Massachusetts has 3.05 million housing units, including everything from studio apartments to luxury condos, public housing units, single family homes, and oceanfront mansions. Overall, about 57% of the homes in Massachusetts are single family homes, 20% are in 2-4 multi-family homes, and 22% are in larger multifamily buildings (multifamily units refers to homes that are in structures with multiple units—not homes that are occupied by multiple families). The variation in Massachusetts housing supply is reflective of the widely varied character and characteristics of the state’s communities. Urban municipalities have a more balanced mix of units in small (2-4 unit) and larger (5+) multifamily; Suburbs tend to have a larger share of larger multifamily and less middle-income housing, while also including a large share of single-family homes.
The other major distinction is whether homes are rented or owned by their occupants. Nine out of ten single-family homes are owner-occupied, while multifamily housing is over 75% renter occupied. In many municipalities, someone looking to rent – at almost any income—has few units to choose from. The Massachusetts rental vacancy rate is around 2.5% and is among the lowest in the Country. There is also a mismatch of available housing type that creates more challenges for larger households. Families with two or more kids also face challenges finding homes with enough bedrooms. Statewide, 56% of housing units are “family-sized”, that is with 3 or more bedrooms. As outlined in more detail in the Conditions chapter, there is a mismatch as many “family-sized” units occupied by adults with adult children now living outside the home (empty nesters), singles, or roommates.