Boston vs Montreal

Boston and Montreal are level on the CIRA Index at 75. Boston grades better on 7 measures, Montreal on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Boston 75, Montreal 75
• OECD: Boston 76, Montreal 70
• UN Tourism: Boston 74, Montreal 76
• UNDRR: Boston 65, Montreal 67

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Boston 85, Montreal 55
• Economy and jobs: Boston 100, Montreal 92
• Climate and hazards: Boston 65, Montreal 65
• Water and environment: Boston 56, Montreal 81
• Community and housing: Boston 63, Montreal 58
• Access and continuity: Boston 83, Montreal 79

Where Boston is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 28.5 % of annual nights (metro figure) (Meet Boston, Hotel Statistics (Pinnacle Advisory Group), 2024). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 22.8 % of international arrivals or nights (Stay In Boston / Meet Boston (Tourism Economics), 2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 77.3 % average annual occupancy (metro figure) (Meet Boston, Hotel Statistics (Pinnacle Advisory Group), 2025). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.3 % of the labour force (metro figure) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment, July 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Rent growth: 1.3 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Apartment List, Boston, MA Rent Report (September 2026), August 2025–August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source plus a reserve or stabilisation fund for downturns (Commonwealth of Massachusetts / Meet Boston, Tourism & Hospitality Rapid Recovery Plan, 2022–2026). Grade 4/4.

Where Montreal is stronger

• Tropical nights: 9.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 10: grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Vérificateur Général de la Ville de Montréal, 'Management of Wastewater Discharge and Overflow Monitoring', 2023). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 441 kg per resident per year (metro figure) (Ville de Montréal, Service de l'environnement, Bilan 2022 de la gestion des matières résiduelles de l'agglomération de Montréal, 2022). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Short-let density: 1.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & Statistics Canada (2021 Census), 2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Tourisme Montréal, 'Orientations stratégiques / Plan stratégique 2024-2026', 2024-2026). Grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Canada: #14 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Boston in full · Montreal in full

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