Is Boston The East Coast's Model Ephemeral City?

An influx of well-heeled professionals into Boston has stanched the exodus of middle-class families from the city.

1 minute read

May 15, 2006, 5:00 AM PDT

By David Gest


"The 2000 census revealed that nonfamily households -- made up of those living alone or with unrelated adults -- were now in the majority in Boston for the first time. The city's public schools have experienced an enrollment decline of more than 5,000 students since 2000, and are serving an increasingly poor population, with the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch rising from 62 percent in 1994 to about 75 percent a decade later."

"Boston seems to be following a two-track course: Eager for the expanded tax base and economic activity that comes with new high-end residential development, the city is rolling out the welcome mat for the less-rooted monied class, while trying to convince middle-class families it hasn't given up on them."

Thanks to Adam Ploetz

Sunday, May 14, 2006 in The Boston Globe

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