Commercial Real Estate Market in Medford, MA
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
125 active listings and 770 off-market properties in Medford, MA. Commercial property asks $513/SF to buy and $22.82/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
Medford, MA spans 8.2 square miles in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in Medford, MA runs 19.9% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 13.1% in 2019.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Retail
Retail vacancy in Medford, MA runs 6% across the Northeast region in 2025, little changed from 6% in 2019. Down from a 2020 peak of 7.1%.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in Medford, MA runs 7.6% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 5.4% in 2019. Nearly 2.4x the 2021 low of 3.2%.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Multifamily
Multifamily space in Medford, MA asks $318/SF to buy. Vacancy runs 5.6% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 4% in 2022.
Average Sale Price $/SF
Listings
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Zoning & Land Use
Land Use Mix share of zoned land by category
- Residential 49.5%
- Open space 32.3%
- Commercial 6.9%
- Industrial 5.6%
- Mixed use 0.4%
Largest Zones share of zoned land by district
Recreational Open Space
Single Family 1
General Residence
Single Family 2
Industrial
Medford, MA zones 5,322 acres across 11 districts. Commercial zoning covers 6.9% of zoned land, residential 49.5%, open space 32.3% and industrial 5.6%. The largest single district is Recreational Open Space at 32.3%. For commercial buyers the practical constraint is that only 12.5% of land carries a commercial or industrial designation.
Recreational Open Space (ROS)
MUZ District or in a ROS District, an outdoor play area conforming to size requirements under 102 CMR 7.00 (Commonwealth of Massachusetts Standards for the Licensure or Approval of Group Day Care Centers). To the extent that an outdoor play area which services a day care use in a MUZ District is located in a ROS District, such use of a ROS District for an ou…
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Medford, MA has 61,483 residents in 25,893 households. Density runs 7,507 people per square mile. Median household income here is $118,403 and median gross rent $2,483 a month.
61,483
Population
25,893
Households
2.4
Avg Household Size
36
Median Age
58%
College-Educated
93%
High-School Grad
8.2 sq mi
ZIP Area
7,507
Density / Sq Mi
$118,403
Median Household Income
$60,825
Median Earnings
$2,483
Median Rent
$715,500
Median Home Value
Tools
Lease vs Buy Breakeven
At $22.82/SF/Yr lease vs $513/SF buy → buying wins if held > 15 years.
At a 4.4% gross asking yield the payback reads short relative to leasing. Assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% a year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost, 2% closing plus 5% selling costs, and a 3% annual rent escalator.
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Somerville | — | $37.03 |
| Arlington | — | $33.18 |
| Watertown | — | $31.50 |
| Cambridge | — | $42.57 |
Commercial property in Medford, MA asks $513/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Medford?
Commercial property in Medford, MA asks an average of $513 per square foot. The 7 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $276/SF, so asking sits 86% above the achieved median. Multifamily carries the highest asking price at $318/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Medford?
Asking lease rates in Medford, MA average $22.82 per square foot per year.
Is it cheaper to lease or buy commercial space in Medford?
Buying beats leasing in Medford, MA if the property is held longer than 15.0 years, comparing $22.82/SF/Yr asking rent with $513/SF asking price. The model assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% of value per year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost on the cash and a 3% annual rent escalator.
What zoning applies to commercial property in Medford?
Medford, MA zones 5,322 acres across 11 districts, of which 6.9% is commercial and 5.6% industrial. The largest single district is Recreational Open Space at 32.3% of zoned land. MUZ District or in a ROS District, an outdoor play area conforming to size requirements under 102 CMR 7.00 (Commonwealth of Massachusetts Standards for the Licensure or Approval of Group Day Care Centers). To the extent that an outdoor play area which services a day care use in a MUZ District is located in a ROS District, such use of a ROS District for an ou… Residential zoning covers 49.5% and open space 32.3%.
Where does Realmo's Medford market data come from?
Realmo compiles Medford, MA figures from 8 recent recorded sales, 69 active sale listings, 56 active lease listings, 770 tracked off-market properties, the current Medford zoning release. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 69 active for-sale and 56 active for-lease listings in Medford, MA. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Zoning and land use
- The current municipal zoning release: 5,322 zoned acres across 11 districts. Shares are of zoned land, so parcels the release leaves unclassified are excluded from the mix.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 31 August 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at Northeast region level, retail vacancy is reported at Northeast region level and industrial vacancy is reported at Northeast region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 31 August 2026 · report a data issue
