North Shore Rent Index · July 2026
Renters have the most choice in over a year as listings reach 5,764
Monthly asking rents, supply and time on market across 45 towns and cities on Boston's North Shore. Covers June 2026 data.
- The average asking rent across the Chelworths service area was $2,752 in June 2026, up 0.2% on the month and down 2.1% on June 2025 ($2,810).
- 5,764 rentals were on the market, up 22.2% on a year ago, the highest count in the 13 months tracked.
- Homes took an average of 31.8 days to let, compared with 31.0 days in May and 27.6 days a year earlier.
“June was the fifth monthly rise in a row, although only by 0.2%, taking the average asking rent to $2,752. Rents are 2.1% lower than last June.”
“The number of homes on the market reached 5,764, the most in the last 13 months and 22.2% more than a year ago. Three bedroom rents have held up best, almost unchanged on the year.”
“Rents are rising more slowly than in the spring as supply keeps growing. Landlords should expect renters to compare several homes before deciding, so first impressions and pricing matter.”
Average asking rent, June 2026
Change on the previous month and the same month last year
-2.1% on year
-1.1% on year
-2.3% on year
-2.4% on year
-0.3% on year
+22.2% on year
Market summary
June is the start of the peak summer letting season. The service area average asking rent rose 0.2% to $2,752 in June 2026, the fifth consecutive monthly rise. The average is 2.3% above the January 2026 low of $2,691 and 2.2% below the August 2025 high of $2,814. Compared with June 2025, rents are down 2.1%.
Active listings rose 1.6% on the month to 5,764, 22.2% higher than in June 2025. That is the most homes on the market in the 13 months tracked. Homes took 31.8 days to let on average, up from 31.0 days in May, and slower than a year ago (27.6 days).
By size, two bedroom homes saw the largest annual fall (-2.4% to $2,943), while three bedroom homes held up best (-0.3% to $3,367). One bedroom homes, the largest segment with 2,129 listings, averaged $2,382 (-2.3% on the year) and took 27.2 days to let, against 23.4 days a year ago. Three bedroom homes were the slowest to let at 41.2 days.
Among towns with at least 10 listings, Reading, Manchester-by-the-Sea and North Reading recorded the strongest annual growth (+8.9%, +6.1%, +5.8%). The largest falls were in North Andover, Amesbury and Salisbury (-16.3%, -14.6%, -12.2%). North Andover's listing count has grown to 80 from 23 a year ago, a 248% increase in supply.
The five largest rental markets, Revere, Malden, Lynn, Everett and Chelsea, account for 48% of listings in the service area. Of towns with 30 or more listings, homes let fastest in North Reading, Lynnfield and Amesbury (5, 11, 16 days) and slowest in Marblehead, Newburyport and Winthrop. Haverhill, Lawrence and Lynn remain the most affordable markets, with average asking rents from $2,185.
Average asking rent
All property types, service area, Jun 25 to Jun 26
Average asking rent by bedrooms
Studio, one, two and three bedroom homes
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, Jul 25 to Jun 26, 20 largest markets
Days on market by town
Average days on market, June 2026, towns with 30 or more listings
Annual change in asking rent
Jun 26 vs Jun 25. Towns with fewer than 10 listings are excluded
All towns, June 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 | $2,767 | -7.3% | -14.6% | – | $2,521 | $2,900 | $3,425 | 46 | 43 | 16 |
| Andover | $2,854 | +3.3% | +0.1% | $1,728 | $2,341 | $2,888 | $4,124 | 187 | 164 | 25 |
| Beverly | $2,738 | -2.0% | -1.4% | $2,009 | $2,345 | $2,800 | $3,530 | 153 | 156 | 39 |
| Boxford* | $5,500 | 0.0% | +83.3% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 24 |
| Byfield* | $3,148 | 0.0% | n/a | – | – | $3,148 | – | 4 | 2 | 44 |
| Chelsea | $2,662 | -0.7% | -2.1% | $1,950 | $2,551 | $2,989 | $3,209 | 442 | 466 | 27 |
| Danvers | $2,947 | -0.9% | +2.7% | $1,481 | $2,434 | $3,032 | $3,958 | 99 | 112 | 24 |
| Essex* | $2,962 | +3.9% | -2.5% | – | – | – | – | 4 | 5 | 43 |
| Everett | $2,886 | -1.5% | -0.5% | $2,444 | $2,605 | $3,200 | $3,123 | 535 | 474 | 34 |
| Georgetown* | $2,834 | -0.9% | +41.7% | – | – | $2,198 | $3,867 | 8 | 5 | 50 |
| Gloucester | $3,118 | +2.6% | +3.6% | – | $2,149 | $2,696 | $4,111 | 80 | 77 | 39 |
| Groveland* | $2,739 | +5.5% | -6.6% | – | – | – | – | 5 | 3 | 32 |
| Hamilton* | $2,450 | -22.6% | -45.9% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 96 |
| Haverhill | $2,185 | +0.8% | -8.0% | $1,873 | $1,961 | $2,365 | $2,570 | 272 | 254 | 33 |
| Ipswich | $2,958 | -7.2% | -7.9% | – | $2,036 | $3,140 | $3,883 | 12 | 16 | 60 |
| Lawrence | $2,203 | -2.9% | -7.0% | $2,033 | $1,777 | $2,422 | $2,654 | 302 | 247 | 26 |
| Lynn | $2,330 | +0.3% | -0.2% | $1,695 | $2,135 | $2,537 | $2,986 | 552 | 477 | 36 |
| Lynnfield | $3,368 | -2.9% | +1.8% | – | $2,954 | $3,656 | – | 43 | 36 | 11 |
| Malden | $2,749 | -0.2% | +1.5% | $2,058 | $2,420 | $2,957 | $3,180 | 644 | 546 | 37 |
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | $5,326 | +1.6% | +6.1% | – | $3,082 | $3,962 | $6,750 | 26 | 25 | 50 |
| Marblehead | $3,488 | +5.7% | -4.3% | – | $2,298 | $3,220 | $5,559 | 59 | 62 | 54 |
| Melrose | $3,041 | +1.9% | -4.0% | $2,313 | $2,653 | $3,365 | $3,586 | 250 | 214 | 18 |
| Merrimac* | $2,633 | -12.5% | -6.8% | – | – | – | – | 3 | 5 | 20 |
| Methuen | $2,448 | +1.7% | -5.3% | – | $2,047 | $2,680 | $2,745 | 88 | 93 | 28 |
| Middleton* | $3,714 | +10.2% | +7.7% | – | – | $3,500 | – | 7 | 7 | 46 |
| Nahant* | $3,072 | -8.1% | +6.1% | – | $2,333 | – | – | 9 | 13 | 72 |
| Newbury* | $3,471 | +6.1% | -13.1% | – | $3,300 | – | $3,700 | 7 | 13 | 20 |
| Newburyport | $3,353 | +6.7% | +4.1% | – | $2,565 | $3,560 | $3,985 | 49 | 48 | 53 |
| North Andover | $2,893 | +1.4% | -16.3% | $2,172 | $2,453 | $2,812 | $3,299 | 80 | 74 | 32 |
| North Reading | $2,778 | -4.1% | +5.8% | – | $2,447 | $2,960 | – | 54 | 48 | 5 |
| Peabody | $2,816 | +2.5% | -4.7% | $1,674 | $2,429 | $2,961 | $3,787 | 194 | 191 | 20 |
| Reading | $3,227 | +6.1% | +8.9% | – | $2,130 | $3,358 | $4,244 | 35 | 33 | 44 |
| Revere | $2,850 | -0.5% | +1.4% | $2,304 | $2,527 | $3,120 | $3,439 | 625 | 584 | 27 |
| Rockport | $3,238 | +4.4% | -1.2% | – | $2,850 | $3,592 | $3,462 | 14 | 28 | 70 |
| Rowley* | $2,450 | +18.9% | +4.3% | – | – | $2,200 | – | 7 | 5 | 18 |
| Salem | $2,782 | +2.0% | -3.9% | $1,979 | $2,314 | $2,926 | $3,310 | 344 | 303 | 43 |
| Salisbury | $2,545 | +0.2% | -12.2% | – | $2,158 | $2,534 | $2,988 | 21 | 22 | 41 |
| Saugus | $2,961 | +2.0% | +3.6% | $2,385 | $2,579 | $3,172 | $3,397 | 98 | 86 | 25 |
| Stoneham | $3,228 | +1.8% | +0.7% | $2,047 | $2,791 | $3,302 | $3,629 | 92 | 80 | 31 |
| Swampscott | $3,101 | +1.0% | -3.2% | – | $2,614 | $3,198 | $4,166 | 80 | 71 | 23 |
| Topsfield* | $2,950 | -36.3% | -32.2% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 44 |
| Wakefield | $2,811 | +1.3% | -10.8% | $2,299 | $2,342 | $3,057 | $3,607 | 98 | 94 | 31 |
| Wenham* | $3,100 | -1.6% | -22.5% | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | 104 |
| West Newbury* | $4,825 | 0.0% | -19.6% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 30 |
| Winthrop | $2,789 | +2.7% | -2.6% | $1,884 | $2,314 | $2,671 | $3,562 | 125 | 107 | 44 |
| Service area | $2,752 | +0.2% | -2.1% | $2,051 | $2,382 | $2,943 | $3,367 | 5,764 | 5,304 | 32 |
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About the North Shore Rent Index
The index is published monthly by Chelworths Property Management Group. The July 2026 edition covers June 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.