True Cost of Renting in Springfield, MA
Springfield anchors the Pioneer Valley and is Massachusetts' most affordable major city. Amtrak's Hartford Line (Valley Flyer and Vermonter) connects to New Haven and Hartford (south) and Northampton and Greenfield (north). The city is home to major healthcare and education employers and has been working to reverse decades of economic decline.
Neighborhoods & Average Rents
Forest Park
- Studio:
- $900/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $1,100/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $1,600/mo
Springfield's most desirable residential area; proximity to Forest Park (the city's largest urban park) and the Eastern States Exposition grounds. Mix of apartment buildings and Victorian homes. Eversource electric at MA rates. PVTA bus service to Downtown.
East Springfield / Liberty Heights
- Studio:
- $800/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $1,000/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $1,400/mo
Residential neighborhoods east of downtown; primarily working-class with older housing stock. Lower rents than Forest Park. PVTA bus service. Research specific block conditions before committing.
Downtown / Sixteen Acres
- Studio:
- $800/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $1,000/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $1,400/mo
City center near the MGM Springfield casino (opened 2018), Springfield Museums, and Union Station (Amtrak). Some new mixed-use development around MGM. Downtown Springfield has improving investment but some neighborhoods require research.
Utility Providers
- Electric
- Eversource Energy
- Water
- Springfield Water and Sewer Commission
- Internet
- Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon
Commute & Transportation
Springfield's Union Station serves Amtrak Hartford Line (south to Hartford 35 min, New Haven 65 min; north to Northampton 25 min, Brattleboro, VT). Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) buses serve Springfield and the surrounding Pioneer Valley. I-91 runs north-south through Springfield; I-291 and I-391 provide regional connections. Major employers: Baystate Health (Baystate Medical Center, 11,000+ employees), Springfield Technical Community College, American International College, and Smith & Wesson (now American Outdoor Brands).
Rental Market Overview
Springfield offers Massachusetts' lowest major-city rents. Eversource rates apply — the same as Springfield as in Cambridge, making utility burden proportionally higher for lower-income renters. The MGM Springfield casino (2018) has generated modest economic activity and improved some Downtown blocks. Hartford-Springfield commuters represent a real market — Amtrak service makes a Springfield-Hartford daily commute feasible. Renters insurance averages $15–22/month. The city's poverty rate is high — research specific neighborhoods carefully.
Data last updated: 2026-04
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