Nantucket County, Massachusetts Eviction Risk: Elevated

Nantucket County scores 5.1/10 (Moderate) on eviction risk, placing it among the more landlord-friendly corners of Massachusetts eviction laws. Ranked 13 of 14 counties statewide, only one county posts a lower score, meaning 12 Massachusetts counties carry more risk for landlords than Nantucket does. For investors sizing up this island market, that standing reflects a county with low poverty and a very small renter pool, not a deeply contentious operating environment.

The county's 3 cities span a narrow but meaningful range, from 5.1 to 6.1. With a total measured population of roughly 10,598 and an average rent of $2,228, this is a thin, premium market. The average renter cost burden sits at 32.4% of income, and renters make up only 18.9% of households, so the tenant universe is small but not stress-free. Vacancies and turnovers carry real financial stakes at these rent levels.

The cities inside Nantucket County

The highest-risk location in the county is Madaket, which scores 6.1/10 and has a population of 377. That score is noticeably above the county average and puts Madaket in a different risk tier from the rest of the island. Landlords operating there should apply the same diligence they would in a more contested urban market.

The county's largest community, Nantucket, scores 5.1/10 with a population of 10,017, and Siasconset also posts 5.1/10 with a population of 204. Even across three cities on a single island, risk is hyper-local: Madaket runs a full point higher than the other two, which matters when pricing vacancy risk or deciding how much diligence to put into tenant screening.

State-level laws that apply here

All Nantucket County landlords operate under Massachusetts state law, specifically M.G.L. c. 186 (Estates for Years and at Will). Notice requirements vary by situation: nonpayment of rent triggers a 14-day notice under both tenancy-at-will and fixed-term lease provisions, a material lease violation requires only a 7-day notice, and a no-cause termination of a tenancy at will requires 30 days. Massachusetts does not require just cause for eviction, and there is no statewide rent cap formula in effect, giving landlords meaningful flexibility on those fronts.

Even so, the Massachusetts eviction process is not fast. Uncontested cases resolve in 30 to 60 days from filing; contested matters can stretch 90 to 180 days. Court filing fees run $195 to $295, sheriff lockout fees add $75 to $200, and attorney fees typically range $750 to $3,500, making Massachusetts eviction costs a real line item in any pro forma. Source-of-income discrimination is a protected class under Massachusetts tenant protections, enforced by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, so screening policies must be drafted accordingly.

Nantucket County's poverty rate of 3.4% is among the lowest you will find anywhere, which moderates default risk, but the county's 18.9% renter share means the landlord market here is small and concentrated. Review the city grid above to see exactly where within the island your target property falls on the risk scale.