Geography and Population
– Boston is located at coordinates 42°21′37″N 71°3′28″W.
– The city covers an area of 89.61 square miles (232.10 km²), with a land area of 48.34 square miles (125.20 km²) and a water area of 41.27 square miles (106.90 km²).
– The urban area of Boston is 1,655.9 square miles (4,288.7 km²).
– The population of Boston was 675,647 in 2020.
– The population density of Boston is 13,976.98 people per square mile (5,396.51/km²).
– The Greater Boston metropolitan statistical area is the eleventh-largest in the country.
– Boston is the 10th largest city in the United States.
History and Cultural Significance
– Boston was founded in 1630 by Puritan settlers from Boston, Lincolnshire.
– The city played a significant role in the American Revolution, with events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.
– Boston expanded beyond the original peninsula through land reclamation and annexation.
– Boston is known for its historical landmarks, such as Faneuil Hall and the Old North Church.
– Boston attracts millions of tourists annually, with Faneuil Hall alone drawing more than 20 million visitors per year.
– Boston is known for its rich literary and artistic culture.
– Boston was an early port of the Atlantic triangular slave trade but later became a center of the abolitionist movement.
– Land reclamation projects and annexations expanded Boston’s physical boundaries.
Education, Innovation, and Economy
– Boston is a global leader in higher education and academic research.
– The city is home to prestigious institutions like Harvard University and MIT.
– Boston has nearly 5,000 startup companies and is considered a pioneer in innovation and entrepreneurship.
– The city is known for its advancements in fields like artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
– Boston’s economic base includes finance, professional services, information technology, and biotechnology.
Neighborhoods and Landmarks
– Boston is known as a city of neighborhoods, with 23 officially designated neighborhoods.
– Downtown Boston consists of low-rise masonry buildings and modern high-rises, with prominent landmarks such as the Boston Public Library and Copley Square.
– Back Bay is home to notable landmarks including Newbury Street, the John Hancock Tower, and the Prudential Center.
– Smaller commercial areas are interspersed among areas of single-family homes and multi-family row houses in various neighborhoods.
Climate and Environmental Factors
– Boston has a hot-summer humid continental climate or a humid subtropical climate.
– Summers are warm to hot and humid, while winters are cold and stormy, with occasional periods of heavy snow.
– Prevailing wind patterns that blow offshore minimize the influence of the Atlantic Ocean.
– Boston lies at the transition between USDA plant hardiness zones 6b and 7a.
– The city receives 43.6 inches (1,110 mm) of precipitation and 49.2 inches (125 cm) of snowfall per year. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston
Boston (US: /ˈbɔːstən/), officially the City of Boston, is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is the cultural and financial center of New England in the Northeastern United States, with an area of 48.4 sq mi (125 km2) and a population of 675,647 in 2020. The Greater Boston metropolitan statistical area is the eleventh-largest in the country.
Boston | |
|---|---|
| City of Boston | |
Downtown from Boston Harbor Acorn Street on Beacon Hill Fenway Park during a Boston Red Sox game Back Bay from the Charles River | |
 Seal  Coat of arms  Wordmark | |
| Nickname(s): Bean Town, Title Town, others | |
| Motto(s): Sicut patribus sit Deus nobis (Latin) 'As God was with our fathers, so may He be with us' | |
    | |
| Coordinates: 42°21′37″N 71°3′28″W / 42.36028°N 71.05778°W | |
| Country | United States |
| Region | New England |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Suffolk |
| Historic countries | Kingdom of England Commonwealth of England Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Historic colonies | Massachusetts Bay Colony, Dominion of New England, Province of Massachusetts Bay |
| Settled | 1625 |
| Incorporated (town) | September 7, 1630 (date of naming, Old Style) |
| Incorporated (city) | March 19, 1822 |
| Named for | Boston, Lincolnshire |
| Government | |
| • Type | Strong mayor / Council |
| • Mayor | Michelle Wu (D) |
| • Council | Boston City Council |
| • Council President | Ruthzee Louijeune (D) |
| Area | |
| • State capital city | 89.61 sq mi (232.10 km2) |
| • Land | 48.34 sq mi (125.20 km2) |
| • Water | 41.27 sq mi (106.90 km2) |
| • Urban | 1,655.9 sq mi (4,288.7 km2) |
| • Metro | 4,500 sq mi (11,700 km2) |
| • CSA | 10,600 sq mi (27,600 km2) |
| Elevation | 46 ft (14 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • State capital city | 675,647 |
| • Estimate (2021) | 654,776 |
| • Rank | 66th in North America 24th in the United States 1st in Massachusetts |
| • Density | 13,976.98/sq mi (5,396.51/km2) |
| • Urban | 4,382,009 (US: 10th) |
| • Urban density | 2,646.3/sq mi (1,021.8/km2) |
| • Metro | 4,941,632 (US: 10th) |
| Demonym | Bostonian |
| GDP | |
| • Boston (MSA) | $571.6 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 53 ZIP Codes
|
| Area codes | 617 and 857 |
| FIPS code | 25-07000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 617565 |
| Website | Boston.gov |
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Boston is one of the United States' oldest municipalities. It was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers from Boston, Lincolnshire. During the American Revolution, Boston was the location of several key events, including the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the hanging of Paul Revere's lantern signal in Old North Church, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the siege of Boston. Following American independence from Great Britain, the city continued to play an important role as a port, manufacturing hub, and center for education and culture. The city has expanded beyond the original peninsula through land reclamation and municipal annexation. It now attracts many tourists, with Faneuil Hall alone drawing more than 20 million visitors per year. Boston's many firsts include the United States' first public park (Boston Common, 1634), the first public school (Boston Latin School, 1635), the first subway system (Tremont Street subway, 1897), and the first large public library (Boston Public Library, 1848).
In the 21st century, Boston emerged as a global leader in higher education and academic research. Greater Boston's many colleges and universities include Harvard University and MIT, both located in neighboring Cambridge and both routinely included among the world's most highly ranked universities. Boston has become the largest biotechnology hub in the world. The city is also a national leader in scientific research, law, medicine, engineering, and business. With nearly 5,000 startup companies, the city is considered a global pioneer in innovation and entrepreneurship, and more recently in artificial intelligence. Boston's economic base also includes finance, professional and business services, information technology, and government activities. Households in the city claim the highest average rate of philanthropy in the United States. Boston businesses and institutions rank among the top in the country for environmental sustainability and new investment.
