Boston apartment deals: 6 neighborhoods to look in right now

Each has an average rent below—sometimes well below—the Boston mean as of early January

By Tom Acitelli@tomacitelli Jan 10, 2019, 6:31am EST

A row of three-story apartment buildings along a mostly empty street.

The Boston apartment market remains one of the most expensive in the nation as 2019 gets underway. But some neighborhoods are markedly less expensive than others.

What’s more, they tend to offer comparatively hefty inventory for wary and weary prospective tenants to search. Using data from search site RentCafe, here are six neighborhoods to check out if you’re looking for a deal on Boston rent this winter.

Roslindale

Roslindale might be the best deal for market-rate apartments in Boston right now. The average rent is $2,265 as of January—25 percent lower than the Boston average overall—and available studios can be had for as little as $1,824 on average. One-bedrooms average $2,182.

Roxbury

Aerial view of rows of small brick buildings among trees.

In Roxbury, the average rent is $2,283, 24 percent lower than the Boston average of $3,020. Studios average $2,127 and available one-bedrooms $2,195. Roxbury is also more centrally located re: downtown than Roslindale.

Jamaica Plain

The average rent in Jamaica Plain is $2,610, which is 14 percent lower than the Boston average. Studios average $2,359 and one-bedrooms $2,491. Plus, if you’re looking for parks and proximity to the Orange Line, JP is your best bet.

East Boston

Eastie probably has the best deals on studios, with an average rent for those small units of $1,799. The overall average for available East Boston apartments now is $2,633, 13 percent below the Boston average. One-bedrooms are averaging $2,365.

Dorchester

Boston's largest neighborhood by area has an average apartment rent identical to East Boston’s. The real deal in Dorchester might come in its two-bedrooms: There the average is $2,750, less expensive than in any other neighborhood save for Roslindale, Roxbury, and JP.

Allston-Brighton

The neighboring pair have an average rent of $2,706, 10 percent lower than the Boston average. Studios are averaging $2,016 and one-bedrooms $2,615.

Incidentally, once you get past Allston-Brighton—which is very popular with college students—you find neighborhoods with averages above, sometimes well above, the Boston average. Charlestown, for instance, is the next least expensive on average; but the average there is 3 percent higher than the Boston mean.

Boston rental market trends [RentCafe]
Boston one-bedroom apartment rents up sharply since 2017: Report [Curbed Boston]