Brookline, MA Eviction Risk Score Suffolk County · Massachusetts · Population 62,822
Sub-score breakdown
Sub-scores are national percentile rankings (1 = most landlord-friendly, 10 = most tenant-protective) derived from ACS 2023 5-year data, 2020 county presidential margin, and state law weighting. Source: ACS 2023 5-year + Gazetteer 2024.
Location & regional heat
Heat density reflects surrounding cities. Click any nearby city to compare.
About eviction risk in Brookline, MA
Brookline, MA has an eviction risk score of 8.4 out of 10, placing it in the high-risk tier for landlords operating in Suffolk County and the state of Massachusetts. The score combines local political climate, court disposition patterns, cost-of-eviction estimates, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation in the next legislative cycle.
Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates show median gross rent as a percentage of household income is 28.7% — a core driver of eviction filings, because households above 30% of income on rent are statistically more likely to miss a payment after any income shock. Median gross rent in Brookline is $2,804/month. About 53.9% of occupied units here are renter-occupied.
Economic stress: poverty rate 9.8%, unemployment 3.5%. Higher values correlate with higher eviction filing rates and longer court timelines.
Political climate: In 2020, Suffolk County voted Democratic by 63.2 points — classified as strongly tenant-leaning for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.
What this score means for landlords
At 8.4/10, Brookline is a high-risk environment. Expect exposure to just-cause requirements, relocation payments, extended notice periods, longer court timelines, and tenant attorneys contesting summary proceedings. Budget conservatively for cost and timeline, and audit lease addenda, disclosures, and notice templates against the latest state and local ordinances before any non-payment or holdover action.
Nearby Cities — Eviction Risk Comparison
Landlord Guides & Research Tools
Deepen your market research with these ACS-data guides. The metrics powering this score feed directly into each ranking.
- Rent Control Cities 2026 — Full National List & Map
- Worst Cities for Landlords 2026 — see where Brookline ranks nationally
- Most Rent-Burdened Cities in America — ACS 2023 leaderboard
- Massachusetts Eviction Risk Overview — all counties & cities in Massachusetts
- Suffolk County — compare every city in the county