Burlington County, New Jersey Eviction Risk: High

Burlington County carries an average eviction-risk score of 8/10 (High) across its 27 cities, placing it 13th of 21 counties in New Jersey eviction laws, meaning 12 counties are riskier and 8 are more landlord-friendly. That middle-third position understates the on-the-ground pressure: with 34.8% of households renting and an average rent of $1,750, landlords here contend with a meaningful renter base operating under some of the state's more tenant-protective laws. Average rent burden sits at 31.2% of income, a level that leaves relatively little financial cushion when a tenant's income dips, and that translates directly into elevated nonpayment exposure for investors underwriting rental cash flow.

The intra-county spread, from a low of 5.1 to a high of 8.4, is wide enough that a portfolio concentrated in the wrong zip codes will experience materially different operating conditions than one spread across the county's lower-risk communities. Investors treating Burlington County as a monolithic market are likely mispricing risk on a per-asset basis.

The cities inside Burlington County

The highest-risk concentration sits in the county's smaller urban and peri-urban cores. Wrightstown tops the county at 7.2/10, followed by Pemberton at 7.3/10 and Burlington, the county seat, at 8/10 on a population of roughly 9,993. Ramblewood (7.4/10, pop. 6,611) and Beverly (7.5/10) also sit at the high end. These communities share the characteristics that drive elevated scores: higher renter concentration, lower household incomes relative to rents, and a statutory environment that adds procedural friction to any eviction proceeding.

Lower-risk relief is available within the county. Fort Dix scores 7.3/10, the lowest recorded figure among the cities with population data, and Marlton comes in at 7.1/10 on a population of 10,922. Moorestown-Lenola, the county's most populous city at 14,625 residents, scores 7.9/10, which is elevated but not at the peak. The takeaway is that risk is hyper-local here: two communities a few miles apart can differ by more than three full points on the scoring scale.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Burlington County operates under New Jersey eviction laws state law, primarily N.J.S.A. § 46:8 and N.J.S.A. § 2A:18 (the Anti-Eviction Act). New Jersey requires just cause for eviction, meaning a landlord cannot remove a compliant tenant simply by declining to renew a lease. Notice requirements vary by ground: nonpayment of rent requires no advance notice before filing, disorderly conduct and willful damage each require a 3-day notice, a substantial lease violation requires 30 days, and an owner move-in or substantial renovation requires 60 days. The New Jersey eviction laws eviction process runs 30 to 60 days for an uncontested case and 90 to 180 days when contested. Source of income is a protected class under state law, adding an additional screening compliance layer relative to many other states.

New Jersey eviction costs stack up quickly. Court filing fees run $50 to $100, sheriff lockout fees add another $40 to $150, and attorney fees commonly range from $750 to $3,500. Landlords should budget the full component range rather than assuming a single low-end figure. For a complete breakdown of deposit rules and statutory caps, the New Jersey security deposit limits guide and the New Jersey tenant protections overview cover the specifics that apply in every Burlington County municipality.

With an average poverty rate of 7.7% and 34.8% of residents renting, Burlington County's exposure is real but unevenly distributed; the city-level scores in the grid above are the most reliable tool for sorting the riskier submarkets from the more stable ones.