Massachusetts Affordability
How affordable is Massachusetts real estate?
Public Record + Census ACS
Median Home Price
$893.1K
Median Household Income
$96,505
Affordability Index
9.25
vs National Avg
+35.6%
Cities in Massachusetts by Affordability
| # | City | Median Price | Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield | $297.1K | 3.08 |
| 2 | Westfield | $298K | 3.09 |
| 3 | Fall River | $350K | 3.63 |
| 4 | Lowell | $380.7K | 3.94 |
| 5 | Clinton | $387.4K | 4.01 |
| 6 | Pittsfield | $392K | 4.06 |
| 7 | New Bedford | $397.3K | 4.12 |
| 8 | Haverhill | $483.6K | 5.01 |
| 9 | Worcester | $498K | 5.16 |
| 10 | Attleboro | $524K | 5.43 |
| 11 | Quincy | $545.4K | 5.65 |
| 12 | Wareham | $555.9K | 5.76 |
| 13 | Franklin | $558.2K | 5.78 |
| 14 | Northampton | $565.8K | 5.86 |
| 15 | Taunton | $579.1K | 6.00 |
| 16 | Weymouth | $608.4K | 6.30 |
| 17 | Chelmsford | $686.5K | 7.11 |
| 18 | Plymouth | $692.8K | 7.18 |
| 19 | Beverly | $731.5K | 7.58 |
| 20 | Revere | $795.6K | 8.24 |
| 21 | Mashpee | $862K | 8.93 |
| 22 | Watertown | $1.01M | 10.52 |
| 23 | Waltham | $1.04M | 10.74 |
| 24 | Somerville | $1.1M | 11.44 |
| 25 | Cambridge | $1.29M | 13.37 |
| 26 | Boston | $1.35M | 14.04 |
| 27 | Newton | $1.88M | 19.47 |
| 28 | Brookline | $1.9M | 19.64 |
| 29 | Barnstable | $2.38M | 24.64 |
| 30 | Wellesley | $2.8M | 28.96 |
Methodology
Affordability index = local median home price ÷ state median household income. A value of 4.0 means homes cost 4x annual income (roughly the historical "rule of thumb" ceiling). Higher values = less affordable.
Income figures: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates (state level). Sale prices: MarketTimeline public-record SOLD events, last 12 months.