Boston Marathon boosts Massachusetts economy by $500 million: ‘More than just a race’

To probably no one’s surprise, the world’s most iconic marathon brings in quite the (long) haul for the region.

A new UMass report shows that this year’s Boston Marathon with about 500,000 spectators and more than 30,000 participants boosted the Massachusetts economy by about $500 million.

That $509.1 million total represents the Boston Athletic Association’s operational costs, spending by marathon participants and spectators, and other secondary economic impacts from household spending, taxes and vendor spending.

When all sources of economic activity are combined, total Bay State impacts of the Boston Marathon are $509 million of economic activity, 2,900 jobs, and $207 million of income to households.

Of this total, $344 million of economic activity, 1,900 jobs, and $144 million of income accrues to Boston.

“The Boston Marathon is more than just a race; it’s a powerful driver that shines a spotlight on the Greater Boston area, attracting visitors and showcasing our city’s rich history, vibrant culture, and diverse communities,” said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of Meet Boston.

“Each year, it brings people together from across the globe, expanding the impact of tourism and enhancing our competitiveness,” Sheridan added. “This iconic race fosters a sense of unity and purpose for all the domestic and international visitors that come to spectate or participate.”

The independent economic impact report was conducted by the Economic and Public Policy Research group at the UMass Donahue Institute — which was commissioned to look at the direct impact of the most historic marathons in the world.

Spending by participants, their friends and family, and other spectators create most of the economic impacts associated with marathon weekend. The B.A.A. estimates that more than 34,000 people participated in at least one of the weekend’s races, while conservative estimates for spectators are 500,000.

Most participants and spectators stayed multiple nights around the date of the race, making a full trip out of the marathon event.

Of the hundreds of thousands of people the marathon attracts to Boston each year, the majority come from outside of region. A little more than half of marathon participants live in a U.S. state outside of New England, and 30% come from a foreign country.

Only 17% of participants combined came from Greater Boston, elsewhere in Massachusetts, or another state in New England.

Though many spectators also traveled from outside of the state and country, there was a higher share of spectators from Greater Boston, Massachusetts, and other New England states. Thirty percent of the spectators came from Greater Boston, 10% from elsewhere in Massachusetts, and 9% from another state in New England.

The plurality of spectators (43%) live in some U.S. state outside of New England. Behind Massachusetts, the states where most spectators came from were New Hampshire, New York, and California.

For all spectators, the median nightly rate for accommodations was $380, and the median expenditure on other activities was $300. For those who stayed in Boston, the median nightly rate for accommodations was slightly higher at $429, and the median expenditure on other activities was also higher at $500.

For those who stayed outside of Boston, these amounts were a little lower. The median nightly rate for accommodations was $250, and the median expenditure on other activities was $200.