Essex County, Massachusetts Eviction Risk: Elevated

Essex County carries an average eviction-risk score of 5.5/10 (Elevated) across its 24 cities, placing it squarely in the middle third of Massachusetts eviction laws counties for landlord operating conditions. Five of the state's 14 counties score higher, and eight score lower, so Essex is neither a worst-case market nor a comfortable one. With an average rent of $1,787, a renter share of 41%, and a rent burden of 33.2%, a meaningful portion of the tenant base is financially stretched, which shapes both default risk and the practical difficulty of collecting on judgments.

The intra-county range is relatively tight, from 5.2 to 6.2, meaning no pocket of the county is dramatically safer than another, but that half-point spread still matters when you are deciding which zip code to acquire in. Landlords who understand where individual cities land on that scale can position portfolios toward the lower end of the county's risk distribution, even if none of the cities fully escape the Elevated tier.

The cities inside Essex County

The highest-risk cities are Lynn (score 6/10, population 101,709) and Lawrence (score 6.2/10, population 88,736), the two largest cities in the county. Both exceed the county average and sit at the top of the local risk distribution. Salem scores 5.8/10 (population 44,795), adding a third urban market above the county average.

Stepping down the scale, Haverhill (score 5.9/10, population 67,698), Peabody (score 5.8/10, population 54,695), Beverly (score 5.8/10, population 42,665), and Gloucester (score 6.1/10, population 30,075) all match the county average. Methuen represents the softest end of the major markets at 6/10 (population 53,475). The variation underscores how hyper-local risk actually is: two cities in the same county can differ by 0.4 points, which translates to meaningfully different vacancy patterns, default rates, and court-filing frequencies over a multi-unit portfolio.

State-level laws that apply here

Every Essex County landlord operates under M.G.L. c. 186 (Estates for Years and at Will). For nonpayment, Massachusetts law requires a 14-day notice for both tenancy-at-will arrangements (M.G.L. c. 186 § 11) and fixed-term leases (M.G.L. c. 186 § 11A). A no-cause termination of a tenancy at will requires 30 days notice, while a material lease violation triggers a 7-day notice under M.G.L. c. 186 § 12. Once in court, an uncontested case resolves in roughly 30 to 60 days, but a contested matter can run 90 to 180 days, making early notice discipline critical to controlling timelines. Understanding the full Massachusetts eviction process, from notice through execution, is essential before acquiring rental property here. Court filing fees run $195 to $295, sheriff lockout fees add $75 to $200, and attorney fees range from $750 to $3,500, so a contested eviction can easily reach the upper end of that combined range. For a detailed breakdown, the Massachusetts eviction costs guide covers all fee components. Massachusetts eviction laws does not require just cause for eviction at the state level, and the state does not preempt local rent control ordinances, so landlords should verify whether individual cities have adopted any local measures.

With a poverty rate of 10.4% and 41% of residents renting, Essex County's risk exposure is spread across many units and many tenants, making the city-level scores in the grid above the most actionable starting point for any acquisition or portfolio-review decision.