State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in Massachusetts

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Massachusetts is $1,796/mo - 87% above the US average.

Compiled by PlainRent · August 26, 2026

$1,796
Avg 1BR FMR: 14
Counties: 7
Metro areas

The verdict

Massachusetts's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $2,261 - 92% above the US average, the 2nd highest of 51 states.

Massachusetts's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom averages $2,261, 92% above the US average - the 2nd highest of 51 states. A household needs about $90,440 in annual income to afford it under HUD's 30% affordability rule, and rents vary 101% between the state's cheapest and priciest counties.

#2
most expensive of 51 states (2BR): +92%
vs the US 2-bedroom average: $90,440
income to afford it (30% rule): 101%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 14 counties and 7 metro areas in MA. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for Massachusetts

Across Massachusetts's 14 counties and 7 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent averages $1,796/mo for a 1-bedroom (studio through 4-bedroom averages are broken out below). FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level, not statewide, so that figure is the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside MA, weighted equally. Local housing authorities use each county's or metro's FMR (not the state average) to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards, typically ranging from 90% to 110% of FMR.

Benchmarked against the rest of the country, Massachusetts's average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,796 is 87% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Bristol County at $1,230, while the most expensive is in Suffolk County at $2,476, a spread of roughly 101% between the lowest- and highest-cost counties. That intra-state dispersion is why urban voucher recipients, families relocating for jobs, and landlords setting Section 8 rents all need to check the specific FMR area rather than rely on a statewide figure.

For affordability, the 30% rule implies a household income of $71,840 per year (about $5,987/month) to afford Massachusetts's average 1-bedroom at $1,796. With a state population of 6,992,395 and median household income of $101,341, a significant share of Massachusetts renters fall above the 30% cost-burden threshold in higher-FMR counties. Pair these rent figures with Massachusetts's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where Massachusetts sits among all 50 states + DC

Average 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. every US state

$2,261 Top 4% higher than 96% of 51 states

Each bar is a $0.1K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

State Average vs National Average

Studio

$1,696

+90% vs US avg

1 BR

$1,796

+87% vs US avg

2 BR

$2,261

+92% vs US avg

3 BR

$2,823

+85% vs US avg

4 BR

$3,188

+82% vs US avg

Suffolk County

$2,476
Middlesex County

$2,476
Essex County

$2,476
Nantucket County

$2,425
Barnstable County

$1,846
Plymouth County

$1,761
Norfolk County

$1,761
Dukes County

$1,633
Hampshire County

$1,580
Franklin County

$1,422

What this shows Inside MA, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $1,230 in Bristol County to $2,476 in Suffolk County.

Cheapest Counties

Lowest FMR rental costs →

Most Expensive Counties

Highest FMR rental costs →

Rent Burden

% of income spent on rent →

Rent Growth

YoY rent trends by county →

Metro areas in Massachusetts

Each metro FMR area applies one rent schedule across all its counties, ranked here by 1-bedroom FMR.

#	Metro area	Studio	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
1	Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area	$2,359	$2,476	$2,941	$3,526	$3,894
2	Barnstable Town, MA MSA	$1,834	$1,846	$2,422	$2,985	$3,428
3	Amherst Town-Northampton, MA MSA	$1,382	$1,580	$2,004	$2,504	$2,702
4	Fitchburg-Leominster, MA HUD Metro FMR Area	$1,206	$1,410	$1,749	$2,247	$2,637
5	Springfield, MA MSA	$1,219	$1,382	$1,734	$2,127	$2,296
6	Pittsfield, MA HUD Metro FMR Area	$1,245	$1,269	$1,626	$2,109	$2,577
7	New Bedford, MA HUD Metro FMR Area	$1,203	$1,230	$1,527	$1,831	$2,289

Counties in Massachusetts, ranked by rent (14)

All 14 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

#	County	Studio	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
1	Essex County	$2,359	$2,476	$2,941	$3,526	$3,894
2	Middlesex County	$2,359	$2,476	$2,941	$3,526	$3,894
3	Suffolk County	$2,359	$2,476	$2,941	$3,526	$3,894
4	Nantucket County	$2,409	$2,425	$3,138	$4,143	$5,260
5	Barnstable County	$1,834	$1,846	$2,422	$2,985	$3,428
6	Norfolk County	$1,631	$1,761	$2,311	$2,889	$3,060
7	Plymouth County	$1,631	$1,761	$2,311	$2,889	$3,060
8	Dukes County	$1,623	$1,633	$2,143	$2,980	$3,164
9	Hampshire County	$1,382	$1,580	$2,004	$2,504	$2,702
10	Franklin County	$1,287	$1,422	$1,866	$2,237	$2,471
11	Worcester County	$1,206	$1,410	$1,749	$2,247	$2,637
12	Hampden County	$1,219	$1,382	$1,734	$2,127	$2,296
13	Berkshire County	$1,245	$1,269	$1,626	$2,109	$2,577
14	Bristol County	$1,203	$1,230	$1,527	$1,831	$2,289

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Massachusetts? ▼

The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Massachusetts is $1,796 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $2,261.

How does Massachusetts rent compare to the national average? ▼

Massachusetts rents are 87% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $1,796 vs $959 nationally.

Where is the cheapest rent in Massachusetts? ▼

The most affordable county is Bristol County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $1,230. The most expensive is Suffolk County at $2,476.

What income do I need to afford rent in Massachusetts? ▼

Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $71,840/year ($5,987/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in Massachusetts.

Explore Massachusetts rent data

Rent burden → Rent growth → Cheapest counties → Most expensive counties → National rent-burden rankings → Affordability calculator →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for renters

Treat Massachusetts's FY2026 average Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.

Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,796 implies about $71,840/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
Massachusetts's counties vary widely around this average -- compare specific counties before assuming this figure applies to yours. View county rankings
See where Massachusetts ranks nationally on rent. National rankings

Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. This is a state-level average across 14 counties; actual asking rents in any specific county can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.

Browse all counties → | Rankings →

Data sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. See our methodology for details. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent data (huduser.gov). Median household income and homeownership rate: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (census.gov/programs-surveys/acs).

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.