
20,126 
3,101 
1,227 
1 Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
Massachusetts 41 
