Redlined Massachusetts Neighborhoods See Higher Overdoses

Residents of neighborhoods graded lowest under 1930s lending maps had 86% higher opioid overdose death rates.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Substance Abuse

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single weathered brick building facade under a cream sky, evoking the lasting weight of historical housing policy on public health. — Massachusetts neighborhoods graded lowest under 1930s federal lending maps recorded 86% higher annual opioid overdose death rates, a Boston Medical Center study found. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should local governments increase investment in historically disinvested neighborhoods to reduce overdoses?

Researchers at Boston Medical Center found that Massachusetts neighborhoods historically graded lowest under 1930s redlining maps had 86% higher annual opioid-related overdose death rates than those graded highest. The findings arrive as statewide opioid deaths have dropped sharply, which matters for residents of neighborhoods that have been slower to benefit.

Why it matters

The study suggests that past discriminatory housing policy may still track with present-day overdose risk, even after accounting for race, ethnicity, neighborhood age, and social vulnerability. For prevention and treatment planning, this points toward place-based outreach in neighborhoods that historically received less investment.

This observational study linked 1930s redlining grades to opioid overdose deaths across 326 Massachusetts census tracts, counting 1,829 adult deaths from 2015 to 2019. Differences held after adjusting for race and ethnicity, neighborhood age composition, and social vulnerability, but the design shows association rather than cause.

The players

Boston Medical Center

A major Boston hospital and academic medical center that conducts clinical care and public health research, including on substance use and overdose.

Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved

A peer-reviewed journal that publishes research on health disparities and care access for underserved populations.

Home Owners' Loan Corporation

A federal agency created in the 1930s whose redlining maps graded neighborhoods by lending risk, a practice later linked to lasting health disparities.

The details

Redlining maps created by the Home Owners' Loan Corporation in the 1930s assigned grades to neighborhoods, with the lowest grades marking areas considered least desirable for lending. Researchers assigned each Massachusetts census tract a historical grade and then compared present-period overdose death rates across those grades. The analysis was restricted to tracts with adequate historical mapping coverage and excluded nonurban communities.

The Home Owners' Loan Corporation created its redlining maps in the 1930s.
Overdose deaths in the study were counted from 2015 to 2019.
Massachusetts overdose deaths fell nearly 60% between 2022 and 2025.
Boston Medical Center publicized the study findings on November 3, 2026.

Health Landscape

Redlining maps from the Home Owners' Loan Corporation in the 1930s are increasingly studied as a source of lasting health disparities. This Massachusetts study adds opioid overdose to the outcomes linked to historical neighborhood grading, even as statewide overdose deaths have declined.

If you live in or work with residents of a neighborhood with a history of disinvestment, it is worth asking local clinics and community groups about naloxone access and substance use treatment options. Anyone concerned about opioid use should discuss prevention, screening, and treatment directly with a physician.

The takeaway

Where a person lives may be linked to overdose risk, so local prevention efforts matter. Ask your physician about naloxone and treatment resources if you or someone you know is affected by opioid use.