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.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in Massachusetts
So, what is the most affordable place to live in the Bay State? The cheapest place to live in Massachusetts is North Adams after crunching data from the US Census regarding median housing costs, median income, and overall cost of living for cities with over 5,000 residents.
We discovered many cities that offer affordable living without compromising quality. Most can be found within driving distance to Boston or Cambridge. While Salem and Provincetown are great options for inexpensive staycations.
Check out some more reading about Massachusetts and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Massachusetts For 2024
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Population: 12,937
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 101
Median Income: $49,525
Median Home Price: $232,713
Median Rent: $843
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 $843, 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 $232,713. With residents earning a median income of $49,525, North Adams has the seventh best home price to income ratio in the state.
More on North Adams: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 155,305
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 102
Median Income: $47,677
Median Home Price: $262,369
Median Rent: $1,047
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.
More on Springfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
It was a fun experience, with some great local colleges as well. The city had a lot of life and was fun for me on the whole.
The city will welcome most people and represents a great slice of life for the North East area of the United States.
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Population: 38,210
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 104
Median Income: $49,007
Median Home Price: $291,473
Median Rent: $937
Holy moly, Holyoke is the third most affordable city in Massachusetts. Located along the Connecticut River in Western Mass, the overall cost of living index of 104 is supported by low index values for utilities, services, and healthcare.
The $291,473 median home values fall below the state average, and a $937 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.
More on Holyoke: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Years ago Holyoke was bad, but tor the past 10 years the ghetto n the crime has extremely decreased!! Last 2 years there were no deaths on crime at all and this year 2 and the ones that did the crime were already caught.
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Population: 43,730
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 105
Median Income: $66,859
Median Home Price: $283,475
Median Rent: $1,027
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 fifth lowest in the state at $283,475. With residents earning a median income of $66,859, 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.
More on Pittsfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 55,441
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 107
Median Income: $63,866
Median Home Price: $281,474
Median Rent: $1,058
Located just north of Springfield, Chicopee ranks as the fifth cheapest city in Massachusetts. With a median home price of $281,474 and a median income of $63,866, Chicopee has the fifth lowest home price to income ratio in the state. The median rent in Chicopee is $1,058, 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.
More on Chicopee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I don’t understand how Chicopee could be 10th most dangerous city in Ma. I moved into Chicopee 4 years ago and have never had an issue with anyone or my property. Its rare to see cops or any emergency in action. Very quiet neighborhoods. People are polite and courteous. The schools have helped my kids grades go up dramatically since we moved here. As for things to do, not much, since its a little town with just stores for shopping. Overall I love this place.
Chicopee Annual fair, not sure what’s it called but it’s a little fair with food and such. Celebrating Chicopee. There are also events for the holidays such as the Christmas Tree lighting. Plenty of parks and the Chicopee recreational office offers classes for adults and children such as swimming lessons, art classes, cpr training and more.
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Population: 12,422
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 107
Median Income: $73,568
Median Home Price: $282,875
Median Rent: $1,118
When it comes to affordability, there’s nowhere better in Massachusetts than Palmer Town. Palmer Town residents pay a median price of $282,875 for homes and earn a median income of $73,568. That gives Palmer Town the best ratio of home price to income in Massachusetts. And with a median rent of $1,118, 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.
More on Palmer Town: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 28,755
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 108
Median Income: $67,297
Median Home Price: $358,495
Median Rent: $1,038
West Springfield Town is a great spot for those looking to live in Massachusetts without breaking the bank. With a median home value of $358,495 and median rent of $1,038, 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.
More on West Springfield Town: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 28,606
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 109
Median Income: $80,809
Median Home Price: $331,340
Median Rent: $1,218
Located across the Connecticut River from Springfield, Agawam Town ranks as the eighth cheapest place to live in Massachusetts. At $331,340, the median home price in Agawam Town is a bit higher than in Palmer Town. But, thanks to residents earning a slightly higher median income of $80,809, Agawam Town ranks as the second most affordable place to buy a home in Massachusetts, when taken as a proportion of income. If you need another reason to buy a home in Agawam Town, remember that it’s the home of Six Flags New England. Friends from out of town will be visiting all the time, whether you want them to or not!
More on Agawam Town: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 93,638
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 110
Median Income: $52,734
Median Home Price: $390,416
Median Rent: $1,020
Ranked #9 for affordability, Fall River has a low overall cost of living for Massachusetts. The overall cost of living is 15.4% lower than the Massachusetts average.
The median home price is $390,416 and the average income is $52,734. Fall River also has plenty of cheap things to do, like walking through Copicut Woods or spending an afternoon at Battleship Cove.
More on Fall River: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 16,136
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 110
Median Income: $67,329
Median Home Price: $403,186
Median Rent: $1,168
Easthampton Town, another town located in western Massachusetts, finds itself as the tenth most inexpensive city in Massachusetts. The town’s $403,186 average home price and $1,168 average rent rank 16th and 14th lowest statewide according to the most recent Zillow data.
Easthampton has the local Fort Hill Brewery and Manhan Rail Trail if you’re looking for something fun and cheap to do on the weekend.
More on Easthampton Town: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Cheapest places to live in Massachusetts FAQs
The county in Massachusetts with the lowest cost of living is Hampden County. The average living wage in Hampden County is $106,670 according to MIT data. Hampden County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Massachusetts as a whole. Childcare costs $27,661 a year in Hampden County for two children compared to the Massachusetts average of $31,879. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $13,548 per year in Hampden County compared to $22,268 on average in Massachusetts.
The cost of living in Massachusetts is 35.3% higher than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Massachusetts is $121,414 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Massachusetts household is $84,385.
The cheapest housing market in Massachusetts is North Adams. The average home value in North Adams is $149,300, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Massachusetts is $398,800, almost 2.7 times higher than North Adams.
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Bay State for 2024
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 2018-2022 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 51 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 2024. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Massachusetts for 2024, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Massachusetts.
The cheapest cities in Massachusetts are North Adams, Springfield, Holyoke, Pittsfield, Chicopee, Palmer Town, West Springfield Town, Agawam Town, Fall River, and Easthampton Town.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Massachusetts according to the data:
- Newton
- Cambridge
- Somerville
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Best Places To Buy A House In Massachusetts
- Worst Places To Live In Massachusetts
Cheapest Places To Live In Massachusetts
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Adams | 12,937 | 101 | $49,525 | $232,713 | $843 |
| 2 | Springfield | 155,305 | 102 | $47,677 | $262,369 | $1,047 |
| 3 | Holyoke | 38,210 | 104 | $49,007 | $291,473 | $937 |
| 4 | Pittsfield | 43,730 | 105 | $66,859 | $283,475 | $1,027 |
| 5 | Chicopee | 55,441 | 107 | $63,866 | $281,474 | $1,058 |
| 6 | Palmer Town | 12,422 | 107 | $73,568 | $282,875 | $1,118 |
| 7 | West Springfield Town | 28,755 | 108 | $67,297 | $358,495 | $1,038 |
| 8 | Agawam Town | 28,606 | 109 | $80,809 | $331,340 | $1,218 |
| 9 | Fall River | 93,638 | 110 | $52,734 | $390,416 | $1,020 |
| 10 | Easthampton Town | 16,136 | 110 | $67,329 | $403,186 | $1,168 |
| 11 | New Bedford | 100,620 | 111 | $54,604 | $380,670 | $1,026 |
| 12 | Westfield | 40,794 | 112 | $78,307 | $336,401 | $1,050 |
| 13 | Taunton | 59,436 | 113 | $72,782 | $455,672 | $1,180 |
| 14 | Gardner | 21,090 | 114 | $56,974 | $331,761 | $1,041 |
| 15 | Fitchburg | 41,621 | 116 | $65,963 | $357,162 | $1,115 |
| 16 | Southbridge Town | 17,669 | 116 | $55,182 | $310,152 | $1,142 |
| 17 | Lowell | 114,737 | 119 | $73,008 | $435,128 | $1,466 |
| 18 | Brockton | 104,713 | 119 | $74,016 | $455,030 | $1,446 |
| 19 | Attleboro | 46,384 | 119 | $91,378 | $476,170 | $1,359 |
| 20 | Leominster | 43,620 | 119 | $75,620 | $413,118 | $1,171 |
| 21 | Worcester | 204,191 | 120 | $63,011 | $392,447 | $1,312 |
| 22 | Northampton | 28,245 | 120 | $80,981 | $439,136 | $1,355 |
| 23 | Lawrence | 88,067 | 121 | $53,977 | $436,042 | $1,502 |
| 24 | Haverhill | 67,273 | 122 | $81,989 | $479,045 | $1,462 |
| 25 | Lynn | 100,653 | 125 | $70,046 | $511,699 | $1,511 |
| 26 | Chelsea | 39,890 | 127 | $71,051 | $483,659 | $1,806 |
| 27 | Methuen Town | 52,812 | 129 | $93,681 | $535,186 | $1,514 |
| 28 | Amesbury Town | 17,279 | 130 | $91,010 | $530,193 | $1,464 |
| 29 | Revere | 60,577 | 131 | $78,968 | $558,745 | $1,790 |
| 30 | Barnstable Town | 48,922 | 131 | $94,387 | $607,275 | $1,711 |
| 31 | Salem | 44,541 | 133 | $79,196 | $556,514 | $1,678 |
| 32 | Weymouth Town | 57,300 | 135 | $95,879 | $571,474 | $1,718 |
| 33 | Malden | 65,463 | 136 | $90,295 | $609,995 | $1,962 |
| 34 | Everett | 48,685 | 136 | $77,796 | $567,525 | $1,892 |
| 35 | Beverly | 42,414 | 136 | $99,525 | $671,453 | $1,622 |
| 36 | Marlborough | 41,391 | 136 | $94,199 | $521,510 | $1,648 |
| 37 | Peabody | 54,204 | 137 | $91,125 | $628,178 | $1,795 |
| 38 | Winthrop Town | 19,031 | 137 | $98,901 | $685,696 | $1,841 |
| 39 | Quincy | 100,981 | 138 | $90,668 | $617,826 | $1,901 |
| 40 | Gloucester | 29,830 | 139 | $84,465 | $684,078 | $1,390 |
| 41 | Woburn | 40,992 | 141 | $104,780 | $670,017 | $2,131 |
| 42 | Franklin Town | 32,777 | 142 | $138,062 | $628,950 | $1,792 |
| 43 | Newburyport | 18,356 | 144 | $127,306 | $820,037 | $1,426 |
| 44 | Medford | 61,748 | 146 | $114,863 | $753,975 | $2,305 |
| 45 | Melrose | 29,477 | 146 | $126,305 | $819,404 | $1,837 |
| 46 | Boston | 665,945 | 148 | $89,212 | $714,795 | $1,981 |
| 47 | Waltham | 64,711 | 149 | $113,443 | $747,940 | $2,141 |
| 48 | Watertown Town | 35,181 | 155 | $117,625 | $879,191 | $2,183 |
| 49 | Somerville | 80,464 | 157 | $120,778 | $878,789 | $2,357 |
| 50 | Cambridge | 117,962 | 174 | $121,539 | $946,296 | $2,628 |
| 51 | Newton | 88,453 | 191 | $176,373 | $1,367,720 | $2,252 |