Filings Year Ending 2022 December 31

Residential summary process: Filings Report This report examines cases filed recently before reading, for which outcomes were largely unknown. Search Period Start: 2022-01-01 Search Period End: 2022-12-31 Earliest Case: 2022-01-03 Latest Case: 2022-12-30 Total Cases: 32797 Total Transfers: 826 -- High-level take-aways: Percentage of landlords for whom attorney is optional: 30.3% Of those, percentage pro se: 53.0% Most common cause: Non-payment Least stable municipality/neighborhood: Florence Least stable with 10+ filings: Florence Least stable with 100+ filings: Fall River Least stable county: Plymouth Cases per day: 90 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 northeast 6076 18.5% central 5082 15.5% western 4908 15.0% eastern 4713 14.4% southeast 4158 12.7% metro_south 3120 9.5% quincy district 395 1.2% lynn district 341 1.0% malden district 310 0.9% pittsfield district 246 0.8% fall river district 223 0.7% brockton district 205 0.6% lowell district 176 0.5% chelsea district 167 0.5% somerville district 159 0.5% attleboro district 146 0.4% haverhill district 141 0.4% waltham district 141 0.4% cambridge district 129 0.4% bmc east boston 121 0.4% northern berkshire district 121 0.4% bmc west roxbury 99 0.3% woburn district 96 0.3% barnstable district 94 0.3% wrentham district 85 0.3% framingham district 84 0.3% salem district 82 0.3% springfield district 82 0.3% fallmouth district 77 0.2% new bedford district 73 0.2% peabody district 73 0.2% lawrence district 69 0.2% newburyport district 54 0.2% chicopee district 49 0.1% dedham district 48 0.1% milford district 46 0.1% orleans district 46 0.1% westfield district 38 0.1% edgartown district 37 0.1% bmc brighton 35 0.1% stoughton district 31 0.1% newton district 30 0.1% concord district 27 0.1% gloucester district 26 0.1% plymouth district 25 0.1% ayer district 24 0.1% palmer district 24 0.1% wareham district 23 0.1% nantucket district 21 0.1% bmc central 19 0.1% brookline district 19 0.1% taunton district 19 0.1% worcester district 19 0.1% southern berkshire district 17 0.1% hingham district 16 0.0% bmc roxbury 14 0.0% clinton district 14 0.0% eastern hampshire district 14 0.0% northampton district 11 0.0% holyoke district 10 0.0% bmc dorchester 9 0.0% uxbridge district 9 0.0% orange district 6 0.0% bmc south boston 5 0.0% greenfield district 5 0.0% natick district 5 0.0% fitchburg district 4 0.0% bmc charlestown 3 0.0% ipswich district 2 0.0% gardner district court 1 0.0% Party Type (n) Plaintiffs Defendants Corporate Entity 22874 192 Natural Person 9923 32605 Total 32797 32797 (%) Plaintiffs Defendants Corporate Entity 69.7% 0.6% Natural Person 30.3% 99.4% Total 100.0% 100.0% Plaintiff Representation (n) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 22224 650 22874 Optional 4665 5258 9923 Total 26889 5908 32797 (%) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 67.8% 2.0% 69.7% Optional 14.2% 16.0% 30.3% Total 82.0% 18.0% 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 21 171 192 Optional 466 32139 32605 Total 487 32310 32797 (%) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 0.1% 0.5% 0.6% Optional 1.4% 98.0% 99.4% Total 1.5% 98.5% 100.0% Number of Adults in Households Count Percent 0 1917 5.8% 1 23530 71.7% 2 6015 18.3% 3 928 2.8% 4 295 0.9% 5 76 0.2% 6 18 0.1% 7 5 0.0% 8 7 0.0% 9 4 0.0% 10 1 0.0% 13 1 0.0% Total 32797 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 20126 61.4% Cause 6563 20.0% No Fault 5683 17.3% Foreclosure 413 1.3% Unknown/Other 12 0.0% Rate per 100,000 Municipality Residents Count Florence 3586 34 Fall River 1332 1184 Monroe Bridge 1190 1 New Bedford 1149 1093 Worcester 1119 2026 North Adams 1108 152 East Falmouth 1020 59 Norwood 978 280 Southbridge 968 162 Fitchburg 957 386 Randolph 956 307 Buzzards Bay 932 32 Hyannis 922 130 Woronoco 900 1 Pittsfield 894 400 Holyoke 855 341 Webster 846 142 Brockton 838 787 Gardner 805 163 Framingham 799 546 Rockland 783 137 Stoughton 782 211 Springfield 770 1180 Quincy 746 689 Athol 733 85 Marlborough 727 280 Lynn 707 639 Turners Falls 707 29 Chelsea 685 241 Indian Orchard 684 69 West Yarmouth 682 36 Revere 674 349 Bridgewater 673 179 Whitinsville 648 45 Three Rivers 612 18 Chicopee 611 338 Gilbertville 608 7 Everett 604 252 Mount Washington 598 1 West Wareham 598 13 Taunton 597 334 Vineyard Haven 582 11 Adams 565 48 Middleborough 558 129 Lowell 556 593 Plainville 556 46 West Hyannisport 555 1 Fiskdale 550 17 Haverhill 548 334 Westborough 547 100 Cummaquid 546 3 South Yarmouth 541 63 Dennis Port 537 17 Malden 533 317 Mattapan 509 186 Dorchester 507 467 North Truro 499 10 Braintree 495 177 Berlin 488 14 Lawrence 487 372 Foxborough 486 82 Leominster 485 198 West Springfield 475 135 Chestnut Hill 471 10 Winthrop 468 82 Attleborough 467 204 Sunderland 461 17 West Dennis 458 10 Hyde Park 451 151 Greenfield 446 78 Ware 445 44 West Warren 441 5 South Dennis 434 16 West Brookfield 432 16 Lenox Dale 429 2 Roslindale 425 123 Bellingham 416 68 Clinton 404 55 South Easton 401 41 Whitman 400 58 Amesbury 399 65 Royalston 397 5 Hinsdale 393 8 South Chatham 391 4 Warwick 384 3 Nantucket 383 39 Wrentham 383 42 Pocasset 380 11 Spencer 376 44 East Taunton 375 24 Salem 374 155 Warren 370 19 Hull 369 38 Milford 364 102 Peabody 364 187 Winchendon 359 37 Waltham 348 211 Chilmark 346 3 Edgartown 344 14 Orange 344 27 East Boston 335 136 Woburn 330 126 Oxford 328 45 East Wareham 325 71 Jamaica Plain 320 120 Marshfield 318 80 Baldwinville 316 6 Charlemont 315 4 Holbrook 315 34 Saugus 315 84 Lakeville 311 33 Oak Bluffs 309 14 Cambridge 304 320 Feeding Hills 299 35 Ayer 296 22 North Falmouth 296 8 North Attleborough 289 83 Lunenburg 287 29 Brewster 285 28 Roxbury 283 169 Medford 281 158 Cheshire 278 9 Cohasset 278 21 Mashpee 278 39 Millis 278 22 North Brookfield 277 13 Dorchester Center 275 253 Mansfield 271 63 Beverly 270 107 Abington 269 43 Canton 269 58 Belchertown 266 39 West Bridgewater 260 18 Weymouth 260 140 Gloucester 257 74 Newton Center 256 10 Avon 252 11 Franklin 252 80 Allston 250 73 Sharon 249 44 Brighton 246 108 Dudley 245 28 Dedham 242 60 Watertown 238 76 Carver 234 27 Nahant 234 8 East Dennis 233 6 Northborough 233 33 East Weymouth 232 125 Norton 231 44 Somerville 231 175 Salisbury 229 19 Auburn 228 37 Methuen 226 107 Becket 224 4 South Hadley 222 39 Uxbridge 222 30 Charlestown 221 37 Millbury 218 29 Westfield 216 89 Bondsville 213 4 North Andover 211 60 Tewksbury 210 61 Natick 209 69 Tolland 206 1 Hopedale 203 12 Southfield 202 1 East Sandwich 201 7 Eastham 201 10 Plymouth 201 114 Blackstone 199 18 Hudson 199 38 Shrewsbury 199 71 Wakefield 196 49 South Deerfield 195 4 Newtonville 191 10 Hadley 190 10 Andover 189 63 Danvers 188 50 Rutland 188 15 South Lancaster 184 3 Bolton 183 9 Yarmouth Port 178 9 Dalton 177 12 Brookfield 176 6 Hanson 176 18 East Otis 174 1 Swampscott 174 24 Wareham 174 38 Ashfield 172 3 Harwich Port 172 3 Hingham 171 38 Fairhaven 170 27 Shelburne Falls 170 3 Provincetown 169 5 Tyngsborough 168 19 Seekonk 167 23 Erving 166 3 Agawam 165 47 North Chelmsford 164 15 Palmer 164 20 Burlington 163 40 Chesterfield 163 2 Marion 163 8 Sagamore 163 6 Pembroke 162 29 Charlton 161 21 Easthampton 161 26 Forestdale 158 7 Kingston 158 20 Maynard 158 16 Buckland 157 3 Ashland 156 26 Dracut 156 46 Great Barrington 154 11 Sheffield 153 5 Ludlow 151 32 Bedford 150 20 E. Boston 150 61 Truro 149 3 Mattapoisett 148 9 North Dartmouth 148 35 Chatham 146 9 South Egremont 145 2 Wellfleet 145 4 Hanover 144 20 Thorndike 144 1 Westwood 143 21 North Chatham 142 1 Plympton 141 4 West Roxbury 141 43 West Townsend 141 3 Sturbridge 140 13 Mendon 137 8 Milton 137 37 Leicester 136 15 Stoneham 135 29 Westport 135 21 Billerica 134 54 Raynham 134 18 South Grafton 134 6 Northbridge 133 21 Florida 132 1 Walpole 132 32 Chelmsford 130 44 South Boston 130 44 West Boylston 130 10 South Weymouth 128 69 Melrose 122 33 North Billerica 121 13 Williamsburg 120 3 Centerville 118 16 Clarksburg 117 2 Wendell 117 1 Monson 116 10 Cummington 114 1 Jefferson 114 4 Newburyport 114 20 North Reading 114 17 Ipswich 113 15 Northampton 112 32 Russell 112 2 Barre 111 6 South Barre 111 6 Windsor 111 1 Sandisfield 109 1 West Tisbury 109 3 East Bridgewater 108 15 Wales 108 2 Halifax 106 8 Oakham 105 2 Southwick 105 10 Acton 104 23 Southampton 103 6 Stockbridge 102 2 Lee 100 6 Lenox 99 5 Medfield 99 12 Arlington 98 42 Auburndale 98 9 Leeds 98 1 Marblehead 95 19 Lynnfield 94 11 Merrimac 94 6 Wilmington 94 21 Berkley 93 6 Bernardston 93 2 Upton 92 7 Boylston 91 4 Cherry Valley 91 10 Cotuit 91 3 Onset 91 20 North Grafton 90 7 Williamstown 90 7 Amherst 89 34 Harwich 89 11 Townsend 89 8 North Oxford 88 2 Lancaster 86 7 Osterville 85 3 Belmont 84 21 North Easton 84 11 Sudbury 84 15 Ashburnham 82 5 Douglas 82 7 Marstons Mills 82 4 Sagamore Beach 82 3 Westford 82 18 Westminster 82 6 East Freetown 81 4 Lexington 79 25 Lincoln 78 5 Pepperell 78 9 West Chatham 78 1 Acushnet 77 8 Rehoboth 77 9 Somerset 77 14 Rochester 76 4 Boston 75 467 Swansea 75 12 Chester 74 1 Rockport 71 5 Scituate 71 13 North Dighton 70 3 South Dartmouth 70 24 Holden 69 12 Shirley 69 5 Hopkinton 67 10 Littleton 67 6 Richmond 67 1 Falmouth 66 21 Hardwick 66 2 Needham 65 19 Northfield 65 2 Topsfield 65 4 Brookline 64 38 Paxton 62 3 Grafton 61 11 Colrain 59 1 Holliston 59 8 Phillipston 59 1 Princeton 58 2 Teaticket 58 1 East Longmeadow 57 9 Essex 57 2 Longmeadow 57 9 Wilbraham 56 8 Brimfield 55 2 Sandwich 53 11 Conway 52 1 Attleboro Falls 50 1 Orleans 50 3 Georgetown 48 4 Norwell 47 5 Groveland 46 3 Huntington 45 1 Reading 44 11 Sutton 44 4 Dighton 42 3 Needham Heights 41 12 Boxborough 40 2 Southborough 40 4 Medway 39 5 Hampden 38 2 Sterling 38 3 West Newton 37 5 West Barnstable 35 1 Rowley 34 2 Middleton 33 3 Ashby 32 1 Granby 32 2 Lanesborough 32 1 Hatfield 30 1 Newbury 30 2 Roxbury Crossing 30 18 Wellesley Hills 30 9 West Hatfield 29 1 North Weymouth 28 16 East Walpole 27 7 Rochdale 27 3 Duxbury 26 4 Groton 26 3 Newton Centre 26 1 Bourne 25 5 Tisbury 25 1 Sherborn 24 1 Wayland 23 3 Assonet 22 2 Concord 22 4 Dennis 21 3 Raynham Center 21 1 Manchester 19 1 Newton Highlands 19 17 North Scituate 18 1 Winchester 18 4 Dover 17 1 Weston 17 2 Newton Upper Falls 16 1 Harvard 15 1 Newton 15 13 Stow 15 1 Bradford 14 2 Wellesley 14 4 East Templeton 12 1 South Attleboro 12 1 Templeton 12 1 Dartmouth 11 4 Fayville 10 1 Easton 8 2 Norfolk 8 1 West Harwich 8 1 North Uxbridge 7 1 Newton Lower Falls 5 5 Barnstable 4 2 (not given) 0 6653 Byfield 0 2 Devens 0 1 Providence 0 1 Spring Valley 0 1 span 0 55 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 Plymouth 4588 1981 Berkshire 4232 683 Bristol 4010 3299 Worcester 3800 4229 Hampden 3328 2366 Norfolk 3278 2794 Barnstable 3243 626 Essex 2226 2447 Franklin 1725 182 Middlesex 1709 3988 Suffolk 1584 3128 Hampshire 1498 276 Dukes 1121 46 Nantucket 1110 39 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. -- When Citing This Work, Please Credit: MassLandlords, Inc. Available online at https://masslandlords.net/policy/eviction-data/.