North Shore Rent Index · April 2026

Spring supply builds, with 5,411 homes on the market in March

Monthly asking rents, supply and time on market across 45 towns and cities on Boston's North Shore. Covers March 2026 data.

  • The average asking rent across the Chelworths service area was $2,707 in March 2026, up 0.1% on the month and down 3.1% on March 2025 ($2,793).
  • 5,411 rentals were on the market, up 27.4% on a year ago.
  • Homes took an average of 34.1 days to let, compared with 34.9 days in February and 29.7 days a year earlier.
Liam Davies , Founder, Chelworths Property Management Group:
“Rents edged up again in March, by 0.1% to $2,707. That's the second monthly rise in a row, although the average is still 3.1% below last March.”
“Supply is growing quickly. There were 5,411 homes on the market, 4.3% more than in February, and time to let improved to 34.1 days.”
“With more homes coming to market ahead of the summer, landlords will be competing for the same renters. A well priced, well presented home will stand out.”

Average asking rent, March 2026

Change on the previous month and the same month last year

All homes
$2,707
+0.1% on month
-3.1% on year
Studio
$2,006
+0.1% on month
-1.3% on year
1 bed
$2,361
+0.6% on month
-1.4% on year
2 bed
$2,894
+0.4% on month
-1.6% on year
3 bed
$3,300
-0.4% on month
-3.4% on year
Active listings
5,411
+4.3% on month
+27.4% on year
Avg days on market
34.1
29.7 days a year ago
New listings
2,569
added in March
Towns covered
45
52 ZIP codes

Market summary

Spring demand typically starts to build in March ahead of the summer moving season. The service area average asking rent rose 0.1% to $2,707 in March 2026, the second consecutive monthly rise. The average is 0.6% above the January 2026 low of $2,691 and 3.8% below the August 2025 high of $2,814. Compared with March 2025, rents are down 3.1%.

Active listings rose 4.3% on the month to 5,411, 27.4% higher than in March 2025. Homes took 34.1 days to let on average, down from 34.9 days in February, and slower than a year ago (29.7 days).

By size, three bedroom homes saw the largest annual fall (-3.4% to $3,300), while studios held up best (-1.3% to $2,006). One bedroom homes, the largest segment with 2,016 listings, averaged $2,361 (-1.4% on the year) and took 29.0 days to let, against 24.3 days a year ago. Studios were the slowest to let at 46.3 days.

Among towns with at least 10 listings, Ipswich, North Reading and Manchester-by-the-Sea recorded the strongest annual growth (+23.5%, +11.3%, +11.0%). The largest falls were in North Andover, Marblehead and Andover (-15.4%, -12.3%, -8.8%). North Andover's listing count has grown to 109 from 26 a year ago, a 319% increase in supply.

The five largest rental markets, Malden, Revere, Everett, Chelsea and Lynn, account for 48% of listings in the service area. Of towns with 30 or more listings, homes let fastest in North Reading, Lynnfield and Melrose (6, 16, 22 days) and slowest in Winthrop, Newburyport and Stoneham. Haverhill, Lawrence and Lynn remain the most affordable markets, with average asking rents from $2,205.

Average asking rent

All property types, service area, Mar 25 to Mar 26

Average asking rent by bedrooms

Studio, one, two and three bedroom homes

Studio 1 bed 2 bed 3 bed

Active rental listings

Homes on the market each month

Time to let

Average days on market for active listings

Town by town

Where the rentals are

Average monthly active listings, Apr 25 to Mar 26, 20 largest markets

Days on market by town

Average days on market, March 2026, towns with 30 or more listings

Annual change in asking rent

Mar 26 vs Mar 25. Towns with fewer than 10 listings are excluded

Rent up Rent down

All towns, March 2026

Average asking rent, change, rent by bedrooms, listings and days on market. * fewer than 10 listings, treat with caution. Bedroom rents with fewer than 3 listings are not shown.

Town Avg rent Month Year Studio 1 bed 2 bed 3 bed Listings 12-mo avg listings Days on market
Amesbury $2,951 +3.8% +2.0% – $2,453 $3,014 $3,580 48 38 27
Andover $2,715 -3.0% -8.8% – $2,352 $2,833 $3,919 145 158 25
Beverly $2,624 +0.8% -7.1% $1,797 $2,299 $2,772 $3,375 160 146 36
Boxford* $7,500 +30.4% +150.0% – – – – 1 2 99
Byfield* $3,600 -10.0% n/a – – – – 1 2 7
Chelsea $2,662 +1.3% -3.4% $1,907 $2,584 $3,108 $3,099 454 439 30
Danvers $2,881 +1.7% -0.8% $1,821 $2,375 $2,897 $3,747 103 107 32
Essex* $2,595 +12.8% -19.5% – $2,067 – – 5 4 39
Everett $2,818 +0.3% -1.7% $2,473 $2,538 $3,026 $3,053 451 490 26
Georgetown* $2,910 -17.1% +45.5% – – $2,217 – 5 4 82
Gloucester $2,939 +0.9% -4.0% – $2,250 $2,513 $3,459 75 74 46
Groveland* $5,500 +57.1% +73.9% – – – – 1 3 26
Hamilton* $2,550 +8.5% -47.4% – – – – 2 4 49
Haverhill $2,205 +0.1% -2.3% $1,867 $1,926 $2,327 $2,678 266 234 36
Ipswich $3,050 +8.9% +23.5% – $1,950 $3,006 $4,330 18 16 73
Lawrence $2,225 -0.7% -8.4% $1,666 $1,778 $2,411 $2,700 260 227 26
Lynn $2,367 +0.7% -1.6% $1,696 $2,091 $2,534 $3,096 495 431 41
Lynnfield $3,486 -0.1% -2.2% – $2,964 $3,756 – 36 33 16
Malden $2,680 +0.4% +1.4% $2,059 $2,360 $2,929 $3,241 628 540 32
Manchester-by-the-Sea $5,508 +16.7% +11.0% – $3,130 $3,810 $6,838 20 22 72
Marblehead $3,189 -8.1% -12.3% – $2,518 $3,212 $4,496 64 59 49
Melrose $2,882 -0.4% -2.8% $1,945 $2,574 $3,129 $3,388 210 199 22
Merrimac* $2,654 +4.1% -4.4% – – $2,994 – 6 4 108
Methuen $2,456 +0.7% -3.9% $1,925 $2,033 $2,467 $2,852 98 89 37
Middleton* $3,356 +11.3% -6.8% – – $3,356 – 8 6 42
Nahant $3,272 +10.6% +7.8% – $2,078 – $4,460 12 13 68
Newbury* $2,766 -6.4% -13.2% – $2,550 – $3,158 8 13 53
Newburyport $3,436 -3.6% +5.3% – $2,875 $3,661 $4,155 50 45 69
North Andover $2,620 +2.4% -15.4% $2,222 $2,300 $2,648 $3,137 109 56 35
North Reading $2,908 -1.2% +11.3% – $2,288 $3,080 – 38 48 6
Peabody $2,735 -1.8% -5.2% $1,613 $2,461 $2,898 $3,187 193 186 24
Reading $3,137 +3.2% +9.1% $1,767 $2,297 $2,945 $4,648 32 29 34
Revere $2,845 -0.1% -0.9% $2,256 $2,474 $3,104 $3,597 629 539 28
Rockport $3,360 +6.5% -8.7% – $2,070 $3,948 $3,825 24 29 61
Rowley* $1,900 -7.7% -5.0% – – – – 2 4 78
Salem $2,678 -0.3% -5.2% $1,826 $2,248 $2,923 $3,077 319 296 41
Salisbury $2,469 +4.0% -5.2% – $2,281 $2,383 $3,008 22 20 55
Saugus $2,796 -1.4% -3.3% $2,060 $2,470 $3,060 $3,300 93 80 30
Stoneham $3,331 +2.6% +0.1% $1,986 $2,721 $3,617 $3,473 66 76 51
Swampscott $3,098 -5.2% -8.6% – $2,604 $2,971 $4,464 65 71 40
Topsfield* $1,700 0.0% n/a – – – – 1 2 26
Wakefield $2,899 +0.4% -4.5% $2,161 $2,407 $3,100 $3,925 93 89 44
Wenham* $2,900 -1.7% -0.9% – – – – 1 2 156
West Newbury* – n/a n/a – – – – 0 2 –
Winthrop $2,630 -2.7% -5.2% $1,866 $2,312 $2,702 $3,184 94 103 74
Service area $2,707 +0.1% -3.1% $2,006 $2,361 $2,894 $3,300 5,411 5,031 34

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About the North Shore Rent Index

The index is published monthly by Chelworths Property Management Group. The April 2026 edition covers March 2026 data and compares it with the previous 12 months. Figures are based on active residential rental listings from RentCast across 52 ZIP codes in 45 towns and cities in Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk counties.

Rents are average asking rents, not achieved rents. Service area and town figures are listing-weighted averages across each ZIP code, so larger markets carry more weight. Studio figures are zero bedroom listings. Days on market is the average number of days active listings had been on the market, used here as a measure of time to let. Towns with fewer than 10 active listings are marked * and excluded from town rankings, as small samples can move sharply month to month. Monthly figures may be revised as the source data updates. RentCast did not report studios separately before March 2025 and its listing coverage was lower from December 2024 to February 2025, so annual comparisons that rely on those months are not shown.

This report is general market information and not an appraisal of any individual property. Data retrieved September 16, 2026. © 2026 Chelworths Property Management Group.