Plymouth County, Massachusetts Eviction Risk: Elevated

Plymouth County carries an average eviction-risk score of 5.9/10, placing it in the Elevated tier and in the middle of Massachusetts's 14 counties, with 6 counties scoring higher and 7 scoring lower. For landlords operating across the county's 30 cities, that average masks genuine variation: individual city scores run from 3.8 at the low end to 7.1 at the high end, a 3.3-point spread that makes city selection one of the most consequential decisions an investor here can make. Average rents of $1,749 and a rent-burden rate of 33.4% suggest tenants are under meaningful financial pressure, which historically correlates with higher late-payment risk.

With 32.2% of housing units occupied by renters across a county population of 255,135, the rental market is substantial but not outsized. Operating conditions are workable for landlords who know the sub-markets well and carry proper reserves, but the Elevated rating is a genuine signal: this county does not behave like a landlord-friendly rural market, and the legal environment in Massachusetts eviction laws reinforces that.

The cities inside Plymouth County

The single highest-risk location in the county is Brockton, which scores 6.2/10 with a population of 105,386, by far the county's largest city. That score puts Brockton at the top of the riskiest-cities list and well above the county average, meaning landlords there face materially greater exposure than peers operating in smaller Plymouth County towns. Hanson follows at 5.9/10, and Middleborough Center and West Wareham each come in at 5.8/10. Hull scores 5.8/10.

On the lower end of the risk range, North Scituate scores 5.9/10 and Kingston scores 5.4/10, both notably below the county average. The city of Plymouth itself scores 5.9/10. The 1.6-point gap between Brockton and North Scituate illustrates how hyper-local risk actually is here: two communities within the same county can present very different operating environments, and a county-level average alone is not a sufficient basis for an acquisition decision.

State-level laws that apply here

All Plymouth County landlords operate under Massachusetts state law, specifically M.G.L. c. 186 (Estates for Years and at Will). Notice periods depend on the ground for eviction: nonpayment of rent requires a 14-day notice under M.G.L. c. 186 § 11 and § 11A for both tenancy-at-will and fixed-term arrangements, a material lease violation requires only a 7-day notice under M.G.L. c. 186 § 12, and a no-cause termination of a tenancy at will requires 30 days. Massachusetts does not require just cause for eviction at the state level, and there is no statewide rent cap formula. Understanding the full Massachusetts eviction process is essential before filing, because even an uncontested case runs 30 to 60 days while a contested matter can extend to 90 to 180 days.

Court filing fees under Massachusetts law range from $195 to $295, sheriff lockout fees from $75 to $200, and attorney fees from $750 to $3,500, meaning total out-of-pocket costs across a contested eviction can reach the high end of that combined range. Landlords should also be aware that Massachusetts eviction costs do not stop at filing: the time-cost of a contested case is itself a significant expense. Source of income is a protected class under Massachusetts fair housing law, administered by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, which adds a layer of screening compliance that landlords must manage carefully alongside Massachusetts tenant protections.

With an average poverty rate of 9.7% and roughly one in three households renting, Plymouth County's risk profile is real but varies sharply by city; use the city grid above to compare individual scores before committing to a specific submarket.