Massachusetts is composed of 13 Regional Planning Agencies, including the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), The MAPC region includes 101 municipalities that consists of 22 cities and 79 towns that include coastal communities, older industrial centers, rural towns and modern cities. MAPC works with its cities and towns through eight subregional committees.

Most of the municipalities within the MAPC region are in one subregion. There are a few exceptions. Dover, Milton and Needham. Dover is in TRIC and SWAP; Milton is in the Inner Core and TRIC; Needham is in the Inner Core and TRIC.Duxbury, Hanover, Pembroke and Stoughton are also members of the Old Colony Planning Council