ZIP 02118
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
November. Asking rents in ZIP 02118 usually run 1.1% below trend in November and 1.1% above it in July, about $84 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 02118 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in ZIP 02118 changed +3.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 140 Massachusetts ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 02118 rose 19.1% while median household income rose 44.9% ($67,805 to $98,224). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 02118 is 28.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($98,224) is $2,456 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,210); a 2-bedroom is $2,630.
22nd cheapest of 25 ZIP codes in Boston.
ZIP 02116, 1 mile away, rents for 10% less ($3,412/mo), about $4,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 02118. 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.
Who lives here
ZIP 02118 (Boston, MA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 60.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 02118 in Boston, MA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in ZIP 02118 in Boston, MA has shifted from $2,739 to $3,805, up 38.9% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $71,096 in 2021 to $98,224 more recently. Census counts show ZIP 02118 in Boston, MA adding about 1,228 residents over the five-year window, up 4.4% on net. The renter share has eased from 72.4% to 67.5%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 55.4% to 60.8% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 02118 in Boston, MA market of 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 02118
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 02118 covers Boston, MA. The median rent here is $3,805/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,210/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,630/mo.
At 46% of local median household income ($98,224/yr), ZIP 02118 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 02118 compare to the rest of Boston?
At $3,805/mo, rent takes ~46% of ZIP 02118's median household income ($98,224/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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