5 census tracts · pop 19,409 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.9/10
· range 3.9–7.9
Merrick spans 5 census tracts of West Springfield Town, MA and houses 19,409 people. Scored across those inputs it reaches 5.9/10, placing it in the Moderate tier. Against a West Springfield Town baseline of 32.5%, 57% of renters here cross the 30%-of-income line.
The 5 tracts inside this boundary do not behave alike. Individual scores run 3.9 to 7.9, a 4-point gap wide enough that the area average misleads on any specific address. The severe-burden share is 28%. Those renters are past the 50% mark, and they miss rent for reasons that have nothing to do with willingness to pay. The clearest offset is supply constraint, at 2.3/10.
CDC survey data puts housing insecurity at 24.5% of adults, against 14.2% nationally. The poverty rate is 22%, which shows up in this model as reduced rent-recovery odds after a judgment. 16.8% of adults report being unable to pay a utility bill, against a 9.2% national figure. Utility arrears usually lead rent arrears by a month or two.
At $996 a month, rents sit 13% under what the rest of West Springfield Town commands. Annual rent works out to 21% of average household income of $57,420. 52% of occupied units are renter-occupied.
Underwrite the address, not the area: with 4 points between its best and worst tract, the per-tract table below is the operative number. The number is rebuilt whenever its ACS, court-record, or statutory inputs change.
Risk score
5.9
Moderate
5 tracts · population-weighted
Merrick vs West Springfield TownHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority58%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport62%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in Merrick
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
22.3%Housing insecurity
15.2%Utility shutoff threat
28.1%Food insecurity
32.9%SNAP enrollment
13.0%No health insurance
39.1%Any disability
Frequently asked
About Merrick
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for Merrick?
Merrick scores 5.9/10 (Moderate tier) across 5 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 Merrick compare to West Springfield Town overall?
Merrick scores 0.6 points higher than West Springfield Town overall (5.3/10). Renters spend 57% of income on rent vs 33% citywide. Average rent: $996 vs $1,144.
Q3
What is the average rent in Merrick?
Average gross rent in Merrick is $996/month (pop-weighted across 5 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 57% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of Merrick residents are renters?
52% of Merrick households are renter-occupied (vs 42% in West Springfield Town). The neighborhood has 19,409 residents.
Q5
Is Merrick a high social-vulnerability area?
Merrick sits in the 65th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (moderately vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.
Q6
Which tracts in Merrick have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in Merrick is census tract 25013800700 (score 7.9/10). Across the 5 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 3.9 to 7.9, a spread of 4 points.
Q7
How safe is Merrick for landlords?
Merrick carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.9/10). Pop-weighted across 5 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to West Springfield Town as a whole (5.3/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of Merrick?
Merrick has 19,308 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (49.7%), Hispanic / Latino (37.2%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (6.4%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
