Dig into stories built on data in By the Numbers.
Explore the data that explains and shapes life in Massachusetts, including the latest CommonWealth Beacon Poll.
In Mass., the middle class is holding on, but financial anxiety continues to climb
The security of middle-class life is typically defined by a good job, class mobility, and wealth security, said Christian Weller, a professor of public policy and department chair at UMass Boston. These days, “people don’t feel secure except some at the very top,” he said.
Phoning it in – Mass. residents still lean toward in-person care as telehealth booms
While the rise of telehealth in the early 2020s “did improve access to care,” according to the Health Policy Commission, not everyone is able to use the new virtual hospital landscape. “Specific actions could be taken to further enhance access for more rural and vulnerable populations.”
Beacon Hill lobbying still buoyed by health care interests
New data shows that lobbying remained a lucrative industry in the first half of 2025, especially for firms that count health care companies among their clients.
New poll shows high satisfaction with health insurance in Mass., even as residents delay or skip care for cost reasons
New polling for CommonWealth Beacon conducted by the MassINC Polling Group paints a picture of Massachusetts residents mostly happy with their health care coverage, especially when compared with other states, even while large slices of the population report struggling with cost and access.
Healey holds her head above water in new poll
Asked how they thought Healey is doing as governor, 20 percent of residents said they strongly approve of her performance, 36 percent say they somewhat approve, 15 percent somewhat disapprove, 18 percent strongly disapprove, and 11 percent said they were unsure.
70 percent of Mass. infants live in child care deserts, according to state data
Enrollment differences between regions, student age groups, and income levels paint a picture of a system struggling to meet potential demand and that is most available to those at the highest income brackets.
Survey highlights concerns among Asian Americans in Mass.
Despite being the fastest-growing population group, APIA voices are often overlooked due to sparse data. A new report aims to change that.
Voters support more action to boost housing, new poll finds
Some 57 percent of voters think that the cost of housing is a “a big problem” in their own communities, according to a new poll conducted by the MassINC Polling Group for Abundant Housing Massachusetts, and 68 percent think there aren’t enough affordable homes in their own cities or towns.
To understand 2024 results, hindsight is not 2020
This year’s Massachusetts results are much more on par, in terms of turnout and outcome, with every other presidential election so far this century — other than 2020. In that way, they represent more of a reversion to the mean than a shift to the right.
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