Regional Growth Projections

Growth projections describe the challenges facing Metro Boston

To help the region and its communities plan for a changing and uncertain future, MAPC has prepared updated projections of population change, household growth, and housing demand for Metro Boston and its municipalities. The projections confirm that the aging and retirement of the Baby Boomers and the housing shortage will have profound implications for the region, and that our economic future depends on attracting more young workers and making our region a more affordable place to live. More than 200,000 new housing units--mostly multifamily, and mostly in urban areas--will be needed by the year 2050 if the region is to keep growing its economic base.

MAPC is a government research organization. It’s many research studies and publications are widely relied upon by lawmakers and other research organizations.

New in 2023!

Massachusetts Regional Household and Labor Force Projections and Subregional Allocation Documentation
Prepared for MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning

FINAL Population, Household, and Employment Projections 2010 - 2050 - MAPC

FINAL Population, Household, and Employment Projections 2010 - 2050 - Statewide

2014 Projections

2014 Projections

Status Quo, or a Stronger Region?

Since the future cannot be predicted with certainty, identifying a range of possible outcomes may prove more useful than a single forecast. Our projections include two scenarios for regional growth. Each scenario reflects different assumptions about key trends. The “Status Quo” scenario is based on the continuation of existing rates of births, deaths, migration, and housing occupancy. Alternatively, the “Stronger Region” scenario explores how changing trends could result in higher population growth, greater housing demand, and a substantially larger workforce. Together, the two scenarios provide different windows into possible futures for the region.

Download the Regional projections (spreadsheet)
Download the Municipal projections (spreadsheet)

Download an 8-page report for each municipality, including charts and graphs of key trends for each scenario, preceded by the executive summary below.