<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-03-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000746514</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEW ENGLAND REALTY ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NEN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001036437</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BROWN RONALD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>NEW ENGLAND REALTY ASSOCIATES LP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>39 BRIGHTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ALLSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02134</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>NEN Class B Units of Limited Partnership Interest</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-03-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10.0</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1782</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5784</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>NEN Units of General Partner Interest</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-03-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0.5</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1782</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>304.5</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Close-Held Corporation</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the Partnership's equity repurchase program, as renewed and reauthorized by the Board of Directors of the General Partner on March 9, 2020 and as further described in the Partnership's Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2020, the Partnership repurchased 10.0 Class B Units of Limited Partnership Interest directly beneficially owned by the reporting person and 0.5 Units of General Partner Interest from the general partner of the Partnership that are indirectly beneficially owned by the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Amounts reported represent 25% of the securities owned by the close-held corporation (which corporation is the general partner of the Partnership) based upon the reporting person's 25% equity interest in the corporation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The purchase price of the Class B Units and Units of General Partner Interest was equal to the $59.40 purchase price of the Depositary Receipts (each of which represents one-thirtieth of a Class A Unit of the Partnership) contemporaneously repurchased by the Partnership pursuant to its equity repurchase program.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ronald Brown</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-04-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
