Boston Massachusetts Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Boston, MA (the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy metro area) was $1,579 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Boston was $1,558 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Boston median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Boston rental vacancy rates, Boston rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Boston.
Real Gross Rent in Boston Massachusetts (2019 dollars)2
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Median Gross Rent | $1,097 | +1.86% | +6.82% |
| Massachusetts Median Gross Rent | $1,360 | +3.19% | +10.12% |
| Boston, MA Median Gross Rent | $1,579 | +3.34% | +11.67% |
Boston, MA Real Gross Rent Trends
At $1,579, real median gross rent in Boston was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $1,558, real average gross rent in Boston was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.
Real Gross Rent in Boston: Boston MA Median, Boston MA Average, Massachusetts Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Boston
| Date | US Median |
Massachusetts Median |
Boston, MA Median |
Boston, MA Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $1,360 | $1,579 | $1,558 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $1,318 | $1,528 | $1,515 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $1,246 | $1,440 | $1,454 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $1,235 | $1,414 | $1,418 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $1,235 | $1,396 | $1,405 |
| 2014 | $986 | $1,169 | $1,317 | $1,327 |
| 2013 | $953 | $1,134 | $1,271 | $1,286 |
| 2012 | $940 | $1,102 | $1,236 | $1,240 |
| 2011 | $941 | $1,117 | $1,256 | $1,253 |
| 2010 | $955 | $1,127 | $1,275 | $1,269 |
| 2009 | $960 | $1,126 | $1,280 | $1,269 |
| 2007 | $927 | $1,111 | $1,250 | $1,236 |
| 2005 | $910 | $1,128 | $1,280 | $1,261 |
Boston Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Boston Massachusetts was 2.88% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Boston Massachusetts
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| Massachusetts | 3.06% | -0.53% | -0.92% |
| Boston, MA | 2.88% | -0.18% | -0.58% |
Trends in Boston, MA Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Boston peaked in 2007 at 5.98%. Since then it has fallen by 3.10% to 2.88%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Boston MA, Massachusetts, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Boston
| Date | US | Massachusetts | Boston, MA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 3.06% | 2.88% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 3.59% | 3.06% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 3.87% | 3.42% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 3.98% | 3.46% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 3.48% | 3.35% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 4.04% | 3.33% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 4.61% | 3.96% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 4.46% | 4.06% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 4.76% | 3.98% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 5.80% | 5.50% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 5.83% | 5.56% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 6.20% | 5.98% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 5.58% | 5.22% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Boston, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Boston, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 20.07% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Boston Massachusetts Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 20.03% | -0.47% | -0.40% |
| Massachusetts | 19.01% | -0.45% | +0.22% |
| Boston, MA | 20.07% | -0.24% | +0.40% |
Trends in Boston, MA Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Boston household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2018 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 20.30%. Since then it has fallen by 0.24% to 20.07%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Boston MA, Massachusetts, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Boston Massachusetts
| Date | US | Massachusetts | Boston, MA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 19.01% | 20.07% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 19.47% | 20.30% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 18.73% | 19.56% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 18.79% | 19.66% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 19.78% | 20.04% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 19.21% | 19.78% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 19.36% | 19.87% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 19.03% | 19.44% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 19.74% | 20.09% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 19.51% | 20.13% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 18.50% | 19.44% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 18.20% | 18.74% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 18.93% | 19.80% |
Renter Fraction in Boston Massachusetts
You can calculate the renter fraction in Boston in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Boston as a fraction of total Boston households. In 2019 38.46% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Boston Fraction of Renters by Household Units
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 35.89% | -0.16% | -0.99% |
| Massachusetts | 37.84% | -0.40% | -0.17% |
| Boston, MA | 38.46% | -0.62% | -0.20% |
Trends in the Boston, MA Renter Fraction
The Boston household renter fraction peaked in in 2013 at 39.29% and is now 0.83% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Boston MA, Massachusetts, US
History of Boston Renter Fraction
| Date | US | Massachusetts | Boston, MA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 37.84% | 38.46% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 38.24% | 39.08% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 37.68% | 38.16% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 38.01% | 38.66% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 38.28% | 38.80% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 38.40% | 38.80% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 38.46% | 39.29% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 37.76% | 38.72% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 37.87% | 38.66% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 37.77% | 38.33% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 35.79% | 36.56% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 34.91% | 35.24% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 35.95% | 36.15% |
1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability. ↩
2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series. ↩
3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied. ↩
Department of Numbers
The Department of Numbers contextualizes public data so that individuals can form independent opinions on everyday social and economic matters.
Here's where you are
- Home
- / Rent
- / Massachusetts
- / Boston
