1 census tracts · pop 3,260 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 7.4/10
· range 7.4–7.4
Back River Highlands is a one-tract neighborhood of Essex, MD, population 3,260. That produces an Eviction Risk Score of 7.4/10, Elevated tier. Against a Essex baseline of 33.8%, 16% of renters here cross the 30%-of-income line.
The clearest offset is supply constraint, at 1/10. On the high side is tenant-organizing strength at 8.4/10.
At $1,066 a month, rents sit 19% under what the rest of Essex commands. Sitting well above the midpoint is rent-regulation exposure at 7.4/10.
That places it #3 of 11 neighborhoods in Essex. At 16% renter-occupied, this is predominantly owner territory, and rental comps have to be drawn from further out. The closest comparables inside the same city are Marine Oak Village and Essexshire Gate.
Rent takes 18% of average household income, comfortably inside the 30% line and unusually low for a rental sub-market.
Because the boundary contains one tract, 7.4/10 is simultaneously the area figure and the address-level figure. Scores move when the ACS release, the court-record feed, or the statute ledger behind them moves.
Risk score
7.4
Elevated
1 tracts · population-weighted
Back River Highlands vs EssexHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority23%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport9%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in Back River Highlands
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
13.3%Housing insecurity
8.1%Utility shutoff threat
15.9%Food insecurity
12.5%SNAP enrollment
9.3%No health insurance
29.7%Any disability
Frequently asked
About Back River Highlands
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for Back River Highlands?
Back River Highlands scores 7.4/10 (Elevated tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.
Q2
How does Back River Highlands compare to Essex overall?
Back River Highlands scores 1.1 points higher than Essex overall (6.3/10). Renters spend 16% of income on rent vs 34% citywide. Average rent: $1,066 vs $1,319.
Q3
What is the average rent in Back River Highlands?
Average gross rent in Back River Highlands is $1,066/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 16% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of Back River Highlands residents are renters?
16% of Back River Highlands households are renter-occupied (vs 39% in Essex). The neighborhood has 3,260 residents.
Q5
Is Back River Highlands a high social-vulnerability area?
Back River Highlands sits in the 35th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (less vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.
Q6
How safe is Back River Highlands for landlords?
Back River Highlands carries a elevated-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (7.4/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Essex as a whole (6.3/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q7
What is the demographic breakdown of Back River Highlands?
Back River Highlands has 3,298 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (77.9%), Black (non-Hispanic) (8.9%), Hispanic / Latino (8%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
