Typical residential security deposit amount a landlord holds and later accounts for on a return statement in Massachusetts (2026)
A typical Massachusetts range, the local factors behind it, and the tools to price your own project.
Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.
What drives the cost in Massachusetts
Massachusetts deposits sit well above the national typical range in Boston, Cambridge, and the inner suburbs, and Massachusetts also has one of the most demanding deposit procedures in the country. State law caps the deposit at about one month's rent, requires a separate interest-bearing account with a receipt to the tenant, a written statement of condition within days of move-in, annual interest at a set minimum rate, return within 30 days with a sworn itemized statement, and treble damages plus attorney fees for procedural violations, so confirm every step against the current statute. Cold winters, old triple-deckers, and the September 1 student turnover in Boston make plaster, radiator, and paint wear chronic and mostly the owner's cost.
Tips for Massachusetts buyers
- Give the bank receipt and the statement of condition on time; procedural misses, not the deductions themselves, are what trigger treble damages here.
- Pay or credit interest annually and note each payment on the final statement.
- Plan the Boston September turnover like an event: pre-scheduled inspections, cleaners, and a statement template ready before move-out day.
Ranges are hedged planning estimates derived from a national typical range and a local index, not quotes. A typical single deposit on a market-rate residential rental is commonly around one month's rent, which puts most deposits somewhere in this range; actual amounts vary widely with local rents, unit size, pets, and state caps, and this is a working reference rather than a survey figure.
Price your project
- Deposit Deduction Depreciation Calculator: Estimates how much of a carpet, paint, blind, or appliance replacement a landlord can fairly deduct from a security deposit once the item's age and normal wear are taken into account.
- Security Deposit Refund Statement Calculator: Adds up the deposit held, any interest owed, and each itemized deduction to show the exact refund due to the tenant or the balance the tenant still owes.
- Late Deposit Return Penalty Exposure Calculator: Shows landlords how many days remain before a state return deadline and what missing it could cost when a statute allows forfeited deductions or multiplied damages.