This report summarizes the data collected for MetroWest Impact.
Highlights include:

• Regional assets include a thriving high-tech sector,  an extremely well-educated workforce, growing diversity and wealth.
• But residents face increasing pressures to live comfortably, such as a lack of affordable housing and racial/ethnic disparities in a number of areas, including in rates of education and higher-income employment.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has had clear impacts on things such as the unemployment rate and rate of student absenteeism. Whether these are simply short-term spikes or indicative of longer-term trends remains to be seen.
• Many regional trends mirror the nation, including short-term pandemic effects, racial disparities and the opioid drug epidemic.

This report details input from regional stakeholders provided through focus groups, interviews and a community survey.
People told us:

• Residents are engaged and compassionate, with a strong sense of local community.
• Overall affluence in the region can obscure local needs and challenged populations, including immigrants.
• The region needs a strong sense of its identity, and more collaboration across sectors.