Research Publications

Explore the BPDA Research Division publications below by keyword, neighborhood, or topic. If you have questions about these documents, or are looking for specific information, please review the Frequently Requested Information page. This page features publications covering the most requested economic and demographic data for Boston.

A-to-Z
The Economic Contributions of Boston's Foreign Born

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Sep 06 2023 Publication Date

A presentation exploring the economic contributions and demographics of Boston's foreign born workers and students.


Topics: Foreign-born
Boston at a Glance 2023

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Aug 14 2023 Publication Date

Boston at a Glance is a demographic fact sheet for the city of Boston. The 2023 update uses current U.S. Census data from the American Community Survey including ACS 2017-2021 5-year estimates.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Historical Trends in Boston’s Neighborhoods

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Jun 01 2023 Publication Date

A presentation on historical trends in Boston’s neighborhoods between 1950 and 2020, with a focus on population, housing, age distribution, race & ethnicity, nativity, educational attainment, and labor force participation.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Boston's Economy 2023

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

May 12 2023 Publication Date

Boston's Economy 2023 covers trends in employment, wages, housing prices, and real estate.


Topics: Income & Poverty, Industry Profiles, Labor Market, Real Estate & Development
Historical Profile of Boston's Neighborhoods

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Mar 07 2023 Publication Date

A look at Boston's neighborhood through Decennial Census Data from 1950-2020.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Historical Boston in Context: Neighborhood Comparison by Decade

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Mar 07 2023 Publication Date

This Historical Boston in Context document compares how Boston, Boston’s neighborhoods, Massachusetts, and the United States changed demographically between 1950 and 2021. It uses data from the United States Census Bureau’s Decennial Censuses and American Community Surveys.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Redlining in Boston: Black People, Place, and Policy

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Feb 21 2023 Publication Date

This presentation recounts the history of redlining and the interlocking set of housing policies that helped create contemporary patterns of wealth and segregation. It assesses the impacts of these policies on people and places in Boston using contemporary and historical data. Our focus is on the connections between Black people and place in Boston and how policy’s focus has impacted those connections over time.


Topics: Race
Poverty Profile 2023

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Feb 13 2023 Publication Date

A profile of poverty in Boston.


Topics: Income & Poverty, Population & Demographics
Boston in Context 2023

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Jan 18 2023 Publication Date

2017-2021 American Community Survey


Topics: Population & Demographics
Young Adults in Boston Across the Generations

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Nov 29 2022 Publication Date

This presentation looks at the young adult demographic in Boston across the generations. How have the demographics of the population changed between 1980, 2000 and 2020?


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race