Ran a quick data request today and found myself shocked even as I looked at a familiar story. The headline here is that *staggering* inequality reigned in Boston well before the current crisis we are in. A few thoughts on the 2019 data I just crunched ...

First, the horrible and fairly well-known truths:
-Latinx, Black, *and* Asian households are more than 2x as likely to be low income in Boston than white households.
-White households are 3x more likely to have high incomes than Latinx and Black households.

Now, some more nuanced stories:
-All racial/ethnic communities have sizable middle income groups (by our def) in Boston.
-People of color are pretty well represented in the middle income group. They make up about half of all households, and about 45% of the middle income group.

The vast majority of white households are middle or high income. But because white households make up half of all households in Boston, there are also a lot of low income white households – 35K to be precise.

COVID-19 has had a harsh, inequality-intensifying effect in Boston. Low income communities and people of color have suffered most, both from the virus and the economic damage. Generous and equitably targeted supports are critical for a just and equitable recovery.

Methodological notes: The data are 2019 ACS PUMS, the the income groups are developed around median household income for Boston proper, which was $78,791. Latino/a/x individuals are separated from all racial groups. The "Other" group is a catchall for small groups w/ large SEs.