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State

Data from November 2026

Housing , home prices, rents and assistance in Massachusetts (2026)

In Massachusetts, a typical home is worth $562,100 and the typical rent is $1,762 a month. The FHA limit for a one-unit home runs from $541,287 to $1,249,125 depending on the county. 37 HUD-approved counseling agencies serve Massachusetts; 19 say they serve you in Spanish.

Most populous:

Typical home value by county

  • Under $329,000
  • $329,000–$451,200
  • $451,200–$629,000
  • $629,000–$727,800
  • $727,800 or more

Tap the map to see each county’s figure and open its page.

Typical home value
$562,100
69% more than the U.S.
U.S.: $332,700
Typical rent per month
$1,762
25% more than the U.S.
U.S.: $1,413
Typical household income
$103,960
29% more than the U.S.
U.S.: $80,734
FHA limit, 1 unit
$541,287 to $1,249,125
It changes by county. The highest applies in 2 counties.
U.S.: $541,287 to $1,299,500
Property tax
1.07%
of value a year
The typical bill is $5,992 a year.
U.S.: 0.94%

Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Source: FHA mortgage limits (HUD) Data from 2026 data FHA mortgage limits (HUD)

In short

Living in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, a typical home is worth $562,100: 69% more than in the United States overall. Prices change a lot by county: from $298,800 in Hampden County to $1,593,800 in Nantucket County. The typical household earns $103,960 a year and the typical rent is $1,762 a month; 52% of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on housing. 63% of households own their home, and the typical property tax is $5,992 a year (about 1.07% of value).

The conforming loan limit for a one-unit home runs from $832,750 to $1,249,125 depending on the county. To pay HUD’s fair rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Massachusetts ($2,566) without spending more than 30% of income, you need about $49.35 an hour working full time.

Source: Conforming loan limits (FHFA) Data from 2026 data Conforming loan limits (FHFA) Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD)

The essentials in Massachusetts

More on property tax

  • Local senior exemption (clause 41C)

    In cities and towns that adopt it, a person 70 or older (the municipality may lower the age to 65) who has lived in Massachusetts 10 years and owned the home 5 years, with income and assets under set limits, can get an exemption of $500 (or $4,000 of valuation, whichever cuts more tax). The municipality may double the amount. Ask your city or town assessor.

    Massachusetts General Court (General Laws) · Verified October 23, 2026

  • Veterans' exemption (clause 22)

    A veteran who is a legal resident of Massachusetts, discharged under other than dishonorable conditions, who lives in the home and belongs to one of the classes the law lists, gets an exemption of $400 (or $2,000 of valuation, whichever cuts more tax). One class is veterans with a disability rating of 10 percent or more from line-of-duty disabilities. The veteran must have lived in Massachusetts at least six months before entering service, or for 2 consecutive years before applying.

    Massachusetts General Court (General Laws) · Verified October 31, 2026

  • Deadline for personal exemptions: April 1 or 3 months after the bill

    The section 5 exemptions for older owners, veterans, blind persons, surviving spouses and others (including clauses 22 and 41C) are requested from your city or town assessors by April 1 of the tax year, or within 3 months after the bill or notice was sent, whichever is later.

    Massachusetts General Court (General Laws) · Verified October 31, 2026

  • Applying for an abatement: deadline of the first payment

    If you believe your property was assessed above its fair cash value, or misclassified, you can apply in writing to the assessors for an abatement on a form approved by the commissioner. The deadline is the last day to pay the first installment of the year's actual tax bill without interest. If you bought after January 1, you can also apply. If you mail the application through the U.S. mail, the postmark date counts.

    Massachusetts General Court (General Laws) · Verified October 31, 2026

  • Deeds excise tax

    When the deed is recorded the tax is $2.28 for each $500 (or fraction) of the price, when the price is over $100; in Barnstable County it is $3.24 per $500. It is paid by the person signing the deed, that is, the seller.

    Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Registers of Deeds Association Deed Indexing Standards) · Verified October 23, 2026

The homes here

Housing in Massachusetts

What homes there are in Massachusetts, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses are the majority in Massachusetts (51%), but less so than in the U.S. (61%).

Year built

In Massachusetts, half of the homes were built before 1964; in the U.S., before 1980.

Homes in Massachusetts are smaller: 56% have 3 bedrooms or more; in the U.S., 61%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The most common value range in Massachusetts is between $300K and $500K: that is where 29% of owner-occupied homes sit.

Monthly rent with utilities

The largest group of rented homes in Massachusetts pays between $1,500 and $1,999 a month: 20%.

With a mortgage

$2,726 a month

United States: $1,963 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,043 a month

United States: $638 a month

Owners with a mortgage

66%

United States: 61%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Massachusetts is $2,726 a month, more than in the U.S. ($1,963); without one, $1,043.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Massachusetts rose 47%; in the U.S., it rose 53%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Massachusetts rose 37%, more than in the U.S. (33%).

Housing prices ran ahead of income in Massachusetts: typical income rose 28%, against +47% for home values and +37% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureMassachusettsUnited States
Rental vacancy 3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.442.53
Drive alone 61%69%
Carpool 7%9%
Public transit 7%3%
Walk or bike 5%3%
Work from home 19%15%
Other means 2%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Massachusetts, the rental vacancy rate is 3.5%; in the U.S., 5.5%.

Fewer households are short on space in Massachusetts: 2.3% have more than one person per room; in the U.S., 3.4%.

By size, households in Massachusetts look like those in the U.S.: 2.44 people on average.

Working from home is more common in Massachusetts: 19%, against 15% in the U.S..

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Places

Explore the counties in Massachusetts

Sort by any column. Each name leads to its page.

See the counties page
Population, typical home value, FHA limit, 2-bedroom fair rent and typical income by county in Massachusetts
Middlesex County1,638,365$727,800$962,550$2,383–$3,008$130,847
Worcester County867,788$423,700$545,100$1,659–$2,499$95,939
Essex County813,054$619,100$962,550$2,367–$3,008$101,883
Suffolk County785,121$705,800$962,550$3,008$95,631
Norfolk County730,082$683,900$962,550$2,409–$3,008$130,739
Bristol County582,270$451,200$787,750$1,668–$2,589$85,625
Plymouth County535,075$556,000$962,550$2,409–$3,008$114,201
Hampden County462,815$298,800$541,287$1,800$71,306
Barnstable County231,668$629,000$828,000$2,488$95,241
Hampshire County162,028$390,300$541,287$2,034$87,001
Berkshire County129,430$305,400$541,287$1,704–$1,763$76,013
Franklin County70,944$329,000$541,287$1,882$74,907
Dukes County20,933$1,165,800$1,249,125$2,010$125,786
Nantucket County14,483$1,593,800$1,249,125$3,583$139,688

Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Source: FHA mortgage limits (HUD) Data from 2026 data FHA mortgage limits (HUD) Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD)

Calculator

Work out your payment in Massachusetts

Start from the typical home value in Massachusetts, $562,100, and this week’s average rate. Move the price and the down payment to see your monthly payment. If you already visited a county, the calculator uses its numbers.

More math for Massachusetts

$
%

Estimated monthly payment

$4,723

FHA loan over 30 years, with estimated taxes and insurance.

See the full calculation

Prices and risks

Three official measures that help you decide: how much home prices have changed according to FHFA, how prices compare with the national average according to BEA, and how many homes sit in a flood zone according to FEMA.

Home prices

How have home prices changed?

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home prices in Massachusetts rose 87% in the 10 years through 2025.

Price change each year

Period Massachusetts United States
In 2025 +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +87% +85%

The index follows the prices of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals on loans bought or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual state indexes experimental.

Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI) Data from 2025 data FHFA House Price Index (HPI)

Cost of living

How expensive are prices here?

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), in 2024 prices in Massachusetts were 6% higher than the U.S. average. Housing rents were 27% higher than nationwide.

Category Massachusetts United States Versus the U.S.
All prices Consumer goods and services 105.8 100.0 6% more
Housing rents What renters pay 128.1 100.6 27% more
Water, power and gas Water, sewer, electricity and gas 152.1 98.4 54% more
Goods Food, clothing, transportation and more 98.8 99.6 1% less
Other services Services other than rent 102.9 100.1 3% more

BEA expresses each index as a percentage of the average U.S. price level: a higher number means higher prices, and a lower one, lower prices.

Source: Regional price parities (BEA) Data from 2024 data Regional price parities (BEA)

Flooding

Is there a flood risk?

According to FEMA, in Massachusetts 3% of homes (53,794) are in a high-risk flood zone. Of those homes, 50% have NFIP flood insurance.

  • A high-risk zone (Special Flood Hazard Area) has a 1% or greater chance of flooding each year. 44 CFR 59.1
  • If the home is in that zone and the loan comes from a regulated lender, federal law requires flood insurance for the life of the loan, in communities that take part in the NFIP. 42 U.S.C. 4012a
  • Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. FEMA, FloodSmart
Massachusetts United States
Homes in a high-risk zone 3% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 50% 48%
All homes with NFIP insurance 2% 2.9%

The NFIP is the federal flood insurance program; private policies are not counted. FEMA counts homes with its National Structure Inventory. We add up the county figures FEMA publishes.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map Source: Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) As of August 3, 2026 Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA)

Places

Cities in Massachusetts

The 16 most populous cities with a page. Each one compares its prices and rents with its county.

See the other cities (107)

    Help to buy

    Assistance programs in Massachusetts

    Our list has 2 official programs that help you buy in Massachusetts. Each card says what kind of help it gives and when we checked its official page.

    See all 2 programs
    1. MassHousing Down Payment Assistance

      Massachusetts state agency second mortgage for the down payment: up to $30,000 at 0% and deferred, or up to $25,000 at 2% or 3% over 15 years, for first-time buyers with eligible income. Offered by MassHousing.

      DeferredRepayable Verified November 5, 2026

    2. First-Time Homebuyer Program

      Only in: Boston, Suffolk County

      City of Boston help with the down payment and closing costs: up to 3% of the price (maximum $50,000) with income under 100% of the median, or up to 2% (maximum $35,000) between 101% and 135%; it is a grant for people who already live in Boston and a deferred 0% loan for those who do not. Offered by City of Boston Mayor's Office of Housing (Boston Home Center).

      GrantDeferred Verified November 5, 2026

    Tenant rights

    Tenant rights in Massachusetts

    Massachusetts law answers 5 of these 5 questions, each answer with its citation. Where it says “Data not available”, we have not verified it against the source yet.

    A summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.

    See every right

    1. How much can they charge for a deposit?

      Before the tenancy starts, the landlord may collect only the first month's rent, the last month's rent, a security deposit equal to one month's rent, and the cost of a new key and lock. Nothing more.

      M.G.L. c. 186, §15B(1)(b)

    2. When must they return my deposit?

      The landlord must return the deposit, or what is left of it, within 30 days after the occupancy ends. Only unpaid rent, certain agreed tax increases and damage beyond normal wear may be deducted, with a sworn itemized list given within the same 30 days.

      M.G.L. c. 186, §15B(4)

    3. If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?

      If you do not pay rent, the landlord may end the tenancy with a written 14-day notice to quit. Under a written lease, you can prevent the termination by paying all rent due, with interest and costs, on or before the day your answer is due in the eviction case.

      M.G.L. c. 186, §11

    4. How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?

      If you rent without a fixed-term lease (a tenancy at will) and pay monthly, either party may end the tenancy with written notice equal to the interval between rent days or 30 days, whichever is longer. If rent is paid every three months or more, the notice is three months.

      M.G.L. c. 186, §12

    5. Are there limits on late fees?

      No lease may charge you interest or a penalty for late rent until the rent is 30 days overdue.

      M.G.L. c. 186, §15B(1)(c)

    The simple kitchen of an apartment, with an electric stove, a refrigerator and wood cabinets.

    Help and advice

    Who can help you in Massachusetts?

    You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counselor gives independent advice on buying, renting, late payments and credit, often free or at low cost.

    37 HUD-approved counseling agencies serve Massachusetts; 19 say they serve you in Spanish. Choose your county to see the closest ones with their phone number.

    130 public housing authorities run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in Massachusetts.

    See all 37 agencies See the housing agencies

    Who runs the help in Massachusetts

    • MassHousing

      MassHousing offers affordable mortgage loans and down payment assistance of up to $30,000 to eligible homebuyers. Many of its programs are for first-time homebuyers. You must meet income limits and buy a single-family home, condo or 2-4 family property in Massachusetts that will be your primary residence. It works with more than 80 lending partners.

      The agency's official page · Verified October 31, 2026

    Where to file a complaint in Massachusetts

    • Complaints to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD): 300 days

      If you believe you faced an unlawful discriminatory practice, you or your attorney may file a signed, written complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD, which the law calls "the commission"). It must be filed within 300 days after the act of discrimination.

      Massachusetts General Court (General Laws) · Verified October 31, 2026

    • What Massachusetts law adds to federal fair housing law

      Massachusetts law bars refusing to rent or sell housing because of race, religious creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, ancestry or marital status, because someone is a veteran or member of the armed forces, or because of a disability. It also bars discriminating against someone who receives public assistance or a housing subsidy, such as rental assistance, because they receive it.

      Massachusetts General Court (General Laws) · Verified October 31, 2026

    • Insurers' association that provides basic property insurance to those who cannot get it

      Massachusetts law requires every insurer selling basic property insurance in the state to form a joint underwriting association. That association provides basic property insurance to eligible applicants who cannot get it in the voluntary market.

      Massachusetts General Court (General Laws) · Verified October 31, 2026

    Guides

    Guides for you in Massachusetts

    We picked them with the numbers of Massachusetts. Each one says why it can help you.

    Frequently asked questions about housing in Massachusetts

    What is the FHA limit in Massachusetts in 2026?

    In Massachusetts, the FHA limit for a one-unit home runs from $541,287 to $1,249,125. The highest is in Dukes County.

    How much does a typical home cost in Massachusetts?

    The typical home value in Massachusetts is $562,100 (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census). The highest is in Nantucket County ($1,593,800) and the lowest in Hampden County ($298,800).

    How much does it cost to rent in Massachusetts?

    The typical rent in Massachusetts is $1,762 a month (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census).

    How much do you need to earn to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Massachusetts?

    At HUD's average fair market rent in Massachusetts ($2,566, Fiscal year 2027), about $49.35 an hour working full time, so rent stays under 30% of income.

    How much is property tax in Massachusetts?

    The typical property tax in Massachusetts is $5,992 a year, about 1.07% of home value (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census).

    Where can I find free help in Spanish to buy a home in Massachusetts?

    There are 37 HUD-approved counseling agencies in Massachusetts; 19 say they serve you in Spanish. Each county page lists the closest ones with their phone number.

    Sources: American Community Survey (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (Fiscal year 2027); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (As of August 3, 2026); Regional price parities (2024 data); Census Bureau cartographic boundary files (2024 data).