Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
A new Massachusetts Healthy Aging Data Report presents a detailed picture of aging in Massachusetts, with a community- and neighborhood-level examination of the challenges faced by older adults.
The report, released on May 1, includes 386 community profiles — for 351 cities and towns, plus the various neighborhoods in Boston, Worcester and Springfield. Researchers engaged key stakeholders in the state to contextualize the findings.
“Massachusetts and its communities are rewriting the story of aging, and having local data helps complete the picture of our successes and opportunities,” said James Fuccione, executive director of the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative. “In our work to promote and support inclusive age- and dementia-friendly communities, the data — just like the previous report in 2019 — will accelerate policy, planning and advocacy initiatives that are relevant and responsive to local needs.”
The following are some report highlights:
• Massachusetts’s older population is growing: 23.8% of the state is now age 60 or older, with 17.1% being 65 or older.
• The older population is increasingly diverse: 16% of adults aged 65 or older speak a language other than English at home.
• The older population is more educated: Half of people aged 65 and older have a college degree, and nearly 19% have a graduate or professional degree.
The report was prepared by a research team at the Gerontology Institute at UMass Boston and funded by the Point32Health Foundation.
“We report at very local levels,” said Elizabeth Dugan, principal investigator from the Gerontology Institute. “That empowers advocates who live in those communities. It helps policymakers make smarter investments, and helps philanthropists see what their investments yield over time.”
The 2025 Massachusetts Healthy Aging Data Report online resources include:
• 386 individual community profiles
• 165 maps listing community rates for each indicator (both ranked and alphabetized)
• 18 interactive web maps
• An infographic summarizing key findings
• Technical documentation
“When we use data to inform our work, we can change policies and practices, engage the community, and give context to what is affecting people and what is most relevant,” said Greg Shell, chair of the Point32Health Foundation’s Board of Directors and vice chair of the parent company board of Point32Health. “The Healthy Aging Data reports provide critical information and are essential tools to make New England a better place to grow up and grow old.”
As the research, service and community engagement arm of the gerontology enterprise at UMass Boston, the Gerontology Institute produces research, collaborates with stakeholders to improve systems and communities, and offers programs and services that enhance the lives of older adults.
Building on values of service and giving, the Point32Health Foundation works with communities to support, advocate and advance healthier lives for everyone. Point32Health Foundation is the result of the combination of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation and the Tufts Health Plan Foundation, and advances equity-focused solutions in healthy aging, access to healthy food, and access to behavioral health in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.