The apartment rental market in Dorchester, MA has rapidly absorbed available supply since its seasonal peak earlier this year. Dorchester’s apartment availability hit its highest level since the pandemic in May, but has since rapidly contracted and is now trending down year-over-year. Based on our data it appears that off campus housing demand is having a stronger impact on Dorchester than it has in the years prior to COVID. Here are the trends driving Dorchester’s apartment rental market in 2025.
Dorchester’s Apartment Rental Supply
The current real-time availability rate (RTAR) for Dorchester apartments is 2.76%. That figure is down -8.31% year-over-year and down -21.14% compared to August 2023. Dorchester’s RTAR peaked in May of this year at 5.15%, +7.52% higher than 2024’s peak RTAR (4.79%). However, over the last 4 weeks apartment availability has sharply dropped in Dorchester likely due to more affordability than many other parts of Greater Boston. Over the last 3 years, apartment demand seasonality has more closely resembled Boston’s RTAR cycle as a whole. This data indicates that more young professionals and even students are seeking out Dorchester especially when compared to other higher priced student heavy markets in close proximity to multiple universities.
The current real-time vacancy rate (RTVR) in Dorchester, MA is 1.14%. That figure is up +26.67% year-over-year and up +25.27% compared to 2 years ago. Dorchester has historically had a higher vacancy rate than other neighborhoods in Boston, so it is no surprise to see it hovering above Boston’s vacancy rate of 0.56%. Still, the current vacancy rate is very low and another sign of strong apartment demand in Dorchester. The bottom line is that Dorchester could certainly absorb more new construction without a hitch. The bigger boarder issue is that are we providing enough incentives for developers to actually build and make a profit. Too many deals are simply not penciling due to the current economic environment and excessive government hurdles that impede supply creation.
According to our real-time Dorchester rental data, the median days on market for an apartment is currently 19 days. That is significantly lower than the median days on market for Boston apartments (29 days) and another marker of strong rental demand.
Average Rent Prices in Dorchester
Dorchester’s current average rent price sits at $3,275. That figure is up +1.33% compared to a year ago and up +6.16% over a two-year span. Apartment price growth in Dorchester is outpacing the city of Boston as a whole over the past two years, likely due to the fact that rent prices remain more affordable than other areas in Boston. Dorchester ranks as the 5th most affordable rental market in Boston behind West Roxbury, Mattapan, Hyde Park and Roslindale. With all the real time data available for the consumers to see – a lot of people will seek out housing based on cost alone.
Rent prices for 1 bedroom and 4 bedroom apartments have risen the most in Dorchester over the last 12 months (+6.63% and +5.10% respectively). Prices for 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom apartments have increased by +2.56% and +2.33% respectively. Interestingly, prices for 5 bedroom apartments in Dorchester have dropped by -8.18% since August 2024.
Dorchester Apartment Rental Market Forecast
The last 3 years of rental data in Dorchester shows that the apartment market is very much in sync with the broader Greater Boston market. We’ve seen RTAR seasonality closely resemble Boston in each of the last 3 years, and we expect that trend to continue. Look for RTAR to bottom out somewhere near the 1.5% level again during the fall months. People will always flock to where rents are cheaper and with the vast amount of reliable real time data out there – lower prices don’t necessarily last that long.
Apartment prices will likely continue to rise somewhere between 1-3% in Dorchester over the next 12 months, even as prices flatten out and trend downwards in Boston. Dorchester provides renters with affordable rental opportunities in close proximity to core areas, making it an attractive option for those on a budget. Demand will remain strong in Dorchester as a result, pushing apartment prices higher even as other areas cool off. We will continue to monitor these trends as they develop here on https://bostonpads.com.
Demetrios Salpoglou
Published August 20, 2025
Demetrios has pulled together the largest apartment leasing team in the Greater Boston Area and is responsible for procuring more apartment rentals than anyone in New England – with over 130k people finding their housing through his services. Demetrios is an avid real estate developer, peak performance trainer, educator, guest lecturer and motivational speaker.
