<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000842741 <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK REALTY INCOME FUND - III LIMITED PARTNERSHIP <MULTIPLIER> 1 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-2000 <CASH> 2,809,882 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 116,089 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 2,925,971 <PP&E> 0 <DEPRECIATION> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 30,578,700 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 389,760 <BONDS> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 0 <OTHER-SE> 30,188,940 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 30,578,700 <SALES> 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 1,795,638 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 332,480 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 113,412 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 <INCOME-PRETAX> 1,349,746 <INCOME-TAX> 0 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 1,349,746 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 1,349,746 <EPS-BASIC> 0.53 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.53