Research Publications

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), a person seeking admission to the United States or seeking to adjust his or her immigration status is considered “inadmissible” (i.e. barred from entry or denied adjustment of status) if that person likely to become a “public charge." In October 2018, the federal government proposed a rule change that would enlarge the scope of benefits programs considered in making public charge determinations and heavily weight use of public benefits and other income-based factors as strikes against the applicant. This report analyzes the possible economic and public health impacts that this proposed rule may have on Boston if it is enacted.

In developing an interregional, cohort-component projection methodology for Boston, Massachusetts, the BPDA Research Division created an innovative approach for producing domestic migration rates with synthetic populations using 1-year, American Community Survey (ACS), and Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS). This article, published in the journal Urban Science, describes the projection methodology.

This report by the Boston Planning & Development Agency Research Division is a short reference guide to the city of Boston. It breaks down the population by age group, gender, and nativity. It also looks at Boston's colleges and universities, housing, and land use.

The labor market is a key means of integration for Boston’s immigrants. Boston’s Immigrant Labor Force: Socio-Economic Characteristics and Economic Integration uses U.S. Census American Community Survey data to profile immigrant workers in Boston, their integration into the labor force, and their resulting standard of living.

About 45% of Boston's households with children are headed by single mothers. This report looks at the demographics of single mothers in Boston and their economic challenges.

The 2018 Economy Report details Boston’s impressive economic growth, covering trends in employment, wages, housing prices, and real estate. The Spotlight section takes a deep dive into Boston’s growing tech industry by examining job openings in biotech, green jobs, and cybersecurity. It also analyzes the ‘middle skill’ jobs that make Boston’s growth accessible to residents without higher education. Finally, the Forecast section describes the outlook for Boston’s economic future, hinting at continued growth.

For a presentation version of the Economy Report, click here: Boston's Economy 2018 Presentation

This presentation looks at trends over the past 15 years in Boston business establishments and payroll employment. The analysis looks at trends in business services, education, health care and social assistance, consumer services, and production and transportation industries.

This publication compares Boston and its neighborhoods to the U.S. and Massachusetts on several demographic, economic and housing characteristics. This report uses 2012-2016 American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census.

In fiscal year 2017, Boston continued its unparalleled 23-year record with more NIH funding than any other U.S. city. This report delves into funding provided by the National Institutes of Health for the fiscal year 2017, with a concentration on grant recipients in Boston. It also cites specific advancements in science and medicine that were made possible by the NIH awards to Boston research institutes, hospitals, universities, and private companies.

This document is a two-page reference to frequently requested information about Boston's population and development. The primary data source is the 2012-2016 5-year American Community Survey. Updated January 28, 2019 to ensure consistency with prior publications.