Cost of living in the Boston Metro Area
7 counties across MA and NH. Population: 4,917,661.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Boston Metro Area
Average rent across the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Boston Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 7 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Boston Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Boston Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 7 counties in the Boston Metro Area
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area includes 7 counties across MA and NH. Sorted by population.
- Cambridge MA$4,391/moPop1,622,896 Rent$1,745/mo Income$126,779/yrCambridge MA 1,622,896 $1,745/mo $126,779/yr $4,391/mo
- Essex County MA$3,649/moPop807,258 Rent$1,307/mo Income$99,431/yrEssex County MA 807,258 $1,307/mo $99,431/yr $3,649/mo
- Boston MA$4,174/moPop782,172 Rent$1,918/mo Income$92,859/yrBoston MA 782,172 $1,918/mo $92,859/yr $4,174/mo
- Norfolk County MA$4,483/moPop724,540 Rent$1,806/mo Income$126,497/yrNorfolk County MA 724,540 $1,806/mo $126,497/yr $4,483/mo
- Plymouth County MA$3,632/moPop531,889 Rent$1,181/mo Income$109,698/yrPlymouth County MA 531,889 $1,181/mo $109,698/yr $3,632/mo
- Rockingham County NH$3,553/moPop317,163 Rent$1,304/mo Income$113,927/yrRockingham County NH 317,163 $1,304/mo $113,927/yr $3,553/mo
- Strafford County NH$3,174/moPop131,743 Rent$1,156/mo Income$86,564/yrStrafford County NH 131,743 $1,156/mo $86,564/yr $3,174/mo
Compare counties in the Boston Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Boston Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Boston Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area is approximately $4,079 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 7 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Boston Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area is $1,604 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Boston Metro Area?
Strafford County, NH is the most affordable county in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area at approximately $3,174 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Boston Metro Area?
Norfolk County, MA is the most expensive county in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area at approximately $4,483 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Boston Metro Area?
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area covers 7 counties across MA and NH. The five largest by population are Cambridge, Essex County, Boston, Norfolk County, Plymouth County.
Use this research
Journalists, researchers and bloggers are welcome to cite and share this analysis. Please include a follow link back to this page when referencing our data. For bespoke analysis, expert comment, or high-resolution graphics, get in touch via our press office.
About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.