Maura Tierney, putri sulung dari tiga bersaudara, lahir dan dibesarkan di lingkungan Hyde Park,<ref name="phoenix2002">{{cite web| url= http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/qa/documents/02161813.htm| title= Prescription for success| last= Wieder| first= Tamara| date= February 14, 2002| accessdate= September 11, 2014| work= ThePhoenix.com| deadurl= yes| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20150923220446/http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/qa/documents/02161813.htm| archivedate= September 23, 2015| df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], dari keluarga [[Gereja Katolik Roma|Katolik]] [[Orang Amerika Irlandia|Irlandia]].<ref name="parade">{{cite web| url= http://parade.condenast.com/132124/katemeyers/the-return-of-maura-tierney/|title=The Return of Maura Tierney| work= [[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]| date= September 12, 2010|accessdate=June 28, 2012}}</ref> Ibunya, Pat James, merupakan seorang makelar perumahan dan almarhum ayahnya, Joseph M. Tierney, merupakan seorang politikus Boston terkemuka yang bertugas di Dewan Kota Boston selama 15 tahun.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://hydepark.thomasfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/obituary.php?id=7446 |title= Joseph Tierney Obituary |publisher= Carroll-Thomas Funeral Home| location= Hyde Park, Massachusetts |website= hydepark.thomasfuneralhomes.com |date= |accessdate=2015-11-25}}</ref>
Ia menempuh pendidikan sekolah dasar Mount Alvernia Academy dan Notre Dame Academy di Hingham, Massachusetts, di mana pelajarannya, termasuk drama, yang menyebabkan ia tampil di Festival Drama Boston Globe.<ref name="phoenix2002" /> Setelah lulus, ia kuliah di [[Universitas New York]] di mana ia mengambil jurusan tari dan drama.<ref>{{cite web|title=Trying to quit smoking is the hardest thing I've ever done| url= http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2008/09/trying-to-quit-smoking-is-the-hardest-thing-ive-ever-done| work= [[Glamour (majalah)|Glamour]]| last=Tierney| first=Maura| date=September 9, 2008| accessdate=September 11, 2014}}</ref>
