Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Boston, MA
The average asking rent in Boston, MA is $3,210/month as of 2026-06. That is +2.6% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$3,210/mo
as of 2026-06
Year-over-Year Change
+2.6%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Boston, MA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06 | $3,210 | +0.19% |
| 2026-05 | $3,204 | +0.85% |
| 2026-04 | $3,177 | +0.73% |
| 2026-03 | $3,154 | +0.86% |
| 2026-02 | $3,127 | +0.55% |
| 2026-01 | $3,110 | +0.52% |
| 2025-12 | $3,094 | +0.16% |
| 2025-11 | $3,089 | -0.06% |
| 2025-10 | $3,091 | -0.29% |
| 2025-09 | $3,100 | -0.42% |
| 2025-08 | $3,113 | -0.38% |
| 2025-07 | $3,125 | -0.16% |
| 2025-06 | $3,130 | +0.16% |
| 2025-05 | $3,125 | +0.51% |
| 2025-04 | $3,109 | +0.55% |
| 2025-03 | $3,092 | +0.75% |
| 2025-02 | $3,069 | +0.59% |
| 2025-01 | $3,051 | +0.83% |
| 2024-12 | $3,026 | +0.36% |
| 2024-11 | $3,015 | +0.30% |
| 2024-10 | $3,006 | -0.53% |
| 2024-09 | $3,022 | -0.49% |
| 2024-08 | $3,037 | -0.52% |
| 2024-07 | $3,053 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices