Colonial County of Middlesex, The Colony of Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America is today a county in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the United States. As of 2018, the estimated population was 1,614,714, making it the 22nd most populous county in the United States, and the most populous county in both Massachusetts and New England. On July 11, 1997, the Massachusetts legislature voted to abolish the executive government of Middlesex County due primarily to the county's insolvency. Though Middlesex County continues to exist as a geographic boundary it is used primarily as district jurisdictions within the court system and for other administrative purposes, such as an indicator for elections. The National Weather Service weather alerts (such as severe thunderstorm warning) continue issuances based upon Massachusetts's counties Towns Boxford Cambridge Chelmsford Concord Lexington Newton Sherborn Sudbury Watertown Woburn [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middlesex_County,_Massachusetts ]