Income-Restricted Housing

We understand that identifying affordable housing you qualify for and applying for it can be a challenge. We’ve compiled some information to help you navigate the affordable housing system.

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In addition to the information on this webpage, check out the Mayor’s Office of Housing’s Housing Search Resource Guide.

Mayor's Office of Housing
617-635-3880
HOUSING@BOSTON.GOV
26 Court Street

Boston, MA 02108

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 9 A.M. - 5 P.M.

What is income restricted housing?

Income-restricted housing is reserved for households earning at or below a certain income. Eligibility is based on your household size and total income.

Search on Metrolist for income-restricted rental and sale units in Boston and the Greater Boston area:

Search Income-Restricted Housing

Income Eligibility and Area Median Income

How eligibility works:

Eligibility will always be based on a percentage of Area Median Income, or AMI.

What is AMI?

The Area Median Income (AMI) is the household income for the median — or middle — household in a region. If you were to line up every household in the area in order from the lowest income household to the highest income household, the household in the middle would be the median household. To determine a household’s AMI%, we compare a household’s income to a percentage of the AMI.

Can you give me an example?

Let’s say the area median income is $100,000. If a given household’s total income is $70,000 that would equal 70% AMI. If that same household’s income were $130,000 that would equal 130% AMI.

How is area median income determined?

Each year, agencies that fund affordable housing, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), calculate the average income for areas across the country. Once you’ve learned about your eligibility, it will help you successfully search for affordable housing.

To determine your eligibility you need to know the following information:

Your personal income amount before taxes.
The number of people, both adults and children, who permanently live in your household.
The combined income of all permanent residents in your household before taxes (including your own). This complete information determines your eligibility.

Calculate your eligibility:

You can enter some simple details into the Eligibility Estimator to help you determine what housing you’re likely to qualify for:

Estimate your eligibility

Area Median Income table

Each agency calculates AMI slightly differently. Our AMI estimator uses the following Area Median Income thresholds (updated 6/26/24). View the full dataset.

Total household income (maximum)

*AMI%	1 person	2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people
30%	$34,300	$39,200	$44,100	$48,950	$52,900	$56,800
40%	$45,680	$52,240	$58,760	$65,280	$70,520	$75,760
50%	$57,100	$65,300	$73,450	$81,600	$88,150	$94,700
60%	$68,520	$78,360	$88,140	$97,920	$105,780	$113,640
70%	$79,940	$91,420	$102,830	$114,240	$123,410	$132,580
80%	$91,200	$104,200	$117,250	$130,250	$140,700	$151,100
90%	$102,780	$117,540	$132,210	$146,880	$158,670	$170,460
**100%	$114,200	$130,600	$146,900	$163,200	$176,300	$189,400
110%	$125,620	$143,660	$161,590	$179,520	$193,930	$208,340
120%	$137,040	$156,720	$176,280	$195,840	$211,560	$227,280
135%	$154,170	$176,310	$198,315	$220,320	$238,005	$255,690
150%	$171,300	$195,900	$220,350	$244,800	$264,450	$284,100

Applying for income-restricted housing

Most income-restricted homes are applied for through a housing lottery system.

Lotteries are the most common way that vacancies are filled, but applications can vary for different homes. Specific details about how to apply to any home listed on Metrolist can be found in that property's information.

Find income-restricted housing

The Housing lottery process

Lottery Application: All City of Boston housing lotteries are advertised on Metrolist. To apply for a lottery, click the “more info” button on a listing. You will be directed to another webpage with more information about the property and an “apply” button at the bottom of the page. When you click the “apply” button, you will be directed to a PDF advertisement for that lottery. That advertisement will have further instructions and resources including but not limited to: 1.) A link to the online application; 2) A link to PDF applications in 11 languages; 3) Information about a virtual information session for that lottery.

The application includes some basic information such as your name, address, and contact information as well as more detailed information including but not limited to income specifics for your entire household.
Application approval: After your lottery application has been successfully submitted you’ll be notified of the lottery date and time via email or mail, depending on how you applied. If the lottery agent finds problems with your application they will contact you and you’ll have the chance to edit your application. If your application has not been approved, you’ll be notified.
Lottery Drawing: The lottery will be conducted remotely on the scheduled date and recorded. Your lottery number will be emailed to you within ten days after the lottery. If you’ve applied by mail, it will be mailed to you. There will be information in that correspondence on how to view the lottery recording. For transparency, all lottery results are also posted on the Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing webpage, and the lottery recording for each lottery is linked in the results along with a PDF copy of the lottery presentation and randomized results.
Ranking and sorting: As mentioned above, your lottery number will be emailed to you within ten days after the lottery. If you’ve applied by mail, it will be mailed to you. It is important to note that your lottery number is not your ranking. Your ranking is determined by the ranking and sorting process. Manually ranking and sorting applicants from the lottery is required due to certain applicant preferences applying to specific income-restricted homes.
Selection: Applicants will then be selected from the list to view units in the building according to ranking. If you haven’t ranked high enough on the list to receive a unit initially you’ll then be entered onto the waitlist for a unit when they become available in the future.
Final Screening and Certification: After you’ve been selected it’s time to submit your complete information in order to finalize your eligibility. You’ll be required to submit proof of income and proof of residency for your entire household. This can include tax statements, bank statements, pay statements and proof of assets.

Preferences and requirements

About

There may be certain restrictions on who can legally occupy an income-restricted home. Check the application before you apply.

Requirements

Certain homes listed on Metrolist are reserved for applicants who meet certain specific criteria. The following is a complete list of all possible requirements that might apply to an income-restricted home.

Military veteran
First time homebuyer
Certified artist
Neighborhood diversity preservation policy
Elderly

Preferences

Preferences refer to different legal status applicants may hold that will raise their ranking on the list of applicants. During the ranking and sorting phase of the housing lottery lottery agents combine the lottery numbers and the preferences to create the final rankings.