| Boston is the capital of the state of Massachusetts and one of the most important cities in US history. The population of Boston is nearly 700,000, ranking it as the 20th largest city in the country. The MSA area has over four million people. Located on the coast of Massachusetts, Boston has an elevation of 140 feet. It is located in the Eastern Standard Time Zone. Boston area codes are 857 and 617. Tourism is one of the prime industries of Boston as over sixteen million people visit the city annually. The weather can be cool in the winter with average winter month lows of 29 degrees to an average summer high of 74 degrees. Boston rainfall averages about three and half inches per month and the area receives about 42 inches of snow each year. The median family income is about $42,000 per year. The Boston area is one of largest education centers in the nation and home to many colleges and universities including Harvard Univesity, Boston College, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The major industries are financial, healthcarea and technology with many large companies and corporations in the Boston area. Those include Bank of America, Houghton-Mifflin, Little, Brown and Company, Gillette, Beacon Press, Liberty Mutual, and State Street Corporation. Boston things to do include Boston National Historical Park, John F. Kennedy Library, and Institute of Contemporary Art. Annual festivals and events include Boston Arts Festival and First Night as well as the Boston Pops Fourth of July concert. The Boston Globe and Boston Herald are the area's main newspapers. Area sports teams include NBA basketball's Boston Celtics, NFL football's New England Patriots, NHL hockey's Boston Bruins, baseball's Boston Red Sox, soccer's New England Revolution as well as Boston College, Harvard University and Boston University collegiate sports teams. |
