Boston housing lotteries: affordable housing in Greater Boston

Greater Boston has 289 open affordable housing listings on Fair Shot Housing right now: 15 lotteries, 102 waitlists and 172 first come listings. Posted rents run from $500 to $3,772 a month and homes for sale are posted from $199,314 to $700,000. The next application deadline is Oct 7, 2026.

See which of these I qualify for Browse all 289 listings

Closing soon in Greater Boston

These have the nearest application deadlines.

Drawing of Beverly Landing Condominium. No photo available.

Drawing, not a photo

Closes tomorrowFor sale

Beverly Landing Condominium

Beverly, MA

Home for sale · Lottery

$333,400–$375,900

9 homes · 1–2 bedrooms

Closes tomorrowFor rent

Pastures at Dover

Dover, MA

Income-restricted rental · Waitlist

$2,662/mo

1 home · 2 bedrooms

Closes in 2 daysFor rent

Sofi Danvers

Danvers, MA

Income-restricted rental · Waitlist

$2,100/mo

1 home · 1 bedroom

Closes in 3 daysFor sale

143 Cedar St #2

Somerville, MA

Home for sale · Lottery

$239,334

1 home · 2 bedrooms

First-time buyers only

Closes in 3 daysFor rent

Grove Street Landing, Phase 2

Salem, MA

Income-restricted rental · Lottery

$2,434–$2,701/mo

4 homes · 1–2 bedrooms

Closes in 3 daysFor rent

Newcastle Saranac Apartments

Boston, MA

Income-restricted rental · Waitlist

$3,474/mo

1 home · 2 bedrooms

Quick facts for Greater Boston

Open listings: 28915 lotteries, 102 waitlists, 172 first come listings
Median starting rent: $2,115 a monthThe middle of the lowest rent posted for each rental that posts one.
Rent range: $500 to $3,772 a monthLowest to highest rent posted across rentals.
Price range for homes: $199,314 to $700,000Homes for sale that post a price (26 for sale in total).
Income limit, 2 people: $68,640 to $165,000The most a household of 2 can earn a year. Based on the 67 listings that post it.
Online applications: 185 of 289Listings with an online application.
Where applications are posted: affordablelistings.com, mcohousingservices.com, sebhousing.comThe sites most listings here link to.
Next deadline: Oct 7, 202653 listings with a deadline still ahead.
Data last checked: Oct 6, 2026

Every figure is worked out from the open listings above and changes as listings open and close. Each program sets its own income limit, often as a share of the area median income (the middle income in the area), so limits differ from listing to listing.

Apply-direct buildings in Greater Boston

Besides the open listings above, Greater Boston has 1,192 apply-direct buildings. There is no lottery to enter: you call the building (or the local housing office, for public housing) and ask if its waitlist is open. What is an apply-direct building?

373
Section 8 building: 111
Public housing: 618
Tax-credit building: 317
Senior building: 126
Building for people with disabilities

See these buildings by city

We count buildings in the counties that make up Greater Boston. A building can be in more than one group, so the groups add up to more than 1,192. The list comes from HUD, the federal housing department (public housing, Section 8, senior and disability buildings, and tax-credit buildings), downloaded October 5, 2026. It does not say whether a waitlist is open, and some waitlists are closed or years long.

Questions about affordable housing in Greater Boston

What kinds of affordable housing listings are open in Greater Boston?

Greater Boston has 15 lotteries, 102 waitlists and 172 first come listings open right now. Each listing says whether it is a lottery, a waitlist or first come.

How much does affordable housing cost in Greater Boston?

Posted rents in Greater Boston run from $500 to $3,772 a month, and the median starting rent is $2,115. Homes for sale are posted from $199,314 to $700,000. Rents in income-restricted rentals are usually set by a program formula tied to the middle income in the area (the area median income) instead of the market, so they are often lower than similar homes nearby.

What income do I need to qualify for affordable housing in Greater Boston?

Among the 67 listings in Greater Boston that post an income limit, the most a household of 2 can earn a year ranges from $68,640 to $165,000. Some programs also set a minimum income, and limits are higher for larger households. Both differ from listing to listing. The free qualify check compares your household with the income limit and rules on each open listing.

Can I apply online for affordable housing in Greater Boston?

185 of the 289 open listings in Greater Boston have an online application. Listings here link to affordablelistings.com (75 listings), mcohousingservices.com (55 listings) and sebhousing.com (48 listings). Check each listing for any application fee the program states, and be careful with anyone who asks you to pay to enter a lottery.

When is the next housing deadline in Greater Boston?

The next application deadline in Greater Boston is Oct 7, 2026, and 53 open listings have a deadline still ahead. Listings without a deadline, such as waitlists and first come listings, stay open until the program closes them.

How lotteries, waitlists and first come work

All 289 open listings in Greater Boston

The open listings we have here, with their kind of housing and how you get in. Open one to see its deadline, rent or price, income limits and how to apply.

Keep looking

Massachusetts (381 open listings)
Vermont (68 open listings)
New York City (39 open listings)
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Do I qualify?

Fair Shot Housing is not a government agency. Listing details come from public agency sources; always confirm them with the program before you apply.