Rent in Massachusetts
The median 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Massachusetts is $2,056/mo, ranking #6 out of 51 states for highest rent. This is $806 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Massachusetts has a population of 7.0M. About 37.4% of households rent their homes. Fair Market Rent data covers 17 areas across the state.
Highlights
All 17 Areas in Massachusetts
| Area | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | Burden | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy Pop. 4.9M | $2,359 | $2,476 | $2,941 | $3,526 | 31.4% | +4% |
| Easton-Raynham Pop. 1.7M | $1,931 | $1,943 | $2,550 | $3,057 | 35.7% | +2% |
| Barnstable Town Pop. 230K | $1,834 | $1,846 | $2,422 | $2,985 | 30.8% | +16.3% |
| Lowell Pop. 4.9M | $1,621 | $1,792 | $2,351 | $2,819 | 25.1% | +17.8% |
| Brockton Pop. 4.9M | $1,631 | $1,761 | $2,311 | $2,889 | 24.7% | +18.2% |
| Lawrence Pop. 4.9M | $1,565 | $1,730 | $2,270 | $2,722 | 24.2% | +18.4% |
| Eastern Worcester County Pop. 862K | $1,493 | $1,651 | $2,166 | $3,012 | 27.8% | +14.7% |
| Taunton-Mansfield-Norton Pop. 1.7M | $1,433 | $1,584 | $2,078 | $2,562 | 29.1% | +13.1% |
| Worcester Pop. 862K | $1,588 | $1,599 | $2,056 | $2,548 | 26.4% | +23.8% |
| Amherst Town-Northampton Pop. 157K | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | 27.8% | - |
| Fitchburg-Leominster Pop. 862K | $1,206 | $1,410 | $1,749 | $2,247 | 22.4% | +10.6% |
| Springfield Pop. 463K | $1,219 | $1,382 | $1,734 | $2,127 | 29.5% | +26.1% |
| Providence-Fall River Pop. 1.7M | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | 24.2% | +2.1% |
| Berkshire County Pop. 128K | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | 28.3% | +17.8% |
| Pittsfield Pop. 128K | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | 26.9% | +16% |
| Western Worcester County Pop. 862K | $1,096 | $1,200 | $1,532 | $2,131 | 19.6% | +9.5% |
| New Bedford Pop. 1.7M | $1,203 | $1,230 | $1,527 | $1,831 | 21.4% | +4.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
The median 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Massachusetts is $2,056 per month. Rents range from $1,527/mo in New Bedford to $2,941/mo in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy. The actual median gross rent statewide is $1,687/mo according to Census data.
Massachusetts ranks #6 out of 51 states for highest median Fair Market Rent. The state median 2BR FMR of $2,056/mo is $806 above the national median of $1,250/mo.
The average rent burden across Massachusetts is 26.8%, meaning a typical household would spend 26.8% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. 3 of 17 areas exceed HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold. The statewide median household income is $101,341.
The most affordable area in Massachusetts is New Bedford with a 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,527/mo. The median household income there is $85,646.
The most expensive area in Massachusetts is Boston-Cambridge-Quincy with a 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,941/mo. The median household income there is $112,484.
Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. State-level income and demographic data comes from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year estimates. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income.