Section 8 in Boston, MA: FMR & Landlord Guide
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (CBSA 14460). FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, housing authorities and wait-list status, and source-of-income law. Every figure below links back to its source.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards (what a PHA actually pays) are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at PHA discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,631 | $1,468 – $1,794 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,761 | $1,585 – $1,937 |
| 2-bedroom | $2,311 | $2,080 – $2,542 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,889 | $2,600 – $3,178 |
| 4-bedroom | $3,060 | $2,754 – $3,366 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Boston, MA covers up to $2,311 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $2,080–$2,542.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means voucher holders are placed and reliably paying rent, a stable but competitive tenant pool for accepting landlords.
Housing authorities serving Boston, MA
15 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Status unknown
Exec. Office Housing & Livable Communities
Boston, MA · MA901 · 23,073 HCV units
- Wait-list CLOSED
Boston Housing Authority
Boston, MA · MA002 · 17,755 HCV units
BHA Section 8 wait list has been closed long-term. State-administered MRVP may have separate openings — see Mass.gov.
- Status unknown
Cambridge Housing Authority
Cambridge, MA · MA003 · 7,597 HCV units
- Status unknown
Quincy Housing Authority
Quincy, MA · MA020 · 2,356 HCV units
- Status unknown
Brockton Housing Authority
Brockton, MA · MA024 · 1,946 HCV units
- Status unknown
Lynn Housing Authority
Lynn, MA · MA023 · 1,566 HCV units
- Status unknown
Lowell Housing Authority
Lowell, MA · MA001 · 1,405 HCV units
- Status unknown
Salem Housing Authority
Salem, MA · MA055 · 1,383 HCV units
- Status unknown
Brookline Housing Authority
Brookline, MA · MA033 · 1,370 HCV units
- Status unknown
Somerville Housing Authority
Somerville, MA · MA031 · 1,355 HCV units
- Status unknown
Medford Housing Authority
Medford, MA · MA015 · 1,194 HCV units
- Status unknown
Framingham Housing Authority
Framingham, MA · MA028 · 1,065 HCV units
- Status unknown
Lawrence Housing Authority
Lawrence, MA · MA010 · 1,031 HCV units
- Status unknown
Malden Housing Authority
Malden, MA · MA022 · 983 HCV units
- Status unknown
Chelmsford Housing Authority
Chelmsford, MA · MA108 · 891 HCV units
Source-of-income law in MA
MA state law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to Section 8 voucher holders on the basis of their source of income.
M.G.L. c.151B §4 · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Boston, MA property
Look up the address’s SAFMR (ZIP-level rent), plug the numbers into the voucher-vs-market analyzer, and check the HQS pre-inspection list before scheduling.