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City · 30,075 residents · Essex County, Massachusetts

Gloucester , Massachusetts

In Gloucester, a typical home is worth $600,600 and typical rent is $1,411 a month. Compared with all of Essex County, typical rent is 20% lower and typical household income is 18% lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $600,600

    3% below the county

    7% above Massachusetts

    • Gloucester
    • Essex
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical rent

    $1,411a month

    20% below the county

    20% below Massachusetts

    • Gloucester
    • Essex
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical household income

    $83,883a year

    18% below the county

    19% below Massachusetts

    • Gloucester
    • Essex
    • Massachusetts

  • Households that own their home

    64%

    About the same as the county

    1 points above Massachusetts

    • Gloucester
    • Essex
    • Massachusetts

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$767,322
2.3% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,678 a month
6% more than 12 months ago

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

Gloucester is in Essex 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 Essex County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Gloucester apart

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

  1. The typical rent in Gloucester is $1,411 a month, 20% less than in Essex County as a whole ($1,756).

  2. The typical household income in Gloucester is $83,883, 18% less than in Essex County as a whole ($101,883).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Gloucester

What homes there are in Gloucester, 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 Gloucester there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (49%), as in Essex County.

Year built

Homes in Gloucester are smaller: 48% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Essex County, 56%.

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
Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Essex County is high ($3,008): at least 99% of rents in Gloucester cost less than $3,000.

With a mortgage

$2,661 a month

Essex County: $2,867 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,180 a month

Essex County: $1,106 a month

Owners with a mortgage

68%

Essex County: 70%

Owning costs less in Gloucester: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,661 a month; in Essex County, $2,867. Without one, $1,180.

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 Gloucester rose 41%; in Essex County, it rose 51%.

The typical rent in Gloucester rose 19% over the same time; in Essex County, it rose 42%.

Here income did not keep up with housing: it rose 16%, while home values changed +41% and rent +19%.

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

MeasureGloucesterEssex CountyMassachusettsUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate2.6%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.3%0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.8%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.222.542.442.53
Drive alone 72%68%61%69%
Carpool 5%7%7%9%
Public transit 2%4%7%3%
Walk or bike 6%3%5%3%
Work from home 13%16%19%15%
Other means 2%2%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.22 on average, against 2.54 in Essex County.

In Gloucester, 6% of workers walk or bike to work; in Essex County, 3%.

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 Gloucester?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Gloucester, worth $600,600, 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 Gloucester, which is $83,883 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $215,202 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Gloucester. 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 $21,021 (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

$5,021

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$589,722
Total interest
$848,471
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $10,143 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,957 a month

  • Tight

    $1,957 to $2,516 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,516 a month

    Your payment · 72%

Compared with the typical household income in Gloucester ($83,883 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$5,021
Principal & interest$3,995
Property tax$511
Home insurance$250
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$266

You need at least $21,021 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

Gloucester and Essex County

Gloucester is in Essex 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).

Gloucester's own numbers

Typical home value
$600,600
Typical monthly rent
$1,411
Typical yearly household income
$83,883
Households that own their home
64%
Effective property tax rate
1.02%

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

Numbers for all of Essex County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$962,550
Conventional limit, one unit
$962,550
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,367–$3,008
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+50%
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 Essex County.

Everything about Essex County

Buying

Buying a home in Gloucester

A typical home in Gloucester is worth $600,600: 3% below the county and 7% above Massachusetts. With the typical household income in Gloucester ($83,883 a year), a typical home costs 7.2 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.

  • Gloucester 7.2 years
  • Essex 6.1 years
  • Massachusetts 5.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Essex County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Essex County rose 92% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Massachusetts U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.8% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +50% +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +92% +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

Gloucester next to Essex 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
  • Gloucester $600,600
  • Essex $619,100
  • Massachusetts $562,100
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Gloucester $1,411
  • Essex $1,756
  • Massachusetts $1,762
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Gloucester $83,883
  • Essex $101,883
  • Massachusetts $103,960
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Gloucester next to Essex County and Massachusetts
Measure Gloucester Essex County Massachusetts U.S.
Typical home value $600,600 $619,100 $562,100 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,411 $1,756 $1,762 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $83,883 $101,883 $103,960 $80,734
Households that own their home 64% 64% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $6,152 $6,430 $5,992 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.02% 1.04% 1.07% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 55% 57% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Essex 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 Gloucester

For a typical $600,600 home in Gloucester, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Gloucester's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $5,021a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $21,021
    Cash to close
    $39,039
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $266

  • Conventional, 5% down $4,911a month

    Down payment
    $30,030
    Cash to close
    $48,048
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $285

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,016a month

    Down payment
    $120,120
    Cash to close
    $138,138
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $4,571a month

    Down payment
    $90,090
    Cash to close
    $108,108
    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 Gloucester and for Essex County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Gloucester

1.02%of the home’s value each year

$6,152 a year for the typical owner in Gloucester.

  • Gloucester 1.02%
  • Essex 1.04%
  • Massachusetts 1.07%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Massachusetts

Flood risk in Essex County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.8%
7,538
Of those, with NFIP insurance
58%
County Massachusetts U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.8% 3% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 58% 50% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Gloucester

Typical rent in Gloucester is $1,411 a month: 20% below the county. In Gloucester, 55% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for each area of Essex County; Gloucester is in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area. 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.

Fair market rent by size in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area

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

HUD splits this county into 2 areas with different fair market rents: for 2 bedrooms they run from $2,367 to $3,008. The table by area, below, shows which one each town is in.

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

Fair market rent by HUD area in Essex County

HUD splits this county into 2 areas, each with its own fair market rent. Find your town in its area's list; the housing agency tells you which one it uses for your voucher.

HUD area Studio1 bd2 bd3 bd4 bdHourly wage, 2 bd
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area The area where most people liveGloucester is in this area
24 towns in this area

Amesbury city, Beverly city, Danvers town, Essex town, Gloucester city, Hamilton town, Ipswich town, Lynn city, Lynnfield town, Manchester-by-the-Sea town, Marblehead town, Middleton town, Nahant town, Newbury town, Newburyport city, Peabody city, Rockport town, Rowley town, Salem city, Salisbury town, Saugus town, Swampscott town, Topsfield town, Wenham town

 $2,440$2,518$3,008$3,584$3,953$57.85
Lawrence, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area
10 towns in this area

Andover town, Boxford town, Georgetown town, Groveland town, Haverhill city, Lawrence city, Merrimac town, Methuen city, North Andover town, West Newbury town

 $1,677$1,809$2,367$2,820$3,111$45.52

HUD fair market rent by area and size, per month, Fiscal year 2027. The wage is what full-time work must pay to rent 2 bedrooms without spending more than 30% of income. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027 Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD)

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Gloucester

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Gloucester is in ZIP code 01930.

For 2 bedrooms it is $2,650.

  • 01930 $2,650$3,180

A ZIP code counts for Gloucester 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 Gloucester

HUD lists 7 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Gloucester. These are the largest.

  • Willowood Gardens 1 Willowood Rd, Gloucester 01930 89 low-income homes · Run by Gloucester Housing Authority · Average payment: $1,142 a month · Average wait: 7 months (978) 281-4770
  • Pond View Village 23 Lepage Ln, Gloucester 43 low-income homes · 1 bd: 10 · 2 bd: 24 · 3 bd: 8 · 4 bd: 1 · In service since 2006 · For families
  • Pond View III 147 Essex Ave, Gloucester 34 low-income homes · 1 bd: 6 · 2 bd: 21 · 3 bd: 7 · In service since 2011 · For people with disabilities, families, people experiencing homelessness
  • Gloucester Housing Inc 279 Washington St, Gloucester 01930 5 homes, 4 low-income · For people with disabilities (978) 352-4977
  • Harbor Village 206 Main St, Gloucester 01930 27 homes, 3 low-income (617) 593-4263

See all 201 buildings in Essex County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Gloucester

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 4 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Essex County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Gloucester

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Gloucester or Essex County. The ones below are statewide in Massachusetts: they work in Gloucester the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Massachusetts

  • 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 Gloucester

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

  • Community Service Network, Inc.

    91 Summer St, Stoneham · 23 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (781) 438-9254

  • Credit Card MGMT Svcs, Inc D/B/A Debthelper.com

    400 W Cummings Park, Woburn · 24 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 3 more
    (561) 472-8000

  • Chelsea Restoration Corporation

    154 Pearl St Ofc 2, Chelsea · 24 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (617) 889-2277

Every agency in Essex County All counseling agencies in Massachusetts

Help in Spanish near Gloucester

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves 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 Gloucester

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

  • Gloucester Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (978) 281-4770

19 other authorities have an office in Essex County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Essex County

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

Everything about Essex County Housing in Massachusetts
See 4 more cities in Essex County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Essex 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 Gloucester.

All guides
Three women of one family lean in together to stir the pan.

Questions

Housing questions about Gloucester

Short answers with the numbers for Gloucester and all of Essex 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 Gloucester?

The typical home value in Gloucester is $600,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Essex County it is $619,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Gloucester?

Typical rent in Gloucester is $1,411 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Essex County is $2,367–$3,008.

What is the FHA loan limit in Gloucester?

Gloucester uses the FHA limit for all of Essex 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 Gloucester?

The typical homeowner in Gloucester pays $6,152 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.02% of the home’s value; in Essex County, the rate is 1.04%.

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

There are 4 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Essex County. 2 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).