Please join us on Wednesday, June 4th, at 9:00 a.m., for a timely discussion on the release of "An Uncertain Future: How the Immigration Crackdown Threatens Massachusetts' Labor Force," a new report from Boston Indicators in partnership with MassInc. You can register here: buff.ly/nsuF61k

Thanks to the Affordable Homes Act of 2024, Massachusetts is producing more accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as we explain in our report, “ADUs Turn One: Regulatory Barriers to Production in Massachusetts and Ideas for Further Reform.” buff.ly/N99YQRS

In Massachusetts, the Affordable Homes Act legalized accessory dwelling units (ADUs). However, this new policy does not apply to Boston, as we explain in our report, “ADUs Turn One: Regulatory Barriers to production in Massachusetts and Ideas for Further Reform.” buff.ly/N99YQRS

"More than a third of our lots are under 10,000 square feet... and making sure that folks who live on small lots had just as much opportunity as we could muster for them to construct an ADU if they wanted to was really important." Meredith Boericke, Braintree town council

Newton and Somerville allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to be bigger than the state allowance of 900 square feet, creating more housing options. Learn more in our report, "ADUs Turn One: Regulatory Barriers to production in Massachusetts and Ideas for Further Reform." buff.ly/N99YQRS

There are two lessons in our report on accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

Although accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are now legal in Massachusetts, local regulations limit growth of these units, as we document in our new report, "ADUs Turn One: Regulatory Barriers to production in Massachusetts and Ideas for Further Reform." buff.ly/N99YQRS

Now that accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are legal in Massachusetts, there has been considerable growth, as we explain in our new report, "ADUs Turn One: Regulatory Barriers to production in Massachusetts and Ideas for Further Reform," buff.ly/N99YQRS by Boston Indicators' Amy Dain.

In our new report—"ADUs Turn One: Regulatory Barriers to production in Massachusetts and Ideas for Further Reform" buff.ly/N99YQRS we look at where ADUs are located statewide.

We're releasing a new report today on accessory dwelling units: "ADUs Turn One: Regulatory Barriers to production in Massachusetts and Ideas for Further Reform."https://buff.ly/N99YQRS A 2024 state law made ADUs legal in Massachusetts. The law went into effect in 2025.

Please join us on Wednesday, June 4th, at 9:00 a.m., for a timely discussion on the release of "An Uncertain Future: How the Immigration Crackdown Threatens Massachusetts' Labor Force," a new report from Boston Indicators in partnership with MassInc. You can register here: buff.ly/nsuF61k

In “The Greater Boston Housing Report Card 2025,” buff.ly/Q59GaNX we use the new Census Address Count File to look at municipal trends in housing completion.

Please join us on Zoom on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., for the release of the report, “ADUs Turn One: Regulatory Barriers to Production in Massachusetts and Ideas for Further Reform.” You can register here: buff.ly/Bb9fjOq

What’s the future of housing production in Greater Boston? The good news is that housing production has been increasing for the last few years, as we explain in “The Greater Boston Housing Report Card 2025.” buff.ly/Q59GaNX

Our brief, “The Problem of Rental Deserts in Greater Boston, by the Numbers,” buff.ly/6Y85SUn points out that rental deserts exist in some Greater Boston suburbs that are dominated by single family homes.

The City of Newton has come up with a small-scale innovation to add housing units in centrally located areas. As we explain in our brief, “A Modest Zoning Reform That Works—and Should Be Scaled,” buff.ly/MGE9OSz Newton has implemented Multi-Residence Transit districts near public transportation.

To keep up with all of our latest research and analysis, sign up for the Boston Indicators newsletter. buff.ly/1IzJX2w

Please join us on Zoom on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., for the release of the report, “ADUs Turn One: Regulatory Barriers to Production in Massachusetts and Ideas for Further Reform.” You can register here: buff.ly/Bb9fjOq

Here’s a paradox about retirement savings in Massachusetts: although this state has “one of the highest median retirement savings per household in the country,” it’s also true that among the state’s older adults, there is “widespread retirement insecurity...”

While many parents would like to help their children become homeowners, this was easier for the wealthier families profiled in the Institute for Economic and Racial Equity’s new report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston." buff.ly/1ECmdUB

The new Institute for Economic and Racial Equity report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston” buff.ly/1ECmdUB looks at the impact of housing and neighborhoods on family wealth.

The next report in Boston Indicators’ Racial Wealth Equity Research and Conversation Series — “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families” buff.ly/1ECmdUB ...

We look at outcomes of adult children in our new report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families.” buff.ly/1ECmdUB In a complex landscape, parents have worked hard to invest in their children's futures.

Our new report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families,” buff.ly/1ECmdUB points to racial disparities in wealth transfers across generations.

Patterns of wealth transfer are changing, as we explain in our new report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families,” buff.ly/1ECmdUB

The three-legged stool of retirement funding is wobbling. Learn more in our new report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families.” buff.ly/1ECmdUB

In our new report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families,” buff.ly/1ECmdUB we look at how families manage retirement. One important asset was having a defined benefit pension.

In our new report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families,” buff.ly/1ECmdUB we look at the impact of housing and neighborhoods on family wealth.

The Leveraging Mobility Study has followed families since 1998 to understand their experience with wealth.

Today, we're releasing our new report: “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families.” buff.ly/1ECmdUB

For some, a common expectation is that family wealth will pass from parents to children. But our Racial Wealth Equity Chartbook buff.ly/warGv8v finds that reality is quite different for many families of color.

These days, screens get all the attention, from cell phones to laptops to televisions. But in a new article “The Meaning of Main Streets,” buff.ly/xdzAItT Boston Indicators’ Amy Dain writes an ode to the bricks, mortar, and humanity of Massachusetts’ bustling Main Streets.

Please register and join us for a Zoom webinar on our new report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families.” The webinar will be on Thursday, April 16, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. buff.ly/uYGsf7J

Many factors limit the wealth-building abilities of Native Americans, as we explain in our report, “To Live and Thrive in Massachusetts: Native American Perspectives on Wealth,” buff.ly/hjejmMM.

While incomes in Massachusetts have grown over time, disparities persist, as we explain in our brief, “Income and wage trends across the decades.” buff.ly/gQXQqff One concern is the ongoing wage gap that’s based on workers’ ages. From 1980 to 2024, hourly wages grew across all age groups.

In our brief— “Income and wage trends across the decades.” buff.ly/gQXQqff — we look at disparities in the growth of hourly wages across time. One factor in these disparities is educational attainment.

Please register and join us for a Zoom webinar on our new report, “Leveraging Mobility in Boston: Economic Well-Being and the Flow of Wealth Across Three Generations of Low- and Middle-Income Families.” The webinar will be on Thursday, April 16, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. buff.ly/uYGsf7J

Check out our new brief, “Income and wage trends across the decades.” buff.ly/gQXQqff Taking the long view, the brief explains that economic growth in Massachusetts has led to rising incomes for decades.

Discussions about the racial wealth gap often focus on Black and Latino households—and overlook Native American communities. We fill in this gap with our report, “To Live and Thrive in Massachusetts: Native American Perspectives on Wealth,” buff.ly/P40nhz7.

“The burden posed by Massachusetts’ high cost of living hits older households of color particularly hard,” as we explain in our report, “Wealth Gaps in the Golden Years: Economic Insecurity for Older Adults in a High-Cost State.” buff.ly/BQjKutD

In our report — “Wealth Gaps in the Golden Years: Economic Insecurity for Older Adults in a High-Cost State” buff.ly/BQjKutD — we look at income gaps among older Massachusetts residents.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) cuts the estate tax; and this cut widens the racial wealth gap because most of the people who benefit are white, as we explain in our report, “Fading Beauty: How the One Big Beautiful Bill Could Widen Wealth Inequality.” buff.ly/OnugSIL

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act threatens to widen racial gaps by eroding Medicaid coverage, as we explain in our report, “Fading Beauty: How the One Big Beautiful Bill Could Widen Wealth Inequality.” buff.ly/OnugSIL

In the news: Our report, “Legalizing Mid-Rise Single Stair Housing in Massachusetts,” buff.ly/rfKjk04 was featured in an NBC 10Boston news story buff.ly/dXgrBcD about Governor Maura Healey creating an advisory group that will study the feasibility of allowing single-staircase home construction.

Check out Kelly Harrington's post on our recent happy hour—and on the importance of building community. buff.ly/8Cot2tS

In our report, “Global Greater Boston: Immigrants in a Changing Region,” buff.ly/G4oqmXa we note that immigrants have high rates of economic mobility.

For a deep dive into data-driven research and policy, sign up for the BARI Conference 2026: Greater Boston’s 10th Annual Insight-to-Impact Summit, buff.ly/iGu5SO3 which will be on Friday, May 8, 2026, at Northeastern University, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Where has the MBTA Communities Law sparked new housing production?

Immigrants in this region are more likely to start their own businesses, making a key contribution to the state economy, as we explain in our report, “Global Greater Boston: Immigrants in a Changing Region.” buff.ly/G4oqmXa

Luc Schuster, Executive Director of Boston Indicators, has a new opinion piece in Commonwealth Beacon magazine, “The MBTA Communities law was a good start. But it won’t deliver transit-oriented development – or solve our housing shortage.” buff.ly/RkSS2Pe