Rents are 10% below what Framingham's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,298 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
November. Asking rents in Framingham usually run 0.9% below trend in November and 0.8% above it in June, about $39 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in Framingham is 3.3% below its high of $2,377 in April 2025, at $2,298 as of September 2026.
Rent in Framingham changed -2.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 89 Massachusetts cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.8%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Framingham rose 31.2% while median household income rose 29.9% ($82,709 to $107,419). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Framingham is 27.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 4 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($107,419) is $2,685 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,620); a 3-bedroom is $3,160.
Clinton, 15 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,990/mo), about $3,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Framingham. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Framingham, MA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 48.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Framingham, MA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Framingham, MA paid around $1,838 a month. That figure now sits near $2,298, up 25.0% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in Framingham, MA now reports about $107,419, up from $90,638 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 50.7% to 48.7% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Framingham, MA reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $2,298/mo, how Framingham rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Framingham rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Framingham. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Framingham
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Framingham is $2,298/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,075/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,620/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,205/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,160/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($107,419/yr), Framingham ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 2.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Framingham rent compare to other cities in Massachusetts?
At $2,298/mo, rent takes ~26% of Framingham's median household income ($107,419/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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