Goals
|
Indicator Measures
|
How are we doing?
|
 |
3.1 Maintaining the Region’s Competitive Edge |
 |
3.1.1 Share of young knowledge workers Metro Boston versus other regions |
Boston in 2000 had about 30% of 20–34 year-olds but lost 8% of this population between 1990 and 2000, while Austin gained them by 30% and Raleigh by 20%. |
|
3.1.2 Innovation capacity measured by patents per capita |
In 2001, about 3,972 patents were granted to Massachusetts’ innovators or about 62 patents per 100,000 residents. |
|
|
|
3.2 Infrastructure to Support the Knowledge Economy |
|
3.2.1 Level of Research & Development funding |
In 2000, Massachusetts attracted the highest share of R&D funds among all states — $348 per 1,000 people or over $4 billion in total. |
|
3.2.2 Share of the nation’s venture capital investment |
In 2001, only $4.86 billion in VC was invested in Massachusetts, a drop of nearly 50%, after a peak of $10 billion in 2000. |
|
3.2.3 Funding for higher education |
In 2000, Massachusetts ranked 39th in state appropriations ($185.4 per capita) for public higher education and 14th for state spending ($16.73 per capita) on student aid. |
|
|
3.3 Economic Strength and Resilience |
|
3.3.1 Employment by industry sector |
In 2002, the city lost almost 5,000 jobs to bring it down to a total of 683,584 jobs. |
| |
3.3.2 Unemployment rate |
Unemployment rate in Boston rose from 2.9% in 2000 to 4.9% by mid 2002. The Metro rate at 4.1% continues to be lower than the citywide average but is also rising. |
|
3.3.3 Strong office and hotel markets |
Boston’s office vacancy rate increased to 9.3% in 4th quarter 2002. Its near maximum hotel occupancy (78.6%) in 2000, is currently down due to the economy. |
|
| |
3.4 Affordable Cost of Living |
|
3.4.1 Median household income adjusted by cost of living |
Metro Boston’s 2001 median household income of $52,792 is equivalent to $38,691 after adjustments for cost of living. |
| |
|
3.4.2 Family Self Sufficiency Standard |
Data updates not available at this time. |
| |
|
3.4.3 Families and children living in poverty |
The number of families in poverty increased very slightly over the 1990s from 17,598 to 17,982, lifting the poverty rate to 15.3%. |
|
| |
3.5 Skilled Workforce |
|
3.5.1 Educational attainment in Boston and metro region |
In 2000, 36 % of Boston residents and 40% of Metro Boston residents, held a Bachelor’s degree or more. Competition is catching up. |
| |
|
3.5.2 Job training, adult education and English language skills |
As of May 2002, the MA Department of Education reported a total of 19,103 people on waiting lists for adult basic education and English language skills. |
|
| |
3.6 Economic Equity |
|
3.6.1 Income disparities between top and bottom quintile of population — the GINI Index |
The GINI Index for Boston has been increasing over the past 40 years. In 1960, the index stood at 0.335, but by 2000 it had climbed to 0.481. |
| |
|
3.6.2 Income by race, educational attainment, neighborhood |
In 1999 the citywide median income was $39,629. It was $47,668 for white non-Latinos, $30,447 for blacks, $27,963 for Asians, and $27,141 for Latinos. |
| |
|
3.6.3 Unemployment by race and by neighborhood |
In 2000, unemployment rates for blacks and Latinos were higher than the citywide average of 4.8% and lower for Asians and whites. |
|
| |
3.7 Economic Mobility and Opportunity |
|
3.7.1 Number of Associates degrees granted |
In 2001, enrollment in Massachusetts Community College was 112,806 students, almost 2,500 less than 1992 figures. |
