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Latest from the Research Department: Boston in Context

Nov 22, 2013

Boston-In-Context-07-11-Neighborhoods.JPGThe BRA Research Division updated their Boston in Context report that compares Boston and its neighborhoods to the U.S. and Massachusetts on several demographic, economic and housing characteristics. It includes data on race, ethnicity, educational attainment, household income, language spoken at home, labor force participation and more for Boston and all of its neighborhoods. The publication is a compilation of 2010 Census data and more recent data from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey. Key findings include:

  • Boston’s Hispanic and Black or African American populations are 17.5% and 12.1% respectively. These populations are both significantly larger than those of Massachusetts; although, the proportion of Hispanics in the city is on par with the Hispanic population in the U.S. (16.3%).
  • The neighborhoods with the highest percentages of residents with a Bachelor’s degree or higher are the West End (93.4%), Back Bay and Beacon Hill both with 89.5% with a Bachelor’s degree or higher, South Boston Waterfront with 83.3%, and the North End with 80.9%.
  • The percentage of Boston residents age 5 and older who speak English at home is lower than the U.S. – 63.9% versus 79.7%. Additionally, the percent of people who speak Spanish, Chinese, French or Portuguese at home in Boston is higher than in the U.S.
  • The total number of housing units in Boston increased by 8.2% from 2000 to 2010. The neighborhoods that experienced the largest share of this development were South Boston Waterfront (349.6%), the Leather District (140.1%), and Chinatown (54.6%).
  • The Leather District has the highest percentage of owner occupied housing units at 69.6%, followed by West Roxbury at 63.6%.

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