Research Publications

Boston by the Numbers explores the characteristics of Boston's population and economy. This report breaks down the population by age group, sex, and nativity. It also looks at Boston's colleges and universities, housing, and land use, using the City of Boston Planning Department Research Division's 2025 population estimates.

The Census Bureau population estimates continue to undercount Boston’s population. This presentation provides an overview of the Research Division’s 2025 population estimates, along with two mapping tools that display these data for the city, neighborhoods, and census tracts.

Boston at a Glance is a demographic fact sheet for the city of Boston. The 2025 update uses City of Boston Planning Department Research Division estimates for Boston's population on January 1, 2025. The City of Boston Research Division created age-specific population estimates for Boston, its neighborhoods and Census tracts. 2019-2023 American Community Survey (ACS) data were used to break down the Research Division population estimates by demographic characteristics.

This presentation, a collaboration between the City of Boston Planning Department Research Division and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, investigates the park usage patterns and user and walkshed demographics of 4 of Boston's neighborhood parks: Billings Field in West Roxbury, Christopher Lee Playground in South Boston, Noyes Playground in East Boston, and Roberts Playground in Dorchester. Further, it considers factors potentially influencing park usage.

This presentation celebrates the vibrant and diverse Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) population in Boston. It provides an overview of demographic, economic, and social characteristics to better understand and spotlight the APIA community.

Prepared for the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Advancement, these profiles include an overall profile of all foreign-born Boston residents, plus a profile of each of the top ten foreign-born populations in Boston. View these profiles by clicking on the links below. A profile of all foreign-born Boston residents is available below and in the thumbnail image.

• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: All Foreign-Born
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Asian Indians
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Brazilians
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Cape Verdeans
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Chinese
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Colombians
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Dominicans
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Haitians
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Jamaicans
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Salvadorans
• Boston's Foreign-Born Populations: Vietnamese

This presentation, a collaboration between the Research division and the Office of Communication and Language Access, provides a descriptive portrait of the nearly 225,000 Boston residents who speak one of over 100 languages other than English. In particular, this presentation focuses on the population who self-identified in the American Community Survey as “not speaking English very well.”

This presentation, a collaboration between the Research Division and audiodocumentarian and Artist-in-Residence Heloiza Barbosa, explores the stories of three Latino UMass Boston students, connecting their gripping stories with compelling data.

Women in Boston comprise about half of Boston's workforce. This presentation examines the gender pay ratio in Boston at two points in time, 2000 and 2022, to shed light on who the pay ratio has changed for, and what factors contribute to its persistence.

This presentation examines Dominicans' demographic and labor force contributions to Boston in light of their growing U.S-born population. A summarizing infographic is available here.