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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Massachusetts

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Massachusetts from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 6 metro areas.

105.8
Statewide RPP
#7
of 51 states by cost
128.1
Rents RPP
6
Metro areas

The verdict

Massachusetts is more expensive than 86% of U.S. states — a statewide cost index of 105.8, 5.8% above the national average.

105.8
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#7
of 51 states by overall cost
top 14%
nationally, among all states
128.1
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $94,556 when earned in Massachusetts.

Reading the Massachusetts Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Massachusetts's statewide Regional Price Parity at 105.8 for the 2024 data year, 5.8% more expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's services line runs hottest at 152.1, while goods offer the biggest relief at 98.8. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Massachusetts captures 6 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH leads on cost at 108.3, while Pittsfield, MA sits at the opposite end at 95.1 — a gap of 13.2 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 98.8, for services 152.1, and for rents 128.1 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Massachusetts's statewide index has held steady within 0.3 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $94,556 of national buying power when earned inside Massachusetts, and a household relocating here would need roughly $105,757 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

105.8
Overall
98.8
Goods
152.1
Services
128.1
Rents

Massachusetts vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

106 Top 14% higher than 86% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Below this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). This entry sits in this band. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in Massachusetts → Cheapest in Massachusetts →

Metro areas in Massachusetts, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Boston-Cambridge-Newton 108.3 99.7 148.8 148.4
2 Worcester 102.5 97.0 155.2 113.0
3 Amherst Town-Northampton 100.2 97.0 155.7 97.5
4 Barnstable Town 98.4 97.0 158.4 90.0
5 Springfield 96.1 97.0 155.0 75.8
6 Pittsfield 95.1 97.0 153.7 73.5

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 106.0
2009 105.5
2010 104.8
2011 104.7
2012 104.5
2013 103.3
2014 104.5
2015 105.1
2016 108.2
2017 107.4
2018 107.4
2019 107.2
2020 109.1
2021 106.7
2022 109.4
2023 107.7
2024 105.8

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Massachusetts? ▼
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 105.8, meaning it is 5.8% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 98.8, services at 152.1, and rents at 128.1.
What salary in Massachusetts equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $105,757 in Massachusetts. Conversely, $100K earned in Massachusetts has the purchasing power of $94,556 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Massachusetts? ▼
Rents in Massachusetts are indexed at 128.1, which is 28.1% above the national average. Housing costs are significantly higher than typical U.S. levels.
Which is the most expensive metro in Massachusetts? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Massachusetts is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH with an RPP of 108.3. The most affordable is Pittsfield, MA at 95.1. There are 6 metro areas in Massachusetts with BEA price data.
Is Massachusetts getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Massachusetts's overall cost index changed by -0.3 points (from 106.0 to 105.8). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What is most expensive in Massachusetts compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Massachusetts is services at 152.1, which is 52.1% above the national average. The most affordable category is goods at 98.8, 1.2% below average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.