Comprehensive MLS data for Massachusetts, Boston, Essex County, and Greater Newburyport — tracking the affordability crisis from 2020 to present.
7-year comparison (2020–2026) as of February 14, 2026
Single-family residential • 7-year trend
| Metric | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Price | $582K | $664K | $658K | $673K | $739K | $803K | $797K | +20% |
| $/SqFt | $298 | $316 | $318 | $325 | $347 | $375 | $378 | +20% |
| Units | 46,750 | 52,185 | 53,775 | 44,997 | 36,481 | 38,151 | 38,677 | -26% |
| DOM | 28 | 30 | 36 | 46 | 43 | 48 | 57 | +90% |
| Supply | 0.45 | 0.35 | 0.46 | 0.83 | 0.96 | 0.99 | 1.08 | +209% |
Urban core • 7-year trend
| Metric | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Price | $1,050K | $1,080K | $985K | $929K | $905K | $1,423K | $1,094K | +1% |
| $/SqFt | $495 | $517 | $473 | $487 | $459 | $579 | $545 | +5% |
| Units | 980 | 1,066 | 1,110 | 974 | 755 | 812 | 808 | -24% |
| DOM | 38 | 36 | 51 | 49 | 48 | 54 | 49 | +36% |
North Shore • 7-year trend
| Metric | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Price | $615K | $716K | $652K | $702K | $777K | $868K | $807K | +13% |
| $/SqFt | $315 | $335 | $336 | $349 | $371 | $406 | $401 | +20% |
| Units | 5,400 | 5,773 | 5,950 | 4,965 | 3,963 | 4,201 | 4,363 | -24% |
| DOM | 27 | 29 | 39 | 39 | 40 | 51 | +89% |
Newburyport, West Newbury, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury, Amesbury
| Town | Listing Units | Avg List Price | DOM | $/SqFt | Months Supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newburyport | 17 | $1,119K | 66 | $576 | 1.15 |
| West Newbury | 2 | $854K | 23 | $343 | 0.34 |
| Newbury | 9 | $1,001K | 107 | $395 | 1.33 |
| Rowley | 3 | $690K | 141 | $366 | 0.67 |
| Salisbury | 3 | $542K | 40 | $427 | 0.45 |
| Amesbury | 4 | $657K | 34 | $356 | 0.38 |
Historic coastal community • 7-year trend
Income requirements at standard lending criteria
| Market | Price | Down | Monthly | Income | Median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $797K | $159K | $4,028 | $173K | $105K | -$68K |
| Boston | $1.09M | $219K | $5,530 | $237K | $105K | -$132K |
| Essex County | $807K | $161K | $4,081 | $175K | $105K | -$70K |
| Newburyport | $1.12M | $224K | $5,658 | $242K | $105K | -$134K |
30yr @6.5%, 20% down, 28% DTI. MA Median: $104,800 (ACS 2023)
Gap between median income and required income.
1.5–2.1x median annual income.
Above state average due to coastal location.
Balanced market = 4–6 months.