Boston Is the Capital of Massachusetts — Not a State Capital Named Boston

There is no US state with a capital named Boston. This is a common category error. The correct relationship:

• Boston = Capital city
• Massachusetts = State (officially: Commonwealth of Massachusetts)
• Boston is the capital OF Massachusetts

Key Facts About Boston

• Founded: 1630 (Puritan settlers)
• Population: ~675K (city), 4.9M (metro — largest in New England)
• Historic firsts: Public park (Boston Common, 1634), public school (Boston Latin, 1635), subway (Tremont Street, 1897), marathon (1897)
• Economy: Education (Harvard, MIT nearby), healthcare, finance, biotech, tourism
• Sports: Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins, Patriots (Foxborough)

Why the Confusion?

• Boston's prominence > Massachusetts' other cities (Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge)
• Boston ≡ Massachusetts in many mental maps
• Question phrasing ("state that has a capital named Boston") inverts the relationship

Other New England Capitals

Boston is the capital. Massachusetts is the state. The capital belongs to the state—not the other way around.