Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year
Lowest Price-to-Rent Ratios in Massachusetts
Price-to-rent is the median home value divided by a year of median gross rent, so a ratio of 12 means the house costs about twelve years of rent. Low ratios are where buying is cheapest against the local alternative. It is the one comparison on this site that assumes nothing about mortgage rates, down payment or how long you stay, which is why it travels well between counties. Both figures are Census five-year estimates for the same period, and rent here includes the utilities a tenant pays.
Massachusetts ranked
| # | County | Price-to-rent | Median home | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hampden County | 20.8 yrs | $276,300 | $1,105 |
| 2 | Franklin County | 21.6 yrs | $303,400 | $1,169 |
| 3 | Berkshire County | 22.7 yrs | $283,800 | $1,042 |
| 4 | Hampshire County | 22.7 yrs | $363,400 | $1,332 |
| 5 | Worcester County | 24.2 yrs | $390,700 | $1,347 |
| 6 | Plymouth County | 25.8 yrs | $513,000 | $1,655 |
| 7 | Norfolk County | 26.1 yrs | $649,400 | $2,072 |
| 8 | Middlesex County | 26.9 yrs | $687,200 | $2,126 |
| 9 | Suffolk County | 27.4 yrs | $680,700 | $2,069 |
| 10 | Essex County | 29.1 yrs | $584,000 | $1,673 |
| 11 | Bristol County | 29.8 yrs | $421,800 | $1,181 |
| 12 | Barnstable County | 30.1 yrs | $575,900 | $1,596 |
| 13 | Nantucket County | 55.8 yrs | $1,387,000 | $2,070 |
| 14 | Dukes County | 67.1 yrs | $1,104,100 | $1,371 |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 7.03%. Property tax and electricity are county and state specific; homeowners insurance uses the NAIC average premium for that state, which ranges from 0.16% of home value in Hawaii to 1.16% in Oklahoma. Maintenance and water are national estimates. Full methodology.
Nationwide
Lowest Price-to-Rent Ratios across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in Massachusetts