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Out of Reach

 

Out of Reach: Rental Housing At What Cost? October, 1998

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Massachusetts

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State and Metro Area Data
 

									Income Needed to Afford FMR						Estimated % Renters unable to afford FMR		Hourly Wage Needed to Afford		Percent of Federal Minimum Wage (@$5.15)		Work Hours/week Necessary at Minimum Wage
		FAIR MARKET RENTS BY NUMBER OF BEDROOMS							Amount		Percent of AMI		Estimated % of Renter median
	1990 RENTER HOUSEHOLDS	Zero	One	Two	Three	Four	1998 Area Median Income (HUD)	1998 Estimated Renter Median Income	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom
Massachusetts	854,432	$ 539	$ 627	$ 784	$ 980	$ 1,150	$ 55,819	$ 41,078	$ 25,096	$ 31,344	45%	56%	61%	76%	32%	40%	$ 12.07	$ 15.07	234%	293%	94	117	Massachusetts
METRO AREA																							METRO AREA
Barnstable-Yarmouth, MA	11,055	$ 460	$ 616	$ 822	$ 1,029	$ 1,152	$ 44,700	$ 36,381	$ 24,640	$ 32,880	55%	74%	68%	90%	35%	45%	$ 11.85	$ 15.81	230%	307%	92	123	Barnstable-Yarmouth, MA
Boston, MA-NH	524,603	$ 620	$ 697	$ 874	$ 1,092	$ 1,282	$ 60,000	$ 46,060	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	46%	58%	61%	76%	32%	40%	$ 13.40	$ 16.81	260%	326%	104	131	Boston, MA-NH
Brockton, MA	7,402	$ 415	$ 547	$ 671	$ 835	$ 951	$ 53,900	$ 37,973	$ 21,880	$ 26,840	41%	50%	58%	71%	31%	37%	$ 10.52	$ 12.90	204%	251%	82	100	Brockton, MA
Fitchburg-Leominster, MA	15,419	$ 325	$ 456	$ 592	$ 762	$ 828	$ 48,200	$ 34,475	$ 18,240	$ 23,680	38%	49%	53%	69%	28%	37%	$ 8.77	$ 11.38	170%	221%	68	88	Fitchburg-Leominster, MA
Lawrence, MA-NH	43591	$ 417	$ 504	$ 633	$ 791	$ 974	$ 56,700	$ 36,556	$ 20,160	$ 25,320	36%	45%	55%	69%	30%	37%	$ 9.69	$ 12.17	188%	236%	75	95	Lawrence, MA-NH
Lowell, MA-NH	31783	$ 455	$ 589	$ 711	$ 891	$ 997	$ 59,200	$ 37,382	$ 23,560	$ 28,440	40%	48%	63%	76%	33%	40%	$ 11.33	$ 13.67	220%	265%	88	106	Lowell, MA-NH
New Bedford, MA	27,429	$ 436	$ 533	$ 606	$ 757	$ 850	$ 40,900	$ 27,700	$ 21,300	$ 24,200	52%	59%	77%	87%	40%	45%	$ 10.24	$ 11.63	199%	226%	80	90	New Bedford, MA
Pittsfield, MA	10,821	$ 316	$ 449	$ 554	$ 694	$ 860	$ 44,200	$ 29,800	$ 18,000	$ 22,200	41%	50%	60%	74%	32%	39%	$ 8.65	$ 10.67	168%	207%	67	83	Pittsfield, MA
Springfield, MA	83,243	$ 411	$ 508	$ 642	$ 802	$ 986	$ 45,500	$ 31,100	$ 20,300	$ 25,700	45%	56%	65%	83%	34%	43%	$ 9.76	$ 12.36	190%	240%	76	96	Springfield, MA
Worcester, MA-CT	71943	$ 403	$ 488	$ 610	$ 761	$ 853	$ 51,000	$ 35,800	$ 19,500	$ 24,400	38%	48%	54%	68%	28%	35%	$ 9.38	$ 11.73	182%	228%	73	91	Worcester, MA-CT

Town/City Data
 

					Income Needed to Afford FMR						Estimated % Renters unable to afford FMR
					Amount		Percent of AMI		Estimated % of Renter median
Town/City	Metro Area	Renter Households, 1990	1998 Area Median Income (HUD)	1998 Estimated Renter Median Income	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	One Bedroom	Two Bedroom	Town/City
Abington	Brockton, MA PMSA	1,528	$ 42,730	$ 29,419	$ 24,640	$ 32,880	74%	98%	97%	129%	49%	64%	Abington
Acton	Boston, MA-NH	1,946	$ 61,394	$ 34,905	$ 24,640	$ 32,880	88%	118%	94%	126%	48%	63%	Acton
Acushnet	New Bedford, MA MSA	557	$ 35,734	$ 23,426	$ 24,640	$ 32,880	87%	116%	103%	137%	51%	64%	Acushnet
Agawam	Springfield, MA MSA	2,717	$ 37,261	$ 23,746	$ 24,640	$ 32,880	57%	76%	77%	102%	40%	51%	Agawam
Amesbury	Boston, MA-NH	2,331	$ 37,889	$ 29,317	$ 24,640	$ 32,880	91%	121%	96%	128%	49%	64%	Amesbury
Amherst	Springfield, MA MSA	5,041	$ 26,772	$ 19,077	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	45%	57%	80%	100%	41%	51%	Amherst
Andover	Lawrence, MA--NH PMSA	2,648	$ 61,070	$ 29,955	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	74%	92%	95%	119%	48%	62%	Andover
Arlington	Boston, MA-NH	8,089	$ 43,309	$ 36,484	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	64%	81%	76%	96%	40%	49%	Arlington
Ashburnham	Fitchburg--Leominster, MA MSA	264	$ 42,442	$ 31,086	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	54%	68%	72%	91%	38%	45%	Ashburnham
Ashby	Fitchburg--Leominster, MA MSA	94	$ 46,250	$ 21,065	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	95%	119%	113%	142%	55%	64%	Ashby
Ashland	Boston, MA-NH	1,198	$ 51,173	$ 38,625	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	48%	61%	75%	94%	39%	48%	Ashland
Attleboro city	Providence--Pawtucket--Fall River, RI--MA PMSA	5,481	$ 36,631	$ 24,927	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	61%	77%	98%	123%	49%	63%	Attleboro city
Auburn	Worcester, MA MSA	962	$ 39,913	$ 28,995	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	52%	65%	66%	82%	35%	43%	Auburn
Avon	Brockton, MA PMSA	349	$ 43,214	$ 32,528	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	56%	71%	97%	121%	49%	62%	Avon
Ayer	Boston, MA-NH	1,491	$ 29,326	$ 24,688	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	70%	88%	100%	126%	51%	63%	Ayer
Barnstable	Barnstable-Yarmouth, MA	4,835	$ 33,411	$ 25,396	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	72%	90%	113%	141%	55%	64%	Barnstable
Barre	Worcester, MA MSA	402	$ 36,846	$ 26,257	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	44%	55%	77%	96%	40%	49%	Barre
Bedford	Boston, MA-NH	1,284	$ 57,561	$ 37,278	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	96%	120%	106%	132%	53%	64%	Bedford
Belchertown	Springfield, MA MSA	910	$ 38,868	$ 21,279	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	54%	68%	67%	85%	35%	43%	Belchertown
Bellingham	Boston, MA-NH	917	$ 45,397	$ 28,443	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	62%	78%	93%	117%	48%	59%	Bellingham
Belmont	Boston, MA-NH	3,905	$ 53,488	$ 42,443	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	61%	77%	85%	107%	44%	53%	Belmont
Berlin	Boston, MA-NH	171	$ 49,556	$ 28,781	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	50%	62%	67%	85%	35%	43%	Berlin
Beverly city	Boston, MA-NH	6,079	$ 39,603	$ 27,826	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	84%	105%	105%	132%	53%	64%	Beverly city
Billerica	Lowell, MA--NH PMSA	2,065	$ 50,210	$ 34,635	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	52%	65%	81%	101%	41%	51%	Billerica
Blackstone	Boston, MA-NH	901	$ 38,687	$ 24,766	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	33%	42%	92%	115%	47%	59%	Blackstone
Bolton	Boston, MA-NH	121	$ 63,757	$ 36,290	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	72%	90%	113%	142%	55%	64%	Bolton
Boston city	Boston, MA-NH	157,920	$ 29,180	$ 26,408	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	111%	139%	114%	143%	58%	64%	Boston city
Boxborough	Boston, MA-NH	443	$ 51,330	$ 41,308	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	44%	56%	81%	101%	41%	51%	Boxborough
Boxford	Lawrence, MA--NH PMSA	90	$ 78,562	$ 44,131	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	40%	50%	67%	84%	35%	43%	Boxford
Boylston	Worcester, MA MSA	230	$ 52,424	$ 37,360	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	64%	80%	92%	115%	47%	59%	Boylston
Braintree	Boston, MA-NH	2,774	$ 44,734	$ 29,862	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	61%	77%	84%	106%	43%	53%	Braintree
Bridgewater	Brockton, MA PMSA	1,870	$ 41,933	$ 29,362	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	31%	38%	41%	51%	21%	27%	Bridgewater
Brockton city	Brockton, MA PMSA	15,334	$ 31,712	$ 23,386	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	44%	55%	101%	127%	51%	64%	Brockton city
Brookfield	Worcester, MA MSA	214	$ 30,349	$ 22,433	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	60%	76%	95%	119%	48%	62%	Brookfield
Brookline	Boston, MA-NH	13,857	$ 45,598	$ 32,732	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	91%	114%	95%	120%	48%	62%	Brookline
Burlington	Boston, MA-NH	1,640	$ 55,952	$ 41,312	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	61%	77%	84%	105%	43%	53%	Burlington
Cambridge city	Boston, MA-NH	27,446	$ 33,140	$ 26,568	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	65%	81%	86%	108%	44%	53%	Cambridge city
Canton	Boston, MA-NH	1,657	$ 53,492	$ 34,500	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	55%	69%	102%	128%	51%	64%	Canton
Carlisle	Boston, MA-NH	120	$ 83,985	$ 30,318	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	85%	107%	107%	135%	53%	64%	Carlisle
Carver	Boston, MA-NH	356	$ 38,678	$ 24,659	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	57%	71%	92%	116%	47%	59%	Carver
Charlton	Worcester, MA MSA	683	$ 42,461	$ 25,312	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	51%	64%	124%	156%	63%	64%	Charlton
Chelmsford	Lowell, MA--NH PMSA	2,037	$ 53,971	$ 35,544	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	59%	74%	85%	107%	44%	53%	Chelmsford
Chelsea city	Boston, MA-NH	7,588	$ 25,144	$ 24,411	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	46%	58%	77%	97%	41%	49%	Chelsea city
Cheshire town	Pittsfield, MA MSA	189	$ 36,803	$ 23,455	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	74%	93%	119%	150%	62%	64%	Cheshire town
Chicopee city	Springfield, MA MSA	9,435	$ 28,905	$ 22,506	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	48%	60%	95%	120%	48%	62%	Chicopee city
Clinton	Worcester, MA MSA	2,530	$ 34,091	$ 27,724	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	62%	78%	89%	112%	45%	55%	Clinton
Cohasset	Boston, MA-NH	517	$ 62,933	$ 34,617	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	51%	64%	90%	113%	45%	55%	Cohasset
Concord	Boston, MA-NH	1,254	$ 69,917	$ 41,433	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	62%	77%	98%	122%	49%	62%	Concord
Dalton town	Pittsfield, MA MSA	683	$ 36,518	$ 25,668	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	74%	93%	86%	107%	44%	53%	Dalton town
Danvers	Boston, MA-NH	2,250	$ 43,759	$ 30,273	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	66%	82%	92%	115%	47%	59%	Danvers
Dartmouth	New Bedford, MA MSA	1,834	$ 35,138	$ 16,286	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	68%	86%	95%	119%	48%	62%	Dartmouth
Dedham	Boston, MA-NH	1,748	$ 45,687	$ 33,000	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	67%	84%	105%	132%	53%	64%	Dedham
Dennis	Barnstable-Yarmouth, MA	1,755	$ 27,900	$ 26,174	$ 27,880	$ 34,960	41%	52%	63%	79%	33%	41%	Dennis
Douglas	Worcester, MA MSA	426	$ 38,362	$ 27,160	$ 27,880	$ 34,960