December 29, 2025 - EcoForecast 2026Edition

UMass Memorial Health will absorb another hospital, and nine other predictions.

CCC was not placed into receivership, no hospital replaced Nashoba Valley Medical Center, and the results of eight other bold predictions for 2025.

Brian Westerlind, president and CEO of Webster Five bank, sees a sturdy local economy heading into 2026.

Despite the pessimistic results about 2025, the plurality of respondents see improvement in 2026.

Housing conversions, technology development, and a possible housing reset are all on the table for 2026.

New leaders are expected to arrive at UMass Chan Medical School and Saint Vincent Hospital.

Federal policies, particularly around tariffs, will loom over the Central Massachusetts manufacturing industry in 2026.

The political backlash against diversity & inclusion will relegate DEI efforts to lower-profile initiatives in 2026.

Next year will see a deepening of the role community colleges play in the higher education industry.

The past year hasn’t been kind to either the craft beer or cannabis spaces, as a downturn in investor enthusiasm for both sectors and other factors have deterred growth. Despite some hope, headwinds remain.