Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Boston’s single-family rents shot up more than any other major city, new report says
According to Rentometer, rents for three-bedroom, single-family homes in Boston averaged $4,500 per month in the first half of 2025. That’s nothing compared to Cambridge.
As if the local rental market weren’t tricky enough as-is, a new report found Boston has outpaced other major U.S. cities in rent increases for single-family homes.
Related:
According to Rentometer, the median rent for three-bedroom, single-family homes in Boston grew 12.5% year-over-year, averaging $4,500 per month. To put that in perspective, a household would need to bring in at least $180,000 a year to comfortably afford that price without becoming “rent burdened” — that is, exceeding the 30% rent-to-income ratio.
“This surge was partly driven by a greater share of larger, higher-priced homes being listed and a tight inventory of single-family rentals, making local data more susceptible to fluctuations,” the Rentometer analysis explains. “While the average price per square foot has remained relatively stable, renters are facing higher total costs simply because the available homes are larger and come with a bigger price tag overall.”
Advertisement:
And then there’s Cambridge, which ranked first among mid-sized cities where it’s most expensive to rent a single-family home. Rentometer put the city’s median rent for a three-bedroom home at about $6,000 per month, requiring an annual income of $240,000 — almost twice Cambridge’s median household income.
With its eyewatering rent prices, Cambridge even topped other high-priced markets in California’s coastal areas.
The analysis considered the advertised asking rents in 1,100 U.S. cities, including a couple other Greater Boston suburbs. Rentometer put Newton’s median single-family rent at $4,900 (a 1.6% annual increase) and Waltham’s at $4,200 (a 7.7% annual increase).
Advertisement:
Renters looking for a smaller price tag might turn to the Midwest; per Rentometer, the region is the most affordable for single-family renters. The median asking rent for a three-bedroom home in Toledo, for example, is just $1,250 — a little more than half the average rent of a studio apartment in Boston.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com