MetroFuture's Community Types

In order to understand how
regional trends will affect the
region’s diverse communities over the coming decades,
MetroFuture identified four basic community types.  While each city and town is unique, communities within each type share important characteristics that will influence their development over the coming decades.  The criteria used to define Community Types include land use and housing patterns, recent growth trends, and projected development patterns.

Many of the findings and recommendations in this report are described in terms of Community Types, and many of the recommendations refer to application in different Community Types.  However, there is considerable variability even within community types, and the classifications are in no way determinative with regard to policy recommendations or allocation of resources. 

In general, findings or recommendations for “Urban” communities
or municipalities refer to the Inner Core and the Regional Urban Centers.  “Suburban” communities and municipalities include those in the Maturing Suburbs and Developing
Suburbs.

Inner Core
These are the high density cities of Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Revere, Everett, and Chelsea, as well as more residential “streetcar suburbs.” The Inner Core is essentially “built out” with little vacant developable land. Virtually all recent development has occurred through infill and reuse of previously developed land. Multifamily housing is a significant component of the housing stock, as is rental and subsidized housing.Most employment is concentrated in Downtown Boston and portions of Cambridge. Streetcar suburbs are built around village-scale commercial districts.

  • 16 cities and towns, including the “streetcar suburbs” inside Route 128
  • 1.3 million residents (31% of year 2000 population)
  • Below average residential growth rates (6% projected if current trends continue)
  • High density neighborhoods, multifamily housing, large immigrant populations

Regional Urban Centers
This group includes urban centers outside of the Inner Core. These communities are characterized by an urban-scale downtown core with multiple blocks of multi-story, mixed use buildings; moderately dense residential neighborhoods surrounding this core; and (in some cases) lower density single-family residential development beyond. Some of these communities are ‘built out,’ while others still have vacant developable land around the periphery of the community. Rental housing and multifamily structures comprise a signifi­cant component of the housing stock.

  • 21 urban centers mostly outside Route 128
  • 1.0 million residents (24% of year 2000 population)
  • Below average residential growth rates (9% projected if current trends continue)
  • Urban neighborhoods, large immigrant communities
  • Some have large amounts of developable land


Maturing Suburbs
These municipalities are moderate-density residential communities with a dwindling supply of vacant devel­opable land  Less than 25% of their land area is still developable. Less than 20% of their land area is devoted to commercial and industrial uses, although some of these towns comprise significant job centers. More than half of their housing units are owner-occupied single family homes.

  • 50 towns, generally along Route 128
  • 1.0 million residents (24% of year 2000 population)
  • Average residential growth rates (11% projected if current trends continue)
  • Mostly moderate density neighborhoods
  • Dwindling supply of unprotected developable land

Developing Suburbs
These are less-developed towns with large expanses of vacant developable land. Most have recently experienced high rates of growth, primarily through large lot single-family homes. Some towns have a locally-significant stock of rental units and units in modestly-sized multifamily structures. Many of these towns have a well-de­fined, mixed use town center. Others have town centers with historical and civic significance but no commer­cial or neighborhood function. The extent of economic development varies but is generally quite limited.

  • 77 towns, generally along I-495 and on the North and South Shores
  • 900,000 residents (21% of year 2000 population)
  • Above average residential growth rates (19% projected if current trends continue)
  • Some have strong town centers and moderate density neighborhoods, others are more rural
  • Large supply of vacant land available for development