The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Most of its population of 6.4 million lives in the Boston metropolitan area. The eastern half of the state is made up of urban, suburban, and rural areas, while Western Massachusetts is mostly rural. Massachusetts is the most populous of the six New England states. Boston is the state capital and largest city. It is the center of the nation's 10th largest metropolitan area. Cities over 100,000 in population include Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, and Cambridge.