Abstract

In the past six decades, gentrification has been a complex and damaging urban issue in cities across the United States. Gentrification can be defined in a variety of ways, but it is broadly defined as the economic and social upscaling of a working-class neighborhood caused by wealthier in-movers, leading to the displacement of the existing residents and their community as housing costs rise. Many researchers have sought to measure gentrification using a variety of methods based on its classical definitions. These measurements primarily look for neighborhoods of low socioeconomic class being transformed into neighborhoods of higher socioeconomic class. Studying gentrification in Boston, MA between 2011 and 2019 using these measurements shows little evidence of gentrification in the city. This goes against the expectations of this study and the anecdotal experience of many residents. This incongruence can partially be explained by the classical measures and definitions of gentrification no longer applying to a high-cost city like Boston in the 21st century. Ultimately, the definition and measurement of gentrification need to be updated to account for the socioeconomic changes that have occurred in many cities since gentrification was first being studied in the late 1900s.

Advisor

Goharipour, Hamed

Second Advisor

Pasteur, Drew

Department

Statistical and Data Sciences; Urban Studies

Keywords

gentrification

Publication Date

2026

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2026 Ethan Walling