Filings Quarter Ending 2026 June 30

Residential summary process: Filings Report This report examines cases filed recently before reading, for which outcomes were largely unknown. Search Period Start: 2026-04-01 Search Period End: 2026-06-30 Earliest Case: 2026-04-01 Latest Case: 2026-06-26 Total Cases: 8404 Total Transfers: 176 -- High-level take-aways: Percentage of landlords for whom attorney is optional: 21.8% Of those, percentage pro se: 53.9% Most common cause: Non-payment Least stable municipality/neighborhood: Chestnut Hill Least stable with 10+ filings: Chestnut Hill Least stable with 100+ filings: Holyoke Least stable county: Hampden Cases per day: 93 Housing crisis baseline max cases per day (UCL): 130 Housing crisis baseline min cases per day (LCL): 44 The number of filings this period is not statistically different from the pre-pandemic housing crisis baseline. -- Courts (n) Count Percent eastern 1794 21.3% northeast 1499 17.8% central 1334 15.9% western 1068 12.7% southeast 953 11.3% metro_south 746 8.9% lynn district 101 1.2% lawrence district 88 1.0% malden district 80 1.0% brockton district 59 0.7% chelsea district 47 0.6% pittsfield district 47 0.6% quincy district 44 0.5% fall river district 40 0.5% lowell district 40 0.5% springfield district 35 0.4% cambridge district 29 0.3% bmc dorchester 24 0.3% waltham district 23 0.3% bmc east boston 22 0.3% haverhill district 20 0.2% northern berkshire district 20 0.2% bmc west roxbury 19 0.2% somerville district 19 0.2% salem district 18 0.2% attleboro district 16 0.2% peabody district 15 0.2% holyoke district 13 0.2% woburn district 13 0.2% worcester district 12 0.1% bmc brighton 11 0.1% fallmouth district 10 0.1% newton district 10 0.1% eastern hampshire district 9 0.1% framingham district 9 0.1% barnstable district 8 0.1% stoughton district 8 0.1% bmc roxbury 7 0.1% gloucester district 7 0.1% bmc central 6 0.1% brookline district 6 0.1% chicopee district 6 0.1% edgartown district 6 0.1% nantucket district 6 0.1% ayer district 5 0.1% fitchburg district 5 0.1% milford district 5 0.1% wrentham district 5 0.1% orleans district 4 0.0% concord district 3 0.0% dedham district 3 0.0% new bedford district 3 0.0% newburyport district 3 0.0% northampton district 3 0.0% palmer district 3 0.0% plymouth district 3 0.0% wareham district 3 0.0% bmc charlestown 2 0.0% hingham district 2 0.0% southern berkshire district 2 0.0% ipswich district 1 0.0% orange district 1 0.0% taunton district 1 0.0% Party Type (n) Plaintiffs Defendants Corporate Entity 6573 42 Natural Person 1831 8362 Total 8404 8404 (%) Plaintiffs Defendants Corporate Entity 78.2% 0.5% Natural Person 21.8% 99.5% Total 100.0% 100.0% Plaintiff Representation (n) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 6470 103 6573 Optional 845 986 1831 Total 7315 1089 8404 (%) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 77.0% 1.2% 78.2% Optional 10.1% 11.7% 21.8% Total 87.0% 13.0% 100.0% Defendant Representation Important: Defendants will not have an attorney known to the plaintiff at time of filing unless this is an ongoing matter. 100% pro se is to be expected in all filing reports except to the extent time passes between filing and staff review. See outcomes report for final assessment. (n) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 1 41 42 Optional 45 8317 8362 Total 46 8358 8404 (%) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 0.0% 0.5% 0.5% Optional 0.5% 99.0% 99.5% Total 0.5% 99.5% 100.0% Number of Adults in Households Count Percent 0 246 2.9% 1 5854 69.7% 2 1875 22.3% 3 308 3.7% 4 74 0.9% 5 33 0.4% 6 9 0.1% 7 3 0.0% 8 2 0.0% Total 8404 100.0% Note: Households may appear with zero adults due to clerical delay entering known defendants, identity protection obscuring known defendants (e.g., 42 USC Sections 13701 through 1404 Violence Against Women Act), or no adult defendants (e.g., abandonment of minors). Initiating Action Count Percent Non-payment 6079 72.3% Cause 1318 15.7% No Fault 926 11.0% Foreclosure 76 0.9% Unknown/Other 5 0.1% Rate per 100,000 Municipality Residents Count Chestnut Hill 565 12 New Ashford 438 1 Holyoke 356 142 Gilbertville 347 4 Framingham 330 226 Vineyard Haven 317 6 Florence 316 3 Mattapan 293 107 Buzzards Bay 291 10 Springfield 288 441 Lowell 281 300 Lawrence 276 211 Dorchester 275 253 Richmond 271 4 Norwood 269 77 Fall River 257 229 Southbridge 257 43 Worcester 257 467 Chelsea 253 89 Fitchburg 252 102 New Bedford 249 237 Ware 243 24 Charlemont 236 3 Lynn 233 211 Revere 231 120 Hyde Park 230 77 Marlborough 228 88 Everett 220 92 Pittsfield 219 98 Adams 212 18 Indian Orchard 198 20 Gardner 197 40 Warren 194 10 Seabrook 188 1 Randolph 186 60 Salem 181 75 Orange 178 14 Brookfield 176 6 South Easton 176 18 Westborough 175 32 Chicopee 173 96 Roxbury 171 102 Hyannis 170 24 Shelburne Falls 170 3 Three Rivers 170 5 Turners Falls 170 7 Malden 166 99 Jamaica Plain 165 62 Allston 164 48 Brockton 162 152 Fiskdale 161 5 Bondsville 159 3 Quincy 158 146 Haverhill 157 96 Stockbridge 154 3 Canton 153 33 Dorchester Center 153 141 Leominster 152 62 Bridgewater 150 40 Cambridge 147 155 Hinsdale 147 3 Thorndike 144 1 Berlin 139 4 Athol 138 16 Stoughton 137 37 Taunton 137 77 Webster 137 23 Hull 136 14 South Boston 136 46 Sunderland 135 5 Peabody 134 69 Brighton 129 57 Roslindale 128 37 Warwick 128 1 North Adams 124 17 Woods Hole 122 1 Attleborough 121 53 East Falmouth 121 7 Chilmark 115 1 Burlington 114 28 Greenfield 114 20 Somerville 112 85 Braintree 111 40 Erving 111 2 Wellfleet 109 3 Saugus 108 29 Waltham 107 65 Oakham 105 2 Marion 101 5 New Salem 101 1 Abington 100 16 Truro 99 2 North Chelmsford 98 9 Palmer 98 12 Winthrop 97 17 East Boston 96 39 Dennis Port 94 3 Mansfield 94 22 West Yarmouth 94 5 Westfield 94 39 North Billerica 93 10 Tewksbury 93 27 Beverly 91 36 Stow 91 6 West Dennis 91 2 Hudson 89 17 Lunenburg 89 9 Raynham 89 12 Haydenville 88 1 Nantucket 88 9 North Andover 88 25 Marshfield 87 22 Oxford 87 12 Gloucester 86 25 Middleborough 86 20 Woburn 86 33 North Brookfield 85 4 West Springfield 84 24 Foxborough 83 14 Methuen 82 39 Milford 82 23 Wakefield 80 20 Swampscott 79 11 Lincoln 78 5 Weymouth 78 42 East Wareham 77 17 Millers Falls 77 1 Roxbury Crossing 77 46 Millis 76 6 Bedford 75 10 Plainville 72 6 Salisbury 72 6 Charlestown 71 12 Danvers 71 19 Rockport 71 5 Northborough 70 10 Shirley 69 5 Rockland 68 12 Watertown 68 22 Auburn 67 11 Lee 67 4 Plymouth 67 38 South Grafton 67 3 Clinton 66 9 Northampton 66 19 Whately 66 1 Chelmsford 65 22 West Roxbury 65 20 Granby 64 4 Mashpee 64 9 Medford 64 36 North Grafton 64 5 Williamstown 64 5 Acton 63 14 Andover 63 21 Easthampton 62 10 North Attleborough 62 18 Bellingham 61 10 Brewster 61 6 Cheshire 61 2 East Weymouth 61 33 Franklin 60 19 Lynnfield 60 7 Feeding Hills 59 7 Hatfield 59 2 Wareham 59 13 Nahant 58 2 Dracut 57 17 Newtonville 57 3 South Weymouth 57 31 Great Barrington 56 4 Russell 56 1 Shutesbury 56 1 Holbrook 55 6 Sagamore Beach 55 2 Whitman 55 8 Wales 54 1 Hopkinton 53 8 Tyngsborough 53 6 Buckland 52 1 Ludlow 52 11 Millbury 52 7 South Yarmouth 51 6 Stoneham 51 11 Orleans 50 3 Edgartown 49 2 Mattapoisett 49 3 Ashland 48 8 Dedham 48 12 Hanscom Afb 48 1 Melrose 48 13 Natick 48 16 South Deerfield 48 1 Kingston 47 6 West Newbury 47 2 Berkley 46 3 Groveland 46 3 Avon 45 2 Hubbardston 45 2 Westford 45 10 Wrentham 45 5 Bradford 44 6 Littleton 44 4 North Oxford 44 1 Northbridge 44 7 Pembroke 44 8 Dudley 43 5 Agawam 42 12 Amesbury 42 7 Amherst 42 16 Boston 42 263 Norton 42 8 Ayer 40 3 Hingham 40 9 Billerica 39 16 Halifax 39 3 Medway 39 5 Hadley 38 2 North Dartmouth 38 9 Rochester 38 2 Winchendon 38 4 Brookline 37 22 North Falmouth 37 1 Walpole 37 9 Georgetown 36 3 Shrewsbury 36 13 Byfield 35 1 Monument Beach 35 1 South Hadley 34 6 Southampton 34 2 Concord 33 6 Milton 33 9 Provincetown 33 1 Somerset 33 6 Townsend 33 3 Arlington 32 14 Auburndale 32 3 FISKDALE 32 1 Lanesborough 32 1 Lexington 31 10 Millville 31 1 Wilmington 31 7 Cotuit 30 1 Ipswich 30 4 Sheffield 30 1 Acushnet 29 3 Maynard 29 3 East Sandwich 28 1 Hanover 28 4 Jefferson 28 1 Osterville 28 1 West Bridgewater 28 2 Whitinsville 28 2 Wilbraham 28 4 Brimfield 27 1 South Dennis 27 1 Cohasset 26 2 North Reading 26 4 West Boylston 26 2 Easton 25 6 Fairhaven 25 4 Newton Center 25 1 Rutland 25 2 Westport 25 4 Belmont 24 6 E. Boston 24 10 North Pembroke 24 1 Sandwich 24 5 Templeton 24 2 Charlton 23 3 Holden 23 4 Boylston 22 1 Centerville 22 3 Falmouth 22 7 Holliston 22 3 Sturbridge 21 2 Belchertown 20 3 East Freetown 20 1 Eastham 20 1 Marblehead 20 4 Marstons Mills 20 1 Southborough 20 2 Wenham 20 1 Westwood 20 3 East Longmeadow 19 3 Hanson 19 2 Lenox 19 1 Barre 18 1 Leicester 18 2 Onset 18 4 South Barre 18 1 Swansea 18 3 WOLLASTON 18 2 Carver 17 2 Dover 17 1 Mendon 17 1 Newburyport 17 3 Pepperell 17 2 Rehoboth 17 2 South Dartmouth 17 6 Spencer 17 2 Chatham 16 1 Grafton 16 3 Newton Upper Falls 16 1 Reading 16 4 Scituate 16 3 Merrimac 15 1 Wayland 15 2 Dalton 14 1 East Bridgewater 14 2 Seekonk 14 2 Uxbridge 14 2 Duxbury 13 2 Needham 13 4 East Templeton 12 1 Lancaster 12 1 Longmeadow 12 2 Newton 12 11 Sterling 12 1 Waban 12 1 DOUGLAS 11 1 Monson 11 1 Montague 11 1 Sharon 11 2 Sudbury 11 2 Southwick 10 1 Wellesley Hills 10 3 Cherry Valley 9 1 Norwell 9 1 Rochdale 9 1 Winchester 9 2 Groton 8 1 Harwich 8 1 Norfolk 8 1 West Harwich 8 1 North Easton 7 1 Needham Heights 6 2 Bourne 5 1 East Walpole 3 1 Newton Highlands 3 3 North Weymouth 3 2 South Walpole 3 1 WATERTOWN 3 1 DORCHESTER 1 1 FRAMINGHAM 1 1 Newton Lower Falls 1 1 (not given) 0 294 SPRINGFIELD 0 1 span 0 7 Rate per 100,000 residents based on 2010 census. Municipalities do not appear if no evictions filed. Where neighborhoods are commonly recognized as municipalities, data appears under the neighborhood rather than the legal entity (e.g., "Roxbury" is separate from "Boston".) Where municipalities have alternate spellings (e.g., Marlboro for Marlborough), totals appear under the long form. Efforts are made to correct clerical errors in the court database, but clerical errors may appear. Rate per 100,000 County Renter Households Count Hampden 1164 828 Berkshire 1010 163 Plymouth 951 411 Worcester 882 982 Bristol 880 724 Essex 838 922 Suffolk 783 1547 Norfolk 774 660 Middlesex 678 1582 Franklin 587 62 Barnstable 580 112 Hampshire 499 92 Nantucket 256 9 Dukes 219 9 Rate per 100,000 renter households based on 2019 ACS. Counties appear even if no evictions filed. -- Data Sources (report errors to hello@masslandlords.net): County Data Households Percent Renters Barnstable 96,509 20.0% Berkshire 53,792 30.0% Bristol 220,528 37.3% Dukes 18,146 22.6% Essex 297,898 36.9% Franklin 30,927 34.1% Hampden 179,970 39.5% Hampshire 60,002 30.7% Middlesex 612,366 38.1% Nantucket 11,399 30.8% Norfolk 269,717 31.6% Plymouth 191,041 22.6% Suffolk 309,945 63.7% Worcester 316,162 35.2% County Households: 2019 ACS TableID S1101 County Households and Renters, Dukes and Nantucket: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/dukescountymassachusetts County Households and Renters, Large Counties: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=S11&g=0400000US25.050000&d=ACS%201-Year%20Estimates%20Subject%20Tables&tid=ACSST1Y2019.S1101&hidePreview=true Dukes County Renters: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/dukescountymassachusetts Nantucket County Renters: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/nantucketcountymassachusetts -- Methodology Publicly available records at MassCourts.org are read fully manually at two intervals: 1.) For a filings report, once within approximately one week of filing; 2.) For an outcomes report, once again approximately 12 to 18 months after filing. Cases are searched by 'case type' = 'summary process', party type = 'plaintiff' within date ranges, typically weekly. MassCourts.org displays matches, not cases. X plaintiffs on a single case result in X separate matches. Cases are manually de-duplicated. Where the number of matches exceeds the number displayed (e.g., 'Displaying 100 of 257 total matches.'), date ranges are reduced until all cases may be viewed. If the date range cannot be reduced (i.e., is one day) but matches still exceed the display limit of 100, then two additional passes are taken. First, municipalities are filtered in stages. Second, to capture cases with no municipality entered, the search switches from 'case type' to 'case number', guessing the missing numbers assuming serialized entry. This method results in 'matches' reconciled to case counts. This effort costs more than 1 FTE. Summary spreadsheets are produced by copying exactly what is read. The spreadsheets are processed using proprietary software. Repeated analyses of local spreadsheets does not burden the MassCourts servers. The software is developed using best practices for revision control and regression testing. Limitations: Data are snapshots. As such, we cannot track individual cases over time or produce real-time reports. MassLandlords does not have access to court databases beyond what is published in human readable form at MassCourts.org. As of this report, MassLandlords staff were not considering information available to attorneys (e.g., the contents of notices, discovery, evidence, etc.) but not available to the general public. All data presented here are readily verifiable at MassCourts.org without special permission. Information is not independently verified outside of the court record. For instance, clerical errors in address, omissions of a defendant, etc. are not readily verifiable. As this process matures, reporting algorithms may change. Transfers are counted as new cases. Clerical differences between original case and transfer (e.g., middle initial included then dropped; defendant dropped on transfer; street address spelling changed) as well as the potential for indefinite circular transferring (e.g., foreclosure cases moving between housing, land, and/or superior courts) make it very difficult to programmatically identify continuing matters. Methodology changes: 2022-03: Where docket history shows judgment and/or execution, but case has not been disposed, infer judgment and/or execution. 2022-05: Correct counting error in 'By prevailing party' section where agreement for judgment renders prevailing party unknown. Rows now sum to total. 2023-01: We now report dispositions on the basis of the last disposition found in a docket. Previously we were using a prioritized keyword match, which produced inaccurate results for complex cases. -- When Citing This Work, Please Credit: MassLandlords, Inc. Available online at https://masslandlords.net/policy/eviction-data/.