Northeast ranking
13 Massachusetts cities ranked by cost of living, cheapest first.
Index 80
Index 207
Sorted by cost-of-living index — lowest (most affordable) first.
| # | City | Cost index | Median rent | Median income | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fall River | 80 | $1,020/mo | $52,734 | 94K | Compare → |
| 2 | New Bedford | 81 | $1,026/mo | $54,604 | 101K | Compare → |
| 3 | Springfield | 83 | $1,047/mo | $47,677 | 155K | Compare → |
| 4 | Worcester | 103 | $1,312/mo | $63,011 | 204K | Compare → |
| 5 | Brockton | 114 | $1,446/mo | $74,016 | 105K | Compare → |
| 6 | Lowell | 116 | $1,466/mo | $73,008 | 115K | Compare → |
| 7 | Lawrence | 118 | $1,502/mo | $53,977 | 88K | Compare → |
| 8 | Lynn | 119 | $1,511/mo | $70,046 | 101K | Compare → |
| 9 | Quincy | 150 | $1,901/mo | $90,668 | 101K | Compare → |
| 10 | Boston | 156 | $1,981/mo | $89,212 | 666K | Compare → |
| 11 | Newton | 178 | $2,252/mo | $176,373 | 88K | Compare → |
| 12 | Somerville | 186 | $2,357/mo | $120,778 | 80K | Compare → |
| 13 | Cambridge | 207 | $2,628/mo | $121,539 | 118K | Compare → |
Across Massachusetts, Fall River is the most affordable city we track (cost index 80, with median rent around $1,020/mo), while Cambridge sits at the top of the range with an index of 207—roughly 158% pricier than Fall River. Use the table above to compare any Massachusetts city directly against Fall River.
The other end of the ranking — priciest first.