Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA


Densely populated, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area, anchored by the city of Boston, encompasses 7 counties.

The surrounding Greater Boston's cities are filled with ethnically distinct immigrants. As are other large metro areas, people group diversity dominates Greater Boston.

Boston’s Chinatown is the third largest Chinatown in the United States, coming in behind New York (Manhattan) and San Francisco. Another ethnic enclave is Koreatown in Allston Village, which includes parts of Cambridge Street and Brighton, Harvard, and Commonwealth Avenues.

These ethnic enclaves reinforce these people group's identity. Other people groups maintain their distinct identity by forming associations and celebrating special occasions (Such as the South Asian Showdown).

Click the following button to learn more about Boston Send City.

Total Population: 4,899,932

Census Data

  • Foreign Born - 812,077
  • Language Spoken at Home - 1,034,027

[Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Foreign Born and Language Spoken at Home]

Quick Facts

  • The 4th Most Densely Populated Metro Area in the United States.

  • The city is home to about 227,000 Jews, with some communities like Newton being nearly one-third Jewish American.

  • Home to a large number of European people groups.

  • Recent year - a great deal of immigration of Vietnamese and an increase in the number of Dominican.

  • Home to the 10th largest South Indian population in the United States, numbering over 65,000.

  • Home to many American affinity people groups - with Dominican and Haitian peoples being the largest demographically.

  • Home to numerous Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist Temples, along with Islamic Mosques and Jewish Synagogues.

  • Dorchester ranks in the top ten most diverse places in the United States.

  • Home to the largest population of Caboverdian Mestico (a Sub-Saharan African people group) from Cabo Verde, formerly known as Cape Verde. In Brockton, MA (a city just south of the city of Boston), the Caboverdian Mestico people annually celebrate their rich cultural heritage as illustrated in the following video.


Profile

Although Greater Boston has many sites and people significant to American history and culture plus is socio-culturally and socio-economically diverse, it is also ethnically and linguistically diverse. Moreover, being home to many well-known undergraduate and graduate schools, many international students call the Boston metro area their temporary home.

Boston is experiencing growth thanks to an immigration boom. Without immigration, the metro area population would have declined. The percent of foreign born has reached 17.3% and shows signs of increasing. Recent immigrants to the area come mostly from Latin American countries such as Haiti, Jamaica, El Salvador, and Guatemala, and Asian countries such as China, Vietnam, and India. Many are coming for jobs in the scientific and technological industries. Entrenched in a strong European heritage, Boston's European people groups dominant the landscape socio-culturally and linguistically.

In the past several decades, Asian nationalities have reshaped the foods offered, religions practiced, and languages spoken at home. Boston is continuously developing a more diverse population as immigrants from all over the world are making their home in the area. Significant groups of immigrants from East, South, and Southeast Asia have recently made their home in the greater Boston area.


People Group Profiles

Displaying 1-25 of 48 results.
PG Name Country Of Birth Affinity Bloc Primary Religion Baseline Population Total
Albanian, GhegKosovoEurasian PeoplesIslam - Sunni2,300
Albanian, ToskAlbaniaEurasian PeoplesIslam - Sunni4,701
Arab, EgyptianEgyptArab WorldIslam5,602
Arab, IraqiIraqArab WorldIslam - Shia3,505
Arab, Lebanese (Christian)LebanonArab WorldChristianity - Roman Catholic22,611
Arab, Lebanese (Muslim)LebanonArab WorldIslam - Sunni12,694
Arab, MoroccanMoroccoArab WorldIslam - Sunni10,968
ArmenianArmeniaEurasian PeoplesChristianity - Orthodox6,912
BarbadianBarbadosNorth American PeoplesChristianity - Protestant3,400
BrazilianBrazilLatin-Caribbean AmericansChristianity - Other / Marginal49,861
BulgarBulgariaEurasian PeoplesChristianity - Orthodox1,950
Caboverdian MesticoCabo VerdeSub-Saharan AfricanChristianity - Roman Catholic17,560
Cambodian, KhmerCambodiaSoutheast Asian PeoplesBuddhism27,000
Chinese, HakkaTaiwanEast Asian PeoplesEthnic Religions - Chinese Universalism / Folk150
Chinese, MandarinChinaEast Asian PeoplesBuddhism89,741
Chinese, TeochewMalaysiaEast Asian PeoplesEthnic Religions - Chinese Universalism / Folk3,700
ColombianColombiaLatin-Caribbean AmericansChristianity - Roman Catholic15,193
CongoleseCongoSub-Saharan AfricanChristianity4,000
DominicanDominican RepublicLatin-Caribbean AmericansChristianity - Other / Marginal56,605
Egyptian CoptEgyptArab WorldChristianity - Orthodox4,230
FrenchFranceEurasian PeoplesChristianity - Roman Catholic43,815
GeorgianGeorgiaEurasian PeoplesChristianity - Orthodox1,200
GermanGermanyEurasian PeoplesChristianity - Orthodox10,361
GreekGreeceEurasian PeoplesChristianity - Orthodox19,797
GujaratiIndiaSouth Asian PeoplesHinduism17,364


Ethnic Links

Albanian American National Association - a Boston-based association to perpetuate Albanian culture and customs.

Immigrant and Refugee Community Resources in Boston - a listing of various ethnic associations by nationality within the Boston Metro Area.