3 census tracts · pop 9,708 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.8/10
· range 3.5–8
Highlands is a 3-tract suburb of Westfield, MA and houses 9,708 people. It carries an Eviction Risk Score of 5.8/10, in the Moderate tier. Scores across the 3 constituent tracts range from 3.5 to 8. A 4.5-point internal spread means block-level underwriting beats area-level here.
Cost burden runs 39% against 28.5% citywide, putting Highlands 10.6% over its own city. The strongest single driver of the headline number is tenant-organizing strength at 8.2/10. Severe burden reaches 21%. A tenant at that level absorbs no shock: one cut shift or one repair bill converts directly into arrears.
At $935 a month, rents sit 16% under what the rest of Westfield commands. That places it #2 of 7 neighborhoods in Westfield. Only 28% of units are renter-occupied. Rental comparables are thin here; price renewals off the nearest genuine rental sub-market rather than off surrounding sale prices.
For a like-for-like read, Westfield Center and Trainfield score within a fraction of it. Annual rent works out to 23% of average household income of $49,288.
Underwrite the address, not the area: with 4.5 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
5.8
Moderate
3 tracts · population-weighted
Highlands vs WestfieldHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority40%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport46%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in Highlands
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
14.7%Housing insecurity
9.6%Utility shutoff threat
17.0%Food insecurity
20.2%SNAP enrollment
7.2%No health insurance
33.5%Any disability
Frequently asked
About Highlands
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for Highlands?
Highlands scores 5.8/10 (Moderate tier) across 3 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 Highlands compare to Westfield overall?
Highlands scores 0.9 points higher than Westfield overall (4.9/10). Renters spend 39% of income on rent vs 29% citywide. Average rent: $935 vs $1,117.
Q3
What is the average rent in Highlands?
Average gross rent in Highlands is $935/month (pop-weighted across 3 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 39% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of Highlands residents are renters?
28% of Highlands households are renter-occupied (vs 31% in Westfield). The neighborhood has 9,708 residents.
Q5
Is Highlands a high social-vulnerability area?
Highlands sits in the 46th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (less 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 Highlands have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in Highlands is census tract 25013812002 (score 8/10). Across the 3 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 3.5 to 8, a spread of 4.5 points.
Q7
How safe is Highlands for landlords?
Highlands carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.8/10). Pop-weighted across 3 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Westfield as a whole (4.9/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of Highlands?
Highlands has 9,667 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (67.9%), Hispanic / Latino (25.2%), Black (non-Hispanic) (3.2%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
