Average Rent in Boston, MA
29 apartment buildings, 430 units. Daily asking prices with rent history for every building.
Cheapest
$1,795/mo
Boston Pads
Properties
29
tracked daily
Units
430
available now
Boston, MA Resident Access
City Club members share insider gate codes, parking links, and amenity tips.
Analysis
Rent Price Breakdown
Compare pricing across all 29 properties in Boston, MA.
Average rent trend, last 3 months
All bedroom types, citywide. Choose a window above to scope the view.
Average Rent by Property
Starting Price vs Average
Rent by Bedroom Count
Price per Square Foot
Boston, MA Rent Prices
All 29 properties ranked by lowest available rent.
Boston Pads
279 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116, USA
Addison
144 Addison St, Boston, MA 02128, USA
West Square Apartments
320 D St, Boston, MA 02127, USA
381 Congress Lofts
381 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210, USA
South Standard
235 Old Colony Ave, Boston, MA 02127, USA
Avalon Brighton
139 Washington St, Boston, MA 02135, USA
VIA Seaport Residences Apartments
5 Fan Pier Boulevard, Boston, MA 02210, USA
| # | Property | From | Avg | $/sqft | Rating | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston Pads 279 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116, USA | $1,795 | $3,253 | -- | 4.9 (76) | 43 |
| 2 | Addison 144 Addison St, Boston, MA 02128, USA | $2,389 | $3,103 | $4.05 | 4.7 (393) | 16 |
| 3 | West Square Apartments 320 D St, Boston, MA 02127, USA | $2,735 | $3,337 | $4.57 | 3.4 (54) | 3 |
| 4 | 381 Congress Lofts 381 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210, USA | $2,999 | $3,399 | $3.40 | 4.5 (8) | 5 |
| 5 | South Standard 235 Old Colony Ave, Boston, MA 02127, USA | $3,045 | $4,235 | $5.37 | 4.9 (94) | 7 |
| 6 | Avalon Brighton 139 Washington St, Boston, MA 02135, USA | $3,065 | $3,886 | $6.36 | 3.9 (67) | 9 |
| 7 | VIA Seaport Residences Apartments 5 Fan Pier Boulevard, Boston, MA 02210, USA | $3,118 | $4,642 | $6.78 | 4.7 (173) | 29 |
Rent & Price History by Building
Boston Pads
4.9 (76)279 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116, USA
Addison
4.7 (393)144 Addison St, Boston, MA 02128, USA
West Square Apartments
3.4 (54)320 D St, Boston, MA 02127, USA
381 Congress Lofts
4.5 (8)381 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210, USA
South Standard
4.9 (94)235 Old Colony Ave, Boston, MA 02127, USA
Avalon Brighton
3.9 (67)139 Washington St, Boston, MA 02135, USA
By Area
Boston, MA neighborhoods
Tracked buildings across 9 named neighborhoods. Pick one to see its apartments.
Boston, MA Average Rent Prices 2026
The average rent in Boston, MA is $4,759 per month, based on 430 units across 29 apartment communities. Prices range from $1,795 at Boston Pads to $13,931 at Elevated Boston.
Average Rent by Bedroom Type
| Type | Avg Rent | Starting From | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $3,522/mo | $2,389/mo | 84 |
| 1 Bed | $4,375/mo | $1,795/mo | 206 |
| 2 Bed | $6,380/mo | $1,795/mo | 93 |
| 3 Bed | $5,998/mo | $2,400/mo | 34 |
| 4 Bed | $4,074/mo | $2,600/mo | 12 |
| 5 Bed | $3,099/mo | $3,099/mo | 1 |
Every price is a real asking rent, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.
Market Context
Who rents in Boston, MA, and what they pay
Tracked one-bedroom rent in Boston, MA averages $4,375/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $6,380/mo. At the local median household income of $94,755, that works out to 60% of gross income, a severely rent-burdened market by HUD standards.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Boston, MA at $2,093/mo. The current tracked market average runs 127% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Boston, MA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.
Who employs renters in Boston
Demand in the Boston rental market is shaped by the metro's largest private and public employers. The following organizations anchor local hiring and influence what renters can pay:
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Boston University
- State Street
- Fidelity Investments
- Wayfair
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Mean one-way commute in Boston, MA is 30 minutes, per the Census ACS, useful context when weighing which properties sit inside reasonable reach of these employers.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in Boston, MA?
Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Minimum to afford average rent
$190,000/year
Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $4,759/mo.
Comfortable income
$228,000/year
Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($1,795/mo), you need to earn at least $72,000/year.
Median household income in Boston, MA is $94,755 , about 59% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in Boston, MA
Overall prices in Boston, MA runs above the national average by about 10% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 110.4, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Boston, MA's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $4,759 |
| Utilities | $637 |
| Groceries | $544 |
| Transportation | $1,520 |
| Healthcare | $741 |
| Other goods and services | $1,186 |
| Estimated total | $9,387/mo |
Population
663,972
Median household income
$94,755
Census median rent
$2,093/mo
Rent as % of income
30.1%
Median age
33.2
Mean commute
30 min
Methodology
Rent data
Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.
Cost of living
Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.
Salary to live comfortably
Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Demographic figures
Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.
Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.
Compare
Nearby cities in Massachusetts
How Boston, MA rent compares to other markets in the state.
| City | Avg Rent | vs Boston, MA | 30-Day Change | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agawam, MA | $2,307 | -52% | +3.3% | 45 |
| Lynn, MA | $3,034 | -36% | +2.1% | 16 |
| Springfield, MA | $1,787 | -62% | -3.7% | 12 |
| Waltham, MA | $3,702 | -22% | -2.7% | 11 |
| Framingham, MA | $3,180 | -33% | +8% | 10 |
| Lawrence, MA | $2,532 | -47% | -1.7% | 10 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in Boston, MA?
The average rent in Boston, MA is $4,759 per month, based on 430 units across 29 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are refreshed daily.
What is the median rent in Boston, MA?
The median asking rent in Boston, MA is $4,153 per month, computed from 430 live listed units and refreshed daily. The average is $4,759/mo; the median resists skew from luxury listings.
What is the cheapest apartment rent in Boston, MA?
The lowest available rent in Boston, MA starts at $1,795 per month. Availability changes daily and prices are refreshed each morning.
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Boston, MA?
1-bedroom apartments in Boston, MA average $4,375/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $1,795/mo across 206 units tracked.
How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Boston, MA?
2-bedroom apartments in Boston, MA average $6,380/mo. Units start from $1,795/mo across 93 units currently listed.
Rent Trends in Boston, MA
Track how apartment prices are changing over time.
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