North Shore Rent Index · March 2026
North Shore rents turn a corner with the first rise since August
Monthly asking rents, supply and time on market across 45 towns and cities on Boston's North Shore. Covers February 2026 data.
- The average asking rent across the Chelworths service area was $2,704 in February 2026, up 0.5% on the month and down 5.0% on February 2025 ($2,845).
- 5,188 rentals were on the market, up 3.7% on the month.
- Homes took an average of 34.9 days to let, compared with 36.1 days in January and 29.6 days a year earlier.
“February brought the first rise in asking rents since August, up 0.5% to $2,704. It's a small move, but it ends a run of five monthly falls.”
“Rents are still 5.0% lower than last February, and there are 3.7% more homes on the market than in January. Homes took 34.9 days to let, down from 36.1 days the month before.”
“Spring is when demand starts to build, so landlords with a summer vacancy should plan their pricing now. Current comparables are a better guide than last year's rent.”
Average asking rent, February 2026
Change on the previous month and the same month last year
-5.0% on year
n/a on year
n/a on year
-2.5% on year
-3.1% on year
year change n/a*
Market summary
February is typically the last of the quieter winter months before spring demand builds. The service area average asking rent rose 0.5% to $2,704 in February 2026, the first rise after five months of falls. The average is 0.5% above the January 2026 low of $2,691 and 5.0% below the February 2025 high of $2,845. Compared with February 2025, rents are down 5.0%.
Active listings rose 3.7% on the month to 5,188. Homes took 34.9 days to let on average, down from 36.1 days in January, and slower than a year ago (29.6 days).
By size, three bedroom homes saw the largest annual fall (-3.1% to $3,313), while two bedroom homes held up best (-2.5% to $2,882). Two bedroom homes, the largest segment with 1,909 listings, averaged $2,882 (-2.5% on the year) and took 31.0 days to let, against 28.0 days a year ago. Three bedroom homes were the slowest to let at 47.8 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, North Reading and Newburyport recorded the strongest annual growth (+19.0%, +10.9%, +10.1%). The largest falls were in North Andover, Salisbury and Rockport (-19.3%, -10.4%, -10.4%).
The five largest rental markets, Malden, Revere, Everett, Chelsea and Lynn, account for 49% of listings in the service area. Of towns with 30 or more listings, homes let fastest in North Reading, Lynnfield and Peabody (10, 16, 22 days) and slowest in Newburyport, Winthrop and Marblehead. Haverhill, Lawrence and Lynn remain the most affordable markets, with average asking rents from $2,203.
Average asking rent
All property types, service area, Feb 25 to Feb 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, Mar 25 to Feb 26, 20 largest markets
Days on market by town
Average days on market, February 2026, towns with 30 or more listings
Annual change in asking rent
Feb 26 vs Feb 25. Towns with fewer than 10 listings are excluded
All towns, February 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 | $2,843 | +2.3% | -7.9% | – | $2,472 | $2,634 | $3,362 | 50 | 36 | 29 |
| Andover | $2,798 | -2.2% | -6.5% | $1,715 | $2,250 | $2,879 | $4,236 | 145 | 157 | 28 |
| Beverly | $2,604 | -0.4% | -8.8% | $1,913 | $2,261 | $2,727 | $3,403 | 145 | 143 | 42 |
| Boxford* | $5,750 | -10.6% | +49.4% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 64 |
| Byfield* | $4,000 | +23.2% | n/a | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| Chelsea | $2,629 | +4.4% | -5.9% | $1,912 | $2,529 | $3,118 | $2,957 | 446 | 432 | 28 |
| Danvers | $2,832 | -0.2% | -2.5% | $1,835 | $2,332 | $2,824 | $3,689 | 112 | 106 | 35 |
| Essex* | $2,300 | -28.1% | -28.7% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 97 |
| Everett | $2,809 | -0.0% | -4.6% | $2,460 | $2,534 | $3,017 | $3,023 | 399 | 490 | 24 |
| Georgetown* | $3,511 | +24.6% | +75.6% | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 67 |
| Gloucester | $2,912 | +2.5% | -6.6% | – | $2,220 | $2,451 | $3,642 | 76 | 74 | 47 |
| Groveland* | $3,500 | +40.0% | +42.9% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 46 |
| Hamilton* | $2,350 | +27.0% | -41.2% | – | $2,350 | – | – | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| Haverhill | $2,203 | +2.1% | -5.2% | $1,819 | $1,973 | $2,344 | $2,583 | 246 | 228 | 35 |
| Ipswich | $2,800 | -1.9% | +1.6% | – | $1,900 | $2,894 | $3,717 | 16 | 16 | 85 |
| Lawrence | $2,241 | -5.6% | -8.0% | $1,462 | $1,892 | $2,384 | $2,692 | 257 | 221 | 22 |
| Lynn | $2,351 | -0.5% | -5.0% | $1,706 | $2,095 | $2,531 | $3,016 | 474 | 415 | 45 |
| Lynnfield | $3,488 | +6.5% | +0.5% | – | $2,922 | $4,216 | – | 32 | 32 | 16 |
| Malden | $2,668 | -1.3% | -2.0% | $2,075 | $2,326 | $2,881 | $3,245 | 571 | 535 | 32 |
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | $4,719 | +11.7% | -7.8% | – | $3,175 | $3,815 | $5,142 | 26 | 21 | 98 |
| Marblehead | $3,469 | +13.3% | -7.2% | – | $2,727 | $3,339 | $4,955 | 46 | 57 | 63 |
| Melrose | $2,894 | -0.2% | -3.0% | $2,139 | $2,524 | $3,082 | $3,562 | 192 | 196 | 25 |
| Merrimac* | $2,550 | -0.7% | -8.1% | – | – | $2,908 | – | 6 | 4 | 120 |
| Methuen | $2,440 | -1.6% | -2.8% | $1,837 | $2,014 | $2,381 | $3,100 | 112 | 86 | 38 |
| Middleton* | $3,014 | +14.0% | +1.6% | – | – | $3,183 | – | 7 | 6 | 65 |
| Nahant | $2,958 | +9.6% | +19.0% | – | $2,058 | – | $4,390 | 16 | 12 | 62 |
| Newbury* | $2,955 | +0.6% | -7.5% | – | $2,350 | – | $3,410 | 9 | 13 | 84 |
| Newburyport | $3,565 | +15.5% | +10.1% | – | $3,072 | $3,909 | $3,694 | 46 | 45 | 76 |
| North Andover | $2,559 | +2.2% | -19.3% | $2,142 | $2,233 | $2,580 | $3,191 | 94 | 50 | 38 |
| North Reading | $2,943 | +2.5% | +10.9% | – | $2,490 | $2,918 | – | 32 | 49 | 10 |
| Peabody | $2,784 | -2.0% | -8.4% | $1,638 | $2,482 | $2,885 | $3,378 | 198 | 184 | 22 |
| Reading | $3,041 | +8.1% | -6.9% | $1,808 | $2,396 | $2,886 | $4,427 | 32 | 28 | 35 |
| Revere | $2,847 | +0.1% | -3.0% | $2,233 | $2,485 | $3,160 | $3,582 | 622 | 522 | 28 |
| Rockport | $3,155 | +1.4% | -10.4% | – | $2,070 | $3,306 | $3,575 | 27 | 28 | 60 |
| Rowley* | $2,058 | -1.1% | +2.9% | – | – | $2,188 | – | 6 | 4 | 46 |
| Salem | $2,685 | +1.5% | -4.9% | $1,761 | $2,207 | $2,978 | $3,015 | 302 | 290 | 40 |
| Salisbury | $2,375 | -0.3% | -10.4% | – | $2,090 | $2,344 | $3,077 | 22 | 20 | 46 |
| Saugus | $2,836 | -0.7% | -3.6% | $2,344 | $2,480 | $2,973 | $3,335 | 88 | 78 | 29 |
| Stoneham | $3,246 | +2.1% | +1.6% | $2,021 | $2,674 | $3,371 | $3,450 | 69 | 76 | 46 |
| Swampscott | $3,267 | +0.0% | -4.7% | – | $2,505 | $2,992 | $4,923 | 67 | 70 | 45 |
| Topsfield* | $1,700 | n/a | n/a | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| Wakefield | $2,888 | +2.0% | -0.9% | $2,123 | $2,322 | $3,173 | $4,040 | 88 | 86 | 54 |
| Wenham* | $2,950 | +9.3% | n/a | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 74 |
| West Newbury* | – | n/a | n/a | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | – |
| Winthrop | $2,704 | -2.0% | -1.1% | $1,749 | $2,293 | $2,727 | $3,384 | 96 | 102 | 71 |
| Service area | $2,704 | +0.5% | -5.0% | $2,005 | $2,348 | $2,882 | $3,313 | 5,188 | 4,934 | 35 |
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About the North Shore Rent Index
The index is published monthly by Chelworths Property Management Group. The March 2026 edition covers February 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.