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City · 65,906 residents · Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Malden , Massachusetts

In Malden, a typical home is worth $633,500 and typical rent is $2,204 a month. Compared with all of Middlesex County, typical household income is 23% lower, the typical home value is 13% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 20 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $633,500

    13% below the county

    13% above Massachusetts

    • Malden
    • Middlesex
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical rent

    $2,204a month

    About the same as the county

    25% above Massachusetts

    • Malden
    • Middlesex
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical household income

    $100,606a year

    23% below the county

    3% below Massachusetts

    • Malden
    • Middlesex
    • Massachusetts

  • Households that own their home

    41%

    20 points below the county

    21 points below Massachusetts

    • Malden
    • Middlesex
    • Massachusetts

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$667,723
1.8% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,929 a month
2.5% more than 12 months ago

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

Malden is in Middlesex 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 Middlesex County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Malden apart

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

  1. 41% of households in Malden own their home, against 61% in Middlesex County.

  2. Nearby, in Chelsea, the typical home value is $493,500: 22% less than in Malden ($633,500).

  3. The typical household income in Malden is $100,606, 23% less than in Middlesex County as a whole ($130,847).

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

The homes here

Housing in Malden

What homes there are in Malden, 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

There are more apartments in Malden than in Middlesex County: 35% of homes, against 26%.

Year built

Homes in Malden are older: the typical year built is 1950; in Middlesex County, 1962.

In Malden, 29% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 39% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 55% in Middlesex 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
Monthly rent with utilities

With a HUD fair market rent of $3,008 for 2 bedrooms, at least 85% of rented homes in Malden sit below it.

With a mortgage

$2,722 a month

Middlesex County: $3,224 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,017 a month

Middlesex County: $1,211 a month

Owners with a mortgage

66%

Middlesex County: 66%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Malden is $2,722 a month, less than in Middlesex County ($3,224); without one, $1,017.

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 Malden rose 58%; in Middlesex County, it rose 45%.

The typical rent in Malden rose 40% over the same time; in Middlesex County, it rose 35%.

To compare: typical income in Malden rose 53%; the home, +58%; the rent, +40%.

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

MeasureMaldenMiddlesex CountyMassachusettsUnited States
Rental vacancy 4.8%3.4%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.6%0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room 5.2%2.2%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.522.492.442.53
Drive alone 42%54%61%69%
Carpool 14%6%7%9%
Public transit 19%7%7%3%
Walk or bike 3%6%5%3%
Work from home 20%25%19%15%
Other means 2%2%2%2%
Typical commute 30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

The rental vacancy rate in Malden is 4.8%, higher than in Middlesex County (3.4%).

More households are short on space in Malden: 5.2% have more than one person per room; in Middlesex County, 2.2%.

Much as in Middlesex County, a household in Malden has 2.52 people on average.

In Malden, 19% of workers get to work by public transit; in Middlesex County, 7%.

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 Malden?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Malden, worth $633,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 62% of the typical household income in Malden, which is $100,606 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $221,787 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Malden. 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 $22,173 (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

$5,175

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$622,025
Total interest
$894,948
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $10,698 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,347 a month

  • Tight

    $2,347 to $3,018 a month

  • Hard

    more than $3,018 a month

    Your payment · 62%

Compared with the typical household income in Malden ($100,606 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$5,175
Principal & interest$4,214
Property tax$417
Home insurance$264
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$280

You need at least $22,173 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

Malden and Middlesex County

Malden is in Middlesex 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).

Malden's own numbers

Typical home value
$633,500
Typical monthly rent
$2,204
Typical yearly household income
$100,606
Households that own their home
41%
Effective property tax rate
0.79%

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

Numbers for all of Middlesex County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$962,550
Conventional limit, one unit
$962,550
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,383–$3,008
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+46%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%

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 Middlesex County.

Everything about Middlesex County

Buying

Buying a home in Malden

A typical home in Malden is worth $633,500: 13% below the county and 13% above Massachusetts. With the typical household income in Malden ($100,606 a year), a typical home costs 6.3 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.

  • Malden 6.3 years
  • Middlesex 5.6 years
  • Massachusetts 5.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Middlesex County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Middlesex County rose 83% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Massachusetts U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.6% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +46% +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +83% +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

Malden next to Middlesex 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
  • Malden $633,500
  • Middlesex $727,800
  • Massachusetts $562,100
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Malden $2,204
  • Middlesex $2,201
  • Massachusetts $1,762
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Malden $100,606
  • Middlesex $130,847
  • Massachusetts $103,960
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Malden next to Middlesex County and Massachusetts
Measure Malden Middlesex County Massachusetts U.S.
Typical home value $633,500 $727,800 $562,100 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,204 $2,201 $1,762 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $100,606 $130,847 $103,960 $80,734
Households that own their home 41% 61% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $4,995 $7,501 $5,992 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.79% 1.03% 1.07% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 51% 47% 52% 51%

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

For a typical $633,500 home in Malden, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Malden's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $5,175a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $22,173
    Cash to close
    $41,178
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $280

  • Conventional, 5% down $5,059a month

    Down payment
    $31,675
    Cash to close
    $50,680
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $301

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,114a month

    Down payment
    $126,700
    Cash to close
    $145,705
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $4,700a month

    Down payment
    $95,025
    Cash to close
    $114,030
    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 Malden and for Middlesex County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Malden

0.79%of the home’s value each year

$4,995 a year for the typical owner in Malden.

  • Malden 0.79%
  • Middlesex 1.03%
  • Massachusetts 1.07%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Massachusetts

Flood risk in Middlesex County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1%
4,035
Of those, with NFIP insurance
54%
County Massachusetts U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1% 3% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 54% 50% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Malden

Typical rent in Malden is $2,204 a month: about the same as the county. In Malden, 51% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for each area of Middlesex County; Malden 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 $2,383 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 Middlesex 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 liveMalden is in this area
44 towns in this area

Acton town, Arlington town, Ashby town, Ashland town, Ayer town, Bedford town, Belmont town, Boxborough town, Burlington town, Cambridge city, Carlisle town, Concord town, Everett city, Framingham city, Holliston town, Hopkinton town, Hudson town, Lexington town, Lincoln town, Littleton town, Malden city, Marlborough city, Maynard town, Medford city, Melrose city, Natick town, Newton city, North Reading town, Reading town, Sherborn town, Shirley town, Somerville city, Stoneham town, Stow town, Sudbury town, Townsend town, Wakefield town, Waltham city, Watertown city, Wayland town, Weston town, Wilmington town, Winchester town, Woburn city

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

Billerica town, Chelmsford town, Dracut town, Dunstable town, Groton town, Lowell city, Pepperell town, Tewksbury town, Tyngsborough town, Westford town

 $1,659$1,831$2,383$2,878$3,132$45.83

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 Malden

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Malden is in ZIP code 02148.

For 2 bedrooms it is $3,170.

  • 02148 $3,170$3,780

A ZIP code counts for Malden 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 Malden

HUD lists 17 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Malden. These are the largest.

  • Newland ST 122 Alden St, Malden 02148 473 low-income homes · Run by Malden Housing Authority · Average payment: $949 a month · Average wait: 28 months · Homes at several sites (781) 322-3150
  • Salem ST A 630 Salem St, Malden 02148 216 homes, 213 low-income · Run by Malden Housing Authority · Average payment: $438 a month · Average wait: 18 months (781) 322-3150
  • Bowdoin Apts 18 Bowdoin St, Malden 226 homes, 190 low-income · 1 bd: 59 · 2 bd: 95 · 3 bd: 72 · In service since 2006
  • Pleasant ST 557 Pleasant St, Malden 02148 172 homes, 171 low-income · Run by Malden Housing Authority · Average payment: $428 a month · Average wait: 23 months (781) 322-3150
  • Heritage 195 Pleasant ST 195 Pleasant St, Malden 176 homes, 156 low-income · Studio: 32 · 1 bd: 144 · In service since 2012 · For older adults

See all 311 buildings in Middlesex County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Malden

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

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Malden

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Malden or Middlesex County. The ones below are statewide in Massachusetts: they work in Malden 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 Malden

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

  • Chelsea Restoration Corporation

    154 Pearl St Ofc 2, Chelsea · 3 miles away

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

  • Community Service Network, Inc.

    91 Summer St, Stoneham · 4 miles away

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

  • Somerville Community Corporation

    337 Somerville Ave, Somerville · 4 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Creole and Portuguese.

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 3 more
    (617) 410-9905

Every agency in Middlesex County All counseling agencies in Massachusetts

Help in Spanish near Malden

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 Malden

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

  • Malden Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (781) 322-3150

34 other authorities have an office in Middlesex County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Middlesex County

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

Everything about Middlesex County Housing in Massachusetts
See 14 more cities in Middlesex County, with prices and rents

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

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Middlesex 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 Malden.

All guides
A father and mother walk their son by the hand down the sidewalk.

Questions

Housing questions about Malden

Short answers with the numbers for Malden and all of Middlesex 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 Malden?

The typical home value in Malden is $633,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Middlesex County it is $727,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Malden?

Typical rent in Malden is $2,204 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Middlesex County is $2,383–$3,008.

What is the FHA loan limit in Malden?

Malden uses the FHA limit for all of Middlesex 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 Malden?

The typical homeowner in Malden pays $4,995 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.79% of the home’s value; in Middlesex County, the rate is 1.03%.

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

There are 5 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Middlesex 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).