Rent affordability · Boston
Can I afford $2,250/month rent in Boston?
$2,250/month puts you in the top 73% of renters in Boston by rent amount — $650 below the city median ($2,900).
Salary you need to afford this
Comfortable (25% rule)$108,000/yr
Manageable (30% rule)$90,000/yr
Stretch (35%)$77,143/yr
Risky (45%+)$60,000/yr
Based on gross annual salary. The 30% rule (manageable threshold) is the most widely used benchmark — it means $2,250/month consumes exactly 30% of your monthly income.
How this compares in Boston
$1,700
Budget rent
P10
$2,900
Typical rent
median
$4,800
High-end rent
P90
People in Boston typically spend 25–45% of their gross income on rent. The median renter spends 34%.
Data confidence: medium · US Census ACS 2022 + Greater Boston Housing Report Card · 2022–2023
Other rent amounts in Boston