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 Worcester Regional Research Bureau released the sixth edition of the Worcester Almanac: 2020. This compendium of information on all things Greater Worcester serves as a resource to municipalities, businesses, nonprofits, and community members alike.

August 13, 2020 / 4:00 - 5:00PM. The Worcester Regional Research Bureau released Broadening Broadband: Considering Municipal Ownership as a Solution to Worcester’s Internet Challenges earlier in July.

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 Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA), like many bus systems, suffers from low and declining ridership. There is research and evidence from other cities that going fare-free – not merely lowering fares, but eliminating them entirely – is perhaps the most effective ridership-boosting tool available to bus systems.

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.

The Massachusetts Community Preservation Act (CPA) authorizes municipalities to apply a surcharge on property taxes to generate funds for open space, historic preservation, affordable housing, and outdoor recreation.