Massachusetts Cost of Living & Economic Score

Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis data on price levels, real income, and household-budget impact for Massachusetts. Last updated 2024.

D+
InflationRank Score
68 / 100
Massachusetts ranks around the U.S. national average for cost-of-living-adjusted economic conditions.
Cost level (RPP)
107.5
7.5% above U.S. average
Real per-capita income
$70.0K
11K above U.S. ($59K)
Property tax
1.20%
vs U.S. avg 1.02%
Sales tax
6.25%
combined state + local avg
State income tax (top)
9.00%
top marginal rate
Home insurance (avg)
$1,565/yr
~$300K coverage

Cost of living in Massachusetts

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, prices in Massachusetts run 7.5% above the U.S. average (Regional Price Parity index 107.5 on a base of 100). The state sits in the Northeast region. That puts it on the costlier end of U.S. states.

Real per-capita personal income — what local residents actually earn after adjusting for cost of living — is $70.0K (vs $59K nationally). Locals have higher real purchasing power than the U.S. average — high incomes here more than compensate for any cost premium.

Notable cost factors: high top-marginal income tax of 9%.

Cost of living in Massachusetts's major metro areas

How does cost of living in Massachusetts compare to other states?

Washington D Connecticut D+ New Jersey D Louisiana B- Maryland C-

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 107.5 (U.S.=100), meaning prices are 7.5% above the national average. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.

Is Massachusetts affordable to live in?

Massachusetts has an InflationRank score of 68/100 (grade D+), reflecting costs above the national average relative to local incomes. Real per-capita income is $70.0K (U.S. avg $59K).

What is the InflationRank score for Massachusetts?

Massachusetts's InflationRank score is 68/100 (grade D+). The score blends cost burden (60%), inflation pressure (25%), and income resilience (15%), using Bureau of Economic Analysis and Bureau of Labor Statistics federal data.

About the InflationRank Score

The InflationRank Score is a proprietary 0–100 composite that summarizes a place's cost-of-living and economic conditions on a familiar A–F grading scale. Higher scores reflect a better cost-of-living-adjusted economic situation.

The composite weighs three dimensions sourced from federal government datasets: cost level (how local prices compare to the national average), inflation pressure (recent direction and pace of cost movements), and income resilience (real, cost-adjusted earning power of local residents). The score is anchored to the U.S. national average and reviewed annually as federal data refreshes.

Underlying data is drawn from authoritative federal economic agencies and public housing datasets. See full data sources →