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County in Massachusetts

Suffolk County, Massachusetts

Suffolk County, in Massachusetts, has 785,121 residents: No. 4 of 14 by population. Suffolk County has an FHA limit of $962,550 for one-unit homes. The typical home value here is $705,800. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $3,008 a month; to pay it without spending more than 30% of your income, you need to earn about $57.85 an hour.

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  • Typical home price

    $705,800

    +26% vs. Massachusetts +112% vs. U.S.

    Half of owner-occupied homes are worth more and half are worth less.

    • Suffolk
    • Massachusetts
    • United States

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

  • Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms

    $3,008 a month

    +17% vs. Massachusetts +72% vs. U.S.

    HUD's reference rent for a two-bedroom apartment, with basic utilities.

    • Suffolk
    • Massachusetts
    • United States

    Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

  • FHA limit 2026, 1 unit

    $962,550

    FHA high-cost area

    The most you can borrow with an FHA loan for a one-unit home here.

    • Suffolk
    • Floor
    • Ceiling

    Source: HUD, 2026 data

  • Property tax

    0.66% of value per year

    −38% vs. Massachusetts −30% vs. U.S.

    $4,649 a year for the typical owner

    • Suffolk
    • Massachusetts
    • United States

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$738,589
about the same as 12 months ago
Typical rent
$3,190 a month
2% more than 12 months ago

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

Data from October 2026

In short

What is housing like in Suffolk County today?

The monthly payment on a typical home with FHA would be about $5,689, that is, 71% of the typical household income in Suffolk County. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $243,822 a year; the typical income here is $95,631. Homes here are worth 26% more than the average across Massachusetts. Here 36% of households live in a home they own; across Massachusetts it is 63%. The typical property tax is $4,649 a year (about 0.66% of home value), lower than in Massachusetts.

Renting is a stretch: 52% of renters put 30% or more of their income toward housing.

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

Only here

What sets Suffolk County apart

  1. Suffolk County has the lowest homeownership rate of the 14 counties in Massachusetts: 36%.

  2. Nearby, in Bristol County, the typical rent is $1,245: 42% less than in Suffolk County ($2,129).

  3. Among the neighboring counties, Worcester County has the lowest typical home value ($423,700), 40% below the $705,800 in Suffolk County.

  4. From 2020 to 2025, home prices in Suffolk County rose 35% on FHFA's index, slower than in Massachusetts (49%).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); FHFA (2025 data).

The homes here

Housing in Suffolk County

What homes there are in Suffolk County, 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

Many people here live in apartments: 4 in 10 homes; in Massachusetts, 2.

Year built

The typical home in Suffolk County was built in 1949, 15 years before the typical one in Massachusetts.

Homes in Suffolk County are smaller: 35% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Massachusetts, 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

About 75% of owner-occupied homes in Suffolk County are worth less than the FHA loan limit for this county ($962,550).

Monthly rent with utilities

With a HUD fair market rent of $3,008 for 2 bedrooms, at least 78% of rented homes in Suffolk County sit below it.

With a mortgage

$2,962 a month

Massachusetts: $2,726 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,046 a month

Massachusetts: $1,043 a month

Owners with a mortgage

70%

Massachusetts: 66%

In Suffolk County, 70% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $2,962 a month, against $2,726 in Massachusetts. Without one it drops to $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

Homes in Suffolk County gained value more slowly than in Massachusetts: 42% since 2015–2019, against 47%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Suffolk County rose 34%, less than in Massachusetts (37%).

The typical household income in Suffolk County rose 37% over that time; home values changed +42% and rent +34%.

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

MeasureSuffolk CountyMassachusettsUnited States
Rental vacancy 4.5%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 1.1%0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room 4.2%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.252.442.53
Drive alone 35%61%69%
Carpool 6%7%9%
Public transit 22%7%3%
Walk or bike 14%5%3%
Work from home 20%19%15%
Other means 2%2%2%
Typical commute 30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Massachusetts, the rental vacancy rate in Suffolk County is 4.5%.

In Suffolk County, 4.2% of households live with more than one person per room, against 2.3% in Massachusetts.

On average, a household in Suffolk County has 2.25 people, fewer than in Massachusetts (2.44).

Public transit matters here: 22% of workers take it to work, against 7% in Massachusetts.

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 in Suffolk County?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home of $705,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 71% of the typical household income here, which is $95,631 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $243,822 a year.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Suffolk County. 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 $24,703 (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

$5,689

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$693,016
Total interest
$997,088
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $11,919 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,231 a month

  • Tight

    $2,231 to $2,869 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,869 a month

    Your payment · 71%

Compared with the typical household income in Suffolk County ($95,631 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$5,689
Principal & interest$4,695
Property tax$388
Home insurance$294
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$312

You need at least $24,703 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.

Buying a home

Buying a home in Suffolk County

Here you'll see how prices have changed, how Suffolk County compares with Massachusetts and the country, and what you'd pay each month with four kinds of loans.

How have home prices changed?

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home prices in Suffolk County rose 87% in the 10 years through 2025. FHFA's index follows the price of the same homes over the years.

Period Here Massachusetts United States
In 2025 +3.4% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +35% +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +87% +87% +85%
See each year's change

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 county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Suffolk County compared with Massachusetts and the United States

Home value, rent and household income, side by side. "Typical" is the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Suffolk $705,800
  • Massachusetts $562,100
  • United States $332,700
Typical rent a month
  • Suffolk $2,129
  • Massachusetts $1,762
  • United States $1,413
Typical household income a year
  • Suffolk $95,631
  • Massachusetts $103,960
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Suffolk compared with Massachusetts and the United States
MeasureHereMassachusettsU.S.
Residents785,1217,044,056334,922,499
Typical home value$705,800$562,100$332,700
Typical household income$95,631$103,960$80,734
Typical rent$2,129$1,762$1,413
Fair Market Rent (2 bedrooms)$3,008$2,566$1,750
Hourly wage to rent a 2-bedroom$57.85$49.35$33.65
Typical property tax$4,649$5,992$3,119
Effective tax rate0.66%1.07%0.94%
Households that own their home36%63%65%
Renters spending 30% or more on rent52%52%51%
FHA limit (1 unit)*$962,550$962,550$541,287

FHA limit: Massachusetts shows the median of its counties; the United States, the national floor. Download CSV

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Suffolk County

For a typical $705,800 home at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, the county's property tax, an example homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

Loan Monthly payment Down payment Loan amount Rate Mortgage insurance Cash to close Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down $5,689 $24,703 $693,016 7.18% FHA MIP · $312 $45,877 580
Conventional, 5% down $5,560 $35,290 $670,510 7.18% PMI · $335 $56,464 620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,507 $141,160 $564,640 7.18% None $162,334 620*
ITIN, 15% down (example) $5,160 $105,870 $599,930 8.18% None $127,044 Set by the lender
  • 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.

Everything about buying in Suffolk County: income, limits and help How much house can I afford? Closing costs

Loan limits

This is a high-cost area, so FHA limits in Suffolk County are above the national floor. The limit is set for the whole metro area (Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH). If the loan you need is above these amounts, it doesn't fit FHA or it becomes a "jumbo" loan.

VA loans. If you have full VA entitlement, VA doesn't cap the loan amount. If you've used part of your entitlement, the calculation uses the county limit ($962,550 for one unit). VA loan limits (va.gov)

USDA loans. They're for homes in eligible rural areas and households with incomes within USDA's limit. Check whether the address and your income qualify on the official site. USDA eligibility (usda.gov)

Home type FHA limit Conforming limit
1 unit $962,550 $962,550
2 units $1,232,250 $1,232,250
3 units $1,489,500 $1,489,500
4 units $1,851,100 $1,851,100

Source: HUD, 2026 data · Source: FHFA, 2026 data

Taxes and risks

Property tax and flooding in Suffolk County

Two costs that change a lot from place to place and that a house payment does include: property tax and, in risk zones, flood insurance.

Property tax

In Suffolk County, the typical owner pays $4,649 a year: about 0.66% of the home's value. That is less than the rest of Massachusetts and less than the national average.

  • Suffolk 0.66%
  • Massachusetts 1.07%
  • United States 0.94%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Massachusetts

Is there a flood risk?

According to FEMA, in Suffolk County 3.8% of homes (5,006) are in a high-risk flood zone. Of those homes, 53% 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)

Source: FEMA, As of August 3, 2026

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Owning a home here

Owning a home in Suffolk County

The natural hazards FEMA measures in Suffolk County, a maintenance plan for your climate and what the trades earn in your area.

Risks to your home

FEMA, National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025)

FEMA rates the natural hazard risk in Suffolk County as relatively moderate.

FEMA builds that rating from three parts: expected loss, social vulnerability and community resilience.

In all, FEMA estimates natural hazards cause about $115 million in losses a year in Suffolk County, across buildings, people and crops.

The hazard that would do the most damage to homes and buildings here is inland flooding: about $59.5 million a year.

Loss FEMA expects each year to homes and buildings, by hazard
  1. Inland floodingRelatively high $59.5 million a year
  2. HurricaneRelatively high $12.4 million a year
  3. EarthquakeRelatively moderate $8.2 million a year
  4. Coastal floodingRelatively high $5.2 million a year
  5. TornadoRelatively moderate $2.2 million a year

What it means for your home

The ratings are FEMA's own. FEMA says its data is meant for planning and does not replace a local study. Drought is not shown: FEMA counts its loss in crops only.

National Risk Index, version 1.20.0 (December 2025), retrieved November 6, 2026

FEMA notice: This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Climate and upkeep

Department of Energy (PNNL), 2021 IECC zones

The home energy code (IECC) puts Suffolk County in zone 5A: cold.

The zone's number says how hot or cold it gets; the letter says how humid: A is moist, B is dry and C is marine.

  • Spring

    • Book the air conditioner's check-up before the heat: ENERGY STAR advises checking the cooling system in the spring, because contractors get busy once summer comes. ENERGY STAR (EPA)
    • Clean and repair the roof gutters. EPA

  • Summer

    • Seal the air ducts that run through the attic, crawlspace, basement or garage with duct mastic or foil tape, then wrap them in insulation. ENERGY STAR (EPA)
    • Check that the ground slopes away from the house, so water does not collect around the foundation. EPA

  • Fall

    • Book the heating check-up in the fall. If it runs on gas or oil, the technician should check the connections: faulty ones are a fire hazard. ENERGY STAR (EPA)
    • Seal air leaks and add insulation in the attic: ENERGY STAR says it lowers the chance of ice dams on the roof in snowy climates. ENERGY STAR (EPA)

  • Winter

    • Get the house ready for the cold with insulation, caulking and weather stripping, and learn how to keep pipes from freezing. Ready.gov (FEMA)
    • Put clear plastic film over the windows: it is inexpensive, cuts drafts, helps the house feel warmer in winter and reduces moisture on the glass. ENERGY STAR (EPA)

All year

  • Check the air filter every month, especially in heavy-use months. If it looks dirty, change it; change it at least every 3 months. ENERGY STAR (EPA)
  • Test the smoke alarms every month and replace their batteries at least once a year. USFA (FEMA)

Each task comes from the official page beside it. The spring air-conditioning and fall heating check-ups are the timing ENERGY STAR advises; the rest is a suggested order.

Climate zones by county, 2021 IECC

What the trades charge here

BLS, wages for May 2025

TradeTypical hourly wage8 in 10 earn between
Electricians$38.42$22.71 and $62.17
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters$46.52$25.13 and $69.21
Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics$37.75$24.46 and $49.54
Roofers$31.90$25.82 and $46.26
Carpenters$36.16$23.47 and $59.71
Painters, construction and maintenance$27.80$21.95 and $52.81
Maintenance and repair workers, general$28.69$19.05 and $38.91

According to BLS, an electrician earns about $38.42 an hour in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area; a plumber, about $46.52.

These are workers' hourly wages, not the price of a job.

Need help paying for a repair?

Renting

Renting in Suffolk County

The typical rent in Suffolk County is $2,129 a month. HUD also publishes a “fair market rent” by unit size: it's the one programs like Section 8 use.

52% of renter households in Suffolk County spend 30% or more of their income on housing. 26% spend half or more.

Fair market rent by size

To pay the fair market rent without spending more than 30% of income, working full time (40 hours a week).

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Income needed per year
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

Free help in Suffolk County

Programs and counseling in Suffolk County

There are 12 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in Suffolk County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, with rent, or if you've fallen behind on payments.

Official programs for the down payment and loans for buyers. Check which ones you might qualify for with your income and your county.

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

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Massachusetts down payment programs

  1. 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

    First-time buyers only. Run by City of Boston Mayor's Office of Housing (Boston Home Center).

    GrantDeferred Verified November 5, 2026

  2. 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

    First-time buyers only. Run by MassHousing.

    DeferredRepayable Verified November 5, 2026

Which programs do I qualify for? See all Massachusetts programs

Help in Spanish in Suffolk County

6 of the 12 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.

Public housing agencies

They run public housing and Section 8 vouchers (Housing Choice Vouchers) in this county.

  • Boston Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (617) 988-4000
  • Exec. Office Housing & Livable Communities Section 8 vouchers (617) 573-1250

Free legal help

If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.

Find legal aid (lsc.gov)

Housing counseling nearby

These agencies have an office in Suffolk County. The full list is on the Massachusetts counselors page. Official HUD list. Confirm hours and fees with the agency before you go.

  • Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.

    105 Chauncy St, Boston · Spanish

    Also serves in Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese, Creole, French, and 5 more languages.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    (617) 348-6449

  • Ecumenical Social Action Committee, Inc.

    434 Jamaicaway, Jamaica Plain · Spanish

    Also serves in Creole.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    617-524-2555-108

  • Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc.

    143 Border St, East Boston · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (617) 567-5882
See every agency in Massachusetts

Places

Cities in Suffolk County

Each city has its own page with prices, rents and help. These are the largest.

See all 4 cities of Suffolk County

Nearby counties

Each row compares its typical value, typical rent and FHA limit with Suffolk County.

Read next

Guides that help here

We picked them by this county's numbers: what weighs most here is what's worth understanding first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the FHA loan limit in Suffolk County in 2026?

Suffolk County has an FHA limit of $962,550 for a one-unit home. For 2 units it's $1,232,250, for 3 it's $1,489,500 and for 4 it's $1,851,100. It's a high-cost area, so the limit is above the national floor.

What is the conforming loan limit in Suffolk County?

Suffolk County has a conforming limit of $962,550 for one-unit conventional loans in 2026. A bigger loan is a “jumbo” loan.

How much does a typical home cost in Suffolk County?

The typical home value in Suffolk County is $705,800 (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census). Across Massachusetts it's $562,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Suffolk County?

Suffolk County has a typical rent of $2,129 a month (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census). HUD's fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $3,008 (Fiscal year 2027).

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

About $57.85 an hour working full time (2,080 hours a year), or $120,320 a year, so the fair market rent of $3,008 stays under 30% of income.

Sources: American Community Survey (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (Fiscal year 2027); Income Limits (Fiscal year 2026); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (As of August 3, 2026); National Risk Index (2025 data); IECC climate zones by county (2021 data); Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2025 data); Census Bureau cartographic boundary files (2024 data).