#2: Homelessness in Greater Boston: Trends in the Context of Our Broader Housing Crisis

While much of the public discourse around homelessness in Massachusetts centered on the growing number of migrants coming to the state, this report from Boston Indicators provided a broader overview of the makeup of Greater Boston’s homeless population over time and the state and region’s ability to shelter those in need. It wasn’t all bad news.

#3: Global Greater Boston: Immigrants in a Changing Region

This February report dug more deeply into immigration to Greater Boston and found that the composition of the city’s immigrant population has changed sharply over the past two decades. It also tamps down any suggestion that immigrants are a net drain, finding that their contributions to the regional economy continue to rise.

Another popular feature: a map showing top immigrant groups by country of origin in every city and town in the five Greater Boston counties.

#4: Mass. Migration: An Analysis of Outmigration from Massachusetts Over the Last Two Decades

This April article on BostonIndicators.org explored the data on outmigration from Massachusetts and found that those leaving the state tend to be white, higher-income, and young—sparking a conversation about how to better engage and retain young professionals in a high-cost region.

#5: Legalizing Mid-Rise Single-Stair Housing in Massachusetts

Terms like “point access blocks” and “‘five over one’ podium buildings” might not have been in most people’s vernacular before this report, but the idea of building around a central staircase instead of setting up apartments on a long hallway caught the attention of people thinking about ways to add new housing on the smaller plots of land most readily available in the city.

#6: Powering Up Together: Challenges and Opportunities in Getting to Net Zero in Boston's Small Building Stock

Reducing the climate impact of new construction is essential, but getting to “net zero” in Boston and elsewhere will not happen unless we find ways to retrofit older buildings with more climate-friendly technologies. This report, a follow-up to our 2022 Climate Report Card, explores some of the ideas—and challenges—we face in getting there.

#7: Setting Roots in Rocky Soil: The State of AAPI-owned Businesses in Massachusetts

One in 12 Massachusetts residents is of AAPI heritage, and AAPI businesses are the fastest-growing ownership sector in our state. However, AAPI-owned businesses still face unacceptable obstacles to success. Based on a first-of-its-kind survey of AAPI business owners, this report found more than a few ways policy and systems changes can help these vital community businesses thrive.

#8: Empty Desks: The Enrollment Crisis in Boston Public Schools

Part one of a three-part series on the demographics of Greater Boston schools, this piece from Boston Indicators’ Peter Ciurczak tracked the sharp decline in Boston public school enrollment— where the student population has trended downward for decades—including some troubling declines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

#9: 2024 Early Education and Care Report: Strengthening the Foundation: A Profile of Early Childhood Educators in Boston and Beyond

The pandemic taught us that early education and care workers are indeed essential. However, this comprehensive survey on pay, benefits, and support portrays a diverse workforce of dedicated professionals who must also manage low wages and long hours in a system that must attract thousands of new workers to replace retiring workers to meet community needs.

#10.1 Criminal Justice Reform in Massachusetts: A Five-Year Progress Assessment

Boston Indicators and MassINC teamed up to review the Massachusetts criminal justice system five years after the Legislature passed historic reforms. The report finds strong, suggestive evidence that these laws led to significant reductions in incarceration without undermining public safety. However, the study also points out various ways in which the work is incomplete.

#10.2 A Race/Class Analysis of the Wealth Distribution

Written as a brief for Indicators’ Racial Wealth Equity Resource Center, this piece explores more deeply the disparities in wealth within broader racial groups. For example, the data show that, in raw numbers, white families make up the largest number of lower-income families. The data also show that economic insecurity affects people of all races, an important reminder as we strive to adopt strategies that target poverty.

#10.3 Maternal Morbidity and Mortality

This Indicators’ brief explores maternal health data in Massachusetts and nationally, highlighting the continuing racial gaps in maternal morbidity and mortality, and looking into some of the possible causes of rising maternal health issues, especially for birthing people of color.

And a bonus: The 2024 Annual Report

While technically not a “research publication,” our Annual Report is always among our top reports; this year is no exception. For the 2024 report, “Powering a Culture of Philanthropy,” we feature six donors whose initiative and generosity across the work of the Boston Foundation are making a difference for some of Greater Boston’s most vital and vibrant nonprofits—and share a new video series on our pathways to equity.