Adults who do not speak English well or at all are a substantial part of the Worcester population, and the classes and organizations that serve them struggle for resources. Making ESOL classes readily available to anyone is important for a number of unquantifiable reasons, but also for measurable economic reasons, making the issue a priority for further research and additional resources.

In May 2019, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau published a report analyzing the Worcester Regional Transit Authority’s fare policy, providing facts and figures on ridership, collection costs, service zone demographics and more.

Many of Massachusetts’ thriving commercial corridors were built on rivers of liquor. Bars and restaurants can turn a neighborhood into a destination for any combination of nightlife, fine dining, culture or tourism.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced community leaders, in Worcester and across the country, to look at existing systems in new ways – education, retail businesses, telecommuting and other mainstays have been reevaluated in the face of social distancing and quarantines. One system at the heart of many ongoing and proposed changes is internet service.

Of all the factors that influence the business climate in Worcester’s Central Business District (CBD), the office space market is one of the most basic, but also one of the most important. The physical locations available are critical both in attracting and retaining employers, and in measuring the health of the CBD.

The Opportunity Zone program was created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. It provides tax deferments and forgiveness to investors who support projects in designated areas. This investment must come from capital gains and has multiple conditions attached in an effort to benefit, specific, low-income areas.

The Research Bureau, as part of a partnership with the Worcester Business Journal, is pleased to present its latest report The Immigrant Entrepreneur in Worcester.

Boston’s economic boom has been a boon for developers and landlords, as an influx of businesses means more demand for office space and a corresponding rise in rents. Among those organizations fighting for space downtown is the state government, which leases offices across the state for its various department and agencies, but concentrates 35 percent of that square footage in the City of Boston.

The Research Bureau is pleased to present its latest report Minimizing Risk: The Implications of a $15 Minimum Wage for Worcester. While there is evidence both for and against an increased minimum wage from states and cities across the country, this report examines the potential local impact of a change on Worcester and offers thoughts on how the minimum wage can best serve the local economy and populace.

The City of Worcester and the surrounding communities are home to 12 colleges and over 30,000 college students, giving Greater Worcester a built-in advantage in attracting and retaining a highly talented and educated workforce—a necessary component of successful economic development.