Boston is one of U.S. five metro areas where suburbs are gaining renters faster than the city itself is.

Why it matters: The increase in suburban renters is the latest sign that it's gotten harder to find affordable housing in Boston, per a new report from the rental listings website Point2Homes.

State of play: Suburban rental households near Boston rose by nearly 26,000 between 2018 and 2023, a 7% increase, per the report.

• The number of urban renter households increased 12,000, or 5%, during that time frame.
• In the Dallas, Minneapolis, Tampa and Baltimore areas, the growth of the rental markets in the suburbs also outpaced that of the cities'.

Yes, but: Multifamily housing construction is at a 10-year low across the Boston region, per a market report analyzing multifamily rentals from real estate brokerage Colliers.

• The region had just 11,000 units underway at the end of the first quarter of 2025, including 2,493 in Boston.
• The share of units available for rent dropped to 4.4%, about half of the share that was available at the start of 2020.

Zoom in: Other factors contributing to suburban renting are remote work and the high cost of home ownership.

• Young professionals with lower incomes have given up on buying due to cost, especially in the city where median home sale prices are inching closer to seven figures.

Reality check: Boston workers who move farther away face their own set of challenges, depending on their distance from Boston and access to reliable public transit options.

• While other regions have built consistent transit networks outside city centers, like North Jersey and Vancouver's metro area, Greater Boston "struggles with limited service frequency and fragmented development," a report from Boston Indicators published in March states.
• For many, the alternative is to sit in highway traffic and then fight through city traffic two or three days a week.

Tell a friend who rents

The Blue Man Group is ending its 30-year run in the Boston playhouse where it all began.

Why it matters: The blue comedic musical group has been a staple for tourists visiting Boston.

Driving the news: Blue Man Group's last show at the Charles Playhouse will be July 6.

• Representatives for the group declined to say why their Boston show is ending.

What they're saying: "Blue Man Group is truly one-of-a-kind ... thanks to the incredible dedication of its cast, crew, front of house, management, and creative team," said Jonathan Screnci, the general manager.

• "Their tireless work is what brought the show to life night after night."

Zoom out: Blue Man Group, which is owned by Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, also performs in New York, Las Vegas and Berlin, Germany, per its website.

• The group planned to return to Orlando with its own 500-seat theater at Icon Park in April, but construction delays pushed back the opening date to later in the year.

Spread the word

Boston City Hall has launched a new probe of misconduct allegations against Segun Idowu, the city's chief of economic opportunity and inclusion. Idowu told the Globe he looks forward to "fully cooperating" with the probe. (Globe)

❌ Seaport-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals is laying off 125 employees in Providence. (BBJ)

🚌 Residents urged city officials not to advance the mayor's plans for a center bus lane on Blue Hill Avenue, asking them to proceed instead with new sidewalks, trees and other improvements. (Dorchester Reporter)

Crews recovered the bodies of two people who were aboard the Seahorse, a fishing boat off the coast of Cape Cod that had sunk. (NBC Boston)

Protesters are taking to the streets nationwide on Saturday in what organizers expect will be the largest single-day anti-President Trump rally since the start of his second term.

Why it matters: The widespread movement will run counter to Trump's multimillion dollar military parade in D.C.

State of play: Dozens of "No Kings" protests are scheduled across Massachusetts, including one in Boston.

Context: Trump proposed a military parade on his 79th birthday and the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary.

• The Army predicts it will spend $25 million to $45 million on the plan, an estimate that doesn't include Secret Service or law enforcement.
• D.C. isn't known for having military parades, but Trump has been vying for one since his first term.

Yes, but: There won't be an organized protest in Washington, D.C.

• "We want to create contrast, not conflict," said Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible, one of the partner groups.

Go deeper

The Rose Kennedy Greenway has turned into a Lego-based playground with a beatbox, basketball and a ship.

The intrigue: The pop-up playground opened yesterday and runs through Sunday.

• It's designed for children ages 6 to 12, though the company says everyone is welcome.