Massachusetts Rent Report – January 2020

• The average monthly rent in Boston was $3,462 in January, $135 more than one year prior.
• Boston apartments are the most expensive in the state, renting for $3,462, while apartments in Holyoke have the cheapest rents, $985 per month. 
• The national average rent in January 2020 was $1,463, up 3% compared to the same time last year according to data from Yardi Matrix.

Renting in the largest city in Massachusetts

Apartments in Boston rented for $3,462 on average in January. Rents in the largest Massachusetts city saw a year-over-year increase of 4.1%, or $135, compared to this time last year and a month-over-month increase of 0.7% ($24) compared to December.

Renting in Massachusetts in January 2020

The average rent in Massachusetts cities is generally higher than the national average rent. The fastest growing rents in January were in Medford, where rental apartment prices increased by 1.2% month over month, or $33. Brookline apartments saw the second highest monthly increase, jumping by 1.1%, or $32, while in Lynn, prices decreased by 0.7% ($12) compared to December.

Boston apartments are the state’s most expensive for renters, with an average rent of $3,462, followed by apartments in Cambridge, where the average monthly rent is $3,189. On the other hand, the cheapest city to rent an apartment of the cities analyzed is Holyoke, with its average rent of $985, being the only one under $1,000.

The January national average rent went up by 3% year-over-year

The average apartment rent reached $1,463 in January, up $43 since last year, according to apartment data from Yardi Matrix. Rents grew moderately into the new year, increasing by 3% year-over-year, the slowest pace we’ve seen in 18 months, as the seasonal winddown wears on through the winter.

Rents are likely to maintain an upward streak throughout 2020, as the number of renters continues to rise in the U.S. The demand for apartments is high, including among those renting by choice. 157% more Americans who earn over $150K per year began renting this past decade, shifting from homeownership to a more flexible and comfort-driven lifestyle.

To compare the rental market in Massachusetts with other cities in the U.S., you can also check our national January rent report.

Methodology

RentCafe.com is a nationwide apartment search website that enables renters to easily find apartments and houses for rent throughout the United States.

The data on average rents included in our reports comes directly from competitively-rented (market-rate) large-scale multifamily properties (50+ units in size), via telephone survey. The data is compiled and reported by our sister company Yardi Matrix, a business development and asset management tool for brokers, sponsors, banks and equity sources underwriting investments in the multifamily, office, industrial and self-storage sectors. Fully-affordable properties are not included in the survey and are not reported in rental rate averages. Local rent reports include only cities with a statistically-relevant stock of large-scale multifamily properties of 50+ units.