Rent Trends / MA
Rent Trends in Massachusetts: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 146 cities in Massachusetts. The average across tracked cities is $2,689/month in 2026, up from $1,980 in 2015 (+35.8%). That sits $727 above (+37.1% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962.
Last updated: September 14, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,962 (June 2026)
What the Massachusetts rent trend shows
This page follows market rents in Massachusetts from 2015 through mid-2026 using the same Zillow ZORI vintage for every city in the table. State figures below are simple averages of the tracked cities — useful for comparing places inside Massachusetts and stacking the state against the published U.S. typical rent ($1,962/month in June 2026, up from $1,357 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in Massachusetts has risen from about $2,338 to $2,689 (+15.0%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is +5.7% ($2,545 → $2,689).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is Worcester (+114.2%, $1,009 → $2,161). 7 of 146 tracked cities are higher than their 2015 (or earliest) level.
For the national rent story, see the Rent Index. Statewide maps live on Rent by State. Full city database: Rent by City.
City-level breakdown in Massachusetts
Lowest 2026 rents
- Gardner — $1,565
- Pittsfield — $1,592
- West Springfield — $1,648
- Chicopee — $1,661
- Ware — $1,750
Highest 2026 rents
- Newbury — $4,317
- Lexington — $4,088
- Wellesley — $4,013
- Hingham — $3,970
- Winchester — $3,857
Full list with every year from 2015–2026 is in the sortable table below.
All Massachusetts cities — yearly rent table
| City | Metro | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 | '26 | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $2,228 | $2,330 | $2,396 | $2,497 | $2,567 | $2,647 | $2,429 | $2,753 | $2,992 | $3,181 | $3,307 | $3,414 | +53.2% | |
| Worcester | $1,009 | $1,079 | $1,145 | $1,236 | $1,311 | $1,404 | $1,489 | $1,650 | $1,817 | $1,952 | $2,083 | $2,161 | +114.2% | |
| Springfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,194 | $1,331 | $1,501 | $1,598 | $1,673 | $1,836 | +53.8% | |
| Cambridge | $2,332 | $2,399 | $2,512 | $2,554 | $2,624 | $2,769 | $2,414 | $2,859 | $3,058 | $3,181 | $3,247 | $3,559 | +52.6% | |
| Lowell | — | $1,299 | $1,327 | $1,432 | $1,508 | $1,561 | $1,603 | $1,792 | $1,974 | $2,091 | $2,175 | $2,304 | +77.4% | |
| Brockton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,904 | $2,069 | $2,166 | $2,334 | +22.6% | |
| Lynn | — | — | — | — | $1,473 | $1,596 | $1,706 | $1,825 | $1,986 | $2,110 | $2,221 | $2,307 | +56.6% | |
| New Bedford | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,321 | $1,486 | $1,613 | $1,765 | $1,897 | +43.6% | |
| Fall River | — | — | $865 | $923 | $969 | $1,060 | $1,151 | $1,340 | $1,468 | $1,609 | $1,708 | $1,836 | +112.3% | |
| Newton | $2,106 | $2,232 | $2,371 | $2,424 | $2,467 | $2,611 | $2,561 | $2,816 | $3,070 | $3,214 | $3,268 | $3,567 | +69.4% | |
| Quincy | $1,687 | $1,781 | $1,850 | $1,976 | $2,030 | $2,120 | $2,030 | $2,292 | $2,461 | $2,539 | $2,623 | $2,784 | +65.0% | |
| Lawrence | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,635 | $1,826 | $2,010 | $2,123 | $2,290 | $2,379 | +45.5% | |
| Somerville | $2,085 | $2,250 | $2,359 | $2,430 | $2,505 | $2,532 | $2,360 | $2,633 | $2,897 | $3,105 | $3,162 | $3,497 | +67.7% | |
| Framingham | — | — | $1,613 | $1,660 | $1,750 | $1,806 | $1,819 | $2,135 | $2,165 | $2,286 | $2,347 | $2,355 | +46.0% | |
| Haverhill | — | — | — | — | $1,496 | $1,533 | $1,691 | $1,871 | $2,019 | $2,121 | $2,252 | $2,338 | +56.3% | |
| Malden | — | — | $1,927 | $2,020 | $2,141 | $2,216 | $2,111 | $2,334 | $2,672 | $2,736 | $2,844 | $2,933 | +52.2% | |
| Waltham | — | $1,976 | $2,061 | $2,124 | $2,167 | $2,292 | $2,185 | $2,483 | $2,666 | $2,796 | $2,835 | $3,045 | +54.1% | |
| Brookline | $2,415 | $2,447 | $2,502 | $2,650 | $2,721 | $2,836 | $2,649 | $2,948 | $3,176 | $3,434 | $3,529 | $3,568 | +47.7% | |
| Medford | — | — | $2,250 | $2,327 | $2,360 | $2,481 | $2,258 | $2,671 | $2,960 | $3,142 | $3,163 | $3,401 | +51.2% | |
| Taunton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,458 | $1,657 | $1,955 | $2,158 | +48.0% | |
| Weymouth | — | — | — | $1,679 | $1,709 | $1,809 | $1,826 | $2,020 | $2,157 | $2,260 | $2,324 | $2,500 | +48.9% | |
| Revere | — | — | — | $1,936 | $2,036 | $2,141 | $2,043 | $2,239 | $2,447 | $2,584 | $2,691 | $2,828 | +46.1% | |
| Chicopee | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,661 | +0.0% | |
| Peabody | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,470 | $2,560 | $2,671 | $2,823 | +14.3% | |
| Methuen | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,300 | $2,434 | $2,489 | +8.2% | |
| Plymouth | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,998 | $2,202 | $2,319 | $2,467 | $2,569 | $2,818 | +41.0% | |
| Barnstable | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,703 | $2,738 | $2,925 | +8.2% | |
| Everett | — | — | — | — | — | $2,174 | $1,973 | $2,278 | $2,448 | $2,630 | $2,638 | $2,788 | +28.2% | |
| Arlington | — | — | $1,988 | $2,066 | $2,097 | $2,120 | $2,126 | $2,405 | $2,636 | $2,698 | $2,745 | $2,998 | +50.8% | |
| Attleboro | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,601 | $1,744 | $1,859 | $1,996 | $2,240 | +39.9% | |
| Pittsfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,398 | $1,462 | $1,592 | +13.9% | |
| Leominster | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,586 | $1,633 | $1,733 | $1,869 | +17.8% | |
| Fitchburg | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,416 | $1,546 | $1,617 | $1,784 | +26.0% | |
| Salem | — | — | — | $1,790 | $1,828 | $1,981 | $1,976 | $2,230 | $2,370 | $2,518 | $2,609 | $2,730 | +52.5% | |
| Billerica | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,911 | $2,256 | $2,441 | $2,493 | $2,627 | $2,764 | +44.6% | |
| Marlborough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,257 | $2,355 | $2,562 | $2,599 | $2,660 | +17.9% | |
| Westfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,882 | +0.0% | |
| Woburn | — | — | — | — | $2,098 | $2,121 | $2,099 | $2,365 | $2,584 | $2,705 | $2,760 | $2,870 | +36.8% | |
| Chelsea | — | — | — | $1,702 | $1,831 | $1,937 | $1,828 | $2,184 | $2,317 | $2,468 | $2,479 | $2,643 | +55.3% | |
| Amherst | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,203 | $2,389 | $2,491 | +13.1% | |
| Braintree | — | — | — | — | $2,182 | $2,205 | $2,231 | $2,476 | $2,612 | $2,745 | $2,845 | $2,975 | +36.3% | |
| Holyoke | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,796 | +0.0% | |
| Shrewsbury | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,871 | $2,009 | $2,104 | $2,181 | $2,303 | +23.1% | |
| Beverly | — | — | — | — | — | $1,854 | $1,971 | $2,056 | $2,327 | $2,587 | $2,644 | $2,758 | +48.8% | |
| Natick | — | — | — | — | $1,933 | $2,098 | $2,050 | $2,276 | $2,371 | $2,595 | $2,634 | $2,857 | +47.8% | |
| Andover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,498 | $2,572 | $2,683 | $2,891 | +15.7% | |
| Chelmsford | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,073 | $2,236 | $2,347 | $2,512 | $2,590 | +24.9% | |
| Watertown | — | $2,000 | $2,085 | $2,128 | $2,245 | $2,370 | $2,200 | $2,499 | $2,681 | $2,794 | $2,925 | $3,168 | +58.4% | |
| Randolph | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,274 | $2,375 | $2,444 | $2,633 | +15.8% | |
| Lexington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $4,088 | +0.0% | |
| Franklin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,051 | $2,250 | $2,412 | $2,564 | $2,747 | +33.9% | |
| Dracut | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,271 | +0.0% | |
| Needham | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,872 | $3,114 | $3,152 | $3,379 | +17.7% | |
| North Andover | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,031 | $2,289 | $2,458 | $2,548 | $2,583 | $2,851 | +40.4% | |
| Norwood | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,157 | $2,413 | $2,550 | $2,519 | +16.8% | |
| Tewksbury | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,488 | $2,641 | $2,767 | $2,904 | +16.7% | |
| North Attleboro | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,818 | $2,057 | $2,212 | +21.7% | |
| Milford | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,219 | $2,356 | $2,436 | +9.8% | |
| Melrose | — | — | — | — | $2,022 | $2,174 | $2,081 | $2,352 | $2,528 | $2,646 | $2,709 | $2,969 | +46.8% | |
| Saugus | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,990 | +0.0% | |
| Northampton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,232 | $2,454 | +9.9% | |
| Wellesley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,088 | $3,558 | $4,013 | +30.0% | |
| West Springfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,648 | +0.0% | |
| Agawam | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,003 | +0.0% | |
| Stoughton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,169 | $2,192 | $2,295 | $2,528 | +16.6% | |
| Bridgewater | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,489 | $2,656 | $2,690 | $2,912 | +17.0% | |
| Milton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,950 | +0.0% | |
| Danvers | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,439 | $2,515 | $2,778 | $2,899 | +18.9% | |
| Gloucester | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,709 | +0.0% | |
| Wakefield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,488 | $2,531 | $2,710 | $2,838 | +14.1% | |
| Walpole | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,599 | $2,825 | +8.7% | |
| Belmont | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,532 | $2,634 | $2,740 | $2,909 | $3,223 | +27.3% | |
| Burlington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,062 | $3,158 | $3,221 | $3,388 | +10.6% | |
| Reading | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,074 | +0.0% | |
| Easton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,187 | +0.0% | |
| Dedham | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,724 | $2,878 | $3,121 | +14.6% | |
| Yarmouth | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,780 | +0.0% | |
| Canton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,376 | $2,628 | $2,679 | $2,854 | $2,905 | +22.3% | |
| Marshfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,825 | +0.0% | |
| Westford | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,754 | $3,065 | +11.3% | |
| Middleborough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,122 | +0.0% | |
| Acton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,599 | +0.0% | |
| Mansfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,916 | $2,067 | $2,281 | $2,260 | $2,575 | +34.4% | |
| Winchester | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,643 | $3,857 | +5.9% | |
| Hingham | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,970 | +0.0% | |
| Wilmington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,169 | +0.0% | |
| Stoneham | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,609 | $2,643 | $2,706 | $3,023 | +15.9% | |
| Bourne | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,621 | +0.0% | |
| Westborough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,236 | $2,334 | $2,453 | $2,518 | $2,674 | +19.6% | |
| Wareham | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,458 | +0.0% | |
| Gardner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,463 | $1,565 | +7.0% | |
| Hudson | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,497 | +0.0% | |
| Norton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,601 | +0.0% | |
| Holden | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,740 | +0.0% | |
| Grafton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,274 | +0.0% | |
| Winthrop | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,220 | $2,379 | $2,546 | $2,714 | +22.3% | |
| Hopkinton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,889 | $3,047 | +5.5% | |
| Ashland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,844 | +0.0% | |
| Foxborough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,754 | +0.0% | |
| Concord | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,296 | +0.0% | |
| Sharon | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,946 | +0.0% | |
| South Hadley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,753 | +0.0% | |
| Newburyport | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,409 | $2,591 | $2,854 | +18.5% | |
| Pembroke | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,748 | +0.0% | |
| Webster | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,885 | +0.0% | |
| Greenfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,873 | +0.0% | |
| Southbridge | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,882 | +0.0% | |
| Amesbury | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,064 | $2,425 | +17.5% | |
| Abington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,616 | +0.0% | |
| Bellingham | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,217 | $2,406 | $2,571 | +16.0% | |
| Auburn | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,743 | +0.0% | |
| Northbridge | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,250 | +0.0% | |
| Easthampton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,007 | +0.0% | |
| Westwood | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,140 | +0.0% | |
| North Reading | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,820 | +0.0% | |
| Scituate | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,244 | +0.0% | |
| Northborough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,920 | +0.0% | |
| Clinton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,010 | $2,077 | +3.3% | |
| Whitman | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,615 | +0.0% | |
| Fairhaven | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,950 | +0.0% | |
| Hanover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,023 | +0.0% | |
| Dennis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,800 | +0.0% | |
| Mashpee | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,500 | +0.0% | |
| Bedford | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,107 | +0.0% | |
| Marblehead | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,602 | $3,094 | +18.9% | |
| Duxbury | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,745 | +0.0% | |
| Wayland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,542 | +0.0% | |
| Millbury | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,317 | +0.0% | |
| Swampscott | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,021 | +0.0% | |
| Lynnfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,188 | +0.0% | |
| Ipswich | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,448 | +0.0% | |
| Kingston | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,769 | +0.0% | |
| Palmer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,813 | +0.0% | |
| Wrentham | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,896 | +0.0% | |
| Spencer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,896 | +0.0% | |
| Maynard | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,384 | +0.0% | |
| Hull | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,329 | +0.0% | |
| Ware | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,750 | +0.0% | |
| Littleton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,719 | +0.0% | |
| Plainville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,111 | +0.0% | |
| Salisbury | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,288 | +0.0% | |
| Ayer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,900 | +0.0% | |
| Newbury | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $4,317 | +0.0% | |
| Cohasset | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,617 | +0.0% | |
| Rockport | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,858 | +0.0% | |
| Berlin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,796 | +0.0% |
Click any column header to sort · % Chg uses earliest available year → 2026
Frequently asked questions — Massachusetts rent
Is Massachusetts cheap to rent in 2026?
Not compared with the U.S. overall. The average rent across 146 tracked Massachusetts cities is about $2,689/month — $727 above (+37.1% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962. Cheaper pockets still exist inside the state; sort the table by 2026 rent to find them.
What city in Massachusetts has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Gardner is the lowest at about $1,565/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Pittsfield ($1,592), West Springfield ($1,648), Chicopee ($1,661).
What city in Massachusetts has the most expensive rent?
Newbury leads our sample at about $4,317/month in 2026, followed by Lexington ($4,088) and Wellesley ($4,013).
How much have rents in Massachusetts changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $1,980 in 2015 to $2,689 in 2026 (+35.8%). 7 of 146 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is Worcester (+114.2%).
Are rents in Massachusetts still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked Massachusetts cities went from about $2,545 to $2,689 (+5.7%). Since 2023 ($2,338), that is +15.0%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.
More States