Boston

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The MetroFuture region is one where:

• A wider diversity of housing types are built in all communities (Goal #16), helping to combat segregation based on race, ethnicity, and income (Goal #15).

• Health outcomes improve for residents of historically disadvantaged communities, with increased access to healthy food “(Goal #24), green space (Goal #23), better air quality (Goal #22), and medical care (Goal #26).

• More convenient transportation options, leading to a healthier lifestyle, are available throughout the region, particularly in traditionally under-served areas (Goal #44). • All of the region’s residents are equipped with all

of the tools they need to succeed in tomorrow’s economy (Goal #29), and small business owners and first-time homebuyers have the resources to build wealth for future generations (Goal #38).

The MetroFuture Equity Goals

MetroFuture directs us to achieve this vision by eliminating unfair, preventable, and systematic differences between groups that not only harm individuals and families, but threaten the vibrancy of our region. We believe that a focus on equity will make our region not only more just, but also more prosperous for all its residents.

The State of Equity

in Metro Boston

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A RY

So, what is the state of equity in Metro Boston?

To create MetroFuture,

the region’s plan for growth through the year 2030, thousands of people came together to talk about the future they wanted for their region. These “plan builders” shared a common vision of an equitable region where “all people have full and equal access to opportunities that enable them to attain their full potential.” 1

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We are Becoming More Diverse

Metro Boston is changing.

These demographic trends will have huge impacts on the region in decades to come, and the face of the region in 2030 will look substantially different than it does now. • Our older population is growing

• The youngest among us are our most diverse residents • We are increasingly foreign-born

CHILDREN as they try to grow up

healthy, learn, and play

White children and children of color rarely grow up side-by-side in Metro Boston. Children of color are highly concentrated in the region’s urban areas — areas that are nearly absent Whites the same age.

YOUNG ADULTS as they try to learn,

stay safe, and establish independence

Black/African American and Latino teens enter the workforce less prepared for the region’s knowledge economy.

Dropout rates for Black/African American and Latino teens are vastly higher than those for Whites and Asians.

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…At Each Stage of Our Lives

We are Becoming Less Equal

Segregation and income inequality harm individuals throughout their lives and leave Metro Boston less able to compete on the global stage with more equitable regions. These factors also underpin or exacerbate many of the inequalities highlighted in this report.

• Income inequality is high and growing in Metro Boston • The region remains highly segregated

• Our regressive tax structure worsens income inequality

SENIORS as they try to remain active,

retire comfortably, and stay connected

Blacks/African Americans die prematurely at more than one and a half times the rate of whites. Grandparents raising grandchildren are especially impacted by poverty.

About half of all renters in the region are cost-burdened by housing.

ADULTS as they try to make a good

living, build a home, and stay healthy

The foreclosure crisis hit urban and minority neighborhoods first and hardest.

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Key Findings

The State of Equity in Metro Boston is the first in a series of indicator reports

that will monitor the region’s progress towards achieving goals set out by the

MetroFuture plan. It will be followed by a policy report that will outline key

recommendations to help ensure that the region is on track to meet its goals. It is

a “baseline report” that establishes the numbers against which progress will be

measured. We’ve taken a snapshot of the region as it looks right now, and future

reports will tell us more clearly whether we are moving towards our goals — or

away from them. We highlight equity-related goals first, because meeting them

is crucial to achieving the vibrant region envisioned in MetroFuture.

Each of the 65 MetroFuture goals is supported by a set of more specific, and

largely numeric, objectives. As many objectives as possible are tied to indicators,

which are regularly collected data points that form the basis of our analysis. For

example:

MetroFuture Goal #29: More workers will graduate from high school and go on to college or career training opportunities.

Objective: 98% of 25 -34 year olds will have a high school diploma or equivalent (up from 91% today, and 89% if Current Trends continue). Objective: 90% of high school graduates will go on to 2- or 4-year college (up from 79% today). Objective: Only 10% of graduates from public high schools will need to take remedial courses during their first year of college (down from 37% today). Objective: 91% of all working-age adults (ages 25-65) will have a high school diploma or equivalent, up from 90% today and 85% if current trends continue. Indicator: Educational attainment rates

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The MetroFuture plan includes hundreds of indicators, of which we chose the

thirty that best tell the story of equity in the region. In addition, the indicators

selected are updated regularly and cover the entire region in detail, making them

benchmarks we can revisit in years to come to track our progress.

To add greater depth to each indicator, we “slice” the data in several ways. For

example, we look at the data by race/ethnicity and/or by geography, comparing

results across municipalities or census tracts, or occasionally comparing the

region as a whole to other regions. Other “slices” you will see regularly in our data

are gender, age, and income, although they are not the only ones we use. This

enables us to look at each indicator from a variety of perspectives.

The indicators we address in this report do not simply stand on their own.

Conditions described by each indicator can interact with or exacerbate conditions

described by others. The reader will notice that some geographic areas suffer

from negative outcomes across a variety of indicators, as do some racial or ethnic

groups. The overlay of concentrated poverty with racial/ethnic segregation can

worsen the challenges created by each. For that reason, it is important to take a

look across the indicators in the report as a whole.

On the following pages, you will see a list of the equity-related indicators we

have measured and will revisit regularly moving forward. For each indicator, we

summarize key findings and provide an icon indicating its topic area. The icons,

listed in the key below, will enable those interested in learning more to find each

indicator easily on the regional indicators website.

Demographics

Economy Education

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Demographics Economy Education

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL

Regional Indicators Issue Areas

5 Key Findings

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Inequity Across the Region

Demographics Economy Education

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Dissimilarity Index –

segregation Over 60% of Black/African American residents of Metro Boston would have to move to a new neighborhood to achieve complete integration with Whites.

Roughly 60% of all Latino residents of Metro Boston would have to move to a new neighborhood in order to achieve complete integration with Whites.

Household Income The richest fifth of the population earns, on average, more than 10 times the income of the poorest fifth.

There is a more than twofold gap between median White and Latino household incomes.

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Gini Coefficient of

Income Inequality Incomes are distributed less equitably in Metro Boston than in 85% of the metro areas in the US.

Tax Burden as a Percent

of Family Income Massachusetts’ poorest families pay more than twice as much of their income on taxes as do the Commonwealth’s richest families.

ISSUE

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Inequity Impacts Children

Low Birth Weight A Black/African American woman with a college degree is more likely to have an underweight baby than is a White woman with a high school education.

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Youth Asthma

Hospitalization Rate Black/African American youth are hospitalized for asthma at over five times the rate of White youth.

Open Space per 1,000

Residents Inner Core communities and Regional Urban Centers have less open space in their neighborhoods (per capita) than do suburban communities.

Distance to the Nearest

Open Space Much of the Inner Core, many Regional Urban Centers, and some Maturing Suburbs offer residents open space resources within walking or biking distance.

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Attendance of

High-Poverty Schools Nearly three quarters of Black/African American and Latino students attend high-poverty schools, while just over 10% of Whites do.

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL 3rd Grade English Language Arts MCAS Scores

A gap of nearly 40 percentage points separates White and Black/African American children in third grade reading proficiency rates.

ISSUE

AREA INDICATOR KEY FINDING

7 Key Findings

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Inequity Impacts Teenagers

10th Grade Math MCAS

Scores White and Asian 10th graders score “proficient” or “advanced” on the math MCAS at rates nearly double those of Latinos and Blacks/African Americans.

High School Graduation

Rates Greater Boston suffers from dramatic disparities in graduation rates by school district, with rates ranging from 54% in Chelsea to 98-100% in many other districts.

More than 90% of the region’s White and Asian students graduate in four years, while slightly more than 70% of Black/African American and 75% of Latino students do.

High School Dropout

Rates Dropout rates for Blacks/African Americans and Latinos in the region are at least three times as high as those for Whites and Asians.

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Exclusionary Discipline

Rates Predominantly White school districts have an out-of-school suspension rate of about 4%, while more diverse districts have out-of-school suspension rates of nearly 15%.

Violent Crime Rates Boston, Chelsea, and Lynn experience, on average, five violent crimes per 1,000 residents, while many suburban municipalities suffer fewer than 1.5 crimes per 1,000 residents.

High School Students’ Plans for After

Graduation

A third of students in predominantly White districts plan to attend a 4-year public college, while less than a quarter of students in more diverse districts have the same plan.

Young adults’ access to

MBTA transit Well over three quarters of the areas with high concentrations of teens and young adults (25% or more), are within a quarter mile of MBTA transit.

ISSUE

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Inequity Impacts Adults

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Educational Attainment

Rates While fewer than 10% of Whites lack a high school diploma, roughly 35% of Latinos have not completed high school.

Labor Force Participation

Rates While only 65% of those lacking a high school degree are active in the labor force, 88% of those with a bachelor’s degree are.

Poverty Rates Nearly 25% of Latinos, nearly 20% of Blacks/African Americans, and over 15% of Asians in our region live in poverty compared to 6% of Whites

While fewer than 10% of families overall earn less than 130% of the poverty line, more than 25% of female-headed households with no spouse present earn less than that amount.

Housing Affordability Over 60% of the poorest households are living in unaffordable housing, defined as housing that costs more than 30% of gross household income.

Housing Cost Burden About half of the renters in Massachusetts pay more than 30% of their income on rent.

Foreclosure Rates Foreclosure rates were 10% or higher within parts of Roxbury and the South End between January 2007 and June 2008.

Home Loan Denial Rates In many low-income Boston neighborhoods, as well as Randolph, Rockland, and Chelsea, more than 40% of high-income buyers are unable to get loans for home purchases.

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Premature Mortality

Rates Blacks/African Americans die prematurely at three times the rate of Asians and one and a half times the rate of Whites.

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Hospitalizations due to

High Blood Pressure The rate of hospitalization for hypertension is more than seven times as high for Inner Core Blacks/ African Americans as it is for suburban Whites.

ISSUE

9 Key Findings

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ISSUE

Inequity Impacts Seniors

Education

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL

Transit and Sidewalk

Access for Seniors The concentration of seniors is over twice as high in sections of Framingham and Weymouth as it is in the region overall, yet these areas offer seniors limited transportation options.

Environment & Recreation Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References Demographics Economy Education Environment Housing Public Health Public Safety Transportation Civic Vitality References FINAL Transportation Services

for Seniors Most of the communities offering multiple paratransit options for seniors already have train or commuter rail access, whereas the municipalities with only 1 or 2 shuttles tend to be farther from the city where such services are needed most.

Poverty Rates for Seniors Nearly 35% of Latino households headed by a senior bring in less than $10,000 per year, while just under 8% of White households are in this lowest income category.

14% of grandparents who are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren live in poverty compared with rates of only 9% of the region’s residents overall.

Dissimilarity Index for

Nursing Homes About 65% of Black/African American nursing home residents would have to move to a new facility in order to achieve integration with White nursing home residents.

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United We Stand... Or Divided We Fall

Persistent inequality is bad for all of us. Societies with large gaps between the rich and the poor struggle more with social ills — like crime and poor health — than do their more equal counterparts. And while it is a new field of research, academics are starting to examine the impact that inequality and segregation have on economic growth. Early studies have shown that there is a correlation between equity and economic growth, and that reductions in poverty in central cities can correspond with stronger regional economic growth.2

So, as we work towards the MetroFuture goals for a healthy, secure, and prosperous future for Metro Boston, we must incorporate equity at the heart of that work. We do this not only because it is a fundamental value of our society, but also because our future stability and prosperity as a region depend on it.

About this report

The State of Equity in Metro Boston is made up of three complementary products: The State of Equity in Metro Boston is the first in a series of indicator reports that will monitor the region’s progress towards achieving goals set out by the MetroFuture plan. The regional indicators website provides

data on the key findings presented in this report, and many other indicators, in an interactive, dynamic format.

The policy report will identify key policy and programmatic recommendations to “bend the trends” towards greater regional equity. MAPC will reach out to a wide variety of

stakeholders in translating our data findings to policy; stay in touch to learn more.

Learn more

About the data behind the indicators — www.regionalindicators.org/equity About the MetroFuture plan — www.metrofuture.org

About MAPC and its work — www.mapc.org State of Equity

in Metro Boston

I N D I C ATO R S R E P O R T

1_{We credit King County, Washington with this definition of equity. It can be found online at www.kingcounty.gov/exec/equity.aspx.} 2_{For a summary of the early research in this field, see the PolicyLink and Center for American Progress report “Prosperity 2050:}

Is Equity the Superior Growth Model,” at http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/04/pdf/prosperity_2050.pdf

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The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is a regional planning agency serving the people who live and work in Metropolitan Boston. Our mission is to promote smart growth and regional collaboration, which includes protecting the environment, supporting economic development, encouraging sustainable land use, improving transportation, bolstering affordable housing, ensuring public safety, advancing equity and opportunity among people of all backgrounds, and fostering collaboration among municipalities.