Welcome to MassWatch – Pioneer Institute’s free resource for promoting citizen engagement in state and local government. Public access to public information. Without that, maintaining a healthy democracy is impossible. In fact, the Massachusetts State Constitution requires that legislators “at all times” be accountable to the public and that the people have the right to “instruct” their legislators. This suite of free websites below allows the public to access vast amounts of information on state and local governments. Each of these tools features user-friendly queries to help you navigate.

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View the count & rate (per 100,000) of confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Massachusetts by City/Town, updated each Thursday.

COVID UNEMPLOYMENT TRACKER

Take an interactive look at how COVID-related economic shutdowns are affecting jobs and lives across Massachusetts – updated weekly.

MASS ECONOMIX

Explore job and business trends across Massachusetts, geographically and by industry.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

Ranking the states on Statements of Financial Interest (public financial disclosures).

MASS OPEN BOOKS

Find out what state employees earn, how much state retirees are receiving in pension benefits and what the payments are to the people and companies that do business with the state.

MASS ANALYSIS

Are you a local official that wants a way to benchmark your community against its peers or are you a resident that want to know more about your town’s finances? The information you need will be at your fingertips in just a few clicks.

MASS REPORT CARDS

Find out how your local public schools perform and compare them with districts across the state.

MBTA ANALYSIS

Learn how the MBTA’s performance stacks up against its peer transit agencies. Which agency is the most efficient? Do some modes of transit perform better than others? How can the MBTA improve? Find out here.

MASS PENSIONS

Learn how much debt your community’s public pension system is saddled with and how many years it will take to repay it. We’ve graded each of the state’s 105 public pension systems – what grade did your town get?

MASS IRS DATA DISCOVERY

View migration patterns by state or county across the U.S. (the number of new residents who moved into or out of a state or county), and the economic activity of all the tax filers in a ZIP code, county, or state by income level.

Read Our Government Transparency Blog Posts

Massachusetts’s Debt and Liability in 2023

August 8, 2024

In the last decade, Massachusetts has accrued billions of dollars in debt. However, despite a large amount of debt, both overall and per capita, the state's debt as a percentage of GDP is normal amongst its neighbors.

The Largest Groups Driving Massachusetts’s Migration

August 1, 2024

With Massachusetts losing billions in taxable income every year due to out-of-state migration, it is important to understand the demographics causing the biggest losses.

Highest Paid State Employees in Massachusetts

August 1, 2024

Every year, Massachusetts spends billions on payroll. With some departments spending significantly more and some employees receiving salaries multiple times their peers', it is important to understand where this money is going.

Understanding the Trends in Massachusetts’ Sin Tax Revenues

August 1, 2024

Sin Taxes, which are taxes on goods and services that are considered harmful or immoral, have brought in a significant amount of revenue for Massachusetts.

Increasing Number of Retirees Driving Pension Expenditures

July 30, 2024

Pension expenditures in the two largest public pension systems are on the rise in Massachusetts, so it's important to understand the factors behind the growth in annual payouts, including an increasing average pension and an increasing number of retirees.

Where Does Massachusetts’ Pension Money Go?

July 30, 2024

Billions of dollars went to retirees in 2023 from the state's two largest pension funds. Not unexpectedly, the data show that the amount of money given to a specific retiree may depend on many factors outside of where the retiree used to work.

Average Weekly Wage Change for two Massachusetts Counties with Differing Densities

July 25, 2024

Each industry in a county varies differently in wage growth and decline. This blog analyzes how wages changed in major industries for the most urban and most rural economy in Massachusetts.

An Evaluation of 340B in Massachusetts

July 23, 2024

Despite the fact that the 340B Drug Pricing Program has expanded immensely in recent years, the amount of charity care that hospitals are providing has decreased. This points to several problems with the 340B program across the country and in Massachusetts, such as a lack of transparency and inaccessible care.

Migration to Massachusetts in 2022: Where Are People Going?

July 18, 2024

With thousands moving to Massachusetts every year, they bring income and assets that can affect the local economy. However, people from different regions of the country tend to favor different parts of Mass more or less, though the more urban area around Boston is al

Disparities in LIHTC Data Illuminate Difficulties in Housing Production

July 18, 2024

While disparities in LIHTC awards and issuances are to be expected, the mismatch points to inhibitors of housing production that are outside the scope of the program's impact.

Examining the New Massachusetts Estate Tax

July 18, 2024

The new Massachusetts estate tax may be correlated to lower estate tax revenues. However, the inclusion of out-of-state property in the estate tax calculation has brought about important legal questions.

Massachusetts is Losing Thousands of Taxpayers a Year. Where Are They Going?

July 16, 2024

Massachusetts is facing a net loss of taxpayers and AGI. Learn about where these taxpayers are migrating to, and potential reasons for that migration.

At a Glance: Who Moved to Massachusetts in 2022?

July 11, 2024

State-to-state migration can have serious impacts on the local economy. Migrants to Massachusetts come from all over the country, but significant portions of both new taxpayers and new taxable income come from just a few sources, such as New England, New York, Florida, and California.

How Public Transportation’s Efficiency Changed During Covid

July 11, 2024

The MBTA's efficiency plummeted during Covid; as people chose either personal transportation or personal work, the MBTA lost significant ridership. However, it maintained its vehicle fleet and the depth of its services even as its operating cost per passenger mile increased dramatically.

Unemployment in Massachusetts by Race

July 10, 2024

Unemployment rates vary based on racial groups. Most minority groups face higher unemployment rates in Massachusetts than the majority White population.

Cape Cod Restricts Fourth of July Parties: What’s the Economic Impact?

June 27, 2024

With Fourth of July parties getting out of hand in recent years, Dennis Police established measures to limit the number of beachgoers this year. This may have an impact on Dennis economically, but it is a choice Dennis feels is worth making.