1. Key Urban Issues
Context of Urban Change - Macroeconomic, Technological, and Demographic
Uneven Growth of Metro Areas
Increased Income Inequality among Metro Areas
International Migration
Decentralization of Metro Areas
Urban Flight/Interregional Migration
Social Polarization within cities
Changing conditions of Inner City neighborhoods
Housing Affordability
Fiscal Issues
Source: Wyly, Glickman, and Lahr, “A Top 10 List of Things to Know about American Cities,” Cityscape, Vol. 3, No. 3, 1998

2. Distress and Decline Measures
Unemployment Rate
Change in Unemployment Rate
Violent Crime Rate
Change in Violent Crime Rate
Population in Poverty
Families in Poverty
Change in percent of poor families
Income per capita
Change in income per capita
Percent of 1970 housing stock built before 1940
City debt burden
Change in city debt burden

3. Urban Measures Decline: Negative changes in key conditions
Distress: Low level conditions of desirability
Disparity: City compared to its SMSA
Divergence: Changes in disparity
Source: Bradbury, Downs, and Small, Urban Decline and the Future of American Cities (Brookings, 1982)

4. How Did Boston Rank?
Most distressed and declining cities: Atlanta, BOSTON, Cleveland, Dayton, Hartford, Philadelphia, Newark, and Trenton
BOSTON and Cleveland are in the most disadvantaged third of all nine components of the city distress and decline indexes.
City Distress Index: BOSTON -5 (Worst)
City Decline Index: BOSTON -4 (Worst)
SMSA Decline Index: BOSTON -4 (Worst)
Disparity Index: BOSTON -5 (Worst)
Source: Bradbury, Downs, and Small, Urban Decline and the Future of American Cities (Brookings, 1982)

5. The Boston Renaissance: The Triple Revolution Demographic Change

27. The Industrial Revolution

31. The Spatial Revolution

35. Racial/Ethnic Attitudes & Residential Segregation

38. Income and Wealth

44. High School Degree or Less
Men’s Earnings
High School Degree or Less

47. Unemployment Rate Men Figure 8.6 8.2% 2.8% 2.1% 15.2% 7.1% 7.1% Men
More than 12 Years of Education
Men
16%
12%
Percent
8.2% 8%
2.8% 4%
2.1% 0%
Black
Hispanic
White
HS Degree or Less
Men
15.2%
16%
12%
Percent
7.1%
7.1% 8% 4% 0%
Black
Hispanic
White

53. High School Degree or Less
Women’s Earnings
High School Degree or Less