In court-decided eviction outcomes for Woburn, MA, tenants prevail in roughly 48.1% 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
209d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Woburn, MA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 209 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$13.4-28.2k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Woburn, MA costs landlords $13,385 to $28,246 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$2,221
32% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Woburn, MA is $2,221 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
44.3%
of households
44.3% of occupied housing units in Woburn, 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
7.8%
7.4% unemp.
7.8% of Woburn, MA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 7.4%. 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 +39.5% (2024)
8.3
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
8.3
State political climate
Massachusetts legislature & governorship
6.2
Economic stress
7.8% poverty · 7.4% unemp.
6.2
Supply constraint
$2,221 average · 44.3% renters
9.0
Rent Control risk
32.0% of income on rent
7.4
Eviction process difficulty
209 days filing → judgment
5.8
Tenant organizing strength
44.3% renters
8.4
Housing court bias
County bench composition
5.9
Geographic context
Risk heat across Woburn and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Woburn compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Middlesex County
Elevated
#12of 35 cities
#12 of 35 cities in Middlesex County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Massachusetts
Moderate
#113of 248 cities
#113 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+4.0 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
209d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $2,221/mo. A contested eviction takes 209 days and costs $13,385-$28,246 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
44.3%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 41,939 residents, 44.3% rent. 32% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 7.8% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
8.3
Local + regional
The politics
Strong-tenant coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 8.3 and 8.3 (Dem margin +39.5% (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 5.8, housing court bias 5.9, rent-control risk 7.4. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +0.8 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
6.2
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 6.2. Supply constraint: 9. The numbers behind those: 7.8% poverty, 7.4% 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
Woburn sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Woburn · 209d · ~$20.8k all-in ($100/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 Woburn, 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.
Woburn is a city of 41,939 residents where 44.3% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 32.0% of income on rent. At an average rent of $2,221/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 Woburn eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 5.8/10, 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 Woburn closes 209 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 Woburn's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 5.9/10 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 Woburn runs $13,385 to $28,246 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 209 days of typical timeline and $2,221/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 8.4/10 in Woburn, and the city carries meaningful rent control exposure (7.4/10). 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 Woburn: 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 $28,246 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Woburn
Trap · 5.9/10
For landlords, the 6.6/10 score is most actionable when combined with Suffolk County's specific court behavior. Housing-court bias sub-score: 5.9/10. Use proactive screening and documented notices.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Can I evict a tenant in Woburn without a lawyer?
Technically, yes, you can represent yourself. However, given the high housing-court-bias (5.9) and the complexity of Massachusetts eviction law (M.G.L. c. 186), it's a huge risk. One mistake in notice, filing, or court procedure can get your case dismissed, costing you months and thousands. For most landlords, hiring an attorney is a necessary expense to avoid larger losses.
Q2
How long does it take to get a tenant out for non-payment of rent?
The average timeline for an eviction in Woburn is 209 days. This includes the 14-day pay-or-quit notice, court proceedings, potential appeals, and the final lockout by the sheriff. It's a long process, so plan accordingly and act quickly once a tenant defaults.
Q3
Are there any specific tenant protections in Woburn I need to know about?
Woburn falls under Massachusetts state law, which includes statewide source-of-income protection. This means you cannot refuse to rent to someone solely because they use a housing voucher or other public assistance. Always check our Massachusetts tenant protections for updates, as these laws can change.
Q4
What's the biggest mistake landlords make during eviction in Massachusetts?
The most common mistake is improper notice. Whether it's the wrong notice period, incorrect wording, or faulty service, any error here can invalidate your case, forcing you to restart the entire process and costing you more time and money. Trying to handle the process yourself without legal counsel is another significant misstep.
Q5
What should I do if my tenant damages the property?
Document everything with photos and videos before and after the tenancy. Your security deposit (up to 1.00 month's rent) can be used for damages beyond normal wear and tear. You must provide an itemized list within 30 days of the tenant vacating. If damages exceed the deposit, you can pursue the tenant in small claims court, but collecting can be challenging.
Q6
Is "cash for keys" a good idea in Woburn?
Yes, "cash for keys" can be an excellent strategy in Woburn due to the high costs and long timelines of traditional eviction. Offering a tenant a reasonable sum (e.g., $500-$1,500) to move out voluntarily and leave the property in good condition can save you thousands in legal fees, lost rent, and property damage. Always get a written agreement stating the terms.
A 6.1/10 places Woburn in the 62nd 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.
Neighborhoods in Woburn (1 with eviction-risk data)
Click a neighborhood to see its pop-weighted score, constituent census tracts, and demographics. Sorted by population.
