This document summarizes how immigrants have contributed to Boston's continued population and economic growth over the past decades. Some key points:
- Boston's population grew 18.9% between 1980-2010 due largely to immigration, which accounted for over half of population growth. Without immigration, Boston's population would be barely larger than in 1980.
- Immigrants make up 28.4% of Boston's population and hold 27% of jobs in Suffolk County. They generate 24% of the county's economic activity and $25.9 billion in GDP.
- Boston has become more diverse due to growth in the Hispanic and Asian immigrant populations. However, barriers to integration remain, as 27% of foreign-born
7. 8th highest BA+
attainment
among a set of
25 comparable
U.S. cities
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1950 – 2010 U.S. Decennial Census, 2015 1-Year American Community Survey, BPDA Research Division Analysis
6.4% 7.6% 10.5%
20.3%
30.0%
34.9%
42.5% 45.3%
6.6% 7.7%
8.6%
13.1%
19.1%
19.3%
18.2%
18.4%
28.9%
29.3%
35.2%
35.0%
26.6%
24.1%
23.6% 21.6%
53.9%
55.4%
45.7%
31.6%
24.3% 21.7%
15.7% 14.8%
4.2%
6.2% 7.7%
10.8%
16.2%
20.3%
24.4%
27.9% 29.8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2015
%ofPopulation25YearsandOver
Bachelor's degree or higher Some college or Associate's degree High school
Less than high school Not reported U.S. Bachelor's degree or higher
Educational Attainment of Boston vs U.S. (1950-2015)
11. There are 1,095,953 foreign
born in Massachusetts, 16.1%
of the state population
Boston has 190,123 foreign-
born residents, 28.4% of the
city population
Boston immigrants come from
all continents and from 130
different countries
Of foreign born in Boston,
28.6% are Hispanic/Latino and
23.8% are Asian
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015 1-year and 2011-2015 5-year American Community Surveys, BPDA Research Division Analysis
12. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015 One-Year American Community Survey, BPDA Research Division Analysis
0.6% 4.8% 3.3%
9.0% 10.1% 12.4%
25.2%
32.3%
45.1%
49.3% 50.3%
49.3%
8.0%
16.0%
21.0%
24.2%
25.3% 25.6%
63.6%
37.9%
24.2%
17.5% 14.3% 12.7%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2015
Region of Origin of Boston's Immigrants (2015)
Africa Americas Asia Europe
13. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, BPDA Research Division Analysis
19,732
18,566
15,907
9,670 9,537
7,860
6,899
6,108
4,301
3,635 3,478 3,204 3,196 2,921 2,820 2,615 2,521 2,353 2,343 2,108
Top 20 Countries of Origin for Foreign Born (2015)
14. Hispanic and Asian
immigration
contributes heavily to
Boston’s growing
diversity
Source: 1970 -2010 U.S. Decennial Census, 2015 1-Year American Community Survey, BPDA Research Division Analysis
Note: 2000 was the first year the Census compiled data on individuals who identified themselves as multiracial. Those who indicated “two or more races” are included in “Other” in 2000 and 2010 in this chart.
79.8%
67.9%
59.0%
49.5% 47.0% 45.5%
15.8%
21.7%
23.8%
23.8%
22.4% 22.7%
2.6%
6.4%
10.8%
14.4%
17.5% 18.8%
2.7% 5.2%
7.5% 8.9% 9.3%
4.7% 4.3% 3.7%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2015
Boston's Diverse Population (1970-2015)
White Black / African American Hispanic Asian / Pacific Islander Other
15. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1980-2000 Decennial Censuses, 2010 & 2015 1-year American Community Surveys, BPDA Research Division Analysis
Note: Undocumented share of non-citizen foreign born is estimated to be 38% in Massachusetts by Migration Policy Institute, “Profile of the Unauthorized Population: Massachusetts,” http://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/MA
Citizens
Foreign Born
[CELLRANGE] [CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE] [CELLRANGE] [CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE][CELLRANGE] [CELLRANGE] [CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE] [CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
1980 1990 2000 2010 2015
Native Born Naturalized Documented Foreign Born Undocumented Foreign Born
Boston Population by Citizenship Status (1980-2015)
16. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census, and 2006-2010 & 2011-2015 American Community Survey, IPUMS, BPDA Research Division Analysis
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
2000 2010 2015
Both spouses native born Both spouses foreign born One native, one foreign-born
Marriages in Boston by Nativity of Spouses (2000-2015)
19. without
immigration
Boston’s
population would
be barely larger
than it was in 1980
562,994 573,287
590,490
623,134
669,469
475,938 461,798
436,742
457,239
479,346
-
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
1980 1990 2000 2010 2015
Total Native
Boston’s Population without the Foreign Born (1980-2015)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1980-2000 Census and 2010 & 2015 1-year American Community Surveys, BPDA Research Division Analysis.
20. Employment in Suffolk County 1980-2015
380,880
427,160 435,573 434,470
499,652
424,720
497,026
544,270
579,139
688,908
-
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
1980 1990 2000 2010 2015
Native Employed Total Employed
Foreign-born workers
hold 27% of jobs located
in Suffolk County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1980-2000 Census and 2010 & 2015 1-year American Community Surveys, BPDA Research Division Analysis. Note: Boston data are not available.
21. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1980-2000 Decennial Census, 2010 & 2015 American Community Survey, IPUMS, Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI), BPDA Research Division Analysis
$37.8
$56.3
$87.5
$94.5
$108.2
$33.7
$48.8
$73.5 $74.3
$82.4
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
1980 1990 2000 2010 2015
Billionsof2015USDollars
Suffolk County Economic Output, 1980-2015
Total Output of Suffolk County Output of Native-born Workers
Foreign-born workers
generated 24% of Suffolk
County’s economic
activity
22. Economic Impacts of Immigrants
189,256 foreign-born workers hold jobs in Suffolk County
2,819 foreign-born entrepreneurs own businesses in Suffolk County that employ
approximately 16,357 additional workers
30,758 indirect and induced jobs are generated by immigrant’s consumption demand
In 2015, these direct and indirect impacts accounted for $25.9 billion in Gross
Domestic Product and $1.5 in state and local taxes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015 1-year American Community Survey, IPUMS; Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI); BPDA Research Division Analysis
23. … and they also contribute their education to the U.S. workforce,
which in many cases was provided by their country of origin
In 2011 the immigrants who had arrived in the U.S. since 2000 represented $1.5
trillion worth of education – a subsidy of the U.S. workforce by the sending
countries
… finally, immigrants contribute to their countries of origin via
remittances which, according to the World Bank, in 2014 reached
$40 billion
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2011, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of Education Statistics.
See Alvaro Lima, Contributions of Immigrant Labor to the American Economy: A Different Take, 2014.
World Bank, Migration and Remittances Factbook 2016
25. Foreign-Born English Proficiency (2015)
30.1%
29.7%
26.0%
69.9%
70.3%
74.0%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
2015
2010
2000
Proficient Limited Proficiency
70% of foreign born in
Boston are proficient
in English, down from
74% in 2000.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census, 2006-2010 and 2011-2015 American Community Surveys, BPDA Research Division Analysis
26. Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey, Public Use Micro-data Sample (PUMS), BPDA Research Division Analysis
* Sample is the population aged 25+ of wage earners only
27.6%
26.3%
11.4%
4.7%
16.0%
14.1%
9.5%
22.4%
14.2%
4.7%
27.9%
21.4%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
Less than High School High School Some College Associates Degree Bachelors Degree Graduate Degree
Educational Attainment by Nativity (among the population aged 25+) - 2010
Foreign-born Native-born
27% of
foreign-
born adults
age 25+
lack a high
school
diploma
27. Foreign-born Percentage of Resident Employment by Industry (2015)
Red line represents % of employed Boston
residents who are foreign-born (29.5%)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2015 American Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division Analysis
15.0%
15.9%
21.0%
22.5%
25.0%
25.2%
27.1%
35.7%
37.4%
38.7%
38.9%
41.7%
42.0%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Information
Public Administration
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
Educational Services
Retail Trade
Professional, Scientific & Management, Administrative & Waste Management
Wholesale Trade
Health Care and Social Assistance
Other Services, Except Public Administration
Construction
Transportation, Warehousing, & Utilities
Manufacturing
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation & Food Services
Industries in which
foreign born are
over-represented
Industries in which
foreign born are
under-represented
28. Foreign-born Percentage of Resident Employment by Occupation (2015)
15.3%
18.5%
18.8%
20.3%
21.5%
22.2%
35.0%
44.5%
49.3%
50.9%
51.9%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports & Media
Sales & Related
Community & Social Service
Managerial & Professional
Education, Training, & Library
Office & Administrative Support
Healthcare Practitioners & Support
Construction, Extraction, Maintenance & Transportation
Service
Other
Production
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2015 American Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division Analysis
Occupations in which
foreign born are over-
represented
Occupations in which
foreign born are under-
represented
Red line represents % of employed Boston
residents who are foreign-born (29.5%)
29. Median Income by Educational Attainment (population aged 25+) – 2015
$20,800
$26,100
$30,000
$35,500
$45,000
$60,000
$24,000
$32,200
$38,000
$40,200
$60,000
$70,000
$- $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000
Less than Highschool
High School
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
Native Foreign-Born
Among full-time workers, the foreign
born average $41,000 while the native
born average $57,000. Even within the
same levels of education, the foreign
born make less on average than the
native born.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, BPDA Research Division Analysis
Universe: Boston residents who work full-time
30. Takeaways:
The foreign born contribute to Boston’s population growth
The foreign born accounted for all population growth in Boston 1980 to 2000
In 2015, 28% of Boston’s population is foreign born – 190,123 residents
40% of births in Boston are to foreign-born mothers
The foreign born contribute to Boston’s diversity
The foreign born have substantial Hispanic, Asian, Black, and White shares
Top countries of origin are China, Dominican Republic, and Haiti
The foreign born contribute to Boston’s economic growth
The foreign born hold 27% of jobs in Suffolk County
Foreign-born workers generated 24% of Suffolk County’s economic output in 2015
Successful integration is crucial to fully realizing contributions of foreign born to Boston
30% are not proficient in English and 27% of adults lack a high school diploma
Half of foreign born are not U.S. citizens, and 19% are estimated to be undocumented
Foreign born are concentrated in low-paying jobs and earn less than native born even within the same
educational level
32. Immigrant economic integration depends on the “Context of Exit” and the “Context of
Incorporation”
Context of Exit
- Education Level
- Language spoken
- Race & Ethnicity
- Family Wealth
- Urban vs. Rural Origin
- Government & Other
Support Systems
etc.…
Context of Incorporation
- Inclusion & Exclusion
Structures
- Alien vs. Citizenship Rights
- Government & Other Support
Systems
- Language & Skills Acquisition
- Labor Market Barriers
- Racial & Ethnic Structures
etc...
Successful
Integration
Source: Transnationalism, Alvaro Lima 2010.
33. Traditional Frame Transnational Frame
Who? How
many? What
kind?
Source: Transnationalism, Alvaro Lima 2010.
Transnational Platform
(Global social Protection)