Single Family Residential • Year-over-Year + 5-Year View
July 16, 2026

Massachusetts
Real Estate Report

Comprehensive MLS data for Massachusetts, Boston, Essex County, and Greater Newburyport — tracking 13 years of market shifts from 2014 to the trailing 12 months ending —.

MA Average
—
— YoY (—→—)
Newburyport
—
— YoY (—→—)
Days on Market
—
Was — in — · — YoY
Sales Volume
—
— YoY volume

Market Overview

Year-over-year changes (—→—) with 5-year trend · Trailing 12 months ending —

What’s Driving Massachusetts Home Prices?

Massachusetts home prices remain elevated not because demand is exceptionally strong, but because supply remains constrained. Statewide closings are — year over year and — against 2014, with months of supply at — against the 4–6 months a balanced market implies.

Primary Long-Term Driver
Chronic housing supply shortage

Limited land, restrictive zoning, high construction costs, and slow new-home building have kept inventory far below demand for decades — especially on the North Shore and in Greater Boston. This persistent imbalance is the foundation of long-term price growth.

Demand Amplifiers
Monetary policy (low rates, QE) + demand-side incentives

Extended low interest rates and large-scale mortgage purchases (QE) significantly increased buying power, particularly from 2020–2022. Tax incentives like the mortgage interest deduction further raise what buyers can afford, with much of that benefit capitalized into higher home prices rather than improved affordability.

Recent Trends (trailing 12 months)
Supply today, market times year over year

Essex County months of supply stands at —, with days on market —; Newburyport is at — with —. Statewide supply is —. Months of supply is published for the current trailing window only, so it is shown as a level rather than a year-over-year change. Many homeowners remain locked into ultra-low mortgage rates, limiting new listings and preventing a meaningful supply rebound.

Home prices are — their 2014 level (—), driven primarily by structural supply constraints, amplified by policy-driven demand, and sustained by limited inventory even in a higher-rate environment.

Massachusetts
—
$/SqFt
—
Days on Market
—
Units (12mo)
—
Months Supply
—
Boston
—
$/SqFt
—
DOM
—
Essex County
—
$/SqFt
—
DOM
—
Newburyport
—
$/SqFt
—
DOM
—

Average Sale Price — 5-Year Trend (2022–2026)

Days on Market

Year-over-Year Price Change by Market (2025→2026)

Sales Volume — 12-Month Rolling

Massachusetts Statewide

Single-family residential · YoY + 5-year view

Average Sale Price
—
—
—
YoY Change
—
$/SqFt
—
—
—
Change
—
Volume (12mo)
—
—
—
YoY Change
—
Days on Market
—
—
—
YoY Change
—

Statewide Price & $/SqFt Trajectory

13-Year Data (—–—)

Boston

Urban core · YoY + 5-year view

Average Sale Price
—
—
—
YoY Change
—
$/SqFt
—
—
—
Change
—
Volume (12mo)
—
—
—
YoY Change
—
Days on Market
—
—
—
YoY Change
—

Boston vs Statewide — Avg Sale Price

$/SqFt Trends

Volume vs Days on Market

13-Year Data (—–—)

Essex County

North Shore · YoY + 5-year view

Average Sale Price
—
—
—
YoY Change
—
$/SqFt
—
—
—
Change
—
Volume (12mo)
—
—
—
YoY Change
—
Days on Market
—
—
—
YoY Change
—

Essex County vs Statewide — Avg Sale Price

$/SqFt Trends

Volume vs Days on Market

13-Year Data (—–—)

Greater Newburyport

Newburyport, West Newbury, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury, Amesbury

Regional Summary — Trailing 12 Months

Avg Price
—
Weighted
12-Mo Sales
—
All towns
$/SqFt
—
Weighted
Days on Market
—
Weighted

Town Breakdown

Town Comparison — Avg Sale Price (Trailing 12 Months)

Town YoY Price Change (— → —)

Town Price Trajectory (Last 5 Years)

12-Month Activity — Trailing 12 Months ending —

TownSale Price$/SqFtDOMUnits (12mo)Months SupplyYoY %

Newburyport is refreshed daily from MLS PIN. The other five towns are not in the updater's scope: their figures are a hand-kept snapshot as of — and are marked as of in the table.

Newburyport

Historic coastal community · YoY + 5-year view

Avg Sale Price
—
—
—
YoY Change
—
$/SqFt
—
—
—
vs —
—
Days on Market
—
—
—
YoY Change
—
12-Mo Volume
—
—
—
YoY Change
—

Newburyport — Price & $/SqFt (2022–2026)

Newburyport — Volume & Months Supply

By Property Type

Single Family vs. Condominium vs. Multi-Family — MLS PIN, trailing 12 months ending —. 5-year view across MA, Boston, Essex County, Newburyport.

Massachusetts
—
Condo (12mo)
—
Multi (12mo)
—
Boston
—
Condo (12mo)
—
Multi (12mo)
—
Essex County
—
Condo (12mo)
—
Multi (12mo)
—
Newburyport
—
Condo (12mo)
—
Multi (12mo)
—

Average Sale Price — Last 5 Years

Units Sold (12-Month Rolling)

Days on Market

Property-Type Breakdown — Trailing 12 Months

MarketProperty TypeAvg Price$/SqFtDOM12-Mo UnitsMonths Supply

Sales by Price Bracket

Share of single-family sales at each price point — past 5 years + current YTD. MLS PIN.

Sub-$500K share
—
5 yrs ago
—
Now
—
$500K–$1M share
—
5 yrs ago
—
Now
—
$1M+ share
—
5 yrs ago
—
Now
—
12-Mo Sales
—
5 yrs ago
—
YoY
—

Share by Price Bracket (100%)

Sales Volume by Price Bracket

5-Year Distribution Table — Share of Sales (%)

Bracket——————Shift

Single-family residential closings only. Greater Newburyport = Newburyport, Amesbury, Salisbury, Newbury, Rowley, West Newbury. Source: MLS PIN via Bridge Data Output.

Historical Context — Is This Unprecedented?

Massachusetts home prices, 1987–today. Nominal vs. inflation-adjusted (today's dollars). FRED.

1989 → 1992 cycle
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Peak
—
Trough
—
2006 → 2009 cycle
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Peak
—
Trough
—
2020 → today
—
Trough
—
Current
—
vs. 1987 baseline
—
Real growth
—
Nominal
—

Massachusetts Home Price Index — Past 4 Decades

Sources: S&P/Case-Shiller MA-Boston Home Price Index (BOXRSA, monthly), FHFA All-Transactions MA HPI (MASTHPI, quarterly), CPI-U All Items (CUUR0000SA0). All series rebased to Jan-2000 = 100. Real = nominal deflated by CPI to current dollars.

Affordability Analysis

Income requirements at standard lending criteria — 30-yr fixed @ 6.5%, 20% down, 28% DTI

Newburyport — Income Requirements

Home Price
—
Down (20%)
—
Monthly @6.5%
—
Income Needed
—
28% DTI
Down (20%)
$221K
Monthly @6.5%
$5,583
Income Needed
$239K
28% DTI

Income Required vs. MA Median

MA Median Income
—
—
Statewide Gap
—
—
Boston Gap
—
—
Newburyport Gap
—
—

Affordability Gap (income needed ÷ MA median)

Monthly Mortgage Payment by Market

Comparison Table

MarketPriceDownMonthlyIncomeMedianGap

—. MA Median: —

Income Gap
—

Above median income required.

Down Payment
—

—× median annual income.

Newburyport Premium
—

Above state average.

MA Inventory
—

Balanced market = 4–6 months.

Every figure on this page is listed with its source in the Housing & Real Estate section of the method.