Boston, Massachusetts
Overview,
People,
Health,
Economy,
Housing,
Crime,
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Overview
City Overview
As of 2009, Boston's population is 599,351 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 0.28 percent.
The median home cost in Boston is $398,210. Home appreciation the last year has been -7.50 percent.
Compared to the rest of the country, Boston's cost of living is 27.60% Higher than the U.S. average.
Boston public schools spend $10,526 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $6,058. There are about 0 students per teacher in Boston.
The unemployment rate in Boston is 7.40 percent(U.S. avg. is 8.50%). Recent job growth is Negative. Boston jobs have Decreased by 2.20 percent.
Overview,
People,
Health,
Economy,
Housing,
Crime,
Climate
Education,
Transportation,
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Religion,
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Links
People
The 2009 Boston, MA, population is 599,351. There are 12,227 people per square mile (population density).
Family in Boston, MA
The median age is 33. The US median is 37.6. 37.10% of people in Boston, MA, are married. 7.12% are divorced.
The average household size is 2.26 people. 11.77% of people are married, with children. 11.00% have children, but are single.
Race in Boston, MA
53.54% of people are white, 24.91% are black, 8.06% are asian, 0.42% are native american, and 13.32% claim 'Other'.
15.68% of the people in Boston, MA, claim hispanic ethnicity (meaning 84.32% are non-hispanic).
Boston People SperlingViews
living: Tell me about the Boston... (read more)Craptastic!: Now I can wait for the Ivy League elites to let me know I'm beneath them because "craptastic" isn't a word and only the most brilliant can really appreciate all that is... (read more)Boston, MA: Boston is a great place to live that's if you can afford it and have job. But all in all its historic value is like no other city in this country. It's amazing and the... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here



Overview,
People,
Health,
Economy,
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Health
There are 874 physicians per 100,000 population in Boston, MA. The US average is 170.
Boston, MA Health Index
Air quality in Boston, MA is 26 on a scale to 100 (higher is better). This is based on ozone alert days and number of pollutants in the air, as reported by the EPA.
Water quality in Boston, MA is 1 on a scale to 100 (higher is better). The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators.
Superfund index is 99 on a scale to 100 (higher is better). This is upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts.
Boston Health SperlingViews
Quality of life: Cold winters but nice spring and fall.
Great educational oppurtunities.
High cost of living
High Quality of life.
Many hospital and chance of good... (read more)hospitals: great hospitals but long delays at emergency... (read more)re: Boston is worst city in USA - 5/11/2007: You exhibit, quite perfectly, the alleged attitude for which you sneer at Bostonians. Don't blame people for being educated further than yourself. And I guess, to... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here
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Economy
| Unemployment Rate | 7.40% | 8.50% |
| Recent Job Growth | -2.20% | -3.10% |
| Future Job Growth | 28.20% | 26.40% |
| Sales Taxes | 5.00% | 6.00% |
| Income Taxes | 5.95% | 5.02% |
| Income per Cap. | $28,062 | $24,020 |
| Household Income | $46,676 | $44,684 |
| ESTIMATED HOUSEHOLDS BY HOUSEHOLD INCOME | | |
| Income Less Than 15K | 19.33% | 13.64% |
| Income between 15K and 25K | 10.06% | 11.21% |
| Income between 25K and 35K | 10.10% | 11.46% |
| Income between 35K and 50K | 13.88% | 15.84% |
| Income between 50K and 75K | 17.07% | 19.28% |
| Income between 75K and 100K | 11.04% | 11.53% |
| Income between 100K and 150K | 11.21% | 10.70% |
| Income between 150K and 250K | 4.86% | 4.43% |
| Income between 250K and 500K | 1.61% | 1.31% |
| Income greater than 500K | 0.85% | 0.61% |
| POPULATION BY OCCUPATION | | |
| Management, Business, and Financial Operations | 16.20% | 13.61% |
| Professional and Related Occupations | 26.57% | 20.24% |
| Service | 18.08% | 14.75% |
| Sales and Office | 25.69% | 26.74% |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | 0.08% | 0.74% |
| Construction, Extraction, and Maintenance | 4.99% | 9.48% |
| Production, Transportation, and Material Moving | 8.40% | 14.44% |
The unemployment rate in Boston, MA, is 7.40%, with job growth of -2.20%. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 28.20%.
Boston, MA Taxes
Boston, MA,sales tax rate is 5.00%. Income tax is 5.95%.
Boston, MA Income and Salaries
The income per capita is $28,062, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $46,676.
Boston Economy SperlingViews
A great place to live: Boston is a fantastic place to live with great transportation.... (read more)Mass Transit: It is virtually impossible to get lost in Boston. Clear signs and maps, even if you are at the wrong stop,it can be easily... (read more)I never needed a car: I've lived in Boston for 4 years, going to school in the heart of the city. Transporation has been great. Usually great. It's very easy to get around the city via the T... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here
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Housing
| Median Home Age | 65 | 27 |
| Median Home Cost | $398,210 | $202,300 |
| Home Appreciation | -7.50% | -4.60% |
| Homes Owned | 30.09% | 64.07% |
| Housing Vacant | 4.89% | 14.48% |
| Homes Rented | 64.96% | 21.45% |
| Property Tax Rate | $10.10 | $13.28 |
| OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS BY VALUE | | |
| Less Than $20,000 | 0.33% | 3.01% |
| $20,000 to $39,999 | 0.48% | 4.37% |
| $40,000 to $59,999 | 0.42% | 5.74% |
| $60,000 to $79,999 | 0.25% | 7.07% |
| $80,000 to $99,999 | 0.51% | 8.41% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 4.76% | 19.74% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 10.50% | 14.06% |
| $200,000 to $299,999 | 30.41% | 16.59% |
| $300,000 to $399,999 | 21.69% | 8.21% |
| $400,000 to $499,999 | 11.84% | 4.53% |
| $500,000 to $749,999 | 11.19% | 4.75% |
| $1,000,000 or more | 4.92% | 1.86% |
| HOUSING UNITS BY YEAR STRUCTURE BUILT | | |
| 1999 to October 2005 | 3.86% | 10.15% |
| 1995 to 1998 | 1.21% | 6.69% |
| 1990 to 1994 | 1.64% | 6.70% |
| 1980 to 1989 | 5.65% | 14.75% |
| 1970 to 1979 | 8.05% | 17.11% |
| 1960 to 1969 | 9.63% | 12.78% |
| 1950 to 1959 | 9.33% | 11.64% |
| 1940 to 1949 | 9.19% | 6.64% |
| 1939 or Earlier | 51.44% | 13.55% |
The median home value in Boston, MA, is $398,210. Home appreciation is -7.50% over the last year. The median age of Boston, MA, real estate is 65 years.
Boston, MA Apartments and Rentals
Renters make up 64.96% of the Boston, MA, population. 4.89% of houses and apartments in Boston, MA, are unoccupied (vacancy rate).
Boston Housing SperlingViews
Housing Prices in Boston & Beyond: Boston is a small city, surrounded by smaller cities and townes that are up to 40 miles away. The resession has lower the housing costs in many of the cities and town by... (read more)Housing prices are like sodomy: Boston is one of the best places to live if you are, young, open minded, rich, well off, or monetarily secure, cost of living and is high, housing costs are worse. Plan... (read more)Boston is great!: In reply to the previous commentors: Boston is a great place to live! I think it offers alot of opportunity in a great location. People need to stop complaining about... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here

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Crime
Boston, MA, violent crime, on a scale from 1 (low crime) to 10, is 7. Violent crime is composed of four offenses: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The US average is 3.
Boston, MA, property crime, on a scale from 1 (low) to 10, is 7. Property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims. The US average is 3.
Boston Crime SperlingViews
Safe city: Boston is a great city to live in, only that winters can be harsh sometimes.Crime problems are reasonable given the size of the city. It has crime issues from time to... (read more)Quincy bad place!: Dont live in Quincy...one thing good about it is its close to da city. But i been livin here my whole life. Drugs, gangs, place is gettin torn apart. Stay outta West... (read more)living: Tell me about the Boston... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here
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Climate
Boston, MA, gets 45 inches of rain per year. The US average is 37. Snowfall is 48 inches. The average US city gets 25 inches of snow per year. The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 120.
On average, there are 200 sunny days per year in Boston, MA. The July high is around 84 degrees. The January low is 19. Our comfort index, which is based on humidity during the hot months, is a 51 out of 100, where higher is more comfortable. The US average on the comfort index is 44.
Boston Climate SperlingViews
Change of Seasons: Boston is a great place to live...even with our cold, snowy winter. If you are a skier, the New Hampshire Mountains, a short drive away, can ameliorate the chill that... (read more)Boston, Climate: weather not terrible, but so-so: Boston is not the Arctic wasteland that people from southern climates might picture. Still, winters here are decidedly brisk. Most winter days are cold—usually in... (read more)Four Seasons, some longer than others..: When I first moved here 20 years ago I was overjoyed to finally be somewhere that had blue skies more often than not. In the last few years this has been less true. The... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here
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Education
Boston, MA, schools spend $10,526 per student. There are 0 pupils per teacher, 2,248 students per librarian, and 549 children per counselor in Boston, MA schools.
Boston Education SperlingViews
Brief comment: Love the pedestrian city and the... (read more)Purely a college town: When coming to Boston, it is easy to notice the abundance of student life in the city. From the lines of people forming in front of clubs on friday nights to the over... (read more)Great for studying Theology: Boston really is great for Theological Studies. There is access to (almost) every Christian denomination plus there is a non-denominational (Protestant) university... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here
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Transportation
The average one-way commute in Boston, MA, takes 32 minutes. 41% of commuters drive their own car alone. 9% carpool with others. 32% take mass transit and 2% work from home.
Boston Transportation SperlingViews
A great place to live: Boston is a fantastic place to live with great transportation.... (read more)Mass Transit: It is virtually impossible to get lost in Boston. Clear signs and maps, even if you are at the wrong stop,it can be easily... (read more)I never needed a car: I've lived in Boston for 4 years, going to school in the heart of the city. Transporation has been great. Usually great. It's very easy to get around the city via the T... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here
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Cost of Living
Our cost of living indices are based on a US average of 100. An amount below 100 means Boston, MA is cheaper than the US average. A cost of living index above 100 means Boston, MA is more expensive.
Overall, Boston, MA cost of living is 127.60.
Boston Cost of Living SperlingViews
cost of living: Boston can be an expensive place to live. It's most affordable to live with several roommates and it can be pretty pricey to live by... (read more)Expensive: I have lived in Boston all my life with the exception of 10 years (military service); I have seen prices rise and fall but nothing in comparison with the past few years.... (read more)Relocation: I moved here from Denver, CO to Boston, MA because of an awesome job opportunity. I must admit that I have been adjusting to the "sticker shock" ever since!! I own a... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here
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Religion
| Percent Religious | 60.02% | 50.03% |
| Catholic | 44.96% | 21.92% |
| Protestant | 4.77% | 19.12% |
| LDS | 0.07% | 1.57% |
| Baptist | 2.10% | 8.16% |
| Episcopalian | 1.36% | 8.12% |
| Pentecostal | 0.82% | 1.89% |
| Lutheran | 0.20% | 2.81% |
| Methodist | 0.21% | 3.84% |
| Presbyterian | 0.08% | 1.33% |
| Other Christian | 4.62% | 4.66% |
| Jewish | 3.58% | 2.16% |
| Eastern | 0.04% | 0.05% |
| Islam | 1.97% | 0.54% |
60.02% of the people in Boston, MA are religious, meaning they affiliate with a religion. 44.96% are Catholic; 4.77% are Protestant; 0.07% are LDS; 4.62% are another Christian faith; 3.58% in Boston, MA are Jewish; 0.04% are an eastern faith; 1.97% affilitates with Islam.
Boston Religion SperlingViews
re: Boston is worst city in USA - 5/11/2007: You exhibit, quite perfectly, the alleged attitude for which you sneer at Bostonians. Don't blame people for being educated further than yourself. And I guess, to... (read more)Boston Doesn't Care What You Think of It and Neith: I lived in and around Boston for 22 years. I got out because of high population, very high cost of living (from food to renting to car insurance to owning a pet to... (read more)re: Most AWESOME city in America!! - 11/16/2007: i totaly agree
evry1 who says boston is a terrible place are to dumb to understand the history, education, and NICENESS. If u are saying that bostonians are smug and... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here
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Voting
75.88% of the people in Boston, MA are registered as Democrats. 22.82% are registered Republican. Remaining are independent: 1.30%.
Boston Voting SperlingViews
Politics: It seems that everything here is all about politics. The police get paid double what a construction worker would make for being a flagperson. The snowplow drivers get... (read more)city government: Every aspect of city government is politicized; no governmental service is rendered just for its own sake. As result government is extraordinarily amateurish.... (read more)Safe city: Boston is a great city to live in, only that winters can be harsh sometimes.Crime problems are reasonable given the size of the city. It has crime issues from time to... (read more)Have an opinion about Boston? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Boston Click Here
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