Boston
Massachusetts · Ranked #364 of 373 metros
22Crisis
💡
Housing in Boston costs 5.84× the median income, above the national average of 4.5×. The median home price is $647K and median rent is $2,000/month. Boston ranks #364 of 373 metros for affordability.
Median Home Price
🏠$647K
Need $195K income
Median Rent
🔑$2,000
Need $94K income
Housing Shortage
📉110,000
units needed
Building Permits
🔨14,000
annual
Median Income
💰$111K
Pop: 4,900,000
Rent Burden
⚠️36.0%
of renters paying >30%
Price Change (YoY)
📈+5.5%
Homeownership
🏡62.0%
Rent Burden
vs. National Average
Key Facts vs. National Average
| Metric | Boston | National |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 5.84x | 6.1x |
| Rent Burden | 36.0% | 31.5% |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.0% | 65.5% |
| YoY Price Change | +5.5% | +3.5% |
| YoY Rent Change | +4.8% | +2.8% |
| Mortgage Denial Rate | 12.0% | 13.5% |
| Eviction Rate | 2.5% | 3.6% |
House Price Index (2000–2025)
FHFA All-Transactions HPI
Since 2019: +56.3%Since 2000: +202.7%
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Section 8 voucher payment standards
Studio$2,359/mo
1 Bedroom$2,476/mo
2 Bedroom$2,941/mo
3 Bedroom$3,526/mo
4 Bedroom$3,894/mo
Zillow Market Data
Home Value (ZHVI)
$714K
1yr: +1.6%5yr: +31.0%
Rent (ZORI)
$3,098/mo
1yr: +1.6%5yr: +34.3%
Note: ZORI reflects current listing prices and may differ from the Census ACS median rent shown above, which captures what renters actually pay including below-market and subsidized units.
Redfin Market Activity
Median Sale Price
$788K
Active Inventory
2,812
Days on Market
24
Sold Above List
51.9%
Price Drops
25.9%