Last updated on August 14, 2026

Average rent in
Downtown Boston, Boston, MA

Median rent

Median rent in Downtown Boston

$4,202/mo

Flat

vs previous year

The average rent in Downtown Boston is $4,202 per month as of August 2026. This is 118% above the national average rent, or $2,277 more per month.

$4.99

average price per square foot

Total rentals

Available rentals in Downtown Boston

239

for rent on Zumper.com as of August 2026

Rent price distribution

Share of Downtown Boston rentals at each price point

50%38%25%13%0%
$0 - $1,500
$1,501 - $3,000
$3,001 - $4,500
$4,501 - $6,000
$6,001 - $50,000

Rent trends in Downtown Boston, Boston, MA

Average rent prices in Downtown Boston have increased by 5% over the last month and have remained the same since last year.

Rent trends

Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.

Compare rent prices in Downtown Boston, Boston, MA

Rent prices in Downtown Boston vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Downtown Boston is $4,240, whereas a house costs $2,729. 1-bedroom apartments in Downtown Boston run $4,013 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $5,240.

Listings

Studio

$3,275

5%

8%

1 bedroom

$3,985

3%

4%

2 bedroom

$5,253

6%

2%

3 bedroom

$5,790

7%

9%

4 bedroom

$6,995

4%

31%

Studio

Average rent

$3,275

Last 30 days

5%

Last year

8%

1 bedroom

Average rent

$3,985

Last 30 days

3%

Last year

4%

2 bedroom

Average rent

$5,253

Last 30 days

6%

Last year

2%

3 bedroom

Average rent

$5,790

Last 30 days

7%

Last year

9%

4 bedroom

Average rent

$6,995

Last 30 days

4%

Last year

31%

The table above reflects average rent prices in Downtown Boston, Boston, MA, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.

How does rent in Downtown Boston, Boston, MA compare to other neighborhoods?

Compare median rent prices in Downtown Boston and Back Bay by all bedroom counts and property types.

Downtown Boston

Median rent price$4,202
increased by118%

higher than the national median

Median rent price$3,600
increased by87%

higher than the national median

Takeaway

The median rent for all rentals in Downtown Boston, Boston, MA is 17% higher than the median rent in Back Bay, Boston, MA.

Discover rentals in Downtown Boston, Boston, MA

121 Portland St #605 - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Downtown Boston house for rent in Boston

121 Portland St #605, Boston, MA 02114

1 bed

1 bath

$1,400

The price shown reflects a 12-month lease. Fees may apply.

House for rent

1 Franklin St #2114 - Photo 1 of 1

2d ago

Downtown Boston condo for rent in Boston

1 bed

1 bath

$2,000

The price shown reflects a 12-month lease. Fees may apply.

Condo for rent

231 Harrison Ave #18 - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Downtown Boston condo for rent in Boston

231 Harrison Ave #18, Boston, MA 02111

Studio

1 bath

$2,075

The price shown reflects a 12-month lease. Fees may apply.

Condo for rent

Available Aug 1

233 Harrison Ave #11 - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Downtown Boston apartment for rent in Boston

233 Harrison Ave Apartments

233 Harrison Ave #11, Boston, MA 02111

1 bed

1 bath

$2,325

The price shown reflects a 12-month lease. Fees may apply.

Apartment for rent

Stay up to date with rental market insights

Are you interested in licensing our current and historical rental real estate data, or do you have custom data requests? Contact datalicensing@zumper.com.

Frequently asked questions for Downtown Boston, Boston, MA

Quick answers to common questions about the Downtown Boston rental market.

How much is rent in Downtown Boston?

The average rent in Downtown Boston is $4,202 per month as of August 8, 2026.

Is rent up or down in Downtown Boston?

Average rent prices in Downtown Boston have increased by 5% over the last month and have remained the same since last year.

How does Downtown Boston rent compare to the national average?

Rent in Downtown Boston is 118% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $2,277 more per month.

What salary do I need to afford rent in Downtown Boston?

To comfortably afford rent in Downtown Boston, you'd need to earn approximately $168,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.

Methodology

Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.

Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).

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