Section 8 in Essex County, MA
7,828 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Essex County, 83% utilized. 6 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Essex County?
No. Massachusetts law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Essex County. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.
MGL Ch 151B §4(10)
Massachusetts General Laws Ch 151B §4(10) prohibits housing discrimination based on lawful source of income statewide. Enforcement by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD).
View statute →Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Essex County in the Boston metro
Essex County is one of the counties inside the Boston, MA core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See Boston metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Housing authorities serving Essex County
Each PHA sets its own payment standard, runs its own waitlist, and does its own inspections. The PHA whose jurisdiction covers a unit's ZIP is the one both tenant and landlord will deal with.
Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development
Lynn · PHA code MA023
1,566 Section 8 unitsSalem Housing Authority
Salem · PHA code MA055
1,383 Section 8 unitsLawrence Housing Authority
Lawrence · PHA code MA010
1,031 Section 8 unitsGloucester Housing Authority
Gloucester · PHA code MA025
660 Section 8 unitsMethuen Housing Authority
Methuen · PHA code MA081
569 Section 8 unitsHaverhill Housing Authority
Haverhill · PHA code MA087
467 Section 8 units
Find Section 8 apartments in Essex County
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.
Other Massachusetts counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 806,103 · FIPS 25009.