ZIP 02143
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 02143 usually run 3.9% below trend in December and 3.6% above it in June, about $238 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 02143 is 0.4% below its high of $3,189 in July 2026, at $3,176 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 02143 changed +1.5% 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 02143 rose 24.4% while median household income rose 32.9% ($98,374 to $130,753). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 02143 is 28.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($130,753) is $3,269 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,920); a 2-bedroom is $3,470.
1st cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Somerville.
ZIP 02149, 3 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,805/mo), about $4,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 02143. 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 02143 (Somerville, MA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 75.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 02143 in Somerville, MA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 02143 in Somerville, MA has increased from $2,341 to $3,176, a 35.7% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $130,753 today, compared with $111,201 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 1.0% since 2021, moving from about 25,264 residents to roughly 25,513. College-educated residents now make up 75.9% of adults here, versus 72.9% in 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 02143
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 02143 covers Somerville, MA. The median rent here is $3,176/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,920/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,470/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($130,753/yr), ZIP 02143 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 02143 compare to the rest of Somerville?
At $3,176/mo, rent takes ~29% of ZIP 02143's median household income ($130,753/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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