Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from constituent census tracts, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
46.5%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Onset, MA, tenants prevail in roughly 46.5% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
184d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Onset, MA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 184 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$10.8–25.7k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Onset, MA costs landlords $10,848 to $25,693 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,712
32% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Onset, MA is $1,712 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 32% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
10.9%
of households
10.9% of occupied housing units in Onset, MA are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
6.1%
18.2% unemp.
6.1% of Onset, MA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 18.2%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
Dem margin +8.8% (2024)
6.3
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
6.3
State political climate
Massachusetts legislature & governorship
6.2
Economic stress
6.1% poverty · 18.2% unemp.
6.6
Supply constraint
$1,712 average · 10.9% renters
3.0
Rent Control risk
32.3% of income on rent
5.4
Eviction process difficulty
184 days filing → judgment
6.1
Tenant organizing strength
10.9% renters
3.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
4.6
Geographic context
Risk heat across Onset and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Onset compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Plymouth County
High
#4of 30 cities
#4 of 30 cities in Plymouth County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Massachusetts
High
#43of 248 cities
#43 of 248 cities in Massachusetts for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
6.1
/ 10 · ELEVATED
The verdict
A Elevated-tier market.
Composite 6.1/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+3.2 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
184d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,712/mo. A contested eviction takes 184 days and costs $10,848–$25,693 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
10.9%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 1,380 residents, 10.9% rent. 32% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 6.1% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
6.3
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 6.3 and 6.3 (Dem margin +8.8% (2024)). State climate at 6.2, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
6.2
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 6.2/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 6.1, housing court bias 4.6, rent-control risk 5.4. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +1.1 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
6.6
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 6.6. Supply constraint: 3. The numbers behind those: 6.1% poverty, 18.2% unemployment, 32% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Onset sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Onset · 184d · ~$18.3k all-in ($99/day) · score 6.1National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Onset, Massachusetts, presents an elevated-friction market where documented notices and proactive screening matter. The Eviction Risk Score is 6.1/10 (ELEVATED tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Elevated-friction market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Onset is a city of 1,380 residents where 10.9% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 32.3% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,712/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Onset eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 6.1/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Onset closes 184 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Onset's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 4.6/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Onset runs $10,848 to $25,693 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 184 days of typical timeline and $1,712/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 3/10 in Onset, and the city has limited rent control exposure (5.4/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Massachusetts, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Onset: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a ELEVATED tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Massachusetts's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $25,693 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Onset
Trap · 17.4 POINTS
Plymouth County voted Democratic by 17.4 points in 2020, a baseline that correlates with tenant-protective legislative pressure under MGL 239 + Housing Court.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my tenant tries to pay after the 14-day notice but before court?
If your tenant offers full payment of all back rent within the 14-day notice period, you must accept it, and the notice becomes void. If they offer it after the 14 days, but before you file in court, it gets trickier. Generally, accepting full payment nullifies your ability to evict for that specific non-payment. If you accept partial payment after the notice, you might unintentionally waive your right to evict, so be very careful and consult your attorney.
Q2
Can I charge late fees in Onset?
Yes, Massachusetts law allows landlords to charge a late fee for rent received 30 days or more after the due date. The late fee cannot exceed 5% of the monthly rent. It's crucial to specify this in your lease agreement.
Q3
Is there rent control in Onset?
No, there is no rent control in Onset or anywhere in Massachusetts. Statewide law prohibits rent control. You can raise rent, but you must provide proper notice (typically 30 days for month-to-month tenancies). However, be aware of "implied warranty of habitability" laws; you can't raise rent on a property with unaddressed major issues. For more details, refer to our Massachusetts rent control rules.
Q4
What if my tenant damages the property?
Your security deposit is there for damages beyond normal wear and tear. Document the condition of the property thoroughly before the tenant moves in (photos, videos, move-in checklist). When they move out, compare the condition. If there are damages, you can deduct the cost of repairs from the security deposit, but you must provide an itemized list of deductions within 30 days of the tenant vacating. Keep all repair receipts.
Q5
Do I need an attorney for an eviction in Onset?
While not legally required, it's highly recommended. Given the complexity of Massachusetts landlord-tenant law, the elevated eviction risk score (5.9/10), and the severe financial consequences of errors, an attorney can save you significant time and money. They understand the nuances of M.G.L. c. 186 and local court procedures. This is especially true in Plymouth County. You can learn more about the broader context on our Massachusetts eviction risk overview and Plymouth County eviction guide.
A 6.1/10 places Onset in the 89th percentile of Massachusetts cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has risen sharply since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Onset (6.1/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
