Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 23, 2026
Average rent in
Boston, MA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 23, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where Boston rent stands today
Boston, MA rent rose 3.0% year over year, with a current median of $3,400/month. Renters today are paying $92 more per month on average than last year, with rent near the peak of $3,500/month reached just last month.
Compared to national trends
Boston runs roughly 1.8× the national median of $1,900/month, placing it among the priciest major coastal metros for renters seeking urban amenities.
Price ranges
Studios in Boston sit around $2,447/month, 1-bedrooms around $2,875/month, and 2-bedrooms around $3,495/month, with 4+ bedrooms reaching $4,800/month. Apartments make up 82.4% of rentals, renting for $3,350/month compared to houses at $3,800/month.
Neighborhood spotlight
Southern Mattapan rents fell 21.4% year over year to $2,200/month across 12 rentals. This contrasts with the citywide rise of 3.0%, showing a localized cooldown in this neighborhood.
Median rent
Median rent in Boston
$3,400/mo
3%vs previous year
The average rent in Boston is $3,400 per month as of September 2026. This is 79% above the national average rent, or $1,500 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Boston
5,889
for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Boston rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Boston, MA
Average rent prices in Boston have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 3% 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
Boston, MA
Rent prices in Boston vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Boston is $3,350, whereas a house costs $3,800. 1-bedroom apartments in Boston run $2,975 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,500.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,447 | No Change |  1% | |
1 bedroom | $2,875 | 2% | 2% | |
2 bedroom | $3,495 | 2% | 2% | |
3 bedroom | $3,725 | 1% | 1% | |
4 bedroom | $4,800 | No Change | 6% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Back Bay | $3,675 | |
Commonwealth | $2,952 | |
D Street West Broadway | $4,038 | |
Downtown Boston | $4,135 | |
Fenway Kenmore Audubon Circle Longwood | $3,200 | |
Mission Hill | $3,428 | |
North End | $3,545 | |
Oak Square | $3,400 | |
South End | $3,804 | |
St Elizabeth's | $3,000 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $3,350 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $3,600 | 6% | No Change | |
Houses | $3,800 | 3% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,190 | 1% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$2,447
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
1%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,875
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
2%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$3,495
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
2%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,725
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
1%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$4,800
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
6%
Commonwealth
Average rent
$2,952
Fenway Kenmore Audubon Circle Longwood
Average rent
$3,200
St Elizabeth's
Average rent
$3,000
Mission Hill
Average rent
$3,428
Oak Square
Average rent
$3,400
Back Bay
Average rent
$3,675
Downtown Boston
Average rent
$4,135
North End
Average rent
$3,545
D Street West Broadway
Average rent
$4,038
South End
Average rent
$3,804
Apartments
Average rent
$3,350
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$3,600
Last 30 days
6%
Houses
Average rent
$3,800
Last 30 days
3%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,190
Last 30 days
1%
The table above reflects average rent prices in 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 Boston, MA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Boston and Brockton by all bedroom counts and property types.
Boston
79%higher than the national median
10%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Boston, MA is 63% higher than the median rent in Brockton, MA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
Cost of living in Boston, MA
Explore the cost of essential expenses, and then use our rent calculator to find out how much rent you can afford.
Expenses accrued by most renters | Average cost compared to national average |
|---|---|
| Goods & Services | 17% higher |
| Groceries | 5% higher |
| Health | 33% higher |
| Housing | 123% higher |
| Transportation | 6% higher |
| Utilities | 52% higher |
Discover rentals in Boston, MA
3d ago
7-9-9R Winship, Boston, MA 02135
Studio
-1 baths
$200
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Fenway - Kenmore - Audubon Circle - Longwood apartment for rent in Boston
Studio
0 baths
$500
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease. Fees may apply.Apartment for rent
Available Jan 1
5d+ ago
Fenway - Kenmore - Audubon Circle - Longwood apartment for rent in Boston
Studio
0 baths
$500
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease. Fees may apply.Apartment for rent
Available Sep 1
5d+ ago
Fenway - Kenmore - Audubon Circle - Longwood apartment for rent in Boston
Studio
0 baths
$500
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease. Fees may apply.Apartment for rent
Available Jul 1
5d+ ago
Chinatown - Leather District apartment for rent in Boston
2 Avery St #PH3C, Boston, MA 02111
3 beds
3.5 baths
$45,000
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
Available Sep 15
23h ago
Verified
139 Washington St, Boston, MA 02135
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$2,610–$5,865
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
12h ago
Verified
77 Exeter St, Boston, MA 02116
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,450–$10,105
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Back Bay condo for rent in Boston
3 beds
2.5 baths
$15,750
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease. Fees may apply.Condo for rent
9h ago
Verified
390 Blue Ledge Dr, Boston, MA 02131
Studio–3 beds
1 bath
$2,039–$5,713
Price drop
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
Available Sep 22
42m ago
Verified
250 1st Ave, Boston, MA 02129
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,069–$7,658
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
2h ago
Verified
899 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,387–$12,279
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
3h ago
Verified
1555 Vfw Pkwy, Boston, MA 02132
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,623–$4,188
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
9h ago
Verified
390 Blue Ledge Dr, Boston, MA 02131
Studio–3 beds
1 bath
$2,039–$5,713
Price drop
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
Available Sep 22
2h ago
Verified
899 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,387–$12,279
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
19h ago
Verified
100 Arlington St, Boston, MA 02116
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,050–$15,560
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
6h ago
Verified
30 Rockingham Ave, Boston, MA 02132
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,170–$3,785
Price drop
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
9h ago
Verified
18 Haviland St, Boston, MA 02115
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$2,600–$5,148
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
Available Sep 22
9h ago
Verified
390 Blue Ledge Dr, Boston, MA 02131
1–3 beds
1 bath
$2,587–$5,367
Price drop
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
Available Sep 22
42m ago
Verified
250 1st Ave, Boston, MA 02129
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,069–$7,658
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.Apartment for rent
7h ago
Verified
30 Rockingham Ave, Boston, MA 02132
1 bed
1 bath
$2,170–$2,915
Price drop
The price shown reflects a 12-month lease and includes base rent plus all required monthly fees provided by the property.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 Boston, MA
Quick answers to common questions about the Boston rental market.
How much is rent in Boston?
The average rent in Boston is $3,400 per month as of September 19, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Boston?
Average rent prices in Boston have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 3% since last year.
How does Boston rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Boston is 79% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,500 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Boston?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Boston are Commonwealth ($2,952/mo), St Elizabeth's ($3,000/mo), and Fenway Kenmore Audubon Circle Longwood ($3,200/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Boston?
To comfortably afford rent in Boston, you'd need to earn approximately $136,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Boston?
May offers the best rental deals in Boston with the lowest rents of the year, while August sees peak pricing with roughly a 3.6% difference between the seasons. December is the least competitive month for apartment hunting.
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).
For additional insights into rental trends, including month-over-month changes and historical comparisons, see Zumper's Monthly Metro Report.
Boston Metro Report
The Zumper Boston Metro Report analyzed active listings last month across metro cities to show the most and least expensive cities and cities with the fastest growing rents. The Massachusetts one bedroom median rent was $2,317 last month.
The Most Expensive
- Cambridge ranked as the most expensive city with one-bedrooms priced at $3,110.
- Brookline was the second priciest with rent at $3,000.
- Boston placed as third with rent at $2,960.
The Least Expensive
- Manchester was the most affordable city with one-bedrooms priced at $1,670.
- Concord ranked as the second least expensive with rent at $1,690.
- Nashua placed third with rent at $1,770.
The Fastest Growing (Y/Y%)
- Portsmouth had the fastest growing rent, up 9.1% since this time last year.
- Somerville was second with rent climbing 7.6%.
- Woburn placed third with rent increasing 4.8%.
The Fastest Growing (M/M%)
- Woburn had the fastest growing rent, up 6% last month.
- Melrose was second with rent climbing 3.5%.
- Manchester placed third with rent increasing 2.5%.
About
The Zumper Boston Metro Area Report analyzed active listings that hit the market last month. Listings are aggregated by city to calculate median asking rents.
Words by
Crystal ChenCrystal Chen is a seasoned real estate and housing market expert with more than a decade of experience analyzing rental trends, housing affordability, and urban living. At Zumper, she leads data storytelling as well as press and media relations, where she translates complex housing research into easily digestible insights for renters, industry professionals, and journalists. Her reports can be seen cited in national outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. She is passionate about helping renters navigate today’s evolving housing landscape with clarity and confidence. Living in New York City herself, she knows firsthand the chaos and challenges of navigating a competitive rental market.