Overview of Boston’s Demographics and

Economy

Boston Redevelopment Authority Research Division

Outline of Presentation

• Selected demographic trends

• Total population

• Housing Units

• Age, race, and ethnicity

• Educational attainment of the population

• Countries of origin for the foreign-born population

• Selected economic trends

• Historic employment and unemployment trends

• Employment by industry

• Educational requirements by industry

2

Selected Demographic Trends

3

801,444

697,197

641,071

562,994

574,283

589,141

617,594

400,000

450,000

500,000

550,000

600,000

650,000

700,000

750,000

800,000

850,000

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Historic Trends – Boston’s Population • Boston reached its population peak in 1950

• Boston’s population, like many major cities, declined after 1950

• In recent decades, Boston’s population has grown

• The 2010 Census marks the first time since 1970 that Boston’s population has been over 600,000

Source: US Census Bureau, BRA Research Division Analysis

4

Major Northeastern Cities and Population Change, 2010 Census

City Total Population

Population Change 2000-2010

2000 2010 N %

Washington (DC) 572,059 601,723 29,664 5.2%

Worcester (MA) 172,648 181,045 8,397 4.9%

Boston (MA) 589,141 617,594 28,453 4.8%

Cambridge (MA) 101,355 105,162 3,807 3.8%

Elizabeth (NJ) 120,568 124,969 4,401 3.7%

Hartford (CT) 121,578 124,775 3,197 2.6%

Providence (RI) 173,618 178,042 4,424 2.5%

New York (NY) 8,008,278 8,175,133 166,855 2.1%

Newark (NJ) 273,546 277,140 3,594 1.3%

Springfield (MA) 152,082 153,060 978 0.6%

Philadelphia (PA) 1,517,550 1,526,006 8,456 0.6%

Baltimore (MD) 651,154 620,961 -30,193 -4.6%

Pittsburgh (PA) 334,563 305,704 -28,859 -8.6%

Buffalo (NY) 292,648 261,310 -31,338 -10.7%

Source: US Census Bureau, BRA Research Division Analysis

• Boston’s population growth since 2000 compares favorably to most other northeastern cities

5

25 Largest US Cities and Population Change, 2010 Census

City Total Population Population Change 2000-2010

2000 2010 N %

Fort Worth (TX) 534,694 741,206 206,512 38.6%

Charlotte (NC) 540,828 731,424 190,596 35.2%

Austin (TX) 656,562 790,390 133,828 20.4%

San Antonio (TX) 1,144,646 1,327,407 182,761 16.0%

El Paso (TX) 563,662 649,121 85,459 15.2%

Jacksonville (FL) 735,617 821,784 86,167 11.7%

Columbus (OH) 711,470 787,033 75,563 10.6%

Nashville (TN) 545,524 601,222 55,698 10.2%

Phoenix (AZ) 1,321,045 1,445,632 124,587 9.4%

Seattle (WA) 563,374 608,660 45,286 8.0%

Houston (TX) 1,953,631 2,099,451 145,820 7.5%

San Diego (CA) 1,223,400 1,307,402 84,002 6.9%

San Jose (CA) 894,943 945,942 50,999 5.7%

Washington (DC) 572,059 601,723 29,664 5.2%

Indianapolis (IN) 781,870 820,445 38,575 4.9%

Boston (MA) 589,141 617,594 28,453 4.8%

San Francisco (CA) 776,733 805,235 28,502 3.7%

Los Angeles (CA) 3,694,820 3,792,621 97,801 2.6%

New York City (NY) 8,008,278 8,175,133 166,855 2.1%

Dallas (TX) 1,188,580 1,197,816 9,236 0.8%

Philadelphia (PA) 1,517,550 1,526,006 8,456 0.6%

Memphis (TN) 650,100 646,889 -3,211 -0.5%

Baltimore (MD) 651,154 620,961 -30,193 -4.6%

Chicago (IL) 2,896,016 2,695,598 -200,418 -6.9%

Detroit (MI) 951,270 713,777 -237,493 -25.0%

Source: US Census Bureau, BRA Research Division Analysis

• Boston’s population growth rate since 2000 was higher than the rates for New York and San Francisco

• Four of the 25 largest cities experienced population declines between 2000 and 2010

6

Housing Units and Average Household Size

222,079

238,695 232,401

241,304

250,863 251,935

272,481

200,000

210,000

220,000

230,000

240,000

250,000

260,000

270,000

280,000

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

3.39

2.95

2.77

2.40 2.37 2.31 2.47

2

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

3

3.2

3.4

3.6

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010*

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis

• Boston’s housing stock as grown consistently over the last 60 years

• Boston’s housing stock grew 8.2% since 2000 – the strongest growth in more than half a century

7

Household Occupancy and Ownership,

by Planning District

8 Source: 2010 Census data, BRA Research Division Analysis.

4%

12%

12%

7%

8%

4%

6%

5%

9%

8%

6%

9%

8%

9%

5%

4%

0% 5% 10% 15%

Allston-Brighton

Back Bay-Beacon Hill

Central

Charlestown

East Boston

Fenway-Kenmore

Hyde Park

Jamaica Plain

Mattapan

North Dorchester

Roslindale

Roxbury

South Boston

South Dorchester

South End

West Roxbury

Housing Vacancy Rates21%

34%

27%

46%

27%

9%

58%

35%

36%

30%

50%

23%

40%

41%

33%

64%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Allston-Brighton

Back Bay-Beacon Hill

Central

Charlestown

East Boston

Fenway-Kenmore

Hyde Park

Jamaica Plain

Mattapan

North Dorchester

Roslindale

Roxbury

South Boston

South Dorchester

South End

West Roxbury

Owner-Occupied Housing Units

Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis

Educational Attainment of Population,

1980 and 2005-2009 • Boston has one of the most highly-educated populations among major American cities. According to the

2005-2009 American Community Survey, 42.9% of Boston’s adult population has at least a bachelor’s degree,

ranking Boston 5th amongst the 30 largest cities in the nation.

9

31.5%35.0%

13.1%

20.3%15.8%

23.3%

18.0%

42.9%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

-

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

Less than High School High School graduate or GED equivalent

Some College or Associates Degree

Bachelor's, Master's or Professional Degree

1980 Population 2005-2009 Population

1980 % of Population 2005-2009 % of Population

Demographic Breakdown of Boston’s Population

Source: Age – 2010 Census, BRA Research Division Analysis

Nativity – 2005-2009 American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis

• Boston is a young city. Currently Boston has the 2nd highest concentration of young adults (20-34) amongst

the largest 25 cities in the US.

• Boston is a diverse city. Today, Boston ranks 6th among the 25 largest cities in the US in proportion of the

population that is foreign-born.

10

22%

35%

24%

19%

Age

0-19 years 20-34 years35-54 years 55 and older

73%

27%

Nativity

Native Foreign-Born

Racial and Ethnic Breakdown for Boston’s Population,

1980-2010 • Over the last several decades, the racial and ethnic composition of Boston has changed a great deal

• In 1980, close to 70% of Boston was white. Today, only half the city is white.

• The last two Census reports show Boston as a “majority-minority” city

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, BRA Research Division Analysis.

Note: 2000 was the first year the Census compiled data on individuals who identified themselves as “multiracial”

68%

22%

6% 1% 3%

1980

47%

22%

18%

0%

9% 2% 2%

2010

50%

24%

14%

0% 8% 1% 3%

2000

59% 24%

11%

0% 5% 1%

1990

11

Planning District Diversity Index: 2000-2010

12

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

North

Dorchester South

Dorchester

Harbor

Islands

Boston

South End

Roslindale

Hyde Park

Jamaica Plain

Roxbury

East Boston

Feneway/

Kenmore

Allston/

Brighton

Central

West

Roxbury

Charlestown

Mattapan

South Boston

Back Bay/

Beacon Hill

2010 2000

Source: US Census 2010

Proportion of the Population that is Foreign-Born,

1850-2009

• Historically, Boston has had a greater proportion of foreign-born residents than both the Commonwealth of

Massachusetts and the nation as a whole.

• Since the 1970s, the proportion of foreign-born residents in Boston has grown dramatically.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

1850

1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2006

2009

Boston

Massachusetts

United States

13

Countries of Origin for Boston’s Foreign-Born

Population, 2009

• Most of Boston’s immigrants today come from the Caribbean, Latin American, and Asia

Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis.

2.2%

3.7%

4.0%

4.2%

4.4%

4.5%

4.6%

7.9%

9.0%

9.4%

0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% 5.0% 6.0% 7.0% 8.0% 9.0% 10.0%

Ireland

Jamaica

Colombia

Cape Verde

Brazil

El Salvador

Vietnam

Haiti

China

Dominican Republic

Share of the Foreign-Born Population in Boston

14

Top 5 Countries of Origin for Foreign-Born Population,

by Planning District

15 Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis.

43.0%

6.4%

6.2%

3.5%

3.2%

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

China

Vietnam

Italy

India

Japan

Central

15.3%

11.7%

6.9%

3.7%

3.6%

0 0.1 0.2

China

Brazil

Russia

El Salvador

Ukraine

Allston-Brighton

15.3%

7.3%

6.2%

6.2%

3.7%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2

China

Canada

United Kingdom

France

Colombia

Back Bay-Beacon Hill

31.5%

23.3%

4.6%

3.1%

2.5%

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

China

Dominican Republic

Russia

Canada

Philippines

Charlestown

Top 5 Countries of Origin for Foreign-born Population,

by Planning District (cont.)

16 Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis.

26.6%

20.6%

11.0%

9.7%

5.1%

0 0.1 0.2 0.3

El Salvador

Colombia

Brazil

Mexico

Italy

East Boston

12.6%

8.6%

8.0%

7.4%

6.3%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15

Japan

China

Brazil

Dominican …

Korea

Fenway-Kenmore

30.6%

29.4%

29.4%

10.6%

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

Brazil

Middle Africa

Jamaica

Belize

Harbor Islands

32.7%

9.5%

8.9%

4.7%

4.7%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35

Haiti

Dominican Republic

Jamaica

Nigeria

Guatemala

Hyde Park

Top 5 Countries of Origin for Foreign-born Population,

by Planning District (cont.)

17 Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis.

14.0%

13.8%

6.3%

3.3%

2.8%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15

Dominican Republic

China

India

Ireland

United Kingdom

Jamaica Plain

28.8%

12.5%

10.6%

7.7%

5.3%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35

Haiti

Jamaica

Cape Verde

Dominican Republic

Trinidad and Tobago

Mattapan

23.3%

13.2%

7.8%

7.8%

4.9%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25

Cape Verde

Vietnam

Albania

Dominican Republic

Haiti

North Dorchester

17.8%

10.3%

6.4%

6.3%

4.0%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2

Dominican Republic

Haiti

Albania

Guatemala

Ireland

Roslindale

Top 5 Countries of Origin for Foreign-born Population,

by Planning District (cont.)

18 Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis.

23.9%

13.9%

8.0%

6.3%

4.9%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3

Dominican Republic

Haiti

Jamaica

Cape Verde

Trinidad and Tobago

Roxbury

32.9%

15.8%

6.9%

4.0%

3.9%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35

Dominican Republic

China

Cape Verde

Philippines

Vietnam

South Boston

19.2%

10.9%

10.7%

10.3%

7.6%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25

Vietnam

Jamaica

Haiti

Cape Verde

Dominican Republic

South Dorchester

29.2%

11.3%

5.0%

4.0%

3.9%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35

China

Dominican Republic

Ethiopia

Colombia

Canada

South End

Top 5 Countries of Origin for Foreign-born Population,

by Planning District (cont.)

19 Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis.

12.4%

10.1%

8.7%

7.6%

6.0%

0 0.05 0.1 0.15

Haiti

China

Dominican Republic

Ireland

Greece

West Roxbury