Average Rent in Somerville, MA (2026)

Typical asking rent in Somerville is $3,402. Across the 3 ZIP codes with data it runs from $3,365 to $3,784, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of July 2026.

Median rent
$3,402
Average rent
$3,517
Lowest ZIP
$3,365
Highest ZIP
$3,784

Rent by ZIP code in Somerville

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
02144Middlesex County$3,784+11%
02145Middlesex County$3,4020%
02143Middlesex County$3,365-1%

Rent by bedroom count in Somerville

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Middlesex County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market Rent
Studio$2,440
1 bedroom$2,518
2 bedroom$3,008
3 bedroom$3,584
4 bedroom$3,953

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Somerville?

Typical rent across Middlesex County is $3,132 as of August 2026. That is up 2.7% from a year earlier and up 27.4% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Middlesex CountyChange
2021$2,581+13.4%
2022$2,790+8.1%
2023$2,920+4.7%
2024$2,997+2.6%
2025$3,063+2.2%
2026 (through August)$3,132+2.3%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Somerville rent questions

What is the average rent in Somerville, MA?
Typical asking rent in Somerville is $3,402 a month as of July 2026, across 3 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $3,365 to $3,784.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Somerville?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Middlesex County is $3,008 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $2,518 and a three bedroom is $3,584. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Somerville?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Middlesex County is $3,132 as of August 2026, up 2.7% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Somerville?
ZIP 02143 has the lowest typical asking rent in Somerville at $3,365 a month, compared with $3,402 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Somerville?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Somerville rent of $3,402, that is about $10,206 a month, or $122,472 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Somerville sits in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area.

Other Massachusetts cities

Would a rental in Somerville cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Somerville median rent of $3,402 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.