The pandemic had upended our lives in so many different ways. In addition to historically high inflations, homebuyers and renters alike in major U.S. cities are also dealing with a housing affordability crisis.
Renters in Boston, one of the most expensive rental markets in the nation, are particularly feeling the pain of rising rental costs. According to our data, median one-bedroom rent went up 25% year-over-year to $2,500. Meanwhile, the median price for two-bedroom rentals has risen 19.5% to $2,995 since Q1 2021.
As more and more people flock back into the city, hundreds of thousands of them rely on the MBTA system to get them to and from work, school, pilates classes, and whatever else they may need. It is no wonder proximity to the T is one of the first things people consider when searching for an apartment in Boston. Even with working from home becoming a norm now, it’s undeniable that proximity to public transit is still crucial when it comes to choosing a place to live.
Our data science team recently crunched the numbers to map out median rents by each T train stop. Here’s what we discovered:
- Median rent for two-bedroom rentals rose 19.5% year-over-year, currently sitting at $2,995.
- As the market corrects itself from the pandemic rental concessions and discounts, 95% of the stops saw a year-over-year increase in median two-bedroom rents.
- Rents skyrocketed around Kendall/MIT (Red). The median two-bedroom rent went up 27.6% in the past year to $4,157.
- Meanwhile, homes around Chinatown (Orange, Silver) also experienced some notable rent hikes. The median two-bedroom rent at this station reached $4,445 in Q1, 20.7% higher than a year ago.
- Only three stops experienced a slight dip in rents. The median two-bedroom rent around Quincy Adams (Red) decreased 4.8% to $2,000. At Maverick (Blue), rents for two-bedroom homes decreased 3.1% year-over-year, to a median of $2,350.
Our Interactive MBTA Map Shows All Train Stations With Rents and YoY Fluctuations
To calculate the median rent for the map above, we used RentHop rental data for two-bedroom apartments from January 2022 through March 2022 and from January 201 through March 2021, as well as Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) GIS data for T stops from Mass.gov.
To get accurate prices near the subway stops, we looked first at non-duplicated listings within 0.62 miles of an MBTA stop. If there were 20 unique data points we calculated the median. If not, the radius from the stop was increased to 1.2 miles and the data was resampled to ensure enough unique listings were used when calculating the median.
The Biggest Rent Hikes On Two-Bedroom Apartments
- Kendall/MIT (Red) – $4,157, YoY 27.6%
- Suffolk Downs (Blue) – $2,400, YoY 26.6%
- Andrew (Red) – $3,500, YoY 23.9%
- Boylston (Green) – $4,200, YoY 23.5%
- Tufts Medical Center (Orange) – $4,450, YoY 23.3%
Here are the Most Expensive MBTA Stops, Based on Two-Bedroom Rents
- Back Bay (Orange) – $4,500, YoY 22.3%
- Arlington (Green) – $4,468, YoY 15.1%
- Tufts Medical Center (Orange) – $4,450, YoY 23.3%
- Chinatown (Orange, Silver) – $4,445, YoY 20.7%
- South Station (Red, Silver) – $4,388, YoY 10.6%
Only Three Stops Saw a Decrease
- Quincy Adams (Red) – $2,000, YoY -4.8%
- Maverick (Blue) – $2,350, YoY -3.1%
- Chestnut Hill (Green) – $2,500, YoY -2.0%
Here are the Cheapest MBTA Stops, Based on Two-Bedroom Rents
- Braintree (Red) – $1,775, YoY 4.7%
- Quincy Adams (Red) – $2,000, YoY -4.8%
- Mattapan (Red) – $2,000, YoY 5.3%
- Wonderland (Blue) – $2,000, YoY 5.3%
- Wollaston (Red) – $2,000, YoY 5.3%
Ride the Train to Savings
While many renters might feel like they’re getting priced out of Boston after over a year of rental discounts and concessions, there are still ways to save on rent – for instance, by traveling an extra stop.
The list below represents the largest price disparities between each stop.
- Save $1,250 on the Orange line between Back Bay ($4,500) and Massachusetts Ave ($3,250)
- Save $1,117 on the Red line between Kendall/MIT ($4,157) and Central ($3,040)
- Save $989 on the Green line between Coplay ($4,339) and Prudential ($3,350)
- Save $939 on the Green line between Coplay ($4,339) and Hynes Convention Center ($3,400)
- Save $750 on the Red line between Broadway ($4,250) and Andrew ($3,500)
- Save $715 on the Blue line between Aquarium ($3,065) and Maverick ($2,350)
Tell Your Friends! Here’s a Condensed Map for Easy Sharing
Click on the Map For High Resolution
What Does This Mean for You?
Finding an apartment in any city can be daunting, while deciding where to live and starting your search can be the most difficult step. By giving you as much information about the market as possible, RentHop wants to point you in the right direction. This map is just one of the countless data-backed insights we offer. All of our Boston rentals are ranked using available data to ensure that you always see the best quality apartments.
