Released April 2021, the Cambridge Community Foundation’s latest research report confirms Cambridge, Mass. is a leader among the nation’s innovation cities, and through a decade of data, tells the story of how the city’s unprecedented prosperity has benefitted some residents, while others, primarily Black and low-income residents, are being left behind.
For years, people have anecdotally observed disparities in Cambridge and noted the incredible growth in the innovation sector and its impact. The new report, Equity and Innovation: The Case of Cambridge, puts numbers behind speculation, confirming Cambridge as an innovation powerhouse and providing tangible evidence of growing disparities among residents. It also serves as an invitation to the community to come together and leverage the city’s unique assets to reverse troubling trends.
Boomtown/Hometown Report
In 2017, the Foundation released a report titled Boomtown/Hometown: What the Numbers say about Income, Housing and Education in Cambridge Today.
This report draws attention to three powerful trends shaping our city’s future: increasing income inequality, rapidly rising housing costs and persistent educational disparities. Where are these trends taking Cambridge? Can our city-with its booming innovation economy and exceptional community assets-keep its historic commitment to social justice and create a future in which prosperity is shared across the entire community.
