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
Boston's population 2020-2025: Pandemic Disruption and Recovery

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Mar 08 2024 Publication Date

This presentation examines Boston's recent population trends from the 2020 Census to the pandemic disruptions and recovery.


Topics: Population & Demographics
Evolution of Boston's Home Financing: Analyzing Changes in Mortgage Applicants

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Feb 22 2024 Publication Date

This presentation explores Boston's home purchase mortgage environment to understand the trends and changes in mortgage applicant composition by income and race/ethnicity from 2007 to 2022, using HMDA data from the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Income & Poverty, Language, Race, Real Estate & Development
Boston at a Glance 2024

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Jan 12 2024 Publication Date

Boston at a Glance is a demographic fact sheet for the city of Boston. The 2024 update uses current U.S. Census data from the American Community Survey including ACS 2018-2022 5-year estimates.


Topics: Population & Demographics
Boston in Context 2024

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Jan 10 2024 Publication Date

Includes helpful neighborhood-level data tables on various topics including: age, race/ethnicity, education, nativity, labor, transportation, housing, and more. Uses 2018 - 2022 American Community Survey Data.


Topics: Economy & Jobs, Population & Demographics
The Irish Population in Boston

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Jan 08 2024 Publication Date

This presentation describes the Irish, Boston's largest ancestry population, covering the population's immigration history and demographics, including education, employment, and housing.


Topics: Foreign-born
Puerto Ricans in Boston

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Jan 03 2024 Publication Date

This profile of Boston's Puerto Ricans describes the population's overall demographic trends, education, housing, employment, and economic security.


Topics: N/A
Boston by the Numbers 2023

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Dec 13 2023 Publication Date

Boston by the Numbers explores the characteristics of Boston's population and economy. This report breaks down the population by age group, gender, and nativity. It also looks at Boston's colleges and universities, housing, and land use, using the most recent American Community Survey data.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Boston Neighborhoods Map: The Top 10 Countries of Birth for Foreign Born Population

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Nov 20 2023 Publication Date

The map, initially created for the Dreams of Freedom exhibit housed in Boston's Skywalk at the Prudential Tower, showcases the top 10 countries of birth among the foreign-born population in each of Boston's neighborhoods using infographics. Created by the BPDA GIS Lab with data provided by the Research Division.


Topics: Foreign-born
Native Americans in Massachusetts

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Nov 14 2023 Publication Date

This presentation, a collaboration between BPDA Research and Supporting Indigenous Communities Fellow Amira Madison, investigates the characteristics and rapid growth of the Native American population in Massachusetts between 2010 and 2020, using data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. A summarizing infographic is available here.


Topics: Population & Demographics
Race and Ethnicity in the 2020 Census: Self-Identification or Classification?

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Nov 09 2023 Publication Date

This report delves into the implications of the 2020 Census's revised approach to collecting and processing race and ethnicity data. This methodological change, entailing the reclassification of respondents based on their origin, resulted in substantial growth in the "two or more races" category. Executed without respondents' consent, the reclassification distorts demographic analysis and undermines the reliability of Census data. The City of Boston has filed an official complaint to the US Census Bureau protesting this race reclassification scheme.


Topics: Race