Fair Shot Housing

Affordable housing lotteries in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has 381 open affordable housing listings on Fair Shot Housing right now: 29 lotteries, 126 waitlists and 226 first come listings. Posted rents run from $500 to $3,772 a month and homes for sale are posted from $185,000 to $700,000. The next application deadline is Oct 6, 2026.

See which of these I qualify forAll Greater Boston listingsAll Massachusetts (other) listings

Closing soon in Massachusetts

These have the nearest application deadlines.

Closes todayFor sale

Stone Castle Estates

Methuen, MA

Home for sale · Lottery

$316,649

1 home · 2 bedrooms

Seniors 55+
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

Photo of Pastures at Dover
Closes tomorrowFor rent

Pastures at Dover

Dover, MA

Income-restricted rental · Waitlist

$2,662/mo

1 home · 2 bedrooms

Photo of Sofi Danvers
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
Drawing of 7 Community Way. No photo available.Drawing, not a photo
Closes in 3 daysFor sale

7 Community Way

Harwich, MA

Home for sale · Lottery

$338,639

1 home · 3 bedrooms

First-time buyers only

Quick facts for Massachusetts

Open listings
38129 lotteries, 126 waitlists, 226 first come listings
Median starting rent
$2,050 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
$185,000 to $700,000Homes for sale that post a price (48 for sale in total).
Income limit, 2 people
$53,000 to $165,000The most a household of 2 can earn a year. Based on the 108 listings that post it.
Online applications
230 of 381Listings with an online application.
Where applications are posted
mcohousingservices.com, affordablelistings.com, sebhousing.comThe sites most listings here link to.
Next deadline
Oct 6, 202668 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 Massachusetts

Besides the open listings above, Massachusetts has 2,015 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?

597
Section 8 building
196
Public housing
1,062
Tax-credit building
518
Senior building
207
Building for people with disabilities
See these buildings by city

We count every building in the state. A building can be in more than one group, so the groups add up to more than 2,015. 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 Massachusetts

What kinds of affordable housing listings are open in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has 29 lotteries, 126 waitlists and 226 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 Massachusetts?

Posted rents in Massachusetts run from $500 to $3,772 a month, and the median starting rent is $2,050. Homes for sale are posted from $185,000 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 Massachusetts?

Among the 108 listings in Massachusetts that post an income limit, the most a household of 2 can earn a year ranges from $53,000 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 Massachusetts?

230 of the 381 open listings in Massachusetts have an online application. Listings here link to mcohousingservices.com (87 listings), affordablelistings.com (81 listings) and sebhousing.com (62 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 Massachusetts?

The next application deadline in Massachusetts is Oct 6, 2026, and 68 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 381 open listings in Massachusetts

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

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