CityOfBoston Official An official website of the City of Boston

This is the website for the City of Boston’s new Planning Department, which launched on July 1. The staff and many responsibilities of the Boston Planning & Development Agency have moved to the Planning Department of the City of Boston including planning & zoning, urban design, development review, and real estate divisions. Please excuse any misalignment you may see on our site as we transition to the City. Learn more

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 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
Celebrating What Unites Us

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Sep 07 2023 Publication Date

Prepared for Age Strong for use in Celebrating What Unites Us!, a collaborative program to celebrate the immigrant experience, build community and cross-cultural understanding, and promote healthy living for aging residents of the City of Boston. The thumbnail image above provides a PDF of all the presentations, while the following links provide access to individual community presentations.





Topics: Age, Foreign-born
The Economic Contributions of Boston's Foreign Born

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Sep 06 2023 Publication Date

A presentation exploring the economic contributions and demographics of Boston's foreign born workers and students.


Topics: Foreign-born
Boston at a Glance 2023

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Aug 14 2023 Publication Date

Boston at a Glance is a demographic fact sheet for the city of Boston. The 2023 update uses current U.S. Census data from the American Community Survey including ACS 2017-2021 5-year estimates.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Historical Trends in Boston’s Neighborhoods

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Jun 01 2023 Publication Date

A presentation on historical trends in Boston’s neighborhoods between 1950 and 2020, with a focus on population, housing, age distribution, race & ethnicity, nativity, educational attainment, and labor force participation.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Historical Profile of Boston's Neighborhoods

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Mar 07 2023 Publication Date

A look at Boston's neighborhood through Decennial Census Data from 1950-2020.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Historical Boston in Context: Neighborhood Comparison by Decade

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Mar 07 2023 Publication Date

This Historical Boston in Context document compares how Boston, Boston’s neighborhoods, Massachusetts, and the United States changed demographically between 1950 and 2021. It uses data from the United States Census Bureau’s Decennial Censuses and American Community Surveys.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Young Adults in Boston Across the Generations

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Nov 29 2022 Publication Date

This presentation looks at the young adult demographic in Boston across the generations. How have the demographics of the population changed between 1980, 2000 and 2020?


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Young Adults in Boston and Across the Nation

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Nov 29 2022 Publication Date

Young Adults 18-34 make up 39% of Boston’s population, but only 23% of the U.S. Population. This presentation looks at how Boston's young adult population compares to the rest of the country.


Topics: Age, Education, Foreign-born, Gender, Households & Families, Language, Race
Boston in Context 2020

All Neighborhoods Neighborhoods

Feb 07 2020 Publication Date

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.


Topics: Population & Demographics