How much rent can you afford in Somerville, MA?
Run your salary against Somerville's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Somerville
At a median rent of $3,589/mo, Somerville is moderately stretched when measured against Somerville median household income of $132,572/yr. Rent would consume roughly 32% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $143,560 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Somerville compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Somerville?
On a $132,572 salary (the Somerville median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $3,314/mo. Somerville's median rent is $3,589/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Somerville?
To keep Somerville's $3,589/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $143,560/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Somerville affordable on the median Massachusetts income?
Somerville is moderately stretched on a $132,572 income. Rent would take 32% of pre-tax pay, outside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".