Massachusetts is a Northeastern heaven. With the New England Patriots, the Red Sox, and clam chowder, everyone wants to live there. That demand means finding the most affordable locations in Massachusetts can be harder than finding a parking spot at Fenway.
To make things easier, we used Saturday Night Science to find the cheapest places to live in Massachusetts based on home prices, incomes, and cost of living.
We’ve done the hard work for you, so all you have to do is sit back, find a quiet spot at the Cape, and read on to discover the most affordable places to live in Massachusetts. Trust us; it’s going to be wicked cheap.
$47,500 median income · $793 median rent · #1 home prices in Massachusetts
Located in
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Rounding out our list of cheapest places to live in Massachusetts is North Adams, a city in northern Berkshire County near the New Hampshire border.
You won’t feel like you’re living in an aggressively cheap city when you’ve got the Mass MoCA downtown. With a median rent of $793, North Adams has the cheapest rent on this list. Not to mention that it’s more than three times cheaper than the average rent in Massachusetts. North Adams also boasts the cheapest homes in the state, with a median price tag of $252,589. With residents earning a median income of $47,500, North Adams has the eighth best home price to income ratio in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$70,582 median income · $1,134 median rent · #3 home prices in Massachusetts
Located in
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
If you’re looking to buy a home in Massachusetts, you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere cheaper than Pittsfield. The median home price in Pittsfield is the third lowest in the state at $302,831. With residents earning a median income of $70,582, paying off a mortgage in Pittsfield couldn’t be easier. Even more good news for those who want to live the high life on a budget: Onota Lake has a free public beach, boat launch, and fishing. That’s how you enjoy the Berkshires year-round without spending a dime.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$62,615 median income · $1,157 median rent · #4 home prices in Massachusetts
Located in
Hampden County, Massachusetts
Located just north of Springfield, Chicopee ranks as the third cheapest city in Massachusetts. With a median home price of $311,123 and a median income of $62,615, Chicopee has the sixth lowest home price to income ratio in the state. The median rent in Chicopee is $1,157, so it’s a little more economical to buy than rent here.
If you can get your entertainment fix through free activities like hiking at Chicopee Memorial State Park, you’ll have even more money in your wallet at the end of every week.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$67,518 median income · $1,109 median rent · #9 home prices in Massachusetts
Located in
Worcester County, Massachusetts
Gardener is the fourth most affordable city in Massachusetts, thanks to the low price tag on housing for both buyers and renters. The median rent in Gardner is a measly $1,109, which is bound to make Bostonians super jealous. But where Gardner really shines is the cost of homes. At $369,177, Gardner has the ninth cheapest homes in the state. And with residents earning a median income of $67,518, it’s a piece of cake to pay off the mortgage. Those of an outdoorsy inclination will find plenty to do at Dunn State Park without having to break out the wallet at all.
Gardner is about 40 miles north of Worcester.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$52,656 median income · $1,144 median rent · #2 home prices in Massachusetts
Located in
Hampden County, Massachusetts
Springfield, located in western Massachusetts, stands out for its affordability with a median home value ranked second lowest in the state. Like every place on this list, the cost of living index is over 100. That means the cost of living in Springfield is high for the nation but low for Massachusetts.
The museums are the big draw for affordable-loving enthusiasts. The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden is the local favorite, with other museums nearby, including the Children’s Science Museum.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$53,605 median income · $1,021 median rent · #6 home prices in Massachusetts
Located in
Hampden County, Massachusetts
Holy moly, Holyoke is the sixth most affordable city in Massachusetts. Located along the Connecticut River in Western Mass, the overall cost of living index of 112 is supported by low index values for utilities (110), services (108), and healthcare (102).
The $322,895 median home values fall below the state average, and a $1,021 median rent underscores Holyoke’s cost-effective living. You can spend some of the money you save on housing on better clam chowder and lobster rolls.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$73,040 median income · $1,222 median rent · #12 home prices in Massachusetts
Located in
Worcester County, Massachusetts
Located about 30 miles west of Lowell and north of Worcester, Fitchburg ranks as the seventh most affordable city in Massachusetts. Fitchburg has the 11th lowest home price to income ratio in the state, with a median home price of $396,820 and a median income of $73,040. Living in Fitchburg, you won’t know what people are talking about when they say that Massachusetts is one of the most expensive states in America.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$87,753 median income · $1,117 median rent · #11 home prices in Massachusetts
Located in
Hampden County, Massachusetts
Located just west of Springfield, Westfield ranks as the eighth cheapest city to live in Massachusetts. With a median price tag of $378,738, Westfield has the second highest home prices on this list. However, because residents earn $87,753 as a median income, Westfield still has the fourth best ratio of home price to income in the state. It’s also economical to rent in Westfield, where the median rent to income ratio is among the best in Massachusetts. We should also mention that Westfield was just shy of making the cut of best places to live in Massachusetts, so if you want quality on a budget, look no further.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$78,480 median income · $1,075 median rent · #5 home prices in Massachusetts
When it comes to affordability, there’s nowhere better in Massachusetts than Palmer Town. Palmer Town residents pay a median price of $317,071 for homes and earn a median income of $78,480. That gives Palmer Town the best ratio of home price to income in Massachusetts. And with a median rent of $1,075, Palmer Town is also one of the cheapest places to rent in the state, taken as a proportion of income. With all that extra cash, you can afford to splurge at the Yankee Flea Market any day of the week.
Palmer Town is located between Worcester and Springfield in the south-central part of Massachusetts.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$69,371 median income · $1,144 median rent · #10 home prices in Massachusetts
West Springfield Town is a great spot for those looking to live in Massachusetts without breaking the bank. With a median home value of $375,602 and median rent of $1,144, this town offers lower housing costs compared to many other areas in the state.
Part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area, West Springfield Town residents can enjoy the charm of small-town living. With its convenient location on the western side of the Connecticut River, West Springfield Town has a rich history and plenty of local attractions.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Massachusetts’s statewide median.
Massachusetts statewide median: $656,690
Massachusetts statewide median: $103,960
On the map
Where your money goes furthest in Massachusetts
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Bay State for 2026
Determining affordability for places in Massachusetts boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 for Massachusetts using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Massachusetts to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 48 places in Massachusetts that have more than 12,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Massachusetts with the lowest cost of living according to the data is North Adams.
We updated this article for 2026. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the cheapest places to live in Massachusetts.
The full plate
Cheapest Places To Live In Massachusetts
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Adams | 12,606 | 104 | $47,500 | $252,589 | $793 |
| 2 | Pittsfield | 43,457 | 108 | $70,582 | $302,831 | $1,134 |
| 3 | Chicopee | 55,295 | 109 | $62,615 | $311,123 | $1,157 |
| 4 | Gardner | 21,148 | 109 | $67,518 | $369,177 | $1,109 |
| 5 | Springfield | 154,749 | 111 | $52,656 | $294,613 | $1,144 |
| 6 | Holyoke | 37,813 | 112 | $53,605 | $322,895 | $1,021 |
| 7 | Fitchburg | 41,798 | 113 | $73,040 | $396,820 | $1,222 |
| 8 | Westfield | 40,378 | 115 | $87,753 | $378,738 | $1,117 |
| 9 | Palmer Town | 12,381 | 115 | $78,480 | $317,071 | $1,075 |
| 10 | West Springfield Town | 28,772 | 116 | $69,371 | $375,602 | $1,144 |
| 11 | New Bedford | 100,998 | 117 | $56,981 | $434,262 | $1,137 |
| 12 | Leominster | 43,909 | 117 | $83,816 | $463,494 | $1,354 |
| 13 | Southbridge Town | 17,928 | 118 | $66,287 | $344,409 | $1,256 |
| 14 | Worcester | 207,055 | 119 | $70,102 | $430,112 | $1,487 |
| 15 | Agawam Town | 28,539 | 120 | $85,421 | $364,036 | $1,256 |
| 16 | Fall River | 94,082 | 121 | $56,673 | $445,781 | $1,155 |
| 17 | Taunton | 60,433 | 124 | $79,283 | $513,322 | $1,324 |
| 18 | Lowell | 118,368 | 127 | $78,658 | $480,319 | $1,625 |
| 19 | Brockton | 105,386 | 127 | $80,115 | $503,833 | $1,641 |
| 20 | Lawrence | 88,736 | 127 | $60,433 | $504,150 | $1,662 |
| 21 | Haverhill | 67,698 | 127 | $88,326 | $543,992 | $1,668 |
| 22 | Attleboro | 46,762 | 127 | $98,954 | $532,570 | $1,590 |
| 23 | Northampton | 30,962 | 130 | $80,288 | $486,075 | $1,439 |
| 24 | Chelsea | 39,908 | 134 | $72,179 | $526,190 | $1,956 |
| 25 | Salem | 44,795 | 135 | $85,153 | $606,559 | $1,836 |
| 26 | Lynn | 101,709 | 136 | $75,043 | $580,316 | $1,722 |
| 27 | Weymouth Town | 58,505 | 137 | $102,714 | $645,008 | $1,941 |
| 28 | Revere | 60,012 | 138 | $86,969 | $612,971 | $2,076 |
| 29 | Marlborough | 41,647 | 138 | $91,968 | $578,934 | $1,871 |
| 30 | Gloucester | 30,075 | 140 | $83,883 | $760,558 | $1,411 |
| 31 | Barnstable Town | 49,568 | 141 | $91,982 | $703,889 | $1,917 |
| 32 | Peabody | 54,695 | 142 | $96,657 | $694,094 | $1,950 |
| 33 | Franklin Town | 33,154 | 145 | $145,773 | $714,637 | $1,899 |
| 34 | Everett | 50,045 | 146 | $85,218 | $639,070 | $2,076 |
| 35 | Beverly | 42,665 | 148 | $106,044 | $755,767 | $1,771 |
| 36 | Quincy | 102,114 | 149 | $98,882 | $675,959 | $2,118 |
| 37 | Malden | 65,906 | 150 | $100,606 | $684,055 | $2,204 |
| 38 | Braintree Town | 38,899 | 150 | $122,214 | $767,327 | $2,024 |
| 39 | Winthrop Town | 18,759 | 150 | $116,167 | $758,915 | $2,064 |
| 40 | Woburn | 41,939 | 153 | $111,185 | $758,603 | $2,221 |
| 41 | Medford | 59,354 | 162 | $129,540 | $842,298 | $2,509 |
| 42 | Newburyport | 18,652 | 162 | $139,625 | $923,543 | $1,592 |
| 43 | Waltham | 64,902 | 163 | $120,216 | $826,437 | $2,268 |
| 44 | Melrose | 29,650 | 167 | $133,953 | $908,131 | $1,970 |
| 45 | Boston | 666,442 | 171 | $97,344 | $798,217 | $2,147 |
| 46 | Somerville | 81,036 | 186 | $132,572 | $940,239 | $2,517 |
| 47 | Cambridge | 118,796 | 204 | $130,748 | $1,041,569 | $2,787 |
| 48 | Newton | 89,044 | 205 | $190,304 | $1,528,894 | $2,370 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, cost-of-living data. 48 places with more than 12,000 residents.
Summary
Massachusetts Affordability Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Massachusetts for 2026, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Massachusetts.
The cheapest cities in Massachusetts are North Adams, Pittsfield, Chicopee, Gardner, Springfield, Holyoke, Fitchburg, Westfield, Palmer Town, and West Springfield Town.
