METHODOLOGY

COMMUNITY RANKINGS

MassTrack is based on twelve economic, demographic and community factors that were used to score and rank each of 351 Massachusetts cities and towns. The reports for each city and town provide additional information to more completely describe each community.

The ten scoring variables, described below, were grouped into three broad categories of importance to Massachusetts technology organizations: taxes, education/workforce and development. Each of these three categories was provided equal weight in calculating the scores for every community. Communities were then ranked by score and assigned a value from 1 to 5 stars. Closely ranked communities are not significantly different based on the scores alone.

For technical information about MassTrack variables, methodology and scoring, please contact the Massachusetts High Technology Council at www.mhtc.org.

Tax variables

Split Tax Rate
Whether the community has adopted a split tax rate (in which commercial or industrial property is taxed at a higher rate than residential property) for FY 2007, according to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

Tax Differential
The ratio of the Fiscal Year 2007 Commercial/Industrial tax rate vs. the Residential tax rate, according to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

Commercial Tax Rate
The FY2007 Commercial/Industrial tax rate per $1000 of assessed value, according to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

Have Tax Increment Financing
Whether the community has been established as an Economic Target Area for purposes of designating one or more Tax Increment Financing zones that provide incentives for business investment.

Education and Workforce

MCAS Proficient/Advanced
The percentage of each city or town's 10th grade public high school students that scored "advanced" or "proficient" on the 2007 MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) mathematics test. Regional Technical/Vocation/Agricultural schools were excluded from this calculation. Other Regional School Districts were included, and the percentages for these schools were applied to the communities that belong to regional districts.

MCAS Trend
The change in the percentage of each city or town's 10th grade public high school students that scored "advanced" or "proficient" from 2006 to 2007 in the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) mathematics test.

30 Minute College Graduate
The number of college educated adults in the population, as defined by the 2000 U.S. Census at the Block Group level, who are within a 30 minute drive time from the center point of each community under normal traffic conditions.

Technology Workforce
The percentage of employees with each community's daytime workforce that is employed in "technology innovation" sectors, as defined by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. The technology innovation sectors were defined by NAICS (North American Industry Classification System); corresponding SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes were then matched to ZIPs and Cities/Towns within Massachusetts to calculate the workforce percentage within the technology sector. Post secondary education employees were not calculated in this percentage.

Development

MEPA Projects 2003-2006
The net number of Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency permits that were issued to each community for the period 2003-2006.

New Growth Trend
The average annual percent change in the value of commercial and industrial property from FY 2004 to FY 2007, according to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

Fast Track Permitting
Whether a community has accepted Chapter 43D, the Expedited Permitting Program, as of October 11, 2007. This program is administered by the Massachusetts Office of Housing and Economic Development.

Housing Starts Per Capita
The number of housing starts for Calendar 2006, as reported by the U.S. Census, per 1000 households in the community according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

Descriptive Variables (Not Used for Rankings)

2000 Population
The 2000 population for each community, according to the U.S. Census.

2000 Households
The number of households in each community, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

30 Minute Labor Force
The number of adults in the labor force, as defined by the 2000 U.S. Census at the Block Group level, who are within a 30 minute drive time from the center point of each community under normal traffic conditions.

College Graduate
The percentage of each city or town's population age 25 or older that has a four-year college degree, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

2000 Average Commute Time
The average commuting time, in minutes, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

Median Household Income
The median household income for each community, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

Median Home Value
The median home value in each community, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

Residential Tax Rate
The FY2007 Residential Tax Rate per $1000 of residential valuation, according to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

Mileage to Acute Care Hospital and Hospital Name
The distance in miles from the center point of each community to the closest Acute Care Hospital in the Massachusetts Hospital Association database.

Community Web Site
The URL for each community's official web site, where available.