Average Rent in Brookline, MA (2026)

Typical asking rent in Brookline is $3,518. Across the 3 ZIP codes with data it runs from $3,439 to $3,731, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of September 2026.

Median rent
$3,518
Average rent
$3,563
Lowest ZIP
$3,439
Highest ZIP
$3,731

Rent by ZIP code in Brookline

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
02467Norfolk County$3,731+6%
02446Norfolk County$3,5180%
02445Norfolk County$3,439-2%

Rent by bedroom count in Brookline

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 Norfolk 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$1,678
1 bedroom$1,842
2 bedroom$2,409
3 bedroom$3,015
4 bedroom$3,166

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

Is rent going up or down in Brookline?

Typical rent across Norfolk County is $2,843 as of September 2026. That is up 2.6% from a year earlier and up 21.3% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Norfolk CountyChange
2021$2,431+12.6%
2022$2,601+7.0%
2023$2,738+5.3%
2024$2,845+3.9%
2025$2,797-1.7%
2026 (through September)$2,843+1.6%

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.

Brookline rent questions

What is the average rent in Brookline, MA?
Typical asking rent in Brookline is $3,518 a month as of September 2026, across 3 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $3,439 to $3,731.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Brookline?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Norfolk County is $2,409 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,842 and a three bedroom is $3,015. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Brookline?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Norfolk County is $2,843 as of September 2026, up 2.6% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Brookline?
ZIP 02445 has the lowest typical asking rent in Brookline at $3,439 a month, compared with $3,518 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Brookline?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Brookline rent of $3,518, that is about $10,554 a month, or $126,648 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. Brookline sits in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area.

Other Massachusetts cities

Would a rental in Brookline cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Brookline median rent of $3,518 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.