Boston home prices (US$/m²): returns since 2012
Boston home prices, measured as the typical value per square meter (data: Redfin). This is the value of the property itself — bricks and mortar — not an investor's total return.
It excludes rent received and all costs (closing, property taxes, maintenance, vacancy). Compare it against U.S. inflation (CPI) and the S&P 500 below to see whether Boston real estate kept up.
Boston sits firmly in the expensive coastal tier, and the per-square-meter value tracks a metro defined by universities, hospitals, biotech and finance. Tight housing supply across the urban core and inner suburbs has historically kept prices high relative to the national average. The market softened during the 2008 housing crash and recovered through the 2010s, broadly in line with other constrained Northeast metros where demand from a well-paid knowledge economy meets limited new construction.
Cumulative return by window (in U.S. dollars)
| Window | Cumulative |
|---|---|
| 1 year | -3% |
| 5 years | -4% |
| 10 years | 36% |
Largest historical drop: -23% · annual volatility: 23% . Typical home price per m² (Redfin). Excludes rent received, closing costs, property taxes, maintenance and vacancy — the value of the property itself, not the investor's total return.
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Descriptive, educational content computed from official public data. Not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.