Massachusetts
Ranked #47 of 51 for housing affordability
Median Home Price
🏠$571K
5.72x income
Median Rent
🔑$1,757
36.5% rent-burdened
Median Income
💰$100K
Population: 7,029,917
Homeownership
🏡62.0%
15,507 experiencing homelessness
Housing Shortage
📉200,000
units needed
Building Permits (2024)
🔨14,338
Price-to-Income
📊5.72x
Severe Rent Burden
⚠️18.5%
paying >50% of income
Rent Burden Breakdown
vs. National Average
House Price Index (2000–2025)
FHFA All-Transactions HPI · Base = 100 (1980s)
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Maximum rent HUD considers fair for Section 8 voucher holders
FMR ($2495) is above the state median rent ($1757) — vouchers cover typical rents.
Metros in Massachusetts
| Metro | Score | Home Price | Rent | Income | Rent Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 22 | $647K | $2,000 | $111K | 36.0% |
| Worcester | 38 | $434K | $1,449 | $94K | 35.0% |
| Springfield | 52 | $177K | $952 | $72K | 35.5% |
| Barnstable Town | 49 | $635K | $1,604 | $90K | 28.3% |
| Amherst Town-Northampton | 72 | $381K | $1,355 | $80K | 27.3% |
| Pittsfield | 82 | $298K | $1,074 | $77K | 19.4% |
Market Trends
Homeownership Rate
62.0%
Rent-to-Income Ratio
21.0%
of gross income spent on rent
Total Households
2,800,984
Owner-Occupied
1,744,474
Renter-Occupied
1,056,510
Homelessness
Latest Count (2024)
29,360
1-Year Change
+53.4%
10-Year Trend (2015–2024)
+38.9%
21,135 → 29,360
Housing Policies
Construction Activity
Total Permits (2024)
14,338
1.0% of national total
Single-Family
5,626
39% of state permits
Multi-Family
8,712
61% of state permits
Mortgage Access
National HMDA data — mortgage denial rates by race/ethnicity
Denial Rates by Race
Top Denial Reasons
Housing Shortage
State Shortage
200,000
units needed
National Shortage
7,300,000
2.7% of national total
Affordable Units per 100 ELI Renters
35
nationally (NLIHC)
National Shortage by Unit Type
45%
Single-Family
18%
Small Multi (2-4)
22%
Medium Multi (5-49)
15%
Large Multi (50+)
Rent Burden Detail
Massachusetts burden rates with national demographic breakdown
Cost-Burdened Renters
36.5%
paying >30% of income
Severely Burdened
18.5%
paying >50% of income
Households >30% Burden
275,354
Households >35% Burden
56,604