Hold Period — Cities of Massachusetts

Cities of Massachusetts ranked by average flip hold-period.

Public Record

Currently viewing: Massachusetts · View nationwide

National avg hold

1.05 yr

Fastest-flip state

—

Longest-hold state

—

Flip pairs analyzed

5,609

Fastest-flip states (shortest avg hold)

Longest-hold states

City ranking — Massachusetts (avg hold period)

Cities in Massachusetts (sample ≥ 20 flips)

Sorted shortest to longest

#	City	Avg hold (yrs)	Avg hold (mo)	Avg gain %	Sample
1	Malden	0.79	9.6	+63.7%	26
2	Billerica	0.81	9.8	+89.4%	37
3	Westfield	0.82	10.0	+78.9%	38
4	Beverly	0.83	10.1	+56.0%	33
5	Ludlow	0.83	10.2	+87.3%	26
6	Pembroke	0.83	10.2	+96.0%	20
7	Attleboro	0.84	10.2	+72.1%	50
8	Holyoke	0.85	10.3	+83.4%	34
9	Lowell	0.85	10.3	+59.7%	55
10	Wilmington	0.85	10.4	+104.6%	25
11	Bellingham	0.86	10.4	+81.8%	25
12	North Andover	0.88	10.7	+65.8%	37
13	Randolph	0.88	10.8	+64.8%	29
14	Longmeadow	0.89	10.8	+77.6%	25
15	Springfield	0.90	11.0	+98.8%	144
16	Peabody	0.91	11.1	+66.9%	24
17	Revere	0.92	11.2	+66.7%	27
18	Brockton	0.93	11.3	+73.7%	70
19	Dracut	0.93	11.3	+68.4%	32
20	Agawam	0.93	11.4	+67.2%	34
21	West Springfield	0.94	11.4	+79.3%	22
22	Leominster	0.95	11.6	+74.1%	43
23	Fall River	0.97	11.8	+90.1%	78
24	Waltham	0.97	11.8	+87.9%	25
25	Holliston	0.97	11.8	+78.4%	21
26	Stoughton	0.97	11.8	+97.7%	33
27	Weymouth	0.98	12.0	+67.4%	56
28	Swansea	0.98	11.9	+66.8%	24
29	Dennis Port	0.98	12.0	+71.0%	20
30	Lynn	0.98	11.9	+58.8%	54
31	Oxford	0.98	11.9	+101.3%	26
32	Haverhill	0.99	12.0	+61.0%	54
33	Taunton	0.99	12.1	+68.4%	64
34	Auburn	1.00	12.2	+100.1%	32
35	Gardner	1.00	12.2	+89.3%	34
36	Seekonk	1.00	12.2	+89.6%	26
37	Medford	1.00	12.1	+68.1%	24
38	Boston	1.01	12.2	+64.8%	151
39	Methuen	1.01	12.3	+83.0%	39
40	New Bedford	1.02	12.4	+74.3%	119
41	Chelmsford	1.03	12.6	+56.3%	22
42	Chicopee	1.03	12.6	+95.7%	58
43	East Falmouth	1.03	12.6	+156.1%	21
44	Worcester	1.04	12.7	+80.1%	96
45	Framingham	1.04	12.6	+81.7%	33
46	Melrose	1.04	12.6	+52.3%	20
47	North Attleboro	1.05	12.8	+66.0%	28
48	Quincy	1.05	12.8	+54.5%	27
49	Wareham	1.06	12.9	+77.3%	41
50	Shrewsbury	1.06	12.9	+73.1%	33

What hold period tells investors

Liquidity signal

Short average holds (under 2 years) indicate a liquid market — properties trade often, exit timing is flexible, and capital recycles quickly. Long holds (5+ years) suggest fewer buyers, slower exits, and higher carry-cost risk.

Flipper vs. landlord markets

Markets where typical investors hold 3–9 months are dominated by fix-and-flip operators. Markets averaging 5–10 years are dominated by buy-and-hold landlords. Choose the strategy that matches the market — don't fight it.

Caveats

This metric reflects only properties that resold. True buy-and-hold landlords who never sold during the data window are invisible here. Treat the numbers as a relative ranking across states, not an absolute hold-period truth. Source: public record.