Suffolk County · Massachusetts · Northeast · 666k residents
Boston, MA: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Boston: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the Massachusetts median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $2,655/wk. Massachusetts's corporate income tax rate is 8%. Commercial electricity averages 20.9¢/kWh.
Compare Boston side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$2,655/wk
Corporate income tax
8%
Bachelor's degree or higher
54.9%
Commercial electricity
20.9¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Boston's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
46/100
Steady
Ranks Boston's residential building-permit and jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $750,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $720 |
| Property tax rate | 0.65% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $2,900/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,400/mo |
| State & local income tax | 5% |
| Sales tax | 6.25% |
| Corporate income tax | 8% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $2,655/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.9% |
| Commercial electricity | 20.9¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 43.1/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $166,090 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $106,180 |
| Wage: General manager | $133,800 |
| Wage: Customer service | $49,920 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $37,700 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $64,010 |
| Wage: Electrician | $79,910 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $36,850 |
| Cost of living index | 152 |
| Groceries index | 110 |
| Utilities | $235/mo |
| Transit pass | $90/mo |
| Gas price | $3.40/gal |
| Healthcare index | 115 |
| Childcare (per child) | $2,350/mo |
| Median household income | $89,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% |
| Population | 666k |
| Crime index | 40/100 |
| School rating | 7.0/10 |
| Walkability | 83/100 |
| Disaster risk | 94/100 |
| Avg. commute | 32 min |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days |
| July high | 82°F |
| January low | 23°F |
| Annual snowfall | 49 in |
| Home price YoY | -0.9% |
| Home price MoM | -0.4% |
| Rent YoY | +2.8% |
| Rent MoM | +0.5% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | -0.3% |
| Building permits YoY | +17.8% |
| Ocean coast | 5 mi |
| Big lake | 87 mi |
| Mountains | 109 mi |
| Major airport | 3 mi |
| Ski resort | 43 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Somerville, MA · 81k
- Cambridge, MA · 119k
- Chelsea, MA · 40k
- Brookline, MA · 63k
- Everett, MA · 50k
Similar size
- Worcester, MA · 207k
- Springfield, MA · 155k
- Lowell, MA · 118k
- Brockton, MA · 105k
- Quincy, MA · 102k
Real listings in Boston
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Boston a good place to run a business?
- Massachusetts's corporate income tax rate is 8%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $2,655/wk; commercial electricity averages 20.9¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Boston, MA?
- Boston indexes at 152 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $3,400/mo and a median home value of $750,000.
- How much does a house cost in Boston?
- The median home value in Boston is $750,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Boston?
- A two-bedroom in Boston rents for about $3,400/mo.