View yearly updates and historical trends for Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Housing Affordability Index. Source: National Association of Realtors. Track …

This data, maintained by the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH), is an inventory of all income-restricted units in the city. This data includes public housing owned by the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), privately- owned housing built with funding from DND and/or on land that was formerly City-owned, and privately-owned housing built without any City subsidy, e.g., created using Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) or as part of the Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP). Information is gathered from a variety of sources, including the City's IDP list, permitting and completion data from the Inspectional Services Department (ISD), newspaper advertisements for affordable units, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation’s (CEDAC) Expiring Use list, and project lists from the BHA, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), MassHousing, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), among others. The data is meant to be as exhaustive and up-to-date as possible, but since many units are not required to report data to the City of Boston, MOH is constantly working to verify and update it. See the data dictionary for more information on the structure of the data and important notes. The database only includes units that have a deed-restriction. It does not include tenant-based (also known as mobile) vouchers, which subsidize rent, but move with the tenant and are not attached to a particular unit. There are over 22,000 tenant-based vouchers in the city of Boston which provide additional affordability to low- and moderate-income households not accounted for here. The Income-Restricted Housing report can be directly accessed here:
https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2023/04/Income%20Restricted%20Housing%202022_0.pdf

Learn more about income-restricted housing (as well as other types of affordable housing) here: https://www.boston.gov/affordable-housing-boston#income-restricted

There is more to housing affordability than the rent or mortgage you pay. Transportation costs are the second-biggest budget item for most families, but it can be difficult for people to fully factor transportation costs into decisions about where to live and work. The Location Affordability Index (LAI) is a user-friendly source of standardized data at the neighborhood (census tract) level on combined housing and transportation costs to help consumers, policymakers, and developers make more informed decisions about where to live, work, and invest. Compare eight household profiles (see table below) —which vary by household income, size, and number of commuters—and see the impact of the built environment on affordability in a given location while holding household demographics constant.*$11,880 for a single person household in 2016 according to US Dept. of Health and Human Services: https://aspe.hhs.gov/computations-2016-poverty-guidelinesThis layer is symbolized by the percentage of housing and transportation costs as a percentage of income for the Median-Income Family profile, but the costs as a percentage of income for all household profiles are listed in the pop-up:Also available is a gallery of 8 web maps (one for each household profile) all symbolized the same way for easy comparison: Median-Income Family, Very Low-Income Individual, Working Individual, Single Professional, Retired Couple, Single-Parent Family, Moderate-Income Family, and Dual-Professional Family.An accompanying story map provides side-by-side comparisons and additional context.--Variables used in HUD's calculations include 24 measures such as people per household, average number of rooms per housing unit, monthly housing costs (mortgage/rent as well as utility and maintenance expenses), average number of cars per household, median commute distance, vehicle miles traveled per year, percent of trips taken on transit, street connectivity and walkability (measured by block density), and many more.To learn more about the Location Affordability Index (v.3) visit: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/location-affordability-index/. There you will find some background and an FAQ page, which includes the question:"Manhattan, San Francisco, and downtown Boston are some of the most expensive places to live in the country, yet the LAI shows them as affordable for the typical regional household. Why?" These areas have some of the lowest transportation costs in the country, which helps offset the high cost of housing. The area median income (AMI) in these regions is also high, so when costs are shown as a percent of income for the typical regional household these neighborhoods appear affordable; however, they are generally unaffordable to households earning less than the AMI.Date of Coverage: 2012-2016 Date Released: March 2019Date Downloaded from HUD Open Data: 4/18/19Further Documentation:LAI Version 3 Data and MethodologyLAI Version 3 Technical Documentation

Financial overview and grant giving statistics of Boston Affordable Housing Coalition Inc.

The median house prices in the most expensive zip codes in New England, United States ranged from *** to *** million U.S. dollars. Boston (zip code 02199) was the most expensive in New England with a median house price of *** million U.S. dollars. Nevertheless, that was more affordable than in the ten zip codes with the highest median house price in the entire United States.

The U.S. housing market has slowed, after ** consecutive years of rising home prices. In 2021, house prices surged by an unprecedented ** percent, marking the highest increase on record. However, the market has since cooled, with the Freddie Mac House Price Index showing more modest growth between 2022 and 2024. In 2024, home prices increased by *** percent. That was lower than the long-term average of *** percent since 1990. Impact of mortgage rates on homebuying The recent cooling in the housing market can be partly attributed to rising mortgage rates. After reaching a record low of **** percent in 2021, the average annual rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage more than doubled in 2023. This significant increase has made homeownership less affordable for many potential buyers, contributing to a substantial decline in home sales. Despite these challenges, forecasts suggest a potential recovery in the coming years. How much does it cost to buy a house in the U.S.? In 2023, the median sales price of an existing single-family home reached a record high of over ******* U.S. dollars. Newly built homes were even pricier, despite a slight decline in the median sales price in 2023. Naturally, home prices continue to vary significantly across the country, with West Virginia being the most affordable state for homebuyers.

The United States home construction market, valued at approximately $700 billion in 2025, is experiencing robust growth, projected to maintain a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 3% through 2033. This expansion is fueled by several key factors. Firstly, a persistent housing shortage, particularly in desirable urban areas like New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, continues to drive demand. Secondly, favorable demographic trends, including millennial household formation and an increasing preference for homeownership, are bolstering the sector. Furthermore, low interest rates (though this is subject to change depending on economic conditions) have historically made mortgages more accessible, stimulating construction activity. However, the market isn't without its challenges. Rising material costs, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions continue to exert upward pressure on construction prices, potentially impacting affordability and slowing growth in certain segments. The market is segmented by dwelling type (apartments & condominiums, villas, other), construction type (new construction, renovation), and geographic location, with significant activity concentrated in major metropolitan areas. The dominance of large national builders like D.R. Horton, Lennar Corp, and PulteGroup highlights the industry's consolidation trend, while the growth of multi-family construction reflects shifting urban preferences. Looking ahead, the market's trajectory will depend on macroeconomic factors, interest rate fluctuations, government policies impacting housing affordability, and the ability of the industry to address supply-chain and labor challenges. Innovation in construction technologies, sustainable building practices, and prefabricated homes are also emerging trends expected to significantly influence market dynamics over the forecast period. The competitive landscape is characterized by a mix of large publicly traded companies and smaller regional builders. While established players dominate the market share, opportunities exist for smaller firms specializing in niche markets, such as sustainable or luxury home construction, or those focused on specific geographic areas. The ongoing expansion of the market signifies significant potential for investment and growth, despite the hurdles currently impacting the sector. Addressing supply chain disruptions and labor shortages will be crucial for sustained growth. Continued demand in key urban centers and evolving consumer preferences toward specific dwelling types will be critical factors determining the market's future trajectory. Recent developments include: June 2022 - Pulte Homes - a national brand of PulteGroup, Inc. - announced the opening of its newest Boston-area community, Woodland Hill. Offering 46 new construction single-family homes in the charming town of Grafton, the community is conveniently located near schools, dining, and entertainment, with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail less than a mile away. The collection of home designs at Woodland Hill includes three two-story floor plans, ranging in size from 3,013 to 4,019 sq. ft. with four to six bedrooms, 2.5-3.5 baths, and 2-3 car garages. These spacious home designs feature flexible living spaces, plenty of natural light, gas fireplaces, and the signature Pulte Planning Center®, a unique multi-use workstation perfect for homework or a family office., December 2022 - D.R. Horton, Inc. announced the acquisition of Riggins Custom Homes, one of the largest builders in Northwest Arkansas. The homebuilding assets of Riggins Custom Homes and related entities (Riggins) acquired include approximately 3,000 lots, 170 homes in inventory, and 173 homes in the sales order backlog. For the trailing twelve months ended November 30, 2022, Riggins closed 153 homes (USD 48 million in revenue) with an average home size of approximately 1,925 square feet and an average sales price of USD 313,600. D.R. Horton expects to pay approximately USD 107 million in cash for the purchase, and the Company plans to combine the Riggins operations with the current D.R. Horton platform in Northwest Arkansas.. Notable trends are: High-interest Rates are Negatively Impacting the Market.

Direct link: Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset

DATASET CONTEXT

Boston's ordinance on short-term rentals is designed to incorporate the growth of the home-share industry into the City's work to create affordable housing for all residents. We want to preserve housing for residents while allowing Bostonians to benefit from this new industry. Starting on on January 1, 2019, short-term rentals in Boston will need to register with the City of Boston.

Eligibility for every unit in the City of Boston is dependant on the following six criteria:

• No affordability covenant restrictions
• Compliance with housing laws and codes
• No violations of laws regarding short-term rental use
• Owner occupied
• Two- or three-family dwelling
• Residential use classification

The Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset leverages information, wherever possible, about these criteria. For additional details and information about these criteria, please visit https://www.boston.gov/short-term-rentals.

ABOUT THIS DATASET

ATTENTION: The Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset is now available for residents and landlords to determine their registration eligibility.

NOTE: These data are refreshed on a nightly basis.

In June 2018, a citywide ordinance established new guidelines and regulations for short-term rentals in Boston. Registration opened January 1, 2019. The Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset was created to help residents, landlords, and City officials determine whether a property is eligible to be registered as a short-term rental.

The Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset currently joins data from the following datasets:

• Live Street Address Management (SAM) Addresses
• Assessing Online
• Code Enforcement - Building and Property
• Problem Properties
• Income-Restricted Properties
• STR Registration Data

HOW TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGISTRATION

1. ** Open** the Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset. In the dataset's search bar, enter the address of the property you are seeking to register.

2. Find the row containing the correct address and unit of the property you are seeking. This is the information we have for your unit.

3. Look at the columns marked as “Home-Share Eligible,” “Limited-Share Eligible,” and “Owner-Adjacent Eligible.”

   A “yes” under any of these columns means your unit IS eligible for registration under that short-term rental type. Click here for a description of short-term rental types.

   A “no” under any of these columns means your unit is NOT eligible for registration under that short-term rental type. Click here for a description of short-term rental types.

4. If your unit has a “yes” under “Home-Share Eligible,” “Limited-Share Eligible,” or “Owner-Adjacent Eligible,” you can register your unit here.

WHY IS MY UNIT LISTED AS “NOT ELIGIBLE”?

If you find that your unit is listed as NOT eligible, and you would like to understand more about why, you can use the Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset to learn more. The following columns measure each of the six eligibility criteria in the following ways:

1. No affordability covenant restrictions

   • A “yes” in the “Income Restricted” column tells you that the unit is marked as income restricted and is NOT eligible.

The “Income Restricted” column measures whether the unit is subject to an affordability covenant, as reported by the Department of Neighborhood Development and/or the Boston Planning and Development Agency.
For questions about affordability covenants, contact the Department of Neighborhood Development.

1. Compliance with housing laws and codes

   • A “yes” in the “Problem Properties” column tells you that this unit is considered a “Problem Property” by the Problem Properties Task Force and is NOT eligible.

Learn more about how “Problem Properties” are defined here.

* A **“yes”** in the **“Problem Property Owner”** column tells you that the owner of this unit also owns a “Problem Property,” as reported by the Problem Properties Task Force. 

Owners with any properties designated as a Problem Property are NOT eligible.

No unit owned by the owner of a “Problem Property” may register a short-term rental.
Learn more about how “Problem Properties” are defined here.

* The **“Open Violation Count”** column tells you how many open violations the unit has. Units with **any open** violations are NOT eligible. Violations counted include: violations of the sanitary, building, zoning, and fire code; stop work orders; and abatement orders. 

NOTE: Violations written before 1/1/19 that are still open will make a unit NOT eligible until these violations are resolved.
If your unit has an open violation, visit these links to appeal your violation(s) or pay your code violation fine(s).

* The **“Violations in the Last 6 Months”** column tells you how many violations the unit has received in the last six months. Units with **three or more** violations, whether open or closed, are NOT eligible. 

NOTE: Only violations written on or after 1/1/19 will count against this criteria.
If your unit has an open violation, visit these links to appeal your violation(s) or pay your code violation fine(s).

How to comply with housing laws and codes:
Have an open violation? Visit these links to appeal your violation(s) or pay your code violation fine(s).
Have questions about problem properties? Visit Neighborhood Service’s Problem Properties site.
a legal restriction that prohibits the use of the unit as a Short-Term Rental under condominium bylaws.
Units with legal restrictions found upon investigation are NOT eligible.

If the investigation of a complaint against the unit yields restrictions of the nature detailed above, we will mark the unit with a “yes” in this column. Until such complaint-based investigations begin, all units are marked with “no.”
NOTE: Currently no units have a “legally restricted” designation.
Limited-Share
If you are the owner-occupant of a unit and you have not filed for Residential Tax Exemption, you can still register your unit by proving owner-occupancy. It is recommended that you submit proof of residency in your short-term rental registration application to expedite the process of proving owner-occupancy (see “Primary Residence Evidence” section).

* **“Building Owner-Occupied”** measures whether the building has a single owner AND is owner occupied. A “no” in this column indicates that the unit is NOT eligible for an owner-adjacent short-term rental. 

If you believe your building occupancy data is incorrect, please contact the Assessing Department.

1. Two- or three-family dwelling

   • The “Units in Building” column tells you how many units are in the building. Owner-Adjacent units are only allowed in two- to three-family buildings; therefore, four or more units in this column will mark the unit as NOT eligible for an Owner-Adjacent Short-Term Rental.

   • A “no” in the “Building Single Owner” column tells you that the owner of this unit does not own the entire building and is NOT eligible for an Owner-Adjacent Short-Term Rental.

   If you believe your building occupancy data is incorrect, please contact the Assessing Department.
   R4

   If you believe your building occupancy data is incorrect, please contact the Assessing Department.

Visit this site for more information on unit eligibility criteria.

Click here to check Short-Term Rental Eligibility

Boston's ordinance on short-term rentals is designed to incorporate the growth of the home-share industry into the City's work to create affordable housing for all residents. We want to preserve housing for residents while allowing Bostonians to benefit from this new industry. Starting on on January 1, 2019, short-term rentals in Boston will need to register with the City of Boston.

Eligibility for every unit in the City of Boston is dependant on the following six criteria:

• No affordability covenant restrictions
• Compliance with housing laws and codes
• No violations of laws regarding short-term rental use
• Owner occupied
• Two- or three-family dwelling
• Residential use classification

The Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset leverages information, wherever possible, about these criteria. For additional details and information about these criteria, please visit https://www.boston.gov/short-term-rentals.

ABOUT THIS DATASET

In June 2018, a citywide ordinance established new guidelines and regulations for short-term rentals in Boston. Registration opened January 1, 2019. The Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset was created to help residents, landlords, and City officials determine whether a property is eligible to be registered as a short-term rental.

The Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset currently joins data from the following datasets and is refreshed nightly:

• Live Street Address Management (SAM) Addresses.
• Assessing Online.
• Building and Property Violations
• Problem Properties
• Income-Restricted Properties
• STR Registration Data

HOW TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGISTRATION

1. ** Open** the Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset. In the dataset's search bar, enter the address of the property you are seeking to register.

2. Find the row containing the correct address and unit of the property you are seeking. This is the information we have for your unit.

3. Look at the columns marked as “Home-Share Eligible,” “Limited-Share Eligible,” and “Owner-Adjacent Eligible.”

   • A “yes” under any of these columns means your unit IS eligible for registration under that short-term rental type. Click here for a description of short-term rental types.
   • A “no” under any of these columns means your unit is NOT eligible for registration under that short-term rental type. Click here for a description of short-term rental types.

4. If your unit has a “yes” under “Home-Share Eligible,” “Limited-Share Eligible,” or “Owner-Adjacent Eligible,” you can register your unit here.

WHY IS MY UNIT LISTED AS “NOT ELIGIBLE”?

If you find that your unit is listed as NOT eligible, and you would like to understand more about why, you can use the Short-Term Rental Eligibility Dataset to learn more. The following columns measure each of the six eligibility criteria in the following ways:

1. No affordability covenant restrictions

   • A “yes” in the “Income Restricted” column tells you that the unit is marked as income restricted and is NOT eligible.
     
     
   • The “Income Restricted” column measures whether the unit is subject to an affordability covenant, as reported by the Department of Neighborhood Development and/or the Boston Planning and Development Agency.
     
     
   • For questions about affordability covenants, contact the Department of Neighborhood Development.
     
     

2. Compliance with housing laws and codes

   • A “yes” in the “Problem Properties” column tells you that this unit is considered a “Problem Property” by the Problem Properties Task Force and is NOT eligible.
     
     
   • Learn more about how “Problem Properties” are defined here.
     
     
   • A “yes” in the “Problem Property Owner” column tells you that the owner of this unit also owns a “Problem Property,” as reported by the Problem Properties Task Force.
     
     
   • Owners with any properties designated as a Problem Property are NOT eligible.
     
     
   • No unit owned by the owner of a “Problem Property” may register a short-term rental.
     
     
   • Learn more about how “Problem Properties” are defined here.
     
     
   • The “Open Violation Count” column tells you how many open violations the unit has. Units with any open violations are NOT eligible. Violations counted include: violations of the sanitary, building, zoning, and fire code; stop work orders; and abatement orders.
     
     
   • NOTE: Violations written before 1/1/19 that are still open will make a unit NOT eligible until these violations are resolved.
     
     
   • If your unit has an open violation, visit these links to appeal your violation(s) or pay your code violation fine(s).
     
     
   • The “Violations in the Last 6 Months” column tells you how many violations the unit has received in the last six months. Units with three or more violations, whether open or closed, are NOT eligible.
     
     
   • NOTE: Only violations written on or after 1/1/19 will count against this criteria.
     
     
   • If your unit has an open violation, visit these links to appeal your violation(s) or pay your code violation fine(s).
     
     
   • How to comply with housing laws and codes:
     
     
   • Have an open violation? Visit these links to appeal your violation(s) or pay your code violation fine(s).
     
     
   • Have questions about problem properties? Visit Neighborhood Service’s Problem Properties site.
     
     

3. No violations of laws regarding short-term rental use

   • A “yes” in the “Legally Restricted” column tells you that there is a complaint against the unit that finds

     • A legal restriction that prohibits the use of the unit as a Short-Term Rental under local, state, or federal law, OR

     • legal restriction that prohibits the use of the unit as a Short-Term Rental under condominium bylaws.

     • Units with legal restrictions found upon investigation are NOT eligible.
       
       

     • If the investigation of a complaint against the unit yields restrictions of the nature detailed above, we will mark the unit with a “yes” in this column. Until such complaint-based investigations begin, all units are marked with “no.”
       
       

     • NOTE: Currently no units have a “legally restricted” designation.
       
       

4. Owner-occupied

   • A “no” in the “Unit Owner-Occupied” column tells you that there is NO Residential Tax Exemption filed for that unit via the Assessing Department, and that unit is automatically categorized as NOT eligible for the following Short-Term Rental types:

     • Home-Share
     • Limited-Share
       
       
     • Residential Tax Exemption indicates that a unit is owner-occupied and generates a “yes” in the “Unit Owner-Occupied” column.
       
       

     • Owners are not required to file a Residential Tax Exemption in order to be eligible to register a unit as a Short-Term Rental.
       
       

     • If you would like to apply for Residential Tax Exemption, you can apply here.
       
       

     • If you are the owner-occupant of a unit and you have not filed for Residential Tax Exemption, you can still register your unit by proving owner-occupancy.
       

     • It is recommended that you submit proof of residency in your short-term rental registration application to expedite the process of proving owner-occupancy (see