Boston’s Demographic Revolution

The Growing Diversity of Boston 1950-2007

Haifa-Boston Learning Exchange

Professor Barry BluestoneDean, School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs

Northeastern University

March 24, 2010

The Diversity Revolution

Greater Boston Metro Area (2007)Metro Area Population: 4,588,680City of Boston: 599,351

Boston/Metro Area Ratio: 13.1%

Greater Boston Metropolitan Area

Greater Boston Metropolitan Area

Greater Boston Metropolitan Area

The Spatial Revolution

Greater Boston Metropolitan Area

Greater Boston Metropolitan Area

Greater Boston Metropolitan Area

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Perc

ent of Tota

l P

opula

tion

18651870188018901900191019201930194019501960197019801990

1.2% 1.4% 1.6% 1.8% 2.1% 2.0% 2.2% 2.6% 3.1%5.3%

9.8%

18.1%

32.2%

40.8%

%Black %Other Non-White

Minority Population - Boston1865-1990

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%P

erc

ent of Tota

l P

opula

tion

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

5.3%

9.8%

18.1%

32.2%

40.8%

50.5%

Black Hispanic Asian Other/Multiracial

Minority PopulationBoston

Non-White: 50.8%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Perc

ent

Black Hispanic White

35%

81%

5%

Percent Foreign Born Populationby Race & EthnicityFigure 5.13

0%

50%

Perc

ent

0-11 12 13-15 16 or more

7%

34%

23%

36%

Native Born

0%

50%

Perc

ent

0-11 12 13-15 16 or more

29%

19% 21%

31%

Foreign Born

Years of EducationNative Born vs. Foreign Born

Figure 5.12

Boston By Race1980-2000

1980 1990 2000Non-Latino White 67.9% 382,123 59.0% 338,734 49.5% 291,561Black/African American 21.7% 122,203 23.8% 136,887 23.8% 140,305Hispanic 6.4% 36,068 10.8% 61,955 14.4% 85,089Asian/Pacific Islander 2.6% 14,910 5.2% 29,640 7.5% 44,280Other/Multiracial 1.4% 7,690 1.2% 7,067 4.7% 27,906 Total 100% 562,994 100% 574,283 100% 589,141

1980

3% 1%6%

22%

68%

Non-Latino White

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multiracial

1990

59%

1%5%11%

24%

2000

20005%

8%

14%

49%

24%

Neighborhood by RaceAllston-Brighton1980-2000

1980 1990 2000Non-Latino White 84.8% 55,314 73.1% 51,395 68.7% 47,835Black/African American 3.9% 2,558 6.6% 4,650 4.5% 3,110Hispanic 4.5% 2,911 9.1% 6,413 9.1% 6,336Asian/Pacific Islander 5.7% 3,745 10.5% 7,371 13.8% 9,611Other/Multiracial 1.1% 736 0.6% 455 4.0% 2,756 Total 100% 65,264 100% 70,284 100% 69,648

1980

6%1%

4%

4%

85%

Non-Latino White

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multiracial

1990

73%

1%10%

9%

7%

2000

2000

4%14%

9%

69%4%

Neighborhood by RaceCharlestown1980-2000

1980 1990 2000Non-Latino White 97.5% 13,034 94.6% 13,927 78.6% 11,946Black/African American 0.2% 24 0.7% 106 3.5% 539Hispanic 0.9% 124 2.1% 310 11.6% 1,764Asian/Pacific Islander 0.9% 124 2.1% 316 5.0% 761Other/Multiracial 0.4% 58 0.4% 59 1.2% 185 Total 100% 13,364 100% 14,718 100% 15,195

1980

98%

0%1%

0%1%Non-Latino White

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multiracial

1990

95%

0%2%2%

1%

2000

20001%5%

12%

78%

4%

Neighborhood by RaceNorth Dorchester1980-2000

1980 1990 2000Non-Latino White 67.0% 15,935 52.6% 13,186 35.6% 10,241Black/African American 16.1% 3,825 19.8% 4,964 24.3% 7,003Hispanic 12.5% 2,980 14.4% 3,600 14.2% 4,075Asian/Pacific Islander 0.6% 146 6.4% 1,604 13.2% 3,788Other/Multiracial 3.8% 903 6.8% 1,714 12.7% 3,668 Total 100% 23,789 100% 25,068 100% 28,775

1980

1% 4%13%

16%

66%

Non-Latino White

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multiracial

1990

53%

7%6%

14%

20%

2000

2000

13%

13%

14%

36%

24%

Neighborhood by RaceSouth Dorchester1980-2000

1980 1990 2000Non-Latino White 65.0% 38,410 48.0% 29,131 30.0% 19,012Black/African American 26.9% 15,916 36.5% 22,125 41.7% 26,432Hispanic 5.9% 3,496 10.2% 6,213 10.3% 6,493Asian/Pacific Islander 0.5% 306 3.3% 1,997 9.6% 6,066Other/Multiracial 1.7% 995 1.9% 1,164 8.4% 5,337 Total 100% 59,123 100% 60,630 100% 63,340

1980

1% 2%6%

27%

64%

Non-Latino White

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multiracial

1990

49%

2%3%

10%

36%

2000

2000

8%

10%

10%30%

42%

Neighborhood by RaceEast Boston1980-2000

1980 1990 2000Non-Latino White 95.8% 30,839 75.8% 24,977 49.7% 19,078Black/African American 0.4% 121 2.1% 702 3.1% 1,177Hispanic 2.9% 942 17.6% 5,805 39.0% 14,990Asian/Pacific Islander 0.3% 108 3.8% 1,260 4.0% 1,553Other/Multiracial 0.5% 168 0.6% 197 4.2% 1,615 Total 100% 32,178 100% 32,941 100% 38,413

19800% 1%3%

0%

96%

Non-Latino White

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multiracial

1990

75%

1%4%

18%

2%

2000

4%4%

39% 50%

3%

Neighborhood by RaceHyde Park1980-2000

1980 1990 2000Non-Latino White 84.7% 25,584 72.3% 21,686 43.0% 13,629Black/African American 12.5% 3,772 21.9% 6,561 39.2% 12,450Hispanic 1.7% 504 4.3% 1,303 12.5% 3,981Asian/Pacific Islander 0.5% 159 1.0% 311 1.5% 472Other/Multiracial 0.7% 204 0.4% 124 3.8% 1,194 Total 100% 30,223 100% 29,985 100% 31,726

19801% 1%

2%12%

84%

Non-Latino White

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multiracial

1990

73%

0%1%4%

22%

20004%1%

13%

43%

39%

Neighborhood by RaceRoxbury1980-2000

1980 1990 2000Non-Latino White 8.1% 4,681 6.0% 3,524 4.8% 2,742Black/African American 75.7% 43,743 71.2% 41,956 62.6% 35,441Hispanic 13.3% 7,677 19.3% 11,373 24.4% 13,827Asian/Pacific Islander 0.3% 165 0.5% 267 0.6% 355Other/Multiracial 2.6% 1,485 3.0% 1,773 7.6% 4,293 Total 100% 57,751 100% 58,893 100% 56,658

1980

0% 3%13%

76%

8%

Non-Latino White

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multiracial

19906%3%0%

19%

72%

20008%1%

24%

5%

62%

Neighborhood by RaceSouth Boston1980-2000

1980 1990 2000Non-Latino White 98.5% 29,993 95.4% 28,145 84.5% 25,327Black/African American 0.0% 15 0.9% 266 2.5% 741Hispanic 0.5% 160 1.5% 447 7.5% 2,244Asian/Pacific Islander 0.5% 143 1.8% 522 3.9% 1,166Other/Multiracial 0.5% 145 0.4% 108 1.6% 487 Total 100% 30,456 100% 29,488 100% 29,965

1980

0% 0%1%0%

99%

Non-Latino White

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multiracial

1990

95%

0%2% 2%1%

20002%4%

7%

85%

2%

The Industrial Revolution

White Collar vs. Blue Collar Employment: Boston

Boston

1960 1980 2000

White Collar Employment

55% 60% 69%

Managerial & Professional

17% 30% 43%

Blue Collar & Service Employment

45% 40% 31%

Production, Transport,

& Related

18% 10% 8%

Personal Service (17.00%)

Recreation (5.00%)

Professional (54.00%)Private Household (11.00%)

Repair (7.00%)

Business (6.00%)

Business (11.00%)

Repair (3.00%)Private Household (1.00%)

Personal Service (6.00%)Recreation (3.00%)

Professional (76.00%)

Employment in SERVICESMetro Boston -- By Sector

1950

1990

Key Industrial Sectors

Higher Education Health Care Financial Services High Tech/Information Services Defense Biotechnology/Nanotechnology