Ghost Towns Could Be On The Horizon For Some Massachusetts Cities

Imagine if researchers over 75 years ago had predicted the Massachusetts we live in today.

Predicting the future is quite difficult since its exact nature is unpredictable, but one study indicates that multiple Massachusetts communities might turn into ghost towns by 2100.

Population Decline In The United States

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago discovered that approximately 50% of U.S. cities are expected to experience population decline soon. The findings were published in Nature.

In Massachusetts, the most prominent population growth winners are dispersed throughout the state. Notably, northern Boston-area towns such as Watertown, Malden, Somerville, and Cambridge are expected to experience a 63% increase in their populations, based on the research.

But which communities are at risk of turning into ghost towns? Let's discover them.

Population Changes in Daily Life

The study authors also discussed how population shifts might influence various aspects of daily life, although predicting their exact impact remains difficult.

“The implications of this massive decline in population will bring unprecedented challenges, possibly leading to disruptions in basic services like transit, clean water, electricity and internet access, simultaneously, increasing population trends in resource-intensive suburban and periurban cities will probably take away access to much needed resources in depopulating areas, further exacerbating their challenges.” - Author's Study

Although not everyone embraces the findings, some individuals interviewed by Scientific American believe significant changes could occur over the next 80 years. One person described the population projections as “pretty reckless,” despite the solid methodology.

Read More: Veterans Memorial Bridge To Be Repaired by MassDOT In North Adams

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Ultimately, only time will reveal what the future has in store.