93% of Boston T Stops Experienced Rent Hikes

Despite the fact that rent hikes across the country have eased since last summer, renters in Boston, one of the most expensive rental markets in the U.S., continued to grapple with high rental costs. According to our data, the median rent in Boston in Q1 2023 rose 6.7% year-over-year.

Each year, the data science team at RentHop crunches the numbers to map out median rents by each MBTA T train stop to help renters navigate the Boston rental market. Our findings this year include:

• Of the 125 stops included in the study, 93% saw a year-over-year increase in median 2BR rents.
• These stops include Prudential ($4,050, +15.7%), Downtown Crossing ($4,000, +11.1%), and North Station ($4,038, +9.1%).
• Five stops experienced a slight decrease year over year, including South Station ($4,435, -6.3%), Broadway ($4,175, -1.8%), and Roxbury Crossing ($2,950, -1.7%).
• The median 2BR rent jumped 15.7% around Haymarket (Green and Orange Lines) to $3,500.
• Renters can potentially save $1,129 on the Green Line by moving one stop away from Copley ($4,929) to Hynes Convention Center ($3,800).

Our Interactive MBTA Map Shows All Train Stations With Rents and YoY Fluctuations

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To calculate the median rent for the map above, we used RentHop unfurnished two-bedroom apartments created between January 15, 2023 and April 15, 2023, as well as Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) GIS data for T stops from MBTA’s Open Data portal.

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

1. Reservoir (Green) – $2,850, YoY 15.74%
2. Prudential (Green) – $4,050, YoY 15.71%
3. Haymarket (Green, Orange) – $3,500, YoY 15.7%
4. Englewood Avenue (Green) – $2,825, YoY 15.31%
5. State (Blue, Orange) – $3,900, YoY 14.71%

Here are the Most Expensive MBTA Stops, Based on Two-Bedroom Rents

1. Arlington (Green) – $4,964, YoY 10.28%
2. Copley (Green) – $4,929, YoY 9.53%
3. Back Bay (Orange) – $4,808, YoY 11.23%
4. Chinatown (Orange, Silver) – $4,500, YoY 2.27%
5. Tufts Medical Center (Orange) – $4,500, YoY 1.12%

These Five Stops Saw a Decrease in Two Bed-Room Rents

1. South Station (Red, Silver) – $4,435, YoY -6.27%
2. Forest Hills (Orange) – $2,650, YoY -3.64%
3. Newton Highlands (Green) – $2,250, YoY -2.17%
4. Broadway (Red) – $4,175, YoY -1.76%
5. Roxbury Crossing (Orange) – $2,950, YoY -1.67%

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.

1. Save $1,129 on the Green line between Copley ($4,929) and Hynes Convention Center ($3,800)
2. Save $1,008 on the Orange line between Back Bay ($4,808) and Massachusetts Ave ($3,800)
3. Save $879 on the Green line between Copley ($4,929) and Prudential ($4,050)
4. Save $868 on the Red line between Kendall/MIT ($4,268) and Central ($3,400)
5. Save $800 on the Red line between Andrew ($3,475) and JFK/UMass ($2,675)
6. Save $700 on the Red line between Broadway ($4,175) and Andrew ($3,475)
7. Save $500 on the Blue line between Aquarium ($3,550) and Maverick ($3,050)

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.