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Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, NH

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, NH is $2,941 per month, ranking #8 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $112,484, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 31.4% of income on housing. Rent in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy has increased 4.0% year over year. The area has a population of 4.9M, with 38.2% of households renting.

31.4%
Rent Burdened
of income → rent
$2,941
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$112,484
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,940
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+4%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
4.9M
Population
Census ACS
38.2%
Renters
of occupied housing
$610,900
Median Home Value
5.9%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
8.9%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$2,359
Studio
$2,476
1 Bedroom
$2,941
2 Bedroom
$3,526
3 Bedroom
$3,894
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, NH, a household earning the area median income of $112,484 would spend 31.4% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers households spending more than 30% of income on housing to be "cost-burdened." This means many renters in this area face financial strain from housing costs.

Income Needed for 2BR
$117,640
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$57
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,940
$1,001 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+25.9% since 2021
$2,3362021$2,3992022$2,6352023$2,8272024$2,8372025$2,9412026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in New Hampshire is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 312 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy is 8.9%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
312 hrs
Poverty Rate
8.9%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy is $610,900. At a median income of $112,484, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 5.4x. 5.9% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$4,276 est. mortgage
vs $2,941 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
5.9%
of housing units

Other Areas in New Hampshire

Lawrence
$2,270/mo
2BR FMR · 24.2% burden
Western Rockingham County
$2,220/mo
2BR FMR · 23.7% burden
Portsmouth-Rochester
$2,194/mo
2BR FMR · 23.4% burden
Nashua
$2,127/mo
2BR FMR · 25.4% burden
Manchester
$2,037/mo
2BR FMR · 24.3% burden

Compare Boston-Cambridge-Quincy

vs Lawrence, NHvs Western Rockingham County, NHvs Portsmouth-Rochester, NH

Areas With Similar Rent to Boston-Cambridge-Quincy

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, NH is $2,941 per month. A studio is $2,359/mo, a 1-bedroom is $2,476/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $3,526/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,940/mo.

Boston-Cambridge-Quincy has a rent burden of 31.4%, meaning a household earning the median income of $112,484 would spend 31.4% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers spending 30%+ on housing to be cost-burdened. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $117,640.

Boston-Cambridge-Quincy's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,941/mo is $1,691 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy ranks #8 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $117,640, or a full-time hourly wage of $57/hour. The area median income is $112,484.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy increased by 4.0% compared to the prior year. This is a modest increase, roughly in line with typical housing cost trends.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.