Harvard
Square
Business
Association
Demographic
Data 2012
Welcome to Harvard Square!
The Harvard Square Business Association
Sampling of Annual Events
Clockwise from upper left:
Bastille Day, Urban Ag Fair, Make Music Harvard Square,
Sparklefest, MayFair, Oktoberfest
On the cover: Winthrop Street
Welcome to Harvard Square; a world-renowned shopping, dining, cultural, academic and historical destination since
1630.
Each year the Harvard Square Business Association (HSBA) surveys the geographic area of Harvard Square, commonly
known as the Harvard Square Overlay District. The primary goal of this survey is to stay on top of business trends in
the Square. It includes both members and non-members of the HSBA. This survey is comprised of restaurants,
retailers, services and cultural organizations located in first floor space, some in second and third floor space, and a
few in upper floors. Based on available information, we calculated the combined total square footage of these
businesses to be 1,064,134, of which approximately 196,000 square feet is hotel space. Results of the survey can be
found on page four of this booklet .
In addition to the survey, we have also included demographic data relative to our zip code (02138), the City of
Cambridge, and the greater metropolitan Boston area. It also includes some interesting tourism statistics.
Data was obtained from the following sources: The City of Cambridge, Cambridge Office for Tourism, The Greater
Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, Massachusetts Office of Travel &
Tourism, Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and the MBTA, The US Census (2010), as well as Verizon Super Pages
and door-to-door site visits.
Booklet Content:
The Harvard Square Business Association – Overview
Harvard Square Overlay District Survey Results
Harvard Square (02138) Zip Code – Demographic Data
Cambridge, Massachusetts – Demographic Data
Boston / Cambridge Travel & Tourism – Visitor Statistics
Suburban Boston / Cambridge – Demographic Data
We hope you find this information useful and thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Denise Jillson
Executive Director
Harvard Square Business Association
18 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 491-3434
www.harvardsquare.com
THE HARVARD SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
The Harvard Square Business Association was established in 1910 and Incorporated on
May 20, 1936. The signed and sealed document of incorporation states, “The object of
the association shall be to advance the commercial, industrial, and public interests of
Harvard Square; to promote a commercial exchange; to accumulate and give to its
members business information; to adjust controversies and misunderstandings; to
establish and maintain uniformity in commercial transactions; and to promote just and
equitable principles of trade.”
During the past century, The Harvard Square Business Association has spearheaded
initiatives that resulted in significant contributions to Harvard Square; from the earliest
incarnation of Electrified Lampposts, to the latest, Free Outdoor Public WiFi!
Over these many years, the HSBA has cared for the Square, improved the public space,
and strengthened the business community by developing and nurturing partnerships with
the City of Cambridge, Harvard University, property and business owners, residents, and
students.
The association is managed by an Executive Director and is overseen by a five-member
executive board and eighteen directors.
THE HARVARD SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
2012 Board of Directors
President
John P. DiGiovanni, Trinity Property Management
Vice President
Jeremiah Murphy, The Harvard Coop
Vice President
Mary Catherine Deibel, UpStairs on the Square
Treasurer
Brian Kelley, Cambridge Trust Company
Secretary
Richard Beaty, Hammond Real Estate
2012 Board Members
Dan Andrew, Trademark Tours
Bill Doncaster, Lesley University
Ted Galante, Galante Architecture
Lisa Hogarty, Harvard University
John Schall, Fire + iCE
Rachel Solem, Irving House
Trippe Lonian, Pinkberry
Ivy Moylan, Brattle Theatre
Gino Ruotolo, Gino
Ed Serues, University Common Real Estate
Rachel Wentworth, Forty Winks
Benson Willis, Hotel Veritas
Jalal John Azar, Bank of America
Robyn Culbertson, Cambridge Office for Tourism
Joseph F. Hickey, Charitable Friends of Digamma Building (Fox Club Graduate Assoc.)
Dan Hogan, Passim
Suzanna Krmzian, Citizens Bank
Ellie Mueller, Oona’s Experienced Clothing
HARVARD SQUARE OVERLAY DISTRICT
SURVEY RESULTS
Total of Number of Businesses
Surveyed in Harvard Square – 337
Types of Businesses in
Harvard Square
Total Occupancy 94.5%
Oldest Establishments
First Parish in Cambridge 1636
Harvard University 1636
Cambridge Savings Bank 1834
Schoenhof’s Foreign Books 1856
Old Cambridge Baptist Church 1870
Harvard Coop 1882
Leavitt & Peirce 1883
Parking Lots
6 Public Parking Lots
497 on-street parking spaces
Total of 2088 parking spaces
75% of the Total Number of Businesses are
HSBA Members
10% of the Total Number of Businesses are
Woman-owned Businesses
Retail Market
Average sales: $330 / square foot
Guest Rooms
There are 8,500 guest rooms available in close
proximity to the Square at average annual
occupancy of 92%.
Average High/ Low Temperatures
Oktoberfest, October 7, 2012 – 62/46
Mayfair, May 6, 2012 - 67/50
Wifi
Free Outside Wifi Access to the public since
2008 using Meraki technology.
Over 200,000 visitors have accessed Harvard
Square’s wireless internet.
Harvard Square
Harvard Square’s network is the 2nd largest
Meraki network in the United States.
HARVARD SQUARE / 02138 ZIP CODE
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
Population
Employment (%)
Total
Female
33,930
51.8%
Median Age
83%
Male
48.2%
17%
29.41
Household
Total
With Children
13,284
2,300
(17.3%)
Income & Housing
Education
Average Household Income
$100,174
Bachelor’s Degree 50%
Master’s Degree 33%
Median Household Income
$68,003
Without Children
10,984 (82,7%)
Harvard University
Median Home Sale Price
$470,000
Seasonal Student Population 21,229
International Students 5,337 (25%)
Social Media:
www.harvardsquare.com
Facebook ‘Likes’ – 10,285
Public Transportation – MBTA
Harvard Square is located on the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation
Authority’s Red Line (MBTA)
Twitter Followers – 6,210
Harvard Square Metro Station
Approximately 22,000 passengers embark
or disembark daily
Buses
13 bus connections stop in Harvard Square
Red Line Connections
Oktoberfest
Downtown Boston, suburban towns (Quincy,
Braintree) & a large parking facility for
commuters at Alewife Station
*Sources for Information above: The City of Cambridge and the MBTA
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
Population
65+
Total – 105,162
<18
9.5% 11.4%
Median Age - 30.2
Foreign Born – 27.4%
40-65
22.7%
Education
18-39
56.4%
Female
Male
51%
49%
By Age
Household Income (%)
Median - $63,271
Median Family Income -$62,367
Household
Without
With
Total
Children
Children
44,032
26,612
17,420
Persons/family
(60.5%)
(39.5%)
2.76
Employment
Total Jobs – 106,405
Cambridge’s commercial and residential tax rates
are the lowest among surrounding communities and
one of the lowest of any city in the state.
Average Annual Wage - $80,704
This figure includes only employees for
whom unemployment tax is paid. It does
not include
self employed persons or sole
proprietors.
Universities in Cambridge
Harvard University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lesley University
Cambridge College
Cambridge
These 4 institutions have a total of
14,309 undergraduate and 25,674
graduate students
*Sources for Information above: The City of Cambridge and the 2010 US Census
BOSTON / CAMBRIDGE TRAVEL & TOURISM
VISITOR STATISTICS
Tourism Visitors (2011)
Major Museums &
Attractions (2011)
Total Domestic & Overseas – 21.2M
(3.9% increase over 2010)
Total Overseas Visitors – 1,253,000
(5.6% increase over 2010)
9.9M Annual Visitors
Hotel Occupancy (2011)
77%
Spending Impact from Visitors - $8.3 Billion
Flight Statistics 2011
Total Flights 368,987
Total Airport Passenger - 28.8M
Domestic
Passengers
24,831,068
International
Passengers
3,962454
Logan International
Airport
5.82 miles from Harvard Square
and accessible via Boston’s
View of Boston from Cambridge
Subway System, MBTA
Distance from Regional Areas
Approximate Driving Distances to Cambridge
Providence, Rhode Island 50 miles
Concord, New Hampshire 75 mile
Hartford, Connecticut 115 miles
New York, New York 235 miles
*Sources for Information above: The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
SUBURBAN BOSTON / CAMBRIDGE DEMOGRAPHIC
DATA
Cambridge is a city of neighborhoods or “squares”, each with its own distinct feel and ambience. In
addition to Harvard Square, these include Kendall Square, home of MIT and a hub of technology
industries; Central Square, a melting pot of diverse ethnicities and varied culinary options; Porter
Square, the site of Lesley University; and Inman Square, home to many eclectic restaurants, bars and
boutiques. Harvard Square is easily accessible from all of these neighborhoods, via Boston’s MBTA
(Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) bus and subway system.
Harvard Square is conveniently located within a 30 minute drive from many suburban Boston towns,
such as:
Brookline
Newton
Belmont
Population 58,732
Population 85,146
Population 24,729
Median Resident Age 34.5
Median Resident Age 38.7
Median Resident Age 40.4
Estimated Household Income
$95,448
Estimated Household Income
$107,696
Estimated Household Income
$95,197
Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
79.6%
Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
72.8%
Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
68.1%
Graduate Degree 45.3%
Graduate Degree 38.9%
Graduate Degree 36.7%
2.7 miles from Harvard Square
4.4 miles from Harvard Square
4.6 miles from Harvard Square
10 of the Commonwealth’s Largest Universities Within a 10 Mile
Radius of Harvard Square
Harvard University, Lesley University, MIT, Boston University, Tufts University, Northeastern
University, Suffolk University, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston College, University of
Massachusetts – Boston
Combined Enrollment – 174,287
Head of the Charles Regatta
*Sources for Information above: The 2012 US Census and University Websites
www.harvardsquare.com
Harvard Square Business Association
18 Brattle Street, Suite 352
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 491-3434
Fax: (617) 491-6976
www.harvardsquare.com
Facebook.com/HarvardSq | Twitter: @HarvardSquare