Market rankings · Massachusetts
Real estate businesses in Massachusetts
Markets across Massachusetts ranked by the Groundwork market score for real estate businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 10,737
- 635 chain locations (6%)
- Official establishments
- 5,566
- +11.8% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $56.9B
- On rent and homeowner costs
- Listings per 10k households
- 38.6
- In line with the U.S.
- Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)
- 122
- 22% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #4 of 51
- Market score 70 · Upper middle
A site report maps the real estate businesses on map listings around any address in Massachusetts by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Map listings as of September 2026 show 10,737 real estate businesses in Massachusetts. Of those, 635 are chain locations, or 6%, against 6% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 38.6, in line with the U.S. rate of 38.5.
At $20,433 per household (23% above the U.S. average), households in Massachusetts spend about $56.9B a year on rent and homeowner costs. Housing spending per office is 22% above the U.S. figure. That figure is all rent and homeowner costs, used as a measure of housing demand; it is not money real estate businesses take in.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and inspectors in Massachusetts was 5,566 in 2023, up 11.8% from 2019. That is one for every 500 households, against one for every 414 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 15.8% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 95 SBA-backed loans worth $19.8M have gone to businesses classed as real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and inspectors in Massachusetts.
Among the 50 states and DC, Massachusetts ranks #4 for real estate businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 70 (upper middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Amherst Town-Northampton metro area scores highest (90). Of the 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest (81).
Every market in Massachusetts for real estate businesses
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Massachusetts, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100) | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 90 | 161 | 25.9 | 167 | +10.4% | #1 of 387 |
| 2Worcester, MA | 79 | 924 | 27.5 | 164 | +3.7% | #10 of 387 |
| 3Springfield, MA | 67 | 493 | 26.7 | 150 | +0.2% | #52 of 387 |
| 4Pittsfield, MA | 66 | 157 | 27.3 | 152 | −1.2% | #56 of 387 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 64 | 2,193 | 32.5 | 133 | +2.1% | #62 of 387 |
| 5Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 57 | 8,364 | 43.1 | 114 | +2.3% | #121 of 387 |
| 6Barnstable Town, MA | 39 | 620 | 58.6 | 78 | +2.4% | #296 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100) | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Greenfield, MA | 81 | 44 | 13.9 | 288 | −0.3% | #5 of 536 |
| 2Vineyard Haven, MA | 38 | 60 | 79.1 | 63 | +3.1% | #419 of 536 |
| 3Nantucket, MA | 38 | 48 | 91.4 | 60 | +3.6% | #420 of 536 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100) | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Franklin County, MA | 77 | 44 | 13.9 | 288 | −0.3% | #71 of 2,229 |
| 2Hampshire County, MA | 74 | 161 | 25.9 | 167 | +10.4% | #134 of 2,229 |
| 3Worcester County, MA | 63 | 924 | 27.5 | 164 | +3.7% | #469 of 2,229 |
| 4Bristol County, MA | 58 | 694 | 29.7 | 145 | +2.9% | #683 of 2,229 |
| 5Plymouth County, MA | 54 | 814 | 40.1 | 121 | +3.5% | #883 of 2,229 |
| 6Hampden County, MA | 53 | 493 | 26.7 | 150 | +0.2% | #928 of 2,229 |
| 7Middlesex County, MA | 52 | 2,533 | 39.9 | 130 | +2.8% | #997 of 2,229 |
| 8Essex County, MA | 52 | 1,141 | 36.4 | 128 | +2.3% | #999 of 2,229 |
| 9Berkshire County, MA | 51 | 157 | 27.3 | 152 | −1.2% | #1,039 of 2,229 |
| 10Norfolk County, MA | 45 | 1,304 | 46.0 | 113 | +2.2% | #1,353 of 2,229 |
| 11Barnstable County, MA | 37 | 620 | 58.6 | 78 | +2.4% | #1,810 of 2,229 |
| 12Nantucket County, MA | 35 | 48 | 91.4 | 60 | +3.6% | #1,898 of 2,229 |
| 13Dukes County, MA | 34 | 60 | 79.1 | 63 | +3.1% | #1,946 of 2,229 |
| 14Suffolk County, MA | 32 | 1,744 | 53.3 | 86 | +0.1% | #2,008 of 2,229 |
Questions
How many real estate businesses are in Massachusetts?
There are 10,737 real estate businesses on map listings in Massachusetts as of September 2026. 635 of them (6%) are chain locations. The listings count real estate agents and brokers, property managers, mortgage brokers and lenders, and home inspectors. Official counts show 5,566 businesses with payroll classed as real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and inspectors in 2023, up 11.8% from 2019. Another 36,962 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Massachusetts spend on rent and homeowner costs?
About $56.9B a year, or $20,433 per household. That is 23% above the U.S. average (an index of 123, where 100 is the U.S. average). For the 10,737 real estate businesses on map listings, housing spending per office is 22% above the U.S. figure. The spending figure is all rent and homeowner costs, a measure of housing demand, not money real estate businesses take in. It is estimated from the incomes of the 2,785,042 households in Massachusetts and national spending patterns by income.
How does Massachusetts compare with the U.S. for real estate businesses?
Massachusetts has 38.6 real estate businesses per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 38.5. The index of housing spending per office is 122, where 100 is the U.S. At the national ratio of real estate businesses to household spending, Massachusetts would have about 13,137, against 10,737 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 500 households, against one for every 414 across the U.S. The official count rose 11.8% from 2019 to 2023, against +15.8% for the U.S.
Which market in Massachusetts has the highest market score for real estate businesses?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Amherst Town-Northampton metro area scores highest, at 90 (very high). Among 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest, at 81 (high). Among 14 scored counties in Massachusetts, Franklin County scores highest, at 77 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Massachusetts scores 70 for real estate businesses (upper middle), #4 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Massachusetts. It maps the real estate businesses on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Top markets for real estate businesses across the U.S. · All business types in Massachusetts
Related business types in Massachusetts
- Real estate agents and brokers8,752 listings
- Property management868 listings
- Mortgage brokers and lenders1,000 listings
- Home inspectors117 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Massachusetts?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.