ROIStack
Market Intelligence

Boston, MA

Updated quarterly · Data sourced from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI, Census ACS, and FHFA. · Massachusetts overview

Analyze a Boston deal

Home Value

$720k+5.7%

Median Rent

$3,050+4.7%

Per month average

Gross Yield

5.08%

Annual rent / value

Rent / Price

0.424%

1% rule benchmark

HH Income

$103,000

Median household

Owner-Occ

58.0%

Renter-Occ

42.0%

Tenant demand share

Population

4.9M

Metro area census

Market Analysis

The Boston, MA real estate market currently sits at a median home value of $720k with median rents around $3,050/month, producing a gross yield of 5.08%. That puts Boston in the category of moderate gross yield, investors here typically lean on appreciation alongside cash flow. Over the past year, home values are up 5.7%, while rents rose 4.7%, the gap between those two trends is what determines whether yield compresses or expands over time for buy-and-hold investors in Massachusetts. Boston is an owner-occupier market (58% owner-occupied) where investor competition is generally lighter, with median household income of $103,000 setting the affordability ceiling on future rent growth.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Boston, MA?
As of late 2025, the median rent in Boston is approximately $3,050 per month, with rent growth of 4.7% year over year.
Is Boston a good market for rental property investing?
Boston produces a gross rental yield of about 5.08%. That is below the 7% LTR benchmark, so investors in Boston typically combine modest cash flow with appreciation upside. Run your specific numbers in a calculator before committing capital.
What is the median home price in Boston?
The median home value in Boston, MA is approximately $720,000, up 5.7% from a year ago.
How have home prices changed in Boston over the past year?
Home values in Boston have moved 5.7% year over year, while rents have changed by 4.7%. This price-to-rent gap is the single biggest driver of long-term rental investor returns in the Massachusetts market.
What is the rent-to-price ratio in Boston?
Boston has a rent-to-price ratio of 0.424%, meaning monthly rent is about 0.424% of the home's price. The "1% rule" used by buy-and-hold investors looks for 1.0%+; this market falls short of that bar, which is typical for most large US metros today.

Nearby Massachusetts markets

Worcester, MASpringfield, MA

Ready to analyze a Boston deal?

Plug in a real Boston, MA property and ROIStack will run the cash flow, cap rate, and 5-year projection in seconds.

Open Deal Calculator
Browse all metros