Boston: what paychecks leave after rent
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area: 2,703,890 jobs, median pay of $66,620 across all occupations, and a $2,518 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Boston, earning the all-occupations median of $66,620, takes home about $4,641 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 54% of that. The median wage is 0.66× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay, which falls short of the guideline.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (24% of take-home on a 1BR). Fast Food and Counter Workers are the most squeezed (96%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $2,023 (±$11), and median household income was $115,863 (±$796).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Boston
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $166,090 | $10,399 | 31.5 h | 24% | $7,881 | 1.65× |
| Registered Nurse | $106,180 | $6,961 | 49.3 h | 36% | $4,443 | 1.05× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $100,150 | $6,607 | 52.3 h | 38% | $4,089 | 0.99× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $98,060 | $6,485 | — h | 39% | $3,967 | 0.97× |
| Electrician | $79,910 | $5,421 | 65.5 h | 46% | $2,903 | 0.79× |
| Police Officer | $78,180 | $5,319 | 67.0 h | 47% | $2,801 | 0.78× |
| Truck Driver | $64,010 | $4,468 | 81.8 h | 56% | $1,950 | 0.64× |
| Medical Assistant | $50,740 | $3,579 | 103.2 h | 70% | $1,061 | 0.50× |
| Retail Salesperson | $36,850 | $2,649 | 142.1 h | 95% | $131 | 0.37× |
| Fast Food Worker | $36,290 | $2,612 | 144.3 h | 96% | $94 | 0.36× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area | 3,605,178 | $2,518 | $3,008 |
| Lawrence, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area | 461,498 | $1,809 | $2,367 |
| Lowell, MA HUD Metro FMR Area | 324,365 | $1,831 | $2,383 |
| Brockton, MA HUD Metro FMR Area | 268,716 | $1,842 | $2,409 |
| Portsmouth-Rochester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area | 241,682 | $1,600 | $2,093 |
| Western Rockingham County, NH HUD Metro FMR Area | 51,915 | $1,794 | $2,347 |
HUD splits this metro into several rent areas. Highlighted is the most populous one, which this site uses for every comparison.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.