Suffolk County, Massachusetts Housing Market Prices
Suffolk County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 52% above the Massachusetts median Among the 3 most expensive counties in Massachusetts$753,442
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Median rent 21% above the Massachusetts median Among the 5 most expensive counties in Massachusetts$2,129
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Suffolk County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $753,442 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 2.9% | 6.6% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,129 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.9% | 5.7% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Suffolk County is about 52% higher than in Massachusetts. Rent is about 21% higher than the Massachusetts average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Suffolk County, up about 2.9% and 5.9% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Suffolk County rose about 64.0% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,298 to $2,129. Over the same span, rent in Massachusetts rose about 59.8%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 7.9 yearly household incomes in Suffolk County.
Buying the median-priced home in Suffolk County costs roughly 29.5 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Suffolk County. The price-to-rent ratio in Massachusetts is about 23.4.
| Metric | Suffolk County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $753,442 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $95,719 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 7.9 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Suffolk County rose about 59.9%, while median household income rose about 76.7% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Suffolk County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 33.3% | 57.5% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 58.2% | 34.4% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 8.5% | 8.1% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 12.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2014 | 2010 | 2011 |
Suffolk County has a homeownership rate of 33.3%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 57.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 8.5%, compared with 8.1% in Massachusetts.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Suffolk County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.25 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1955 | 1963 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 4.3 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Suffolk County was built around 1955. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 4.3 rooms, staying for about 12.0 years on average.
Suffolk County, MA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Suffolk County, MA is typical in size for this group, 779,263 residents against a local median of 729,949, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Suffolk County, MA breaks from the counties next to it is homeownership, sitting 43% below the local median of 63.4% at 36.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $753,442 against a local median of $550,714, 37% above it. The counties themselves sit within 16.3% of each other on homeownership, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Suffolk County, MA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Suffolk County, MA has the 6th highest homeownership of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County, MA | 779,263 | $753,442 #1/6 | $2,129 #3/6 | 36.4% #6/6 |
| Norfolk County, MA | 729,949 | $597,016 | $2,149 | 68.7% |
| Essex County, MA | 810,585 | $550,714 | $1,755 | 63.4% |
| Middlesex County, MA | 1,636,094 | $718,434 | $2,200 | 61.3% |
| Plymouth County, MA | 534,586 | $463,963 | $1,747 | 77.6% |
| Bristol County, MA | 582,104 | $367,046 | $1,244 | 62.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
What is the median home price in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?
The median home price in Suffolk County, Massachusetts is $753,442, higher than the Massachusetts average of $494,523.
What is the average home price in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?
The typical home price in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, reported as the median sale price, is $753,442. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?
The median gross rent in Suffolk County, Massachusetts is $2,129 per month, higher than the Massachusetts average of $1,761.
What was the median gross rent in Suffolk County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Suffolk County, Massachusetts was $1,657 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?
The price-to-rent ratio in Suffolk County, Massachusetts is about 29.5, meaning it would take roughly 29.5 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Suffolk County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Suffolk County, up about 2.9% and 5.9% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?
33.3% of households in Suffolk County, Massachusetts own their home, lower than the Massachusetts average of 57.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?
The housing vacancy rate in Suffolk County, Massachusetts is 8.5%, higher than the Massachusetts average of 8.1%.
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