Boston housing market
Typical home value
$726K
▲ 2.1% 1 yr
Typical rent
$2,987/mo
▲ 2.3% 1 yr
12-month forecast
+1.4%
#357 of 546 metros
Gross rent yield
4.9%
#414 of 546 · U.S. 6.3%
Days to pending
33 days
▲ +1 day 1 yr
Listings with a price cut
24%
▲ +1.9 pts 1 yr
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home is worth $725,639, up 2.1% in a year and up 24% over five years.
- 2Zillow forecasts home values rising 1.4% over the next 12 months (U.S.: +1.1%).
- 3Typical rent is $2,987/mo (+2.3% YoY), a 4.9% gross yield, below the U.S. 6.3%.
- 4At 7.32% with 20% down, the typical home costs $3,988/mo in principal and interest, $1,001 more than renting.
- 5Homes go under contract in 33 days (+1 day vs last year); 24% of listings have had a price cut.
Market temperature
Neutral market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 48/100, #161 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
How fast homes are selling
For saleNew listings
Affordability
To buy (20% down)To rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Boston compares
| Measure | Boston | United States | Rank of 546 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home value, 1-yr change | +2.1% | +1.2% | #281 |
| Home value, 5-yr change | +23.8% | +19.7% | |
| 12-month forecast | +1.4% | +1.1% | #357 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +2.3% | +2.7% | #377 |
| Gross rent yield | 4.9% | 6.3% | #414 |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 20.2 | 15.8 | |
| Mortgage P&I on typical home | $3,988 | $2,012 | |
| Income needed to buy | $196,214 | $100,902 | |
| Days to pending | 33 | 56 |
Cities in the Boston metro
59 cities with home value and rent data.
| Boston | $761K | ▼ 1.6% | $3,271 | ▲ 2.1% | 5.2% |
| Cambridge | $1.02M | ▼ 0.5% | $3,438 | ▲ 2.8% | 4.0% |
| Lowell | $482K | ▲ 1.1% | $2,252 | ▲ 1.7% | 5.6% |
| Brockton | $505K | ▲ 2.1% | $2,289 | ▲ 3.6% | 5.4% |
| Lynn | $577K | ▲ 0.7% | $2,342 | ▲ 2.4% | 4.9% |
| Newton | $1.48M | ▲ 1.9% | $3,358 | ▲ 2.8% | 2.7% |
| Quincy | $674K | ▲ 2.1% | $2,712 | ▲ 1.0% | 4.8% |
| Lawrence | $510K | ▲ 2.4% | $2,372 | ▲ 2.2% | 5.6% |
| Somerville | $920K | ▲ 0.1% | $3,428 | ▲ 2.7% | 4.5% |
| Framingham | $657K | ▲ 0.6% | $2,298 | ▼ 2.4% | 4.2% |
| Haverhill | $546K | ▲ 2.1% | $2,258 | ▼ 0.6% | 5.0% |
| Malden | $668K | ▲ 1.8% | $2,929 | ▲ 2.5% | 5.3% |
| Waltham | $807K | ▲ 0.8% | $2,930 | ▲ 1.9% | 4.4% |
| Brookline | $1.12M | ▼ 5.1% | $3,488 | ▲ 4.3% | 3.7% |
| Medford | $817K | ▲ 0.4% | $3,626 | ▲ 3.0% | 5.3% |
| Weymouth | $617K | ▲ 3.0% | $2,553 | ▲ 2.0% | 5.0% |
| Revere | $609K | ▲ 1.1% | $2,764 | ▲ 1.1% | 5.4% |
| Peabody | $691K | ▲ 1.1% | $2,836 | ▲ 1.9% | 4.9% |
| Methuen | $619K | ▲ 2.0% | $2,352 | ▲ 3.2% | 4.6% |
| Plymouth | $651K | ▲ 4.2% | $2,801 | ▲ 2.5% | 5.2% |
| Everett | $620K | ▲ 0.5% | $2,803 | ▲ 2.2% | 5.4% |
| Arlington | $1.06M | ▲ 2.8% | $2,925 | ▲ 3.5% | 3.3% |
| Salem | $604K | ▲ 0.6% | $2,683 | ▲ 2.1% | 5.3% |
| Billerica | $697K | ▲ 2.5% | $2,751 | ▼ 0.1% | 4.7% |
| Marlborough | $571K | ▲ 0.2% | $2,666 | ▲ 0.8% | 5.6% |
| Woburn | $753K | ▲ 2.0% | $2,844 | ▲ 1.8% | 4.5% |
| Chelsea | $519K | ▲ 1.1% | $2,632 | ▲ 1.8% | 6.1% |
| Braintree | $730K | ▲ 3.0% | $2,920 | ▲ 1.2% | 4.8% |
| Beverly | $756K | ▲ 3.4% | $2,745 | ▲ 7.0% | 4.4% |
| Natick | $878K | ▲ 1.4% | $2,944 | ▲ 4.2% | 4.0% |
| Andover | $987K | ▲ 2.5% | $2,769 | ▲ 4.6% | 3.4% |
| Chelmsford | $674K | ▲ 1.2% | $2,677 | ▲ 3.3% | 4.8% |
| Watertown | $810K | ▲ 0.4% | $3,101 | ▲ 2.0% | 4.6% |
| Randolph | $587K | ▲ 3.0% | $2,582 | ▼ 0.4% | 5.3% |
| Derry | $503K | ▲ 3.3% | $2,263 | ▲ 4.2% | 5.4% |
| Franklin | $703K | ▲ 3.0% | $2,534 | ▲ 2.9% | 4.3% |
| Dover | $541K | ▲ 1.5% | $2,292 | ▲ 2.5% | 5.1% |
| Rochester | $407K | ▲ 3.7% | $1,820 | ▲ 1.1% | 5.4% |
| Needham | $1.54M | ▲ 6.1% | $3,702 | ▲ 3.8% | 2.9% |
| North Andover | $801K | ▲ 1.2% | $2,816 | ▲ 5.7% | 4.2% |
| Norwood | $728K | ▲ 2.1% | $2,579 | ▲ 0.7% | 4.3% |
| Tewksbury | $671K | ▲ 2.1% | $2,864 | ▲ 8.3% | 5.1% |
| Salem | $606K | ▲ 2.9% | $2,561 | ▲ 1.4% | 5.1% |
| Melrose | $908K | ▲ 4.1% | $3,031 | ▲ 3.7% | 4.0% |
| Wellesley | $2.01M | ▲ 5.2% | $4,030 | ▲ 7.0% | 2.4% |
| Stoughton | $604K | ▲ 1.9% | $2,516 | ▲ 1.2% | 5.0% |
| Bridgewater | $634K | ▲ 3.2% | $2,650 | ▲ 1.2% | 5.0% |
| Danvers | $727K | ▲ 2.0% | $2,825 | ▲ 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Wakefield | $812K | ▲ 2.2% | $2,827 | ▲ 4.3% | 4.2% |
| Belmont | $1.42M | ▲ 1.4% | $3,051 | ▲ 2.2% | 2.6% |
| Burlington | $867K | ▲ 2.1% | $3,153 | ▲ 3.3% | 4.4% |
| Dedham | $757K | ▲ 2.3% | $2,913 | ▲ 5.9% | 4.6% |
| Canton | $799K | ▲ 2.7% | $3,008 | ▲ 3.1% | 4.5% |
| Stoneham | $799K | ▲ 2.7% | $3,055 | ▲ 4.1% | 4.6% |
| Portsmouth | $791K | ▲ 3.4% | $2,963 | ▲ 2.6% | 4.5% |
| Winthrop | $676K | ▲ 0.5% | $2,725 | ▲ 5.3% | 4.8% |
| Newburyport | $933K | ▲ 4.5% | $3,028 | ▲ 3.7% | 3.9% |
| Amesbury | $622K | ▲ 2.4% | $2,500 | ▲ 1.6% | 4.8% |
| Bellingham | $540K | ▲ 2.2% | $2,519 | ▲ 0.9% | 5.6% |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Boston rental ($726K, $2,987/mo), pre-filled.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a typical Boston home.
Rent vs buy
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Boston?
Other Massachusetts metros
Worcester, MA
$477K home$2,105 rent5.3% yield
▲ 2.1% 1 yr
Springfield, MA
$372K home$1,963 rent6.3% yield
▲ 3.3% 1 yr
Barnstable Town, MA
$757K home$2,578 rent4.1% yield
▲ 2.9% 1 yr
Pittsfield, MA
$390K home$1,757 rent5.4% yield
▲ 1.6% 1 yr
Gross yield = 12 × typical rent ÷ typical home value, before expenses. Mortgage estimate: 20% down, 30-year fixed at the current Freddie Mac average, principal and interest only. Forecast: Zillow Home Value Forecast. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.