Research Publications

This Power Point presentation provides an overview of Boston's economy. It includes data on employment, key industries, wages, unemployment and employment forecasts.

Boston by the Numbers is a series created by the Research Division that highlights the characteristics of Boston’s population and economy. This report details the history and current state of Boston’s housing stock.

This report discusses current demographic and economic trends in the city of Boston. In terms of demographics, this report shows that over the last decade Boston’s population has grown, became more racially and ethnically diverse, increased its share of young adults, and became more educated. As for the economy, Boston appears to have successfully weathered the storm of the most recent recession. The city has experienced strong job growth over the last year, decreased unemployment, and recent building permit data indicates a very active local real estate and construction market. Lastly, industry employment projections for the region suggest that Boston’s economy is poised to continue growing in the coming years.

Alvaro Lima, the BRA’s Director of Research, was invited to speak at the International Economic Development Council's (IEDC) 2012 Leadership Summit in San Antonio, TX. IEDC is the world's largest membership organization serving the economic development profession. At the Summit he presented the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Calculator for assessing the economic, environmental, and social impact of strategic capital investments in municipalities on a panel called Success Metrics: Economic, Social and Ecological.

Over the past thirty years, Boston has become a leader in financial services, health care, and education.

Mark Melnik, Deputy Director for Research, presents at the 2011 Transportation Research Board, Joint Summer Meeting, July 11, Future Directions for the Federal Transportation Programs, on "How Can We Better Measure Return on Transportation Investments?"

Boston by the Numbers is a series created by the Research Division that highlights the characteristics of Boston's population and economy.

The Largest Employers in the City of Boston is a report produced through the results of an analysis of the largest private sector companies with 500 or more employees in Boston.

This report profiles Boston's current economic state and analyzes past recessions with an eye toward the prospects for recovery.

As a follow-up to the publication released in 2006, this short report demonstrates that although Boston has increased its share of population, employment, Gross State Product, and state tax revenues, the city's share of state aid has further declined.