Most Affordable MA Counties, Cities 2026

The cheapest places to live in Massachusetts in 2026 are concentrated in the western and southeastern parts of the state, far from Greater Boston. U.S. Census Bureau data show Berkshire, Hampden and Franklin counties have the lowest typical rents, while Springfield, Pittsfield and Holyoke post some of the lowest home values among the state’s larger cities. Here is how Massachusetts counties and cities compare on rent, home values and income.

Key facts: cost of living across Massachusetts

Statewide median gross rent: $1,762 a month (Census ACS 2020-2024)
Lowest county median rent: Berkshire County, $1,097
Highest county median rent: Nantucket County, $2,213
Lowest city home value in our sample: Springfield, $245,000
Massachusetts unemployment rate, September 2026: 4.3% (BLS via FRED)

Massachusetts counties with the lowest rent

The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey five-year estimates for 2020 to 2024 rank the state’s 14 counties by median gross rent, which includes contract rent plus utilities paid by the tenant. The four least expensive are all west of Worcester or on the South Coast:

Berkshire County: $1,097 a month, with a median household income of $76,013
Hampden County (Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke): $1,136, with income of $71,306
Franklin County (Greenfield area): $1,177, with income of $74,907
Bristol County (Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton): $1,245, with income of $85,625

Hampshire County ($1,388) and Worcester County ($1,426) round out the counties below the statewide median. At the top of the list, Nantucket ($2,213), Middlesex ($2,201), Norfolk ($2,149) and Suffolk ($2,129) all exceed $2,100.

Cheapest cities in Massachusetts for renters and buyers

Among a dozen of the state’s larger cities that The Boston Report compared, Holyoke had the lowest median rent at $1,021. Pittsfield ($1,134), New Bedford ($1,137), Springfield ($1,144), Fall River ($1,155) and Chicopee ($1,157) were all within about $25 of one another.

For buyers, the lowest median values of owner-occupied homes were in Springfield ($245,000), Pittsfield ($256,900), Holyoke ($274,100) and Chicopee ($274,500). By comparison, the median home value statewide is $562,100 and in Boston is $731,700.

Gateway cities closer to Boston cost more. Worcester’s median rent is $1,487, Lowell’s is $1,625, Brockton’s is $1,641 and Lawrence’s is $1,662. For a deeper look at prices in the capital, see our explainer on why Boston housing is so expensive.

Cheap rent is not the same as affordable

Lower prices often come with lower incomes. Springfield’s median household income is $52,656, less than half the statewide median of $103,960. A year of Springfield’s median rent equals about 26% of that city’s median household income, compared with about 20% statewide.

Lawrence shows the gap most sharply among the cities checked: a year of median rent equals about 33% of median household income there. In Pittsfield the figure is about 19%, the lowest among the cities in our sample.

These ratios compare renters’ costs with the income of all households, owners included, so they are a rough guide rather than a measure of what any one renter pays.

On home values, Pittsfield’s median home is worth about 3.6 times its median household income, the lowest ratio among the cities compared. Boston’s ratio is about 7.5.

What homes are listed for now

Census medians include homes owned for decades. For a current snapshot, Realtor.com data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) show the median listing price in September 2026 was $377,450 in Hampden County and about $550,000 in both Berkshire and Worcester counties. Listings were far higher closer to Boston: $799,450 in Suffolk County and $839,750 in Middlesex County.

Living costs beyond housing also matter. Massachusetts has a 5% state income tax, with a 4% surtax on very high incomes, and a 6.25% sales tax, all of which apply statewide, while property tax rates vary by town; our guide to Massachusetts taxes explained covers the details. Heating is another major winter expense, covered in our guide to heating bills and assistance for 2026-27.

Jobs and commuting

The statewide unemployment rate was 4.3% in September 2026, unchanged from August, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures on FRED. Many of the lowest-cost areas are a long drive from Boston-area job centers, so anyone weighing a move should compare commuting time and transportation costs against the housing savings. For seasonal work around the state, see our report on Amazon seasonal jobs in Massachusetts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest county to live in Massachusetts?

By Census median gross rent, Berkshire County is the least expensive at $1,097 a month. By median home value, Hampden County is lowest at $298,800.

What is the cheapest city in Massachusetts?

Among the larger cities The Boston Report compared, Holyoke had the lowest median rent ($1,021) and Springfield had the lowest median home value ($245,000), based on 2020-2024 Census estimates.

How much is rent in Massachusetts on average?

The statewide median gross rent is $1,762 a month, according to the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey.

Methodology: County and city figures are U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates (tables B25064, B19013 and B25077), retrieved Oct. 25, 2026. The city list covers 12 of the state’s larger cities and is not a ranking of all 351 cities and towns. Listing prices and unemployment come from FRED.

Sources

Additional sources

Photo: Springfield, Massachusetts skyline at dusk, by Alex Grichenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (cropped).

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Cheapest Places to Live in Massachusetts in 2026: Rent and Home Values by County and City