Dear Friends,
The story I want to share about Massachusetts is one you might not expect.
Our weather in not always the best, but those of us who live here find as much beauty on the wind-swept dunes of the coast or on our snow-covered mountains, as we do on our plentiful, blue-sky-perfect, 70-degree days of autumn. You’ll need clothes for four seasons, but we don’t often have wildfires, floods, earthquakes, or hurricanes.
We are not the lowest cost location in the world, but we have regions that are very cost-competitive. We are a high value place. For our residents, we have the best performing public schools and outstanding health care that isn’t restricted by government. We offer safety. We have the lowest property crime rate, second-lowest overall crime rate, and second-lowest level of gun violence in the nation. Our communities don’t have gates. They are vibrant, walkable, and safe. We are a welcoming, diverse community, with 18% of our residents foreign born.
We have one of the most expansive and highly-used public transportation systems in the nation. In some places, you can even take a water ferry to work. We are the nation’s fastest flight to Europe and you can drive to New York or Canada in two hours from our borders.
We work hard. We are the second most productive economy in the U.S. and are a global leader in the life sciences, information technology, defense-robotics-aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and green and blue industries. We also nurture traditional industries, from fishing and food processing to furniture manufacturing. They’re supported by amazing technical high schools, colleges, and universities.
We build highest-quality, energy-efficient commercial buildings and residences. In fact, we lead the nation in energy efficiency and have the highest percentage of new buildings that are LEED-certified or net-zero. Great construction is a tradition. Just down the street from my family’s house lives a family whose home was built in 1749. It’s solid as a rock, just like our Commonwealth and nation.
All of us on Team Massachusetts will not only work to help you settle here, but to thrive and grow to love Massachusetts as much as we do.
All the best,
Pete Abair
Executive Director