North Shore Rent Index · January 2026
Time to let reaches a 13-month high in a quiet December
Monthly asking rents, supply and time on market across 45 towns and cities on Boston's North Shore. Covers December 2025 data.
- The average asking rent across the Chelworths service area was $2,724 in December 2025, down 0.1% on the month and down 5.6% on December 2024 ($2,884).
- 4,955 rentals were on the market, down 3.1% on the month.
- Homes took an average of 37.8 days to let, compared with 34.9 days in November and 28.3 days a year earlier.
“December was quiet, as it usually is. The average asking rent slipped 0.1% to $2,724, the fourth monthly fall in a row, and rents are 5.6% lower than a year ago.”
“Homes took 37.8 days to let on average, the longest in the last 13 months. Listings dipped 3.1% on the month to 4,955.”
“For landlords planning a spring let, now's a good time to get repairs and updates done. Homes that are ready to show in March tend to catch the first wave of spring demand.”
Average asking rent, December 2025
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
-3.1% on year
year change n/a*
Market summary
December is usually one of the quietest months of the year for lettings. The service area average asking rent fell 0.1% to $2,724 in December 2025, the fourth consecutive monthly fall. This is the lowest average in the 13 months tracked. Compared with December 2024, rents are down 5.6%.
Active listings fell 3.1% on the month to 4,955. Homes took 37.8 days to let on average, up from 34.9 days in November, and slower than a year ago (28.3 days).
By size, two bedroom homes saw the largest annual fall (-3.9% to $2,873), while three bedroom homes held up best (-3.1% to $3,311). Two bedroom homes, the largest segment with 1,859 listings, averaged $2,873 (-3.9% on the year) and took 34.0 days to let, against 26.7 days a year ago. Studios were the slowest to let at 54.7 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, Nahant, Middleton and North Reading recorded the strongest annual growth (+21.6%, +21.6%, +10.1%). The largest falls were in Reading, Danvers and Marblehead (-17.7%, -15.1%, -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 Lynnfield, North Reading and Andover (11, 15, 24 days) and slowest in Marblehead, Gloucester and Methuen. Haverhill, Lynn and Lawrence remain the most affordable markets, with average asking rents from $2,157.
Average asking rent
All property types, service area, Dec 24 to Dec 25
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, Jan 25 to Dec 25, 20 largest markets
Days on market by town
Average days on market, December 2025, towns with 30 or more listings
Annual change in asking rent
Dec 25 vs Dec 24. Towns with fewer than 10 listings are excluded
All towns, December 2025
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 | $2,717 | -4.0% | +2.5% | – | $2,789 | $2,586 | $2,950 | 50 | 33 | 24 |
| Andover | $2,996 | +2.4% | -1.1% | $1,766 | $2,358 | $3,000 | $4,153 | 139 | 155 | 24 |
| Beverly | $2,661 | +0.8% | -10.7% | $1,856 | $2,245 | $2,809 | $3,586 | 160 | 131 | 41 |
| Boxford* | $5,675 | +6.6% | +40.1% | – | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | 22 |
| Byfield* | $3,415 | +9.4% | n/a | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Chelsea | $2,536 | -1.4% | -9.3% | $1,942 | $2,443 | $2,933 | $2,990 | 438 | 421 | 33 |
| Danvers | $2,799 | +1.9% | -15.1% | $1,783 | $2,426 | $2,947 | $3,243 | 117 | 99 | 45 |
| Essex* | $3,033 | 0.0% | -11.9% | – | $2,050 | – | – | 6 | 5 | 41 |
| Everett | $2,839 | +0.7% | -4.9% | $2,485 | $2,595 | $3,023 | $3,038 | 388 | 486 | 26 |
| Georgetown* | $3,025 | +36.8% | +51.2% | – | – | – | – | 4 | 3 | 49 |
| Gloucester | $2,982 | -4.4% | -8.7% | – | $2,101 | $2,489 | $3,698 | 71 | 76 | 59 |
| Groveland* | $2,767 | +1.5% | +16.5% | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 50 |
| Hamilton* | $3,067 | -6.4% | +27.8% | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 39 |
| Haverhill | $2,157 | +0.4% | -7.0% | $1,804 | $1,932 | $2,327 | $2,518 | 261 | 215 | 34 |
| Ipswich | $2,834 | -8.5% | -11.4% | – | $1,908 | $2,715 | $3,516 | 20 | 15 | 73 |
| Lawrence | $2,380 | -3.1% | -3.3% | $1,861 | $1,986 | $2,451 | $2,728 | 223 | 211 | 25 |
| Lynn | $2,355 | +1.3% | -2.7% | $1,682 | $2,092 | $2,585 | $2,932 | 438 | 380 | 46 |
| Lynnfield | $3,449 | +1.9% | +5.7% | – | $2,916 | $3,741 | – | 34 | 32 | 11 |
| Malden | $2,759 | -3.4% | -2.5% | $2,113 | $2,369 | $2,902 | $3,240 | 451 | 518 | 49 |
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | $4,288 | +0.5% | +0.4% | – | $2,944 | $3,850 | $4,682 | 27 | 19 | 94 |
| Marblehead | $3,103 | +3.2% | -14.9% | – | $2,459 | $2,918 | $4,356 | 66 | 56 | 63 |
| Melrose | $2,923 | -1.8% | -2.2% | $2,359 | $2,542 | $3,127 | $3,858 | 205 | 193 | 27 |
| Merrimac* | $2,593 | -3.1% | -3.5% | – | – | $2,583 | – | 7 | 3 | 82 |
| Methuen | $2,549 | +5.8% | +2.3% | $2,348 | $2,074 | $2,429 | $3,068 | 89 | 80 | 53 |
| Middleton | $3,040 | 0.0% | +21.6% | – | – | $3,580 | $3,100 | 10 | 6 | 56 |
| Nahant | $2,698 | -0.8% | +21.6% | – | $2,152 | $2,683 | $3,100 | 19 | 11 | 66 |
| Newbury | $3,056 | -6.6% | -8.4% | – | $2,467 | – | $3,330 | 15 | 13 | 89 |
| Newburyport | $2,975 | -0.8% | -2.8% | – | $2,213 | $3,243 | $3,879 | 56 | 44 | 53 |
| North Andover | $2,637 | +0.5% | -14.0% | $2,185 | $2,302 | $2,594 | $2,958 | 71 | 40 | 44 |
| North Reading | $2,871 | +4.9% | +10.1% | – | $2,328 | $3,023 | $3,867 | 51 | 49 | 15 |
| Peabody | $2,793 | -0.4% | -8.4% | $1,869 | $2,458 | $2,827 | $3,577 | 185 | 178 | 24 |
| Reading | $2,772 | -3.5% | -17.7% | $1,788 | $2,018 | $2,794 | $3,410 | 24 | 27 | 36 |
| Revere | $2,861 | +1.7% | -5.5% | $2,256 | $2,521 | $3,136 | $3,615 | 527 | 489 | 30 |
| Rockport | $3,238 | +17.0% | +4.1% | – | $2,583 | $3,297 | $3,350 | 29 | 26 | 46 |
| Rowley* | $2,110 | -35.5% | +7.3% | – | – | $2,317 | – | 5 | 4 | 37 |
| Salem | $2,696 | -2.7% | -5.3% | $1,815 | $2,241 | $2,954 | $3,183 | 278 | 276 | 43 |
| Salisbury | $2,537 | -4.0% | +5.6% | – | $2,016 | $2,419 | $2,947 | 24 | 20 | 51 |
| Saugus | $2,841 | +1.5% | +1.1% | $2,165 | $2,478 | $2,882 | $3,532 | 83 | 73 | 36 |
| Stoneham | $3,161 | +1.6% | -1.3% | – | $2,720 | $3,351 | $3,225 | 73 | 77 | 44 |
| Swampscott | $3,382 | +0.5% | -1.8% | – | $2,925 | $3,088 | $5,051 | 72 | 69 | 37 |
| Topsfield* | – | n/a | n/a | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | – |
| Wakefield | $2,803 | -1.1% | -7.9% | $2,115 | $2,403 | $2,924 | $3,403 | 96 | 82 | 49 |
| Wenham* | $2,700 | -6.9% | n/a | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | 35 |
| West Newbury* | $5,375 | 0.0% | +72.0% | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Winthrop | $2,795 | -1.3% | +1.3% | $1,734 | $2,242 | $2,727 | $3,557 | 126 | 98 | 47 |
| Service area | $2,724 | -0.1% | -5.6% | $2,046 | $2,355 | $2,873 | $3,311 | 4,955 | 4,726 | 38 |
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About the North Shore Rent Index
The index is published monthly by Chelworths Property Management Group. The January 2026 edition covers December 2025 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.