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
46.4%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Stony Brook University, NY, tenants prevail in roughly 46.4% 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
427d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Stony Brook University, NY until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 427 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$21.8–40.4k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Stony Brook University, NY costs landlords $21,793 to $40,443 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$2,348
37% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Stony Brook University, NY is $2,348 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 37% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
19.3%
of households
19.3% of occupied housing units in Stony Brook University, NY 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
7.1%
14.9% unemp.
7.1% of Stony Brook University, NY residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 14.9%. 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
GOP margin +10.0% (2024)
5.5
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.5
State political climate
New York legislature & governorship
7.3
Economic stress
7.1% poverty · 14.9% unemp.
9.4
Supply constraint
$2,348 average · 19.3% renters
3.0
Rent Control risk
37.0% of income on rent
5.9
Eviction process difficulty
427 days filing → judgment
7.1
Tenant organizing strength
19.3% renters
2.6
Housing court bias
County bench composition
4.7
Geographic context
Risk heat across Stony Brook University and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Stony Brook University compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Suffolk County
Very High
#4of 148 cities
#4 of 148 cities in Suffolk County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in New York
Very High
#78of 1,285 cities
#78 of 1,285 cities in New York for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
8.8
/ 10 · VERY HIGH
The verdict
A Very high-tier market.
Composite 8.8/10. Among the 10% riskiest markets nationally, with heavy tenant exposure, so every notice, hearing, and lease termination needs an attorney in the loop. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+5.6 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
427d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $2,348/mo. A contested eviction takes 427 days and costs $21,793–$40,443 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
19.3%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 9,530 residents, 19.3% rent. 37% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 7.1% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.5
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.5 and 5.5 (GOP margin +10.0% (2024)). State climate at 7.3, a tenant-leaning legislature.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
7.3
State politics
The process
Long calendar, heavy friction.
State political climate 7.3/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 7.1, housing court bias 4.7, rent-control risk 5.9. The slow part is the calendar, not the motion practice.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +2.1 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
9.4
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the real risk.
Economic stress: 9.4. Supply constraint: 3. The numbers behind those: 7.1% poverty, 14.9% unemployment, 37% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Stony Brook University sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Stony Brook University · 427d · ~$31.1k all-in ($73/day) · score 8.8National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Stony Brook University, New York, presents one of the toughest environments for property owners in the nation. The Eviction Risk Score is 8.8/10 (VERY HIGH 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 Among the toughest 10% of US markets where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Stony Brook University is a city of 9,530 residents where 19.3% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 37.0% of income on rent. At an average rent of $2,348/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 Stony Brook University eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 7.1/10, 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 Stony Brook University closes 427 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 Stony Brook University's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 4.7/10 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 Stony Brook University runs $21,793 to $40,443 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 427 days of typical timeline and $2,348/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 2.6/10 in Stony Brook University, and the city has limited rent control exposure (5.9/10). 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 New York, 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 Stony Brook University: 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 VERY HIGH 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 New York's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $40,443 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Stony Brook University
Trap · 6.1/10
The 6.1/10 score combines local political climate, court bias, cost-of-eviction, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation. See the breakdown above for Stony Brook University-specific sub-scores.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Can I evict a tenant in Stony Brook University for being noisy?
Yes, but it's not a non-payment eviction. You would need to issue a notice to cure or quit for a lease violation. The lease must specifically prohibit excessive noise. If the tenant doesn't fix the issue, you can then proceed with a holdover eviction. Document all complaints and attempts to resolve the issue.
Q2
What if my tenant claims they lost their job and can't pay rent?
Empathy is good, but your business needs protection. Offer resources like local rental assistance programs or discuss a payment plan. However, do not delay serving the 14-day pay-or-quit notice if rent isn't paid. You can always withdraw the notice if a viable solution is found, but having it served keeps your legal options open. Remember, New York has statewide source-of-income protection.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Stony Brook University?
While you can represent yourself in court, it's highly recommended to hire an attorney in New York, especially given the difficulty (7.1/10 sub-score) and length (427 days) of the process. One mistake in paperwork or procedure can cause significant delays and cost you more in lost rent and legal fees in the long run. An attorney ensures compliance with N.Y. RPL § 226 et seq. & RPAPL § 711.
Q4
Can I raise the rent on my Stony Brook University tenant?
Yes, New York does not have statewide rent control. However, you must provide proper notice as per your lease agreement and state law (usually 30 days for month-to-month leases). If the tenant is on a fixed-term lease, you cannot raise the rent until the lease expires. Always check for local ordinances, though Stony Brook University itself doesn't have specific rent control. You can learn more about New York rent control rules.
Q5
My tenant moved out but left a bunch of stuff. What do I do with it?
New York law requires you to treat abandoned property with care. You generally cannot just throw it out. You must provide reasonable notice to the tenant, typically in writing, allowing them to retrieve their belongings within a specific timeframe (often 30 days). If they don't claim it, you may be able to dispose of it or sell it, deducting reasonable storage and sale costs. Always document the items and your attempts to contact the tenant.
A 8.8/10 places Stony Brook University in the 95th percentile of New York 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 Stony Brook University (8.8/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
