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Competitiveness

We want states to win in the competition for talent and investment.

Massachusetts and other high-cost states face a growing challenge: people and businesses are leaving for more affordable, competitive environments. The loss of young professionals and high earners threatens long-term economic strength and innovation. Talent is mobile—and Massachusetts is especially challenged in retaining 26- to 34-year-olds and industries that can, in an age of remote work, relocate with ease.  

Pioneer works to make Massachusetts—and every state—more competitive by advancing smarter tax policy, regulatory reform, and lower living costs. This focus on competitiveness complements our work on housing, healthcare costs, workforce development, and vocational education. Our goal is simple: to create places where talent and capital want to stay, invest, and grow.

April 15, 2026

New Study Calls for Reducing or Eliminating Parking Requirements for New Housing

Data show the requirements increase rents, reduce housing development 
April 8, 2026

New BLS Employment Data Revisions Reveal Massachusetts’ Anemic Private Sector Employment Growth Since 2020 

Massachusetts lost 35,000 private-sector jobs and is one of just six states yet to regain pre-pandemic employment levels  Boston – Data released today from the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirm that the Commonwealth has lost even more private sector jobs in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic than previously understood.  Pioneer Institute’s March 2025 report Massachusetts at Risk: The Alarming…
April 7, 2026

Massachusetts Has Taken an Important Step on Government AI—But the Commonwealth Must Do More to Improve Services, Transparency, and Save Taxpayer Dollars

New Pioneer brief finds Massachusetts has reported just 20 AI use cases, only three of them directly serving constituents. 
April 1, 2026

North Carolina Surges with 449K Jobs as Massachusetts Jobs Fall by 18K

Analysis compares decade-long changes in tax rates, private sector employment, and revenue growth in two competing state economies

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Meet the Experts

Jim Stergios

Jim Stergios

Executive Director
Mary Connaughton

Mary Connaughton

Chief Operating Officer, Director of Government Transparency

Full-Time State Employees: 2024

How big is your state government? Florida ranks last in the U.S. for full-time state government employees per 100K population — just 706 in 2024. Massachusetts had nearly double that with 1,401 per 100K. Explore the numbers: https://loom.ly/TDrajc0 #facts #stategovernmentemployees