Research Publications

Boston in Context tabulates various social, demographic, and economic characteristics from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey by Boston Neighborhood. Citywide totals as well as totals for Massachusetts and the United States are provided for comparison.

The Transportation in Boston report identifies sources for transportation data by mode, and documents major trends in active transportation, public transportation, automobile travel, and freight. It covers ridership and utilization, costs and investments, and future developments. This report serves as a pre-COVID-19 baseline for analysis going forward.

Boston by the Numbers is a report that highlights 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.

Boston's Economy 2020 report is released during a time of economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of this report, the full economic impacts of the pandemic are not yet known. This report uses economic data from 2018 and 2019 to create a profile of Boston’s economy prior to the current crisis.

This report profiles Boston employment in the industries that saw the largest share and number of unemployment claims statewide March 14-28.

Throughout 2019, the Mayor's Office of Economic Development hosted a series of discussions exploring the economic contributions and challenges facing different communities in Boston. The thumbnail image provides a pdf of all the presentations given to date, while the following links provide access to individual community presentations.

• Brazilians: A Prosperous Boston for All
• Boston: Uma Cidade Próspera Para Todos



• Cape Verdeans: A Prosperous Boston for All
• Cape Verdeans in Three Massachusetts Cities



• Cape Verdeans in Brockton


• Cape Verdeans in New Bedford


• Caribbeans: A Prosperous Boston for All


• Haitians: A Prosperous Boston for All


• Dominicans: A Prosperous Boston for All


• Dominicanos: Un Boston para Todos


• Puerto Ricans: A Prosperous Boston for All


• Puertorriqueños: Un Boston para Todos


• Vietnamese: A Prosperous Boston for All


• Boston Thịnh Vượng Cho Mọi Người Việt Nam

This document is a two-page reference to frequently requested information about Boston's population and development. The primary data source is the 2014-2018 5-year American Community Survey.

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.

This white paper reviews the three following census programs: Decennial Census, Population Estimates Program’s (PEP) Annual Estimates of the Resident Population, and the American Community Survey (ACS). The paper examines the differences between the programs and how their methodologies affect Boston population estimates.

With a Brazilian population of 111,224 in 2017, Massachusetts was home to 16% of all Brazilians in the United States. This report provides a demographic profile of Brazilians living in Massachusetts, including those who were born in Brazil and others who claim Brazilian ancestry.