The majority of Boston apartments are on one of two rental cycles: September 1 – August 31 or June 1 – May 31. Historically, September 1 has always been the main moving day in Boston. This is largely due to the fact that Boston has a lot of colleges, and most students move in on September 1; but in addition to students, those that work in academic settings also tend to follow this rental cycle.
June 1 is the second most popular moving day. In addition to avoiding the September 1 moving rush, it also tends to be a popular time for those moving to Boston for new jobs.
While moving on and around those days can be more difficult logistically due to the number of others moving at the same time, these large turnover dates also mean that these move dates offer the largest available inventory - so you are likely to have the most apartment options if you are looking to move on either June 1 or September 1.
There are of course apartments that become available throughout the year. For example, full-service high-rise buildings offer more flexibility. These properties often offer leases that are not strictly for 12 months and they also offer leases that start and end in the middle of the month. So if you are looking in the winter, when inventory can be sparse, consider looking in full-service buildings.
See our current rental inventory here.