North Shore Rent Index · October 2025
Rents ease as the summer season ends, with homes letting faster than a year ago
Monthly asking rents, supply and time on market across 45 towns and cities on Boston's North Shore. Covers September 2025 data.
- The average asking rent across the Chelworths service area was $2,788 in September 2025, down 0.9% on the month and down 4.0% on September 2024 ($2,903).
- 5,292 rentals were on the market, up 6.7% on a year ago.
- Homes took an average of 31.9 days to let, compared with 30.7 days in August and 36.7 days a year earlier.
“September is when the summer letting season winds down, and asking rents eased 0.9% to $2,788. Rents are 4.0% lower than last September, while the number of homes on the market is up 6.7%.”
“The good news for landlords is that homes are still letting well. The average home took 31.9 days to let, about five days quicker than a year ago.”
“Autumn is usually quieter, so landlords with a vacancy coming up should price against current comparables now. A home that sits into November is likely to need a lower rent to let.”
Average asking rent, September 2025
Change on the previous month and the same month last year
-4.0% on year
n/a on year
n/a on year
-1.3% on year
-0.3% on year
+6.7% on year
Market summary
September marks the end of the main summer letting season on the North Shore. The service area average asking rent fell 0.9% to $2,788 in September 2025. The average is 0.2% above the April 2025 low of $2,783 and 4.0% below the September 2024 high of $2,903. Compared with September 2024, rents are down 4.0%.
Active listings fell 2.4% on the month to 5,292, 6.7% higher than in September 2024. Homes took 31.9 days to let on average, up from 30.7 days in August, and faster than a year ago (36.7 days).
By size, two bedroom homes saw the largest annual fall (-1.3% to $2,962), while three bedroom homes held up best (-0.3% to $3,370). One bedroom homes, the largest segment with 1,934 listings, averaged $2,421 and took 26.7 days to let. Studios were the slowest to let at 50.3 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, Ipswich, Salisbury and Newbury recorded the strongest annual growth (+15.1%, +13.8%, +9.4%). The largest falls were in North Andover, Chelsea and Andover (-19.4%, -10.6%, -9.9%).
The five largest rental markets, Malden, Everett, Revere, 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 Amesbury (10, 14, 18 days) and slowest in Marblehead, Lynn and Methuen. Haverhill, Lynn and Methuen remain the most affordable markets, with average asking rents from $2,232.
Average asking rent
All property types, service area, Sep 24 to Sep 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, Oct 24 to Sep 25, 20 largest markets
Days on market by town
Average days on market, September 2025, towns with 30 or more listings
Annual change in asking rent
Sep 25 vs Sep 24. Towns with fewer than 10 listings are excluded
All towns, September 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 | $2,838 | -1.0% | -2.3% | – | $2,497 | $2,821 | – | 35 | 33 | 18 |
| Andover | $2,826 | -3.4% | -9.9% | $1,785 | $2,314 | $3,021 | $3,922 | 182 | 158 | 20 |
| Beverly | $2,641 | -3.7% | -5.3% | $2,048 | $2,241 | $2,801 | $3,675 | 161 | 116 | 31 |
| Boxford* | – | n/a | n/a | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | – |
| Byfield* | $2,800 | 0.0% | n/a | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Chelsea | $2,636 | -4.9% | -10.6% | $2,022 | $2,550 | $2,978 | $3,185 | 504 | 399 | 26 |
| Danvers | $2,818 | -0.3% | -5.8% | $1,900 | $2,403 | $2,901 | $3,979 | 135 | 92 | 26 |
| Essex* | $2,808 | -9.4% | -7.3% | – | $2,067 | – | – | 6 | 6 | 34 |
| Everett | $2,836 | -0.7% | -0.5% | $2,454 | $2,541 | $3,111 | $3,198 | 529 | 485 | 25 |
| Georgetown* | $2,212 | +2.3% | -8.3% | – | – | $2,083 | – | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Gloucester | $3,410 | +7.4% | +5.0% | – | $2,089 | $2,738 | $3,370 | 88 | 80 | 30 |
| Groveland* | $2,450 | -4.9% | -14.0% | – | – | $2,667 | – | 4 | 4 | 30 |
| Hamilton* | $4,588 | +5.9% | +12.7% | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 55 |
| Haverhill | $2,232 | -2.0% | -1.7% | $1,728 | $2,007 | $2,405 | $2,671 | 234 | 199 | 42 |
| Ipswich | $3,225 | +2.3% | +15.1% | – | $2,315 | $2,933 | $3,864 | 16 | 16 | 40 |
| Lawrence | $2,633 | +2.9% | +7.8% | $1,966 | $2,331 | $2,869 | $2,869 | 230 | 193 | 26 |
| Lynn | $2,292 | -1.9% | -7.6% | $1,693 | $2,065 | $2,587 | $2,974 | 455 | 336 | 48 |
| Lynnfield | $3,760 | +4.6% | +3.2% | – | $3,261 | $3,970 | $4,233 | 40 | 34 | 14 |
| Malden | $2,817 | +0.9% | -0.6% | $2,075 | $2,415 | $3,058 | $3,240 | 481 | 521 | 39 |
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | $4,644 | +3.1% | +4.2% | – | $2,969 | $2,938 | $4,607 | 27 | 18 | 55 |
| Marblehead | $3,537 | +0.2% | -6.3% | – | $2,442 | $3,075 | $4,350 | 71 | 54 | 48 |
| Melrose | $3,122 | -0.5% | -1.0% | $2,492 | $2,699 | $3,245 | $3,863 | 196 | 196 | 19 |
| Merrimac* | $2,962 | +1.3% | +13.0% | – | – | $3,017 | – | 4 | 3 | 60 |
| Methuen | $2,376 | -4.2% | -7.1% | $2,150 | $2,033 | $2,568 | $2,939 | 101 | 76 | 43 |
| Middleton* | $3,125 | 0.0% | -14.2% | – | – | – | – | 4 | 5 | 27 |
| Nahant | $2,790 | -5.1% | -3.6% | – | $2,221 | – | – | 13 | 9 | 45 |
| Newbury | $3,662 | +11.2% | +9.4% | – | – | $2,720 | $3,310 | 22 | 12 | 39 |
| Newburyport | $3,305 | +2.6% | +6.6% | – | $3,039 | $3,356 | $3,905 | 46 | 44 | 36 |
| North Andover | $2,621 | -1.8% | -19.4% | $1,997 | $2,101 | $2,563 | $3,131 | 49 | 37 | 34 |
| North Reading | $2,741 | +3.0% | +0.6% | – | $2,359 | $2,808 | – | 52 | 48 | 10 |
| Peabody | $2,909 | -1.0% | -2.7% | $1,882 | $2,684 | $3,010 | $3,486 | 208 | 178 | 21 |
| Reading | $3,030 | +5.0% | -2.6% | – | $2,103 | $2,845 | $3,600 | 32 | 26 | 39 |
| Revere | $2,812 | -0.5% | -6.8% | $2,112 | $2,530 | $3,165 | $3,545 | 572 | 468 | 29 |
| Rockport | $2,916 | -5.6% | -1.3% | $1,333 | $2,284 | $3,396 | $3,315 | 35 | 27 | 27 |
| Rowley* | $3,300 | +44.2% | +60.2% | – | – | $2,233 | – | 5 | 4 | 27 |
| Salem | $2,817 | -2.4% | +3.0% | $1,746 | $2,413 | $2,917 | $3,220 | 286 | 265 | 42 |
| Salisbury | $2,760 | +9.0% | +13.8% | – | $2,396 | $2,416 | $2,913 | 31 | 18 | 30 |
| Saugus | $2,934 | -1.2% | -4.9% | $2,514 | $2,373 | $3,193 | $3,908 | 76 | 72 | 34 |
| Stoneham | $3,301 | -1.3% | -7.4% | $1,971 | $3,022 | $3,380 | $3,689 | 86 | 77 | 32 |
| Swampscott | $3,197 | +6.2% | +0.4% | – | $2,693 | $3,147 | $4,064 | 73 | 67 | 23 |
| Topsfield* | $2,417 | -32.1% | -6.1% | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | 27 |
| Wakefield | $2,960 | -1.0% | -1.2% | – | $2,374 | $2,856 | $4,000 | 95 | 78 | 37 |
| Wenham* | $3,500 | 0.0% | +29.6% | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 17 |
| West Newbury* | $3,650 | -1.4% | +35.2% | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Winthrop | $2,889 | -1.6% | -0.7% | $1,835 | $2,177 | $2,801 | $3,661 | 93 | 91 | 41 |
| Service area | $2,788 | -0.9% | -4.0% | $2,056 | $2,421 | $2,962 | $3,370 | 5,292 | 4,557 | 32 |
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About the North Shore Rent Index
The index is published monthly by Chelworths Property Management Group. The October 2025 edition covers September 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. © 2025 Chelworths Property Management Group.