How much is rent in Boston, MA?

The median 2-bedroom in Boston rents for $2,370 a month with utilities, $807 more than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,902 and a 3-bedroom $2,475.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$2,3702-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,9021-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$94,800Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
24%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Boston by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$1,932/mo
Boston
$1,932
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $77,280²
1 bedroom$1,902/mo
Boston
$1,902
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $76,080²
2 bedrooms$2,370/mo
Boston
$2,370
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $94,800²
3 bedrooms$2,475/mo
Boston
$2,475
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $99,000²
4 bedrooms$2,737/mo
Boston
$2,737
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $109,480²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Boston

Where rent costs less than Boston

54 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Boston
Paducah, KY	$886	$1,484/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$1,469/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$1,451/mo
Orlando, FL	$1,855	$515/mo
Tampa, FL	$1,861	$509/mo
Sarasota, FL	$1,975	$395/mo

Rent in Boston: questions people ask

How much is rent in Boston?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $2,221 a month. By size: studio $1,932, 1 bedroom $1,902, 2 bedrooms $2,370, 3 bedrooms $2,475, 4 bedrooms $2,737 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Boston?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $94,800 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $76,080.

What share of income goes to rent in Boston?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 24% of the median household income of $118,759 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Boston?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

Rent elsewhere in Massachusetts

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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