Research Publications

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

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.

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.

A profile of poverty in Boston.

2017-2021 American Community Survey

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?

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.

2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data and 2016-2020 American Community Survey

Boston at a Glance is a demographic fact sheet for the city of Boston. The 2022 update uses current U.S. Census data from the American Community Survey 2016-2020 5-year estimate.

Tables of 2020 Census redistricting data for Boston and Boston neighborhoods.