As Amazon HQ2 decision nears, here’s how Boston stacks up vs. other finalists

E-commerce hegemon Amazon is expected to pick a location for its second headquarters before the end of 2018. That means the decision could come at any time during the next 10 weeks.

Boston is one of the 20 finalists that Amazon selected at the start of year. Selection for the winning spot would mean 50,000 new jobs and $5 billion in capital spending from the e-retailer.

Since even before the January announcement of finalists, Boston has been one of the favorites to land Amazon HQ2—though such a milestone would not come without serious headaches.

Take the 50,000 new jobs. Many of those would come via new arrivals to a region where decent housing is already incredibly expensive, its aging roads and bridges are already clogged, and the mass transit system ... well, it’s got its challenges.

Now, as the decision looms, Boston remains one of the favorites. Tech news site Recode (which is owned by Vox Media, which owns Curbed) is out with a breakdown on the 20 finalists, and Boston still holds up pretty well.

The city looks particularly competitive in terms of the cost of top-shelf commercial real estate and of the stable of technology talent. The commute time to Logan Airport—Amazon wants its HQ2 workers near an international hub—also stacks up well against commute times in other cities (though the 17 minutes from downtown to Logan might be under the most ideal of conditions).

Still, does the city and the surrounding region really need this? Boston is already booming, and not coping with the boom all that well. What’d you think?

• Amazon’s HQ2 announcement is imminent. Here’s a look at the final contenders. [Recode]
• Boston apartment rents: Why they’re so high [Curbed Boston]
• Most MBTA stations and garages need significant repairs: Analysis [Curbed Boston]
• Congestion pricing in Boston: Has its time arrived? [Curbed Boston]
• Boston-area mayors commit to building 185,000 new housing units by 2030 [Curbed Boston]