Rents are right about where Stoneham's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $3,055 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
Rent in Stoneham is 0.5% below its high of $3,070 in June 2026, at $3,055 as of September 2026.
Rent in Stoneham changed +3.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 89 Massachusetts cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.8%.
Rent rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($113,964) is $2,849 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,580); a 3-bedroom is $3,110.
Chelsea, 6 miles away, rents for 14% less ($2,632/mo), about $5,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Stoneham. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Stoneham, MA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 55.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Stoneham, MA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Stoneham, MA has shifted from $2,771 to $3,055, up 10.2% since 2023. Census figures show median household income at $113,964 today, compared with $105,541 five years earlier. Census counts show Stoneham, MA adding about 278 residents over the five-year window, up 1.2% on net. The renter share has eased from 32.2% to 29%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 48.1% to 55.9% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2023.
Discussions about Stoneham
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Stoneham on your salary?
At $3,055/mo, how Stoneham rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Stoneham rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Stoneham. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Stoneham
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Stoneham is $3,055/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,060/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,580/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,180/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,110/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($113,964/yr), Stoneham ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Stoneham?
Is rent going up or down in Stoneham?
How does Stoneham rent compare to other cities in Massachusetts?
At $3,055/mo, rent takes ~32% of Stoneham's median household income ($113,964/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Stoneham.
No discussions yet.