Jobs, pay and daily life in Boston, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Boston is a city in Massachusetts with 673,822 residents. The median household earns $97,791 a year and the median rent is $2,196 a month, which is 26.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, where BLS counts 2,703,890 jobs.
Federal jobs in Massachusetts (896) →State guide: MassachusettsCountry guide
There are 896 federal postings open in Massachusetts (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Massachusetts →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 72,420 | 0.97 | $40,910 | $36,810 | $47,410 | +14% |
| General and Operations Managers | 70,950 | 1.16 | $133,800 | $63,020 | $329,130 | +27% |
| Registered Nurses | 64,240 | 1.09 | $106,180 | $81,880 | $188,670 | +9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 64,150 | 0.95 | $36,850 | $34,000 | $48,260 | +4% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 60,130 | 0.90 | $36,290 | $31,520 | $39,440 | +16% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 43,160 | 1.12 | $46,550 | $35,680 | $60,570 | +26% |
| Cashiers | 42,920 | 0.80 | $36,040 | $32,180 | $45,820 | +10% |
| Software Developers | 42,310 | 1.44 | $166,090 | $102,950 | $214,100 | +22% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 41,570 | 1.05 | $39,270 | $31,930 | $64,150 | +11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 37,780 | 0.84 | $49,920 | $35,720 | $75,950 | +12% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 37,150 | 1.47 | $100,150 | $72,450 | $161,450 | +20% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 35,770 | 0.73 | $37,700 | $32,960 | $49,220 | +1% |
| Office Clerks, General | 34,480 | 0.80 | $50,710 | $36,030 | $71,770 | +13% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 32,310 | 2.07 | $102,390 | $59,730 | $167,440 | +30% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 28,540 | 0.96 | $59,330 | $42,930 | $79,050 | +25% |
| Management Analysts | 26,450 | 1.69 | $135,640 | $83,380 | $218,830 | +33% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 26,350 | 1.07 | $40,930 | $31,200 | $60,730 | +11% |
| Nursing Assistants | 26,130 | 1.04 | $47,590 | $40,190 | $59,450 | +13% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 25,630 | 1.03 | $77,990 | $52,290 | $112,060 | +12% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 25,310 | 1.16 | $83,420 | $49,990 | $164,020 | +19% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeons, All Other | 520 | 1.19 | $386,300 | $75,980 | $561,250 | -7% |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 620 | 1.09 | $356,230 | $92,410 | $530,920 | +6% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 9,570 | 5.06 | $291,000 | $164,570 | $330,050 | +74% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 2,950 | 1.58 | $284,010 | $107,650 | $374,630 | +16% |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,220 | 1.05 | $243,230 | $84,750 | $340,410 | -5% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 530 | 0.58 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | n/a |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 500 | 1.35 | $235,460 | $96,960 | $435,010 | -20% |
| Physicians, All Other | 6,350 | 1.07 | $229,870 | $79,690 | $440,660 | -14% |
| Pediatricians, General | 1,860 | 2.72 | $221,170 | $125,170 | $324,950 | +5% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 20,530 | 1.76 | $214,960 | $136,800 | $310,450 | +23% |
| Marketing Managers | 11,940 | 1.74 | $213,910 | $131,130 | $312,910 | +28% |
| Financial Managers | 21,650 | 1.48 | $209,780 | $126,450 | $335,150 | +26% |
| Sales Managers | 11,540 | 1.04 | $206,610 | $106,220 | $323,670 | +39% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 6,690 | 1.75 | $205,130 | $138,960 | $290,440 | +20% |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | 590 | 1.47 | $185,590 | $129,490 | $285,030 | +24% |
| Human Resources Managers | 6,480 | 1.69 | $184,990 | $99,990 | $317,690 | +24% |
| Managers, All Other | 9,120 | 0.84 | $184,250 | $114,920 | $309,990 | +30% |
| Lawyers | 20,080 | 1.53 | $183,350 | $84,280 | $379,350 | +15% |
| Dentists, General | 1,920 | 0.89 | $181,150 | $95,550 | $370,580 | +6% |
| Public Relations Managers | 1,810 | 1.39 | $176,390 | $98,170 | $320,050 | +20% |
These figures are for the whole Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $66,620 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 19.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 8.8% |
| Retail trade | 7.1% |
| Manufacturing | 6.0% |
| Other services | 4.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.9% |
| Public administration | 3.9% |
| Construction | 3.5% |
| Information | 2.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.1% |
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 31.3% |
| Public transit | 25.4% |
| Walk | 14.6% |
| Work from home | 15.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 23.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $97,791 |
| Income per person | $60,885 |
| Median gross rent per month | $2,196 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.9% |
| Median home value | $722,800 |
| Homeowners | 35.9% |
| Poverty rate | 16.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 108.3 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $66,620 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 9.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 55.4% |
| Born abroad | 28.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.5 | 26 | 80 |
| Feb | -2.6 | 27 | 86 |
| Mar | 1.3 | 34 | 110 |
| Apr | 7.4 | 45 | 106 |
| May | 13.4 | 56 | 95 |
| Jun | 18.6 | 65 | 113 |
| Jul | 22.4 | 72 | 94 |
| Aug | 22.1 | 72 | 93 |
| Sep | 18.2 | 65 | 92 |
| Oct | 11.5 | 53 | 123 |
| Nov | 5.3 | 42 | 98 |
| Dec | 0.0 | 32 | 116 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | MA | 6 mi | 118,796 | $130,748 | $2,787 |
| Lowell | MA | 26 mi | 118,368 | $78,658 | $1,625 |
| Worcester | MA | 41 mi | 207,055 | $70,102 | $1,487 |
| Providence | RI | 41 mi | 191,767 | $68,119 | $1,408 |
| Springfield | MA | 79 mi | 154,749 | $52,656 | $1,144 |
| Hartford | CT | 94 mi | 121,127 | $46,411 | $1,269 |
| New Haven | CT | 121 mi | 134,349 | $56,851 | $1,488 |
| Bridgeport | CT | 138 mi | 149,153 | $58,685 | $1,450 |
| Stamford | CT | 157 mi | 137,144 | $111,586 | $2,276 |
| Yonkers | NY | 176 mi | 209,978 | $83,549 | $1,784 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
673,822 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$2,196 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.9% of the median household income.
$97,791 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.9% (BLS metro area 2026M09).
Massachusetts. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.