Hampden County, Massachusetts Eviction Risk: Elevated

Hampden County carries a county-wide average eviction-risk score of 6.2/10 (Elevated) across its 14 cities, placing it at the top of the Massachusetts risk ladder, ranked 1 of 14 counties statewide. That means every other county in Massachusetts scores lower and is a less risky operating environment for landlords. With an average renter share of 42.8%, an average rent of $1,159 per month, and an average rent burden of 32.3% of income, a substantial portion of tenants here are already financially stretched before any income disruption hits.

The intra-county score range is relatively tight, running from 5.2 to 6.7, which signals that high risk is a structural condition across the county rather than a problem isolated to one or two distressed neighborhoods. Landlords and investors evaluating portfolios here should plan for elevated vacancy turnover, contested evictions, and tenant protections that are among the most expansive in the state under Massachusetts law.

The cities inside Hampden County

At the high end of the scale, Holyoke scores 6/10, making it the single riskiest city in the county. With a population of 37,813, it is a mid-size city where poverty, rent burden, and tenant-side political pressure all compound. Right behind it, Springfield and Chicopee each score 6.7/10. Springfield, by far the largest city in the county at 154,749 residents, drives the county average almost single-handedly given its size. Chicopee adds 55,295 residents at the same risk tier. Westfield and Monson Center also reach 6.2/10.

The lower end of the county range offers modest relief but not a fundamentally different calculus. Longmeadow scores 5.8/10, the lowest in the biggest-cities list, with a population of 15,696. West Springfield Town and Agawam Town each come in at 5.9/10. The spread from 6.6 to 7.3 confirms that risk is hyper-local even within a single county, and city-level data should drive any acquisition or management decision here.

State-level laws that apply here

Massachusetts state law governs landlord-tenant relations under M.G.L. c. 186 (Estates for Years and at Will). Notice requirements vary by the basis for eviction: nonpayment of rent triggers a 14-day notice under both tenancy-at-will and fixed-term lease situations, a material lease violation requires only a 7-day notice, and a no-cause termination of a tenancy at will requires 30 days. The Massachusetts eviction process, once notice expires and suit is filed, runs 30 to 60 days for an uncontested case and 90 to 180 days when a tenant contests, meaning a contested removal can consume six months before possession is recovered. Massachusetts eviction costs include a court filing fee of $195 to $295, a sheriff lockout fee of $75 to $200, and attorney fees that typically run $750 to $3,500, so even a straightforward case can clear $1,000 once all components are combined and a contested case can approach $4,000 or more.

Massachusetts does not require just cause for eviction at the state level and does not preempt local rent control, leaving room for municipalities to add their own tenant-side rules. Source-of-income discrimination is a protected class under state law, which limits how landlords can screen applicants. Reviewing Massachusetts security deposit limits and Massachusetts tenant protections before leasing in any Hampden County city is essential; the statutory framework rewards landlords who document every step with precision.

With an average poverty rate of 17.9% and renters making up 42.8% of households countywide, the financial margin for many Hampden County tenants is thin, a condition that drives the eviction-risk scores visible in the city grid above.