CityOfBoston Official An official website of the City of Boston

Research Publications

Explore the 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
Higher Education in Boston

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Sep 11 2023 Publication Date

A presentation describing college student demographics as well as the economic contributions of, and future concerns for, higher education in Boston. A summarizing infographic is available here.


Topics: Education
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
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
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
Young Adults in Boston and Across the Nation

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Nov 29 2022 Publication Date

Young Adults 18-34 make up 39% of Boston’s population, but only 23% of the U.S. Population. This presentation looks at how Boston's young adult population compares to the rest of the country.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Boston in Context 2020

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Feb 07 2020 Publication Date

Boston in Context tabulates various social, demographic, and economic characteristics from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey by Boston Neighborhood. Citywide totals as well as totals for Massachusetts and the United States are provided for comparison.


Topics: Population & Demographics
Boston in Context 2019

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Jan 25 2019 Publication Date

Boston in Context tabulates various social, demographic, and economic characteristics from the 2013-2017 American Community Survey by Boston Neighborhood. Citywide totals as well as totals for Massachusetts and the United States are provided for comparison. Data on slides 22-23 revised June, 2019.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Race
Demographic Trends in Boston 2010-2017

N/A Neighborhoods

Jan 11 2019 Publication Date

Boston has experienced rapid population growth in recent years. This report uses the most recent American Community Survey to examine how the composition of Boston's population has changed from 2010 to 2017. Variables covering age, race, educational attainment, income, housing, and transportation are included.


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