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City · 666,442 residents · Suffolk County, Massachusetts

Boston , Massachusetts

In Boston, a typical home is worth $731,700 and typical rent is $2,147 a month. Home values, rent and income are very close to those of all of Suffolk County.

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  • Typical home value

    $731,700

    4% above the county

    30% above Massachusetts

    • Boston
    • Suffolk
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical rent

    $2,147a month

    About the same as the county

    22% above Massachusetts

    • Boston
    • Suffolk
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical household income

    $97,344a year

    About the same as the county

    6% below Massachusetts

    • Boston
    • Suffolk
    • Massachusetts

  • Households that own their home

    36%

    1 points below the county

    27 points below Massachusetts

    • Boston
    • Suffolk
    • Massachusetts

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$761,236
1.6% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$3,271 a month
2.1% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Boston is in Suffolk County. The FHA loan limit ($962,550 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Suffolk County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Boston apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Boston has the 6th lowest homeownership rate of the 123 cities in Massachusetts with more than 5,000 people (36%).

  2. Nearby, in Chelsea, the typical home value is $493,500: 33% less than in Boston ($731,700).

  3. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Boston fell 1.6%; in Massachusetts, it rose 2.3%.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Boston

What homes there are in Boston, 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

In Boston, the apartment is the most common kind of home (46%), as in Suffolk County (45%).

Year built

By age, homes in Boston look like those in Suffolk County: the typical year built is 1947.

In Boston, 34% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, about the same as in Suffolk County.

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 FHA loan limit for Suffolk County is $962,550, and about 72% of owner-occupied homes in Boston are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

At least 76% of rented homes in Boston cost less than $3,000, below HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($3,008).

With a mortgage

$2,986 a month

Suffolk County: $2,962 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,046 a month

Suffolk County: $1,046 a month

Owners with a mortgage

70%

Suffolk County: 70%

Owning costs about the same in Boston as in Suffolk County: with a mortgage, $2,986 a month; without one, $1,046.

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 Boston rose 37%; in Suffolk County, it rose 42%.

The typical rent in Boston rose 33% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Suffolk County (34%).

While home values in Boston changed +37% and rent +33%, the typical household income rose 37%.

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

MeasureBostonSuffolk CountyMassachusettsUnited States
Rental vacancy 4.6%4.5%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 1.1%1.1%0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room 3.5%4.2%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.192.252.442.53
Drive alone 33%35%61%69%
Carpool 5%6%7%9%
Public transit 23%22%7%3%
Walk or bike 16%14%5%3%
Work from home 21%20%19%15%
Other means 2%2%2%2%
Typical commute 30 to 39 minutes30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Boston, the rental vacancy rate is 4.6%, about the same as in Suffolk County.

Much as in Suffolk County, 3.5% of households in Boston have more than one person per room.

By size, households in Boston look like those in Suffolk County: 2.19 people on average.

The car rules in Boston: 33% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 30 to 39 minutes.

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

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Boston?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Boston, worth $731,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 72% of the typical household income in Boston, which is $97,344 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $251,462 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Suffolk County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Boston. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $25,610 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$5,867

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$718,447
Total interest
$1,033,676
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $12,357 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,271 a month

  • Tight

    $2,271 to $2,920 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,920 a month

    Your payment · 72%

Compared with the typical household income in Boston ($97,344 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$5,867
Principal & interest$4,867
Property tax$372
Home insurance$305
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$324

You need at least $25,610 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Boston and Suffolk County

Boston is in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Boston's own numbers

Typical home value
$731,700
Typical monthly rent
$2,147
Typical yearly household income
$97,344
Households that own their home
36%
Effective property tax rate
0.61%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Suffolk County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$962,550
Conventional limit, one unit
$962,550
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$3,008
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+35%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3.8%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Suffolk County.

Everything about Suffolk County

Buying

Buying a home in Boston

A typical home in Boston is worth $731,700: 4% above the county and 30% above Massachusetts. With the typical household income in Boston ($97,344 a year), a typical home costs 7.5 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Boston 7.5 years
  • Suffolk 7.4 years
  • Massachusetts 5.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Suffolk County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Suffolk County rose 87% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Suffolk County.

Period County Massachusetts U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.4% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +35% +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +87% +87% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Boston next to Suffolk County, Massachusetts and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Boston $731,700
  • Suffolk $705,800
  • Massachusetts $562,100
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Boston $2,147
  • Suffolk $2,129
  • Massachusetts $1,762
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Boston $97,344
  • Suffolk $95,631
  • Massachusetts $103,960
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Boston next to Suffolk County and Massachusetts
Measure Boston Suffolk County Massachusetts U.S.
Typical home value $731,700 $705,800 $562,100 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,147 $2,129 $1,762 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $97,344 $95,631 $103,960 $80,734
Households that own their home 36% 36% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $4,456 $4,649 $5,992 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.61% 0.66% 1.07% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 51% 52% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Suffolk County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Boston

For a typical $731,700 home in Boston, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Boston's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $5,867a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $25,610
    Cash to close
    $47,561
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $324

  • Conventional, 5% down $5,733a month

    Down payment
    $36,585
    Cash to close
    $58,536
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $348

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,642a month

    Down payment
    $146,340
    Cash to close
    $168,291
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $5,319a month

    Down payment
    $109,755
    Cash to close
    $131,706
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Boston and for Suffolk County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Boston

0.61%of the home’s value each year

$4,456 a year for the typical owner in Boston.

  • Boston 0.61%
  • Suffolk 0.66%
  • Massachusetts 1.07%

What Massachusetts publishes Local senior exemption (clause 41C) (Massachusetts General Court (General Laws))

Exemptions and deadlines in Massachusetts

Flood risk in Suffolk County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Suffolk County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.8%
5,006
Of those, with NFIP insurance
53%
County Massachusetts U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.8% 3% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 53% 50% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Boston

Typical rent in Boston is $2,147 a month: about the same as the county. In Boston, 51% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Suffolk County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($3,008 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $57.85 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Suffolk County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $2,440 $46.92 $97,600
1 bedroom $2,518 $48.42 $100,720
2 bedrooms $3,008 $57.85 $120,320
3 bedrooms $3,584 $68.92 $143,360
4 bedrooms $3,953 $76.02 $158,120

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Boston

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Boston has 32 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $2,650 in 02119 to $4,510 in 02199.

21 of the 32 are above the fair market rent for Suffolk County ($3,008).

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Boston when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Boston

HUD lists 127 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Boston. These are the largest.

  • Mission Park 835 Huntington Ave, Boston 02115 775 low-income homes · For older adults
  • Mission Park LP 835 Huntington Ave, Boston 775 homes, 620 low-income · 1 bd: 391 · 2 bd: 228 · 3 bd: 128 · 4 bd: 28 · In service since 2000
  • Castle Square II 494 Tremont St, Boston 500 low-income homes · 1 bd: 144 · 2 bd: 159 · 3 bd: 132 · 4 bd: 65 · In service since 2012 · For families
  • Castle Square I 1 Village Ct, Boston 500 homes, 483 low-income · In service since 1994
  • Castle Square Apartments 484 Tremont St, Boston 02116 500 homes, 450 low-income · For families

See all 632 buildings in Suffolk County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Boston

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 12 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Suffolk County; 6 say they serve in Spanish.

An older woman smiles in front of her apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Boston

1 program is for Boston or Suffolk County, by its own record: they come first, each with what its official page says about being open. The ones below are statewide in Massachusetts: they work in Boston the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Massachusetts

  • First-Time Homebuyer Program

    For Boston

    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

    See the program Official page

  • MassHousing Down Payment Assistance

    Statewide in Massachusetts

    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

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Boston

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Boston, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Boston

    275 W Broadway, Boston · 2 miles away

    • Budget and credit workshops
    • Homelessness services
    • and 1 more
    (617) 464-8500

  • The Housing Partnership Network

    56 Broad St, Boston · 3 miles away

    (617) 720-1999

  • Asian Community Development Corporation

    38 Oak St, Boston · 3 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 7 more
    (617) 482-2380

Every agency in Suffolk County All counseling agencies in Massachusetts

Help in Spanish near Boston

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Boston

HUD’s record names them for Boston or Suffolk County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Boston Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (617) 988-4000

3 other authorities have an office in Suffolk County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Suffolk County

These cities are also in Suffolk County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Suffolk County Housing in Massachusetts

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Boston, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Suffolk County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Boston.

All guides
A mother holds her laughing daughter on a grey sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Boston

Short answers with the numbers for Boston and all of Suffolk County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Boston?

The typical home value in Boston is $731,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Suffolk County it is $705,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Boston?

Typical rent in Boston is $2,147 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Suffolk County is $3,008.

What is the FHA loan limit in Boston?

Boston uses the FHA limit for all of Suffolk County (2026): $962,550 for a one-unit home and $1,851,100 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Boston?

The typical homeowner in Boston pays $4,456 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.61% of the home’s value; in Suffolk County, the rate is 0.66%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Boston?

There are 12 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Suffolk County. 6 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).