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Massachusetts Housing Affordability Index | MonitorBankRates (MBR-HAI)

Massachusetts Housing Affordability Index

Daily affordability score for Massachusetts compared to the national average. Updated every night using live mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income and home value data.

Live Score
Massachusetts
77.8
Moderately Less Affordable
MBR-HAI • May 26, 2026
0 vs. prior day
National Average
100.0
Near National Average
MBR-HAI • May 26, 2026
0 vs. prior day
National Rank #49 of 51 states
vs. National Average -22.2 points
30-yr Rate Used 6.364%
Median Home Value $562,100
Median Household Income $103,960

Massachusetts Affordability Ranking

#49 of 51 states · May 26, 2026 Bottom 20% least affordable
Most Affordable Least Affordable
More affordable than: 2 of 51 states (4%)
Less affordable than: 48 of 51 states (94%)
MBR-HAI Score: 77.8 vs. national 100.0 (-22.2 points)
Nearby States
↑ 46 more affordable states above
#47 OR 79.7
#48 DC 78.7
#49 Massachusetts ◀ 77.8
#50 HI 70.7
#51 CA 68.4
Top 5 Most Affordable
#1 WV 148.1
#2 AR 139.9
#3 AL 137.2
#4 MS 134.6
#5 IA 130.5
Bottom 5 Least Affordable
#47 OR 79.7
#48 DC 78.7
#49 MA ◀ 77.8
#50 HI 70.7
#51 CA 68.4

View full 51-state rankings →

Massachusetts MBR-HAI · 90-Day Trend

Massachusetts
National Average

Dashed line = national average. Amber dashed line = 100 baseline. Score updates each morning after the nightly rate aggregation run.

Key Affordability Factors · Massachusetts

$562,100
Median Home Value
U.S. median: varies by state
$103,960
Median Household Income
U.S. median: $80,734
5.4x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Home value ÷ income
$2,125/mo
Median Owner Costs
24.5% of income annually
$6,085/yr
Median Property Tax
1.08% effective rate
62.3%
Homeownership Rate
U.S. average: 65.7%
30.0%
Owner Cost Burden
% spending 30%+ of income on housing
6.364%
30-yr Mortgage Rate
State average • May 26, 2026

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and Current Population Survey. Mortgage rate from MBR live rate database.

How Massachusetts Ranks Among All States

#49
of 51 states
Least Affordable Most Affordable
Massachusetts is more affordable than 4% of U.S. states, Moderately Less Affordable
77.8
MBR-HAI Score
Rank State MBR-HAI Score Affordability
▲ See top 45 states →
46 New York 81.9 Moderately Less Affordable
47 Oregon 79.7 Moderately Less Affordable
48 Dist. of Columbia 78.7 Moderately Less Affordable
49 Massachusetts You are here 77.8 Moderately Less Affordable
50 Hawaii 70.7 Moderately Less Affordable
51 California 68.4 Significantly Less Affordable

Showing states ranked near Massachusetts · May 26, 2026 • View complete national rankings →

Download Massachusetts HAI Data

Massachusetts History (CSV)
Daily score vs. national • all dates
date,state,hai_score,national_score,rate_used
2026-05-26,MA,77.8,100.0,6.364
Download MA History (CSV)
All 51 States (CSV)
Compare Massachusetts to every state

Daily scores for all 51 states, filter by state or date in Excel or Google Sheets.

All States (CSV)
Cite the Massachusetts MBR-HAI
Editorial / press citation
“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, May 26, 2026. Massachusetts score: 77.8 (Moderately Less Affordable), ranked #49 of 51 states. Methodology: monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index-methodology”
APA 7th edition (academic)
Monitor Bank Rates LLC. (2026, May 26). MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index: Massachusetts [Data set]. https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/massachusetts/

Press & Citation Resources · Massachusetts

Ready-to-publish sentences using today's Massachusetts data, an email template you can send to clients, and direct contact for press inquiries or custom data requests.

Ready-to-Publish Sentences

Each sentence updates daily with the live Massachusetts score. Free for editorial use with attribution to MonitorBankRates.

News Lead · AP-style, factual

In Massachusetts, the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index stood at 77.8 on May 26, 2026, ranking #49 of 51 U.S. states for homeownership affordability and indicating moderately less affordable conditions relative to the national baseline. The state-level reading combines Massachusetts's 30-year mortgage rate average of 6.364% with U.S. Census Bureau housing values, household income, property taxes, and cost burden data.

Analyst Quote · with voice, attributable

“Massachusetts's MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index score of 77.8 places it #49 of 51 nationwide. Below the 100 baseline, that means buyer purchasing power in Massachusetts is weaker than the long-run national average computed at a 6.5% mortgage rate. The state's 30-year average is currently 6.364%, and the index lags the national average.”

Brian McKay, MonitorBankRates

Social Media · concise, share-friendly

🏠 MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index. Massachusetts: 77.8 (Moderately Less Affordable), rank #49 of 51 states. 30-yr mortgage avg: 6.36%. National baseline = 100. Updated daily · via @MonitorBankRates → https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/massachusetts/

Casual / Blog · conversational

Housing affordability in Massachusetts is currently sitting at 77.8 on the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, ranking it #49 of 51 U.S. states. With 100 representing the long-term national baseline at a 6.5% reference rate, Massachusetts's 30-year mortgage rate of 6.36% reflects moderately less affordable conditions for local buyers. The state lags the national average as a whole.

Mortgage Broker Email Template

Pre-written client update for Massachusetts homebuyers. Personalize the bracketed fields and send.

SubjectHousing affordability snapshot for Massachusetts: what it means for your search
Hi [Client Name], Wanted to share a quick affordability snapshot for Massachusetts from the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, a daily-updated composite that tracks how affordable U.S. homeownership is right now. Massachusetts's current reading: 77.8 (Moderately Less Affordable), rank #49 of 51 states National reading: 100.030-year mortgage rate average in Massachusetts: 6.364% The index baseline of 100 represents long-run typical conditions at a 6.5% reference rate. Massachusetts currently lags the national average. For full state context (including the 90-day trend, key affordability factors, and how Massachusetts compares to neighboring states) see: https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/massachusetts/ Always happy to discuss what this means for your specific situation. Best, [Your Name]

For Press & Researchers

The Massachusetts MBR-HAI is free to cite for editorial, academic, and policy use with attribution. We're happy to provide additional support:

  • Custom data cuts: Massachusetts metros, MSAs, or historical slices on request
  • Embargo-friendly releases: give us 24 hours notice for scheduled coverage
  • Background interviews: methodology, market context, or commentary on rate moves
  • Direct contact: contact form or reply to any address listed there

For our published citation history and recent media mentions, see MBR in the Press.