North Shore Rent Index · February 2026
January rents fall to $2,691 as the winter slowdown continues
Monthly asking rents, supply and time on market across 45 towns and cities on Boston's North Shore. Covers January 2026 data.
- The average asking rent across the Chelworths service area was $2,691 in January 2026, down 1.2% on the month and down 5.6% on January 2025 ($2,851).
- 5,002 rentals were on the market, up 0.9% on the month.
- Homes took an average of 36.1 days to let, compared with 37.8 days in December and 27.8 days a year earlier.
“January saw the biggest monthly fall this winter, with asking rents down 1.2% to $2,691. That's the fifth fall in a row and the lowest average in the last 13 months.”
“There are early signs the market is turning. Listings rose 0.9% to 5,002 and the average time to let improved to 36.1 days, down from 37.8 in December.”
“Landlords letting in the next few weeks should expect a slower process than in the summer. Pricing close to the local average and allowing flexible viewing times will help.”
Average asking rent, January 2026
Change on the previous month and the same month last year
-5.6% on year
n/a on year
n/a on year
-3.9% on year
-3.0% on year
year change n/a*
Market summary
January is usually one of the quietest months of the year for lettings. The service area average asking rent fell 1.2% to $2,691 in January 2026, the fifth consecutive monthly fall. This is the lowest average in the 13 months tracked. Compared with January 2025, rents are down 5.6%.
Active listings rose 0.9% on the month to 5,002. Homes took 36.1 days to let on average, down from 37.8 days in December, and slower than a year ago (27.8 days).
By size, two bedroom homes saw the largest annual fall (-3.9% to $2,859), while three bedroom homes held up best (-3.0% to $3,285). Two bedroom homes, the largest segment with 1,857 listings, averaged $2,859 (-3.9% on the year) and took 33.0 days to let, against 27.6 days a year ago. Studios were the slowest to let at 51.4 days. Annual changes for studios and one bedroom homes are not shown this month, because the source data did not report studios separately before March 2025.
Among towns with at least 10 listings, North Reading, Nahant and Methuen recorded the strongest annual growth (+15.4%, +8.7%, +1.7%). The largest falls were in Reading, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Marblehead (-19.0%, -15.2%, -14.9%).
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 Lawrence (10, 13, 24 days) and slowest in Marblehead, Newburyport and Winthrop. Haverhill, Lynn and Lawrence remain the most affordable markets, with average asking rents from $2,157.
Average asking rent
All property types, service area, Jan 25 to Jan 26
Average asking rent by bedrooms
Studio, one, two and three bedroom homes. Studios were not reported separately before March 2025
Active rental listings
Homes on the market each month. Source coverage was lower from Dec 2024 to Feb 2025
Time to let
Average days on market for active listings
Town by town
Where the rentals are
Average monthly active listings, Feb 25 to Jan 26, 20 largest markets
Days on market by town
Average days on market, January 2026, towns with 30 or more listings
Annual change in asking rent
Jan 26 vs Jan 25. Towns with fewer than 10 listings are excluded
All towns, January 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 | $2,780 | +2.3% | -6.5% | – | $2,440 | $2,679 | $2,950 | 54 | 34 | 25 |
| Andover | $2,861 | -4.5% | -7.6% | $1,715 | $2,307 | $3,039 | $4,177 | 138 | 155 | 27 |
| Beverly | $2,614 | -1.8% | -11.7% | $1,941 | $2,257 | $2,818 | $3,444 | 162 | 138 | 40 |
| Boxford* | $6,433 | +13.4% | +58.8% | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | 40 |
| Byfield* | $3,248 | -4.9% | n/a | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| Chelsea | $2,518 | -0.7% | -9.3% | $1,870 | $2,447 | $2,948 | $2,954 | 438 | 425 | 29 |
| Danvers | $2,837 | +1.4% | -5.5% | $1,835 | $2,265 | $2,897 | $3,541 | 119 | 103 | 36 |
| Essex* | $3,200 | +5.5% | -8.3% | – | – | – | – | 3 | 5 | 62 |
| Everett | $2,810 | -1.0% | -5.9% | $2,486 | $2,571 | $2,951 | $2,987 | 378 | 488 | 25 |
| Georgetown* | $2,817 | -6.9% | +40.9% | – | – | – | – | 5 | 3 | 42 |
| Gloucester | $2,840 | -4.8% | -5.7% | – | $2,165 | $2,446 | $3,521 | 68 | 74 | 58 |
| Groveland* | $2,500 | -9.6% | +6.4% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 70 |
| Hamilton* | $1,850 | -39.7% | -53.8% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 22 |
| Haverhill | $2,157 | -0.0% | -7.1% | $1,797 | $1,972 | $2,304 | $2,590 | 251 | 221 | 37 |
| Ipswich | $2,855 | +0.7% | -9.7% | – | $1,900 | $2,789 | $3,624 | 22 | 16 | 75 |
| Lawrence | $2,374 | -0.3% | -2.4% | $1,749 | $1,989 | $2,418 | $2,714 | 222 | 216 | 24 |
| Lynn | $2,364 | +0.4% | -3.8% | $1,713 | $2,076 | $2,568 | $3,021 | 455 | 397 | 44 |
| Lynnfield | $3,276 | -5.0% | -1.0% | – | $2,856 | $3,749 | – | 34 | 32 | 13 |
| Malden | $2,703 | -2.0% | +0.7% | $2,046 | $2,361 | $2,930 | $3,203 | 526 | 525 | 37 |
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | $4,226 | -1.4% | -15.2% | – | $3,033 | $3,605 | $4,597 | 25 | 20 | 96 |
| Marblehead | $3,062 | -1.3% | -14.9% | – | $2,562 | $2,964 | $4,219 | 48 | 57 | 69 |
| Melrose | $2,900 | -0.8% | -2.5% | $2,359 | $2,518 | $3,098 | $3,772 | 183 | 194 | 27 |
| Merrimac* | $2,569 | -0.9% | -9.9% | – | – | $2,750 | – | 8 | 4 | 84 |
| Methuen | $2,479 | -2.7% | +1.7% | $1,961 | $2,038 | $2,350 | $3,131 | 96 | 83 | 48 |
| Middleton* | $2,644 | -13.0% | +0.2% | – | $1,732 | $3,080 | – | 9 | 6 | 66 |
| Nahant | $2,700 | +0.1% | +8.7% | – | $2,149 | $2,683 | $3,750 | 20 | 12 | 50 |
| Newbury | $2,936 | -3.9% | -8.1% | – | $2,412 | – | $3,358 | 11 | 13 | 67 |
| Newburyport | $3,087 | +3.8% | -2.5% | – | $2,119 | $3,513 | $3,800 | 48 | 45 | 62 |
| North Andover | $2,505 | -5.0% | -13.9% | $2,104 | $2,238 | $2,543 | $3,127 | 89 | 44 | 38 |
| North Reading | $2,871 | 0.0% | +15.4% | – | $2,281 | $2,863 | $3,867 | 36 | 50 | 10 |
| Peabody | $2,842 | +1.8% | -7.4% | $1,876 | $2,498 | $2,904 | $3,367 | 171 | 179 | 25 |
| Reading | $2,813 | +1.5% | -19.0% | $1,789 | – | $2,871 | $3,183 | 26 | 28 | 36 |
| Revere | $2,845 | -0.6% | -4.8% | $2,200 | $2,515 | $3,131 | $3,622 | 579 | 502 | 29 |
| Rockport | $3,110 | -4.0% | -0.2% | – | $2,530 | $3,062 | $3,575 | 29 | 27 | 48 |
| Rowley* | $2,080 | -1.4% | +5.7% | – | – | $2,267 | – | 5 | 4 | 51 |
| Salem | $2,645 | -1.9% | -5.8% | $1,742 | $2,217 | $2,907 | $3,090 | 288 | 283 | 42 |
| Salisbury | $2,381 | -6.1% | -6.0% | – | $2,153 | $2,334 | $2,947 | 21 | 20 | 55 |
| Saugus | $2,857 | +0.6% | -0.3% | $2,311 | $2,479 | $3,000 | $3,384 | 87 | 75 | 27 |
| Stoneham | $3,178 | +0.5% | -3.0% | $2,204 | $2,709 | $3,419 | $3,470 | 66 | 76 | 37 |
| Swampscott | $3,266 | -3.4% | -5.3% | – | $2,620 | $2,978 | $4,788 | 70 | 70 | 45 |
| Topsfield* | – | n/a | n/a | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | – |
| Wakefield | $2,830 | +1.0% | -7.6% | $2,185 | $2,349 | $2,905 | $3,532 | 91 | 84 | 49 |
| Wenham* | $2,700 | 0.0% | n/a | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | 48 |
| West Newbury* | – | n/a | n/a | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | – |
| Winthrop | $2,760 | -1.3% | -0.7% | $1,740 | $2,263 | $2,770 | $3,598 | 109 | 101 | 61 |
| Service area | $2,691 | -1.2% | -5.6% | $2,023 | $2,338 | $2,859 | $3,285 | 5,002 | 4,821 | 36 |
What should your property rent for?
Get a free rental evaluation based on current North Shore comparables.
About the North Shore Rent Index
The index is published monthly by Chelworths Property Management Group. The February 2026 edition covers January 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.