Boston-Cambridge-Newton vs New York-Newark-Jersey City: Housing Market Comparison (2026)
Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of May 2026
Boston-Cambridge-Newton vs New York-Newark-Jersey City side by side
| Metric | ● Boston-Cambridge-Newton | ● New York-Newark-Jersey City |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Score | 26 | 27 |
| Price Momentum | 50 | 50 |
| Inventory Health | 2 | 0 |
| Affordability | 9 | 5 |
| Economic Strength | 36 | 62 |
| Rental Yield | 42 | 24 |
| Median Sale Price | — | — |
| Price-to-Income | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| Payment-to-Income | 33.3% | 37.0% |
| Months of Supply | — | — |
| Gross Rental Yield | 3.8% | 3.6% |
| Overvaluation Index | — | — |
Highlighted = the stronger read for that metric (supply, valuation, and payment burden are better when lower). Income/rent inputs lag annually.
How Boston-Cambridge-Newton and New York-Newark-Jersey City compare, dimension by dimension
- Affordability: Boston-Cambridge-Newton leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 9/100 vs New York-Newark-Jersey City 5/100.
- Price Momentum: Boston-Cambridge-Newton and New York-Newark-Jersey City score the same (50/100).
- Inventory Health: Boston-Cambridge-Newton leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 2/100 vs New York-Newark-Jersey City 0/100.
- Economic Strength: New York-Newark-Jersey City leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 36/100 vs New York-Newark-Jersey City 62/100.
- Rental Yield: Boston-Cambridge-Newton leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 42/100 vs New York-Newark-Jersey City 24/100.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a higher Alpha Score, Boston-Cambridge-Newton or New York-Newark-Jersey City?
New York-Newark-Jersey City scores higher — 27 vs 26 out of 100. The Alpha Score is a 0-100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield.
Is Boston-Cambridge-Newton or New York-Newark-Jersey City more affordable?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 5.4 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton and 6.0 in New York-Newark-Jersey City.
Which housing market has stronger momentum, Boston-Cambridge-Newton or New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Both markets show similar price momentum (about 50/100).
Want to swap in other cities, change the metrics, or chart the trend over time? Customize this comparison → in the interactive Compare tool. Or read the Boston-Cambridge-Newton market brief and the New York-Newark-Jersey City brief.