Boston ($78/sqft, 19.5% vacancy) and Washington DC ($58/sqft, 19.4% vacancy) compete on different axes: Boston on talent depth and Washington DC on rent and tax.
Boston ($78/sqft, 19.5% vacancy) and Washington DC ($58/sqft, 19.4% vacancy) compete on different axes: Boston on talent depth and Washington DC on rent and tax.
| Metric | Boston | Washington DC |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Americas | Americas |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $78 | $58 |
| Class A rent (local) | 78 USD | 58 USD |
| Vacancy | 19.5% | 19.4% |
| Trend | flat | flat |
| Prime yield | 6.2% | 6.3% |
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $1,140 | $880 |
| Submarkets covered | 6 | 6 |
| Corporate tax | 28% | 27.1% |
| Metric | Boston | Washington DC |
|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 10 yrs | 10 yrs |
| Typical rent-free | 18 mos | 14 mos |
| Lease norms | Modified-gross with op-ex escalations. Rent-free 18-24 months on 10-year term standard. Lab leases carry distinct economics — base rent plus operating expenses plus utilities pass-through. | Modified-gross structures with operating-expense pass-throughs over a base year. Federal GSA leases are typically full-service with cap on operating-expense growth. Free rent of 14-18 months and TI allowances of $130-$150/sqft are typical on 10-year private-sector deals. |
| Tax note | Combined federal + Massachusetts corporate tax 28%. | Federal corporate income tax of 21% plus DC franchise tax of 8.25% drives a combined effective rate of about 27%. Class A office tenants are also subject to DC personal property tax on FF&E. |
| Metric | Boston | Washington DC |
|---|---|---|
| Talent index (0–100) | 95 | 92 |
| Talent note | Deepest STEM and life-sciences talent pool in the US — anchored by MIT, Harvard, BU. Average all-in compensation indexes 95. | Deepest federal-services and policy talent pool in the world. Strong legal, lobbying, defense, and consulting concentrations. Tech talent has grown rapidly post-2020 driven by AWS, Amazon HQ2, and federal cloud contracts. |
Boston: MBTA subway, commuter rail, and Logan Airport access. Silver Line connects the Seaport to South Station.
Washington DC: WMATA Metro (six lines) plus VRE and MARC commuter rail. Union Station anchors regional rail. Trophy office clusters all sit within a 5-minute walk of a Metro station.
Washington DC is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.
Boston has the deeper talent index (95/100 vs 92/100).
Washington DC has the lower headline corporate tax (27.1% vs 28%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.
Boston typical term is 10 years with 18 months free; Washington DC runs 10 years with 14 months free.
Boston: MBTA subway, commuter rail, and Logan Airport access. Silver Line connects the Seaport to South Station. Washington DC: WMATA Metro (six lines) plus VRE and MARC commuter rail. Union Station anchors regional rail. Trophy office clusters all sit within a 5-minute walk of a Metro station.
Score Boston, Washington DC and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.
Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.