2 census tracts · pop 10,306 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.8/10
· range 5.7–5.9
The Flats is a hispanic / latino neighborhood in Boston with 2 census tracts and a population of 10,306 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 5.8/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 53% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 28% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $2,079/month sits 3% lower than the Boston citywide average ($2,147).
Risk score
5.8
Moderate
2 tracts · population-weighted
The Flats vs BostonHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority82%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport69%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab
Court-record eviction history in The Flats
Aggregated across 2 validated constituent tracts. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.
Historic baseline (2000–2018)
299Total filings (sum)
2.21%Avg annual filing rate
4.0%Peak year (2014)
2.22%Latest filed (2016)
Pandemic-era tracking (2020–2021)
131Total filings 2020-21
1.4Avg monthly observed
2.6Pre-pandemic baseline
0.57×Ratio to baseline
Pandemic filings ran far below baseline. Tracked under Eviction Lab Eviction Tracking System (Boston, MA).
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in The Flats
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
21.9%Housing insecurity
12.7%Utility shutoff threat
24.5%Food insecurity
25.2%SNAP enrollment
13.4%No health insurance
28.6%Any disability
Frequently asked
About The Flats
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for The Flats?
The Flats scores 5.8/10 (Moderate tier) across 2 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 The Flats compare to Boston overall?
The Flats scores 1.3 points lower than Boston overall (7.1/10). Renters spend 53% of income on rent vs 31% citywide. Average rent: $2,079 vs $2,147.
Q3
What is the average rent in The Flats?
Average gross rent in The Flats is $2,079/month (pop-weighted across 2 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 53% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of The Flats residents are renters?
72% of The Flats households are renter-occupied (vs 64% in Boston). The neighborhood has 10,306 residents.
Q5
Is The Flats a high social-vulnerability area?
The Flats sits in the 83rd percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly 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 The Flats have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in The Flats is census tract 25025050700 (score 5.9/10). Across the 2 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 5.7 to 5.9, a spread of 0.2 points.
Q7
How safe is The Flats for landlords?
The Flats carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.8/10). Pop-weighted across 2 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Boston as a whole (7.1/10), this neighborhood is lower-risk.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of The Flats?
The Flats has 10,335 residents (Hispanic / Latino Neighborhood). Top groups: Hispanic / Latino (62.2%), White (non-Hispanic) (26.4%), Other / Multiracial (7.2%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
