Much of the deciduous forest of eastern North America and into the fringes of the boreal forest, on a variety of wet to dry sites in dense woods and openings.

Grows in low, rich woods, along the margins of lakes, marshes, and swamps, in wet thickets, and on floodplains and stream terraces.  Dominant in many forest types. In much of the Northeast it grows as an overstory dominant only in swamps and other wet sites.

Soils a wider range of types, textures, moisture regimes, and pH than any other North American tree. Best on moist, fertile, loamy soils but also grows on dry, rocky, upland soils. Grows on soils derived from a variety of materials, including granite, shales, slates, gneisses, schists, sandstone, limestone, conlgomerates, and quartzites.

In many locations, has increased since presettlement due to Dutch Elm Disease, Chestnut Blight, oak decline, and Gypsy Moth infestations.

Insects: Loopers, spanworms, the gallmaking maple borer, maple callus borer, Columbian timber borer,and various scale insects are common damaging agents.

Disease: Butt rot, trunk rot fungi, heart rot, and stem diseases common in damaged trees.