Massachusetts residents feeling the squeeze from housing, transportation costs
Governor, state legislature receive low marks for their handling of transportation.
Three-quarters (75%) support making regional bus service free; 69% think transit oriented development is a good idea for the state; half (50%) think state should study congestion pricing around Boston.
Majorities of Massachusetts residents report feeling squeezed housing (71%) and transportation costs (57%), and it’s prompting many to consider leaving the state. That is according to a new survey of 1,408 Massachusetts residents conducted by The MassINC Polling Group on behalf of Transportation for Massachusetts, with support from The Barr Foundation.
“This survey confirms that housing and transportation are not separate issues; they are deeply interconnected. Residents are experiencing this combined, intersecting crises. Housing affordability and transportation connectivity to opportunities impact quality of life and can exacerbate inequality. Our public officials must take steps to solve them jointly and immediately,” said Reggie Ramos, Executive Director of Transportation for Massachusetts.
Majorities of residents report that the monthly cost of transportation (57%) and housing (71%) is at least somewhat of a burden. Half (51%) of residents say that both housing and transportation costs are at least somewhat of a burden. That includes 15% who felt that both housing and transportation constituted “very big” burdens on their household budgets.
The financial toll is not distributed equitably. Women make up 59% of this most burdened slice of the population. Only 26% of these residents have a bachelor’s degree or more education, compared to 41% overall. Nearly half (46%) make $50,000 or less in household income (30% overall). They are more likely to rent their homes, less likely to drive alone, and more likely to take the subway or public bus.
Most troubling is that 38% of these double-burdened residents see themselves moving out of the state in the next 5 years. That percentage is far higher than the 21% thinking of leaving overall.
"This survey shows how the high cost of housing and transportation is forcing working people out of Massachusetts and threatening our state's entire economy. Even once-affordable Gateway Cities are now facing the displacement crisis that has long existed in Greater Boston, as real estate speculation pushes working people further and further out of the urban core into areas where they face both rising housing costs and inadequate transportation options,” said Mimi Ramos, Executive Director New England United 4 Justice and co-anchor of Homes for All Massachusetts.
“Our communities all across the state urgently need solutions to the high cost of housing and transportation, and a real commitment to building the affordable homes and interconnected transportation system that the people of Massachusetts deserve."
Housing affordability is top of mind; broad support for transit oriented development
With 71% saying housing costs are a burden, it’s not surprising that affordability is the top consideration when considering a move within the state. Fully 84% say “finding a home I can afford” is “very important” when looking for a place to live. Majorities also felt “having safe places to walk or bike nearby” (61%) and “finding a home with enough space for my family” (57%) were very important.
"The high cost of housing is the biggest crisis facing Massachusetts families - especially renters who are struggling to get by amid skyrocketing rents and high transportation costs. Our state's housing and transportation systems are failing to meet the basic needs of Massachusetts families, and status quo solutions won't fix them,” said Rose Webster-Smith Executive Director Springfield No One Leaves and co-anchor of Homes for All Massachusetts.
“State leaders need to provide renters with immediate relief from the high cost of housing and transportation — and pursue transformative plans to build truly affordable housing and reliable transportation options throughout Massachusetts."
Over two-thirds (69%) of residents think that transit-oriented development (TOD) – “building a mix of housing, shopping and office space near public transportation” – is a good idea for the state to pursue as part of a solution to the housing crunch. A third of residents would be interested in living (34%) or working (32%) in a TOD, and 57% say they would shop or dine out at one. Younger residents (47%), renters (45%) and those who use public transit as their main mode of travel (63%) were particularly interested in living in a TOD.
Focus on transportation
Transportation is not just taking a financial toll. About a third report being unable to leave the house due to transportation challenges (30%) and feeling bad about a lack of transportation (35%). These impacts are being felt more acutely by younger residents, residents of color, and residents with lower levels of education and income.
Other measures of transportation opinion remain mixed. Two-thirds rate the state’s transportation system condition as “fair” (41%) or “poor” (25%). A third give Governor Maura Healey (32%) and the State Legislature (34%) a grade of C for their handling of transportation. Only 22% of all residents, and only 29% of transit riders, think that the MBTA has gotten better in the year since General Manager Phil Eng took over. And less than half (47%) think that public transit in their area is good enough that they could rely on it.
Three-quarters (74%) support making Regional Transit Authority services free. There’s also some openness to policies that would raise more money for transportation: 50% support studying congestion pricing around Greater Boston; 68% support letting cities and towns put transportation funding on their local ballots; 58% think that real estate developers should pay to support transportation infrastructure near their projects; and 47% think large employers should pay a payroll tax to cover the cost of their employees commuting.
About the poll
These results are based on a survey of 1,408 Massachusetts residents, including oversamples of 300 residents of selected Gateway Cities and 100 residents of Mattapan and Hyde Park in Boston. Responses were collected from June 12 – 30, 2024 by online survey, text invitation into an online survey, and by live interviews via landline and cell phones. The oversamples and base samples were weighted by race, age and gender, education and geography, using targets derived from the latest available 5-year American Community Survey data. The oversamples were then weighted in proportion to the state population, and the entire sample was weighted by age and gender, race, education, geography, and political identification. The credibility interval for the full sample is +/- 3.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, inclusive of the design effect. This project was conducted by The MassINC Polling Group with input from Transportation for Massachusetts and sponsored by The Barr Foundation.
About Transportation for Massachusetts
Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA), established in 2010, is a statewide coalition focused on improving Massachusetts’ transportation systems. T4MA is committed to addressing the decades of inequitable transportation policies adversely impacting low-income, working class, Black, indigenous and communities of color.
T4MA works towards a Commonwealth with transportation systems that connect people with their choice of housing, economic opportunities, healthcare, and accessible and reliable public transportation that benefits residents in all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. Our coalition advocates at the federal, state, and local levels for transportation policies that are just, safe, reliable, accessible, equitable and affordable.