Boston-Cambridge-Newton vs New York, NY: Housing Market Comparison (2026)

Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of July 2026

Boston-Cambridge-Newton vs New York, NY side by side

Metric Boston-Cambridge-Newton New York, NY
Alpha Score2340
Price Momentum5074
Inventory Health237
Affordability93
Economic Strength4849
Rental Yield937
Median Sale Price$806K
Price-to-Income5.69.2
Payment-to-Income35.1%54.4%
Months of Supply5
Gross Rental Yield3.8%2.7%
Overvaluation Index4060

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, NY compare, dimension by dimension

  • Affordability: Boston-Cambridge-Newton leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 9/100 vs New York, NY 3/100.
  • Price Momentum: New York, NY leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 50/100 vs New York, NY 74/100.
  • Inventory Health: New York, NY leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 2/100 vs New York, NY 37/100.
  • Economic Strength: New York, NY leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 48/100 vs New York, NY 49/100.
  • Rental Yield: New York, NY leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 9/100 vs New York, NY 37/100.

Frequently asked questions

Which has a higher Alpha Score, Boston-Cambridge-Newton or New York, NY?

New York, NY scores higher — 40 vs 23 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, NY more affordable?

Boston-Cambridge-Newton is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 5.6 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton and 9.2 in New York, NY.

Which housing market has stronger momentum, Boston-Cambridge-Newton or New York, NY?

New York, NY has stronger price momentum — 74/100 vs 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, NY brief.