In this issue...

• Employer Survey Results

• Annual Strength in Numbers Report

• 2025 Community Profiles Published

• Upcoming 495/MetroWest Partnership Events & Committee Meetings

Employer Survey Results

The 495/MetroWest Partnership has released the results from its 2025 495/MetroWest Employer Survey! The survey represents a collaborative effort between the 495/MetroWest Partnership and Framingham State University's MetroWest Economic Research Center (MERC). Conducted for the 12th year running in 2025, this survey has proven an important tool in gauging business confidence in the 495/MetroWest region.

The survey focuses on employers with physical plants located in the 495/MetroWest region, defined as the 36 cities and towns served by the 495/MetroWest Partnership. Owners, leaders, or individuals with regional hiring authority for private, public, or nongovernmental organizations that have a presence in the 495/MetroWest region were invited to take part.

The survey was conducted online during April and May 2025. 192 total respondents took part, a 9% increase in participation over the 2024 survey.

Click here to access the survey results analysis. Key takeaways from the survey:

• In the face of intense national economic turbulence, our employers remain resilient and comparatively optimistic. 49% still expect their revenues to grow in the coming year, with 29% expecting revenue performance to be about the same as last year. Only 3% expect to reduce their staff in the coming year, while 38% expect to grow their staff.

• In both 2025 and 2024, 60% of respondents indicated that business conditions in 495/MetroWest are about the same as they had been one year prior.

• Greater concern registered in employers’ outlook about economic conditions going forward. The percentage expecting economic conditions to improve in the coming year fell from 44% last year to 26% this year, with 46% expecting a decline.

• Larger employers were much more likely to expect increased revenues as compared with last year, with 63% anticipating increased revenues while only 43% of small business leaders felt the same; this may reflect the greater exposure certain smaller businesses have to inflation and potential tariffs.

• 47% of total respondents are concerned that tariffs at the federal level will negatively impact the profitability of their business, with 39% unsure. Small businesses were more likely to express concern about tariffs.

• Economic uncertainty may slow hiring in the region; however, only a negligible portion of respondents expect to reduce their staffing.

• When asked to identify top challenges they face in the region, labor and hiring issues topped the rankings for both large and small employers. Housing costs also ranked highly; housing is not unrelated to broader labor constraints.

Click here to access the survey analysis.

Annual Strength in Numbers Report

Each year, the 495/MetroWest Partnership publishes our annual Strength in Numbers update, highlighting the advantages of locating and doing business in our region. Click here to check out our 2025 495/MetroWest Strength in Numbers report. The 495/MetroWest region continues to be an economic powerhouse, offering:

• A highly skilled workforce
• More affordable commercial & industrial real estate as compared with Boston
• All the advantages of being in Massachusetts and Metro Boston

Click here to access the 2025 Strength in Numbers report!

2025 Community Profiles Published



The 495/MetroWest Partnership annually publishes economic and demographic profiles of each of our 36 cities and towns. Click each respective community link below to access the 2025 Community Profile for that city or town. Data points presented in each community profile include population changes, educational attainment, commuting patterns, housing information, occupations and industries, and more.  

• Acton
• Ashland
• Bellingham
• Berlin
• Bolton
• Boxborough
• Foxborough
• Framingham
• Franklin
• Grafton
• Harvard
• Holliston
• Hopedale
• Hopkinton
• Hudson
• Littleton
• Marlborough
• Maynard
• Medfield
• Medway
• Milford
• Millis
• Natick
• Norfolk
• Northborough
• Plainville
• Sherborn
• Shrewsbury
• Southborough
• Stow
• Sudbury
• Upton
• Wayland
• Westborough
• Westford
• Wrentham

Each Community Profile is a two-page PDF document. 

Upcoming 495/MetroWest Partnership Events & Committee Meetings

Learn How MassHire Metro South/West Can Meet Your Hiring Needs: The 495/MetroWest Partnership will host team members of the MassHire Metro South/West Workforce Board on Tuesday, June 10th at 8:00 AM. Executive Director Greg Bunn and MassHire Metro South/West staff will provide an overview of how they can help area businesses. Employers will have the opportunity to learn how to utilize MassHire's services to attract and train qualified employees. Click here to register.  

Housing Committee Meeting with Congressman Auchincloss June 17th: The Housing Committee of the 495/MetroWest Partnership will hold a special, in-person meeting on Tuesday, June 17th at 11:00 AM in Medfield, featuring U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss. The meeting will feature a roundtable conversation with Congressman Auchincloss focused on repurposing closed or underutilized federal, state, and municipal properties for housing. The roundtable will be followed by a brief walking tour of the Medfield State Hospital campus, which is slated to be redeveloped into a mixed-use campus which will include multifamily housing. Advance registration is required for this event; click here to register.

Transportation Committee Meeting June 18th Featuring I-90 Allston Multimodal Update: The Transportation Committee of the 495/MetroWest Partnership will meet virtually on Wednesday, June 18th at 8:30 AM. Participants will hear a presentation from MassDOT regarding the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project. This project will replace the Allston Viaduct of the Massachusetts Turnpike and reduce the footprint of the existing Allston Interchange toll plaza; construction will impact both roadway traffic and rail service between Boston and points west. This meeting will feature an overview presentation by project leadership, as well as an opportunity to ask questions. Click here to register for the meeting.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if the 495/MetroWest Partnership can be of any assistance to you:

Jason Palitsch, Executive Director

(774) 760-0495

Jason@495Partnership.org

Thank you for your continued commitment to strengthening our region.