Dukes County, Massachusetts Eviction Risk: Elevated

Dukes County, Massachusetts eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 4.9/10, placing it in the Moderate tier and, notably, at rank 14 of 14 among Massachusetts counties. That ranking means 13 of the state's 14 counties score higher risk, making Dukes County the least landlord-hostile jurisdiction in Massachusetts eviction laws by this measure. For investors weighing where to hold residential property, the overall environment here is comparatively calm, though the county's small total population of roughly 6,155 and its seasonal character shape supply, demand, and tenant turnover in ways that don't show up in a single score.

Scores across the county's 8 cities span a meaningful range, from 3.9 to 5.4 out of 10. That 1.5-point spread is wide relative to the county average and signals that operating conditions are far from uniform. The average asking rent across the county runs $1,757 per month, and renters represent only 21.6% of households, a low renter share that reflects the island's ownership-heavy, vacation-property mix. Rent burden averages 31.5% of income, a figure worth watching because financially stretched tenants are a leading indicator of payment stress.

The cities inside Dukes County

The highest-risk pocket in the county is Edgartown, which scores 5.4/10. A population of 904 makes it a small market, but its score sits a full half-point above the county average, driven by the mix of tenant protections and local economic factors captured in the model. Oak Bluffs follows at 5.2/10 with 1,184 residents, and Vineyard Haven, the county's most populated city at 2,469 people, comes in at 5.1/10. Taken together, these three towns account for the bulk of the county's rental inventory and represent the areas where landlords face the most procedural friction.

At the other end of the spectrum, Popponesset Island registers the county's lowest score at 3.9/10, while New Seabury, Seabrook, and Monomoscoy Island each score 4/10. These communities are substantially smaller and tilt toward ownership-occupied properties, but they remain the most operationally straightforward corners of an already low-risk county. Risk is hyper-local here: the difference between Edgartown and Popponesset Island is roughly the same as the difference between many mid-tier and high-risk counties in Massachusetts.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Dukes County operates under Massachusetts state law, specifically M.G.L. c. 186 (Estates for Years and at Will). The required notice period for nonpayment of rent is 14 days under M.G.L. c. 186 sections 11 and 11A, whether the tenancy is at will or under a fixed-term lease. A material lease violation requires only a 7-day notice, while a no-cause termination of a tenancy at will requires 30 days. Understanding these timelines is a prerequisite for any landlord here, and the full Massachusetts eviction process adds court and enforcement steps on top of the notice period. An uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 60 days from filing; a contested matter can run 90 to 180 days.

Massachusetts eviction costs are a key variable in any investment underwriting. Court filing fees run $195 to $295, sheriff or constable lockout fees add another $75 to $200, and attorney fees for an eviction matter typically range from $750 to $3,500. Massachusetts does not require just cause for eviction at the state level, and there is no statewide rent cap formula in effect, giving landlords more flexibility than they would have in many other jurisdictions. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination enforces fair housing rules statewide, and source of income is a protected class, which affects tenant screening.

With a county poverty rate of 8.5% and a renter share of just 21.6%, Dukes County's tenant pool is relatively small and modestly distressed by Massachusetts eviction laws standards; the city-level scores in the grid above show where within the county that picture shifts most noticeably.