ZIP Code · MA

ZIP 02119

Part of Boston, MA

Pop. 27,377·Suffolk County·31st most expensive ZIP in Massachusetts

Median rent (all units)

$3,200/mo

Year-over-Year

+1.5%

Month-over-Month

+0.2%

vs US Median

+$1,268

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 02119 · $3,200

More expensive than 93% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$2,040

1 BR

$2,160

2 BR

$2,560

3 BR

$3,080

4 BR+

$3,390

Research median

$2,560/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

September. Asking rents in ZIP 02119 usually run 2.6% below trend in September and 1.8% above it in March, about $141 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 02119 is 0% below its high of $3,201 in July 2026, at $3,200 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Massachusetts

Rent in ZIP 02119 changed +1.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 140 Massachusetts ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.0%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 02119 rose 47% while median household income rose 52% ($31,900 to $48,488). Income kept ahead of rent.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 02119 is 49.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($48,488) is $1,212 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($2,040).

Rank in Boston

13th cheapest of 25 ZIP codes in Boston.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 02113, 3 miles away, rents for 10% less ($2,868/mo), about $4,000 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 02119. 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.

Annual cost

$38,400/yr

At $3,200/mo median

Location

CityBoston

StateMA

CountySuffolk County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+1.5% YoY, +0.2% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 02119 (Boston, MA) is majority renter-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 30.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

27,377

Median income

$48,488

Median age

36.3

Renters

73.5%

Age distribution

19.6%

28.7%

25.3%

15.6%

Under 1819.6%

18–3428.7%

35–5425.3%

55–6410.8%

65+15.6%

Gender

49.6%

50.4%

Male49.6%

Female50.4%

Race & ethnicity

15.3%

44.4%

32.6%

White15.3%

Black44.4%

Hispanic32.6%

Asian3.6%

Other4.1%

Education (25+)

19.2%

26.4%

23.7%

30.6%

No HS diploma19.2%

HS diploma26.4%

Some college23.7%

Bachelor's+30.6%

Housing tenure

26.5%

73.5%

Owner26.5%

Renter73.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 02119 in Boston, MA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$2,194 → $3,200

up 45.9%

Income

$34,987 → $48,488

up 38.6%

Population

28,307 → 27,377

down 3.3%

Renter share

74.8% → 73.5%

-1.3 pts

Bachelor's+

30.1% → 30.6%

+0.5 pts

Median age

34.7 → 36.3

+1.6 yrs

Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 02119 in Boston, MA has climbed from $2,194 to $3,200, a 45.9% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $48,488 today, compared with $34,987 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 3.3% since 2021, moving from about 28,307 residents to roughly 27,377. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 02119

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 02119 covers Boston, MA. The median rent here is $3,200/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,160/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,560/mo.

At 79% of local median household income ($48,488/yr), ZIP 02119 ranks as expensive compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 02119?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $128,000/year (about $62/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $3,200/mo in ZIP 02119. The local median household income is $48,488/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 02119?

Rent in ZIP 02119 has risen 1.5% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0% below its high of $3,201 in July 2026.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 02119?

Asking rents in ZIP 02119 are usually lowest in September, about 2.6% below their yearly trend, and highest in March, about 1.8% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $141 a month. This pattern comes from 9 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 02119?

No. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 02119 rose 47% while median household income rose 52%, from $31,900 to $48,488. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 02119 compare to other ZIPs in Massachusetts?

ZIP 02119 is one of the pricier among Massachusetts ZIP codes for rent, ranking #31 of 164 at $3,200/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 02119 changed +1.5%, against a typical +3.0% across the 140 Massachusetts ZIP codes Zillow tracks.