Commercial Real Estate Market in Newton, MA
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
201 active listings and 1,224 off-market properties in Newton, MA. Commercial property asks $515/SF to buy and $33.99/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
Newton, MA spans 13.3 square miles in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in Newton, 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 Newton, 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 Newton, 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 Newton, 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 76%
- Commercial 3.6%
- Industrial 2.1%
- Open space 1.1%
- Mixed use 1.1%
Largest Zones share of zoned land by district
Single Residence 2
Single Residence 1
Single Residence 3
Public Use
Multi Residence 1
Newton, MA zones 9,498 acres across 45 districts. Commercial zoning covers 3.6% of zoned land, residential 76%, open space 1.1% and industrial 2.1%. The largest single district is Single Residence 2 at 26.7%. For commercial buyers the practical constraint is that only 5.7% of land carries a commercial or industrial designation.
Single Residence 2 (SR2)
The intent of the zone to promote single residence uses
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Newton, MA has 65,645 residents in 25,503 households. Density runs 4,942 people per square mile. Median household income here is $181,165 and median gross rent $2,429 a month.
65,645
Population
25,503
Households
2.6
Avg Household Size
43
Median Age
80%
College-Educated
97%
High-School Grad
13.3 sq mi
ZIP Area
4,942
Density / Sq Mi
$181,165
Median Household Income
$85,928
Median Earnings
$2,429
Median Rent
$1,175,169
Median Home Value
Tools
Lease vs Buy Breakeven
At $33.99/SF/Yr lease vs $515/SF buy → buying wins if held > 3.8 years.
At a 6.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brookline | — | $60.54 |
| Wellesley | — | $55.20 |
| Belmont | — | $39.89 |
| Waltham | — | $24.10 |
Commercial property in Newton, MA asks $515/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Newton?
Commercial property in Newton, MA asks an average of $515 per square foot. The 6 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $451/SF, so asking sits 14% above the achieved median. Multifamily carries the highest asking price at $318/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Newton?
Asking lease rates in Newton, MA average $33.99 per square foot per year.
Is it cheaper to lease or buy commercial space in Newton?
Buying beats leasing in Newton, MA if the property is held longer than 3.8 years, comparing $33.99/SF/Yr asking rent with $515/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 Newton?
Newton, MA zones 9,498 acres across 45 districts, of which 3.6% is commercial and 2.1% industrial. The largest single district is Single Residence 2 at 26.7% of zoned land. The intent of the zone to promote single residence uses Residential zoning covers 76% and open space 1.1%.
Where does Realmo's Newton market data come from?
Realmo compiles Newton, MA figures from 6 recent recorded sales, 90 active sale listings, 111 active lease listings, 1,224 tracked off-market properties, the current Newton zoning release. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 90 active for-sale and 111 active for-lease listings in Newton, 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: 9,498 zoned acres across 45 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
