By David Vilkhovoy, CEO and Broker, VP Management
Westfield has a steady, healthy rental market. Westfield State University, Barnes Air National Guard Base and easy Mass Pike access keep demand strong across apartments, condos, single-family homes and multi-family properties. This report pulls together the most recent public rent data for Westfield so owners, investors and renters can see where the market stands this fall.
Every number below comes from a public source, linked in the methodology section. We plan to update this report each season as new data is released.
Westfield rents at a glance
| Measure | Westfield | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, September 2026 | $1,950 | Zillow Observed Rent Index |
| Change from September 2025 | +3.4% (from $1,885) | Zillow Observed Rent Index |
| Springfield metro typical asking rent, September 2026 | $1,963 (+3.7% year over year) | Zillow Observed Rent Index |
| HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms (FY 2027) | $1,800 (+3.8%) | HUD, Springfield, MA MSA |
| Median gross rent, all renter households | $1,117 (±$60) | Census ACS 2020–2024 |
| Renter households | About 31% of households (4,963 of 15,822) | Census ACS 2020–2024 |
Sources: Zillow Research, ZORI (all homes, smoothed), data through September 2026; HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rent schedule; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter.
1. Asking rents are up about 3% over the past year
Zillow’s Observed Rent Index (ZORI) tracks the typical asking rent on homes listed for rent. For Westfield, the index stood at $1,950 in September 2026, up 3.4% from $1,885 in September 2025. Across the wider Springfield metro area, the index was $1,963, up 3.7% over the same period (Zillow Research).
The index rose through the spring leasing season, from $1,888 in January to a high of $1,984 in May, and has held close to $1,950 since. That pattern is typical: more renters move in late spring and summer, and asking rents level off into fall and winter.
2. HUD Fair Market Rents rose on October 1
Each year, HUD publishes Fair Market Rents (FMRs) for every metro area. Westfield is part of the Springfield, MA MSA, which also covers most of Hampden County. The FY 2027 FMRs took effect on October 1, 2026 (Federal Register notice; HUD FY 2027 schedule).
| Unit size | FY 2026 FMR | FY 2027 FMR (from Oct. 1, 2026) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,219 | $1,264 | +3.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,382 | $1,421 | +2.8% |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,734 | $1,800 | +3.8% |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,127 | $2,241 | +5.4% |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,296 | $2,370 | +3.2% |
Sources: HUD FY 2027 FMRs, Westfield city row; HUD FY 2026 FMR documentation, Springfield, MA MSA.
FMRs are an estimate of the 40th percentile gross rent, meaning rent plus utilities, for standard-quality homes in the metro area. They matter most for owners who rent to Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) households, because housing authorities generally set their payment standards between 90% and 110% of the FMR (24 CFR 982.503). For most bedroom sizes, this year’s increase is in the 3% to 5% range.
3. What Westfield renters pay today, across all leases
Asking rents show the market for new leases. The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) shows something different: what all Westfield renter households pay, including tenants who have stayed in the same home for years. The latest five-year estimates (2020–2024) put Westfield’s median gross rent at $1,117, close to the Hampden County median of $1,136 (ACS table B25031).
| Unit size | Westfield median gross rent | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|
| All rentals | $1,117 | ±$60 |
| 1 bedroom | $972 | ±$96 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,200 | ±$99 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,343 | ±$164 |
Gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utilities and fuels paid by the tenant. Dollar figures are in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars. Studio and 4+ bedroom estimates are not shown because their margins of error are very large.
The gap between the ACS median and today’s asking rents is normal. Long-term tenants often pay less than the current market, and the ACS averages five years of survey responses. For an owner, that gap is a reminder that a well-timed renewal plan, paired with a well-kept home, keeps a good tenant in place while staying in step with the market.
4. Who rents in Westfield
About 31% of Westfield households rent their home: 4,963 of 15,822 occupied households, according to the 2020–2024 ACS (Census Reporter, Westfield profile).
Westfield’s rental housing is a real mix. Roughly 43% of renter households live in multi-family homes with two to four apartments, the classic two-family and three-family houses found across the city’s neighborhoods. Another 42% live in buildings with five or more apartments, and about 15% rent single-family homes (ACS table B25032). Because these are survey estimates, each share has a margin of error, but the picture is clear: multi-family homes are the backbone of Westfield’s rental market.
What this means for Westfield owners
- Demand is steady. Asking rents have grown at a measured pace, about 3% to 4% a year, without sharp swings.
- Timing still matters. Homes listed in spring and early summer meet the most renters. A fall or winter vacancy can still lease well with good photos, fair pricing and fast responses.
- Utilities affect what tenants can pay. HUD and the Census both measure gross rent, so who pays heat, electric and water changes how a home compares. Westfield residents get gas and electric service from Westfield Gas + Electric, which we cover in our guide to renting out a single-family home in Westfield.
- Price each home on its own. Market-wide numbers are a starting point. Condition, layout, parking, yard and location within Westfield all move the right rent up or down.
Methodology and sources
- Zillow Research, Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes plus multifamily, smoothed, city and metro series, data through September 30, 2026. ZORI measures typical observed market-rate asking rents (data; methodology).
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, effective October 1, 2026, and FY 2026 Fair Market Rents, Springfield, MA MSA (FY 2027 schedule; FY 2027 county/town data; FY 2026 documentation).
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, Westfield city, MA, tables B25064 (median gross rent), B25031 (median gross rent by bedrooms), B25003 (tenure) and B25032 (tenure by units in structure), accessed via Census Reporter (Westfield profile).
This report is general market information, not an appraisal or a rent recommendation for any specific property.
Local help for Westfield owners
VP Management is a family-owned company with a 4.7-star Google rating, serving owners of single-family homes, condos and multi-family properties since 2013. Our office at 62 Suffield St. in Agawam is a short drive from Westfield. Learn more about our Westfield property management, or read our guide to renting out a single-family home in Westfield.
Want to know what your Westfield home could rent for? Call 413-331-5100 or request a free rental analysis.
