Berkshire County, Massachusetts Eviction Risk: Elevated

Berkshire County carries an average eviction-risk score of 6/10 (Elevated), placing it second out of 14 Massachusetts counties, meaning only one county in the state registers higher risk for landlords. Across the county's 10 cities, an average of 39.7% of households rent, average rent runs $1,069 per month, and the average rent burden sits at 32.8% of income. Those numbers describe a market where tenants are stretched, collection risk is real, and landlords need to price and screen carefully.

The intra-county spread, from a low of 4.8/10 to a high of 7.8/10, is wide enough that operating conditions differ substantially depending on which city you choose. A landlord comparing two Berkshire properties less than 20 miles apart could face meaningfully different eviction frequencies, vacancy dynamics, and tenant-income profiles. The county average of 6.9 is a useful starting point, but it should not be used as a proxy for any individual market within the county.

The cities inside Berkshire County

Adams is the highest-risk city in the county at 6.2/10, with a population of 12,606. It sits at the top of the riskiest-cities list by a clear margin and warrants the most conservative underwriting assumptions, particularly around vacancy reserves and tenant-income verification. Pittsfield, the county seat and by far the largest city at 43,457 residents, comes in at 6/10, matching the county average exactly. Great Barrington and Housatonic each score 5.6/10, while Adams registers 6.2/10.

At the lower end, Lenox scores 5.4/10, the county's most landlord-favorable market, and Lee comes in at 5.8/10. Williamstown, home to Williams College, scores 5.7/10, reflecting a mix of student-driven rental demand and the income volatility that can accompany it. These gaps make hyper-local due diligence essential: county-level figures will overstate risk in Lenox and understate it in North Adams.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord operating in Berkshire County is subject to Massachusetts eviction laws state law under M.G.L. c. 186 (Estates for Years and at Will). Notice requirements vary by situation: nonpayment of rent triggers a 14-day notice under M.G.L. c. 186 § 11 (or § 11A for fixed-term leases), a material lease violation requires a 7-day notice, and a no-cause termination of a tenancy at will requires 30 days. Understanding the Massachusetts eviction process matters because even after proper notice, an uncontested case takes 30 to 60 days and a contested one can run 90 to 180 days from filing to lockout.

On costs, court filing fees run $195 to $295, sheriff lockout fees add $75 to $200, and attorney fees range from $750 to $3,500, putting total out-of-pocket exposure anywhere from roughly $1,020 to over $3,995 before accounting for lost rent during the proceeding. Landlords evaluating Massachusetts eviction costs should budget conservatively, especially in contested cases. Massachusetts eviction laws does not require just cause for eviction at the state level, and state law does not currently preempt local rent control, so landlords should verify whether any local ordinances apply in their specific city.

With a county poverty rate of 14.2% and nearly 40% of residents renting, underlying tenant financial stress is a consistent factor across Berkshire County; review the city grid above to identify which specific markets within the county best match your risk tolerance and investment criteria.