The numbers for Boston
| Measure | Boston | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Units in 2-unit buildings | 36,175 | 282,603 |
| Units in 3- and 4-unit buildings | 73,073 | 323,934 |
| All units in 2-4 unit buildings | 109,248 (rank 1 of 351) | 606,537 |
| Share of all housing units | 35.2% (rank 7 among the 30 places with 20,000+ units) | 20.0% |
| Units built 1939 or earlier | 46.7% | 30.5% |
| Units built 1979 or earlier | 72.3% | 67.4% |
| Households that rent | 64.3% | 37.5% |
| Median value, owner-occupied homes (all types) | $731,700 | n/a |
| Median gross rent | $2,147 a month | n/a |
Counts are housing units in buildings with 2, 3 or 4 units (Census table B25024), not buildings and not parcels; a three-family counts as three units. They are survey estimates with a margin of error (for large cities about 1 to 8 percent of the 2-4 unit count). The median value is what owners say their home is worth across all home types, not a sale price and not the price of a two- or three-family.
What this means if you own one in Boston
Boston alone holds 18.0% of all two-to-four-unit housing in the state. Three- and four-unit buildings hold 73,073 units against 36,175 in two-families, so the triple-decker is the common case. Owner-occupants and investors both compete for them, and neighborhood matters as much as city: this page uses city-wide figures, and the form accepts Dorchester, East Boston, Jamaica Plain and the other neighborhoods.
Steps that apply in Boston
- Fire department certificate. The Boston Fire Department inspects smoke and carbon monoxide alarms before a sale or transfer (MGL c.148 s.26F and s.26F1/2). Ask for the date as soon as you have a closing date. See the smoke and CO certificate.
- Lead notice. For a building built before 1978, give the buyer the Property Transfer Lead Paint Notification before the buyer signs the purchase and sale agreement. See lead paint when you sell.
- Tenants and deposits. Deposits and last month's rent move to the buyer, who must notify each tenant in writing within 45 days (MGL c.186 s.15B). See selling with tenants in place.
- Rental registration. Boston requires owners to register rental units each year between January 1 and July 1 (ordinance CBC 9-1.3). The city's own sheet lists an initial fee of $25 a unit and $15 a unit to renew, and says owner-occupied buildings with six or fewer rental units register without a fee (City of Boston rental registration sheet; check the current figures on boston.gov). If you are selling a rental, ask your attorney whether registration is current.