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Last reviewed 2026-10-19

Tree Removal Cost: Essex County, MA

North Shore and Merrimack Valley tree work tends to be tight-quarters work: a big red oak or white pine leaning over a triple-decker in Lynn or Lawrence, a storm-split maple on a Beverly side street, or a row of pines along a stone wall in Boxford or Topsfield. HomeGuide's February 2026 national survey puts a typical removal at $400 to $1,200, with oak listed at $300 to $2,500 and pine at $250 to $1,600.

Woods cover a lot more of the county than the city skylines suggest. The Forest Service's 2025 FIA evaluation for Massachusetts estimates about 109,800 acres of forest land in Essex County: oak/hickory 39.1%, oak/pine 20.4%, white/red pine 12.6% and elm/ash/cottonwood about 10%. Most of it sits in the Georgetown, Boxford and Ipswich River country, plus the Dogtown woods on Cape Ann.

New single-family building is modest and steady. The Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey counts 358 one-unit buildings authorized in Essex County in 2025, after 393 in 2024, so most bids here are for mature trees on long-settled lots, not new clearing.

Cost at a glance

Essex County tree removal cost at a glance
Item	Typical cost	Source
Typical single tree	$400-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Oak (most common forest group here)	$300-$2,500	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Pine	$250-$1,600	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Tree 60-80 ft	$850-$2,000	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Stump removal	$100-$500+	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Cutting a public shade tree without authority	Up to $500 forfeiture	M.G.L. c. 87 s. 6
Brush burning season (by local permit)	Jan 15-May 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.	310 CMR 7.07

Permits

Private trees: we found no countywide permit for cutting a tree on your own lot, but two state rules catch a lot of Essex County jobs. Public shade trees (trees in or on the edge of the public way) fall under M.G.L. Chapter 87: Section 3 says they may not be cut or removed without a written permit from the town tree warden after a public hearing, with notice posted at least seven days ahead, and Section 6 sets a forfeiture of not more than $500 for cutting one without authority.

Wetlands: under the Wetlands Protection Act rule 310 CMR 10.02, work within 100 feet of a wetland, bank or water body is the Buffer Zone, and anything beyond the minor activities the rule lists may need a filing with the local conservation commission. Along the Ipswich, Parker and Merrimack rivers and the salt marsh behind Plum Island, ask the commission before trees come down.

Burning: 310 CMR 7.07 allows brush burning only from January 15 to May 1, by permit from the local fire department, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and at least 75 feet from any dwelling. Lawrence is one of the communities where open burning is banned at all times, and Salem bans it by ordinance too (Chapter 20, Article III).

Step 1: check whether the tree is on your lot or in the public way (a shade tree hearing takes extra weeks). Step 2: check for wetlands or a stream within 100 feet. Step 3: decide on disposal: municipal compost site, chipping or a permitted spring burn outside the no-burn towns. Step 4: compare itemized written bids that state who hauls the wood. Step 5: call Dig Safe before any stump grinding.

Local conditions

Glacial rock and ledge: NRCS soil survey data for the Southern Part of Essex County (MA606) find bedrock within about 39 inches (100 cm) on 22.0% of mapped acres, concentrated in the ledgy towns near the coast from Lynn and Swampscott north to Cape Ann, where stump grinding often hits rock.

Wet ground: in the Northern Part (MA605), 22.6% of mapped acres are hydric soils and 22.4% have a water table within about a foot (30 cm), mostly along the Parker and Ipswich river floodplain and the Great Marsh; saturated roots let pines and oaks tip in wind.

Coastal storms: FEMA's declarations data list 23 weather-related major disasters for Essex County since the 1950s, including 8 severe storms, 6 floods, 3 snowstorms, 2 coastal storms, 2 hurricanes and an ice storm; the most recent came in 2018. Nor'easter gusts off the bay snap limbs from Gloucester to Newburyport.

Old street trees: decades-old Norway maples, oaks and pines line streets in Haverhill, Andover and Peabody; many are public shade trees, which is why the tree warden hearing matters.

What drives local prices

Species: HomeGuide's species table lists oak at $300-$2,500, pine at $250-$1,600 and maple at $600-$1,200.
Height: a 60-80 ft pine or oak over a roof falls in HomeGuide's $850-$2,000 band, and trees over 80 ft can pass $2,500.
Access: tight lots between triple-deckers mean rigging and climbing; HomeGuide lists hourly crew rates of $100-$400+.
Disposal: town compost sites take only small brush (Beverly up to 2 inches thick, Gloucester under 4 inches, Haverhill up to 6 inches), so trunk wood is hauled or chipped; HomeGuide puts chipping at $50-$100.
Stump: ledge and boulders slow grinders; HomeGuide's survey puts stump removal at $100-$500+.
Method: species, height, hourly, chipping and stump figures are HomeGuide national ranges (Feb 4, 2026); rules come from M.G.L. Chapter 87, 310 CMR 7.07 and 10.02, and the cities of Salem, Beverly, Gloucester and Haverhill. These are not quotes from local crews. Checked October 19, 2026.

Common jobs

Oak and white pine removal near houses
Storm-damaged maple cleanup after a nor'easter
Public shade tree removal after a tree warden hearing
Stump grinding in ledgy coastal soil

Service area

We hear from Lynn, Lawrence, Haverhill, Peabody, Methuen, Salem, Beverly, Gloucester, Andover and Newburyport, plus the smaller towns in between. I-95 and Route 128 ring the southern half, I-93 and I-495 cross the Merrimack Valley, Route 1 runs up the middle through Saugus, Danvers and Topsfield, and Route 114 links Salem, Peabody, Middleton and North Andover.

Power lines here belong to National Grid in most towns and to municipal light plants in places like Danvers, Peabody, Ipswich and Marblehead; only the utility's crews should touch limbs on its wires.

Want a price? Use the free form below with the species, rough height and what's underneath it. We answer by email with next steps and, where we know them, insured tree crews working the North Shore and Merrimack Valley.

Communities: Lynn, Lawrence, Haverhill, Peabody, Methuen, Salem, Beverly, Gloucester, Andover, Newburyport

When something can’t wait

If a nor'easter drops a tree on the house or across wires, stay back and call National Grid, your municipal light plant or 911. HomeGuide's survey says emergency crews often charge 2 to 3 times standard rates, so take photos for your insurer first.

Questions about Essex County

How much does tree removal cost in Essex County, MA?

HomeGuide's 2026 survey puts a typical tree at $400 to $1,200. A tall oak or pine over a house, or a stump in ledge, costs more.

Do I need permission to cut a tree by the street?

If it's a public shade tree, yes. M.G.L. Chapter 87 requires a written permit from the tree warden after a public hearing.

When can I burn brush?

Only January 15 to May 1, with a fire department permit, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., under 310 CMR 7.07. Lawrence and Salem don't allow open burning at all.

Where can I take branches?

Most towns run a compost or yard waste site for residents, with size limits: Beverly takes brush up to 2 inches, Gloucester under 4 inches and Haverhill up to 6 inches.

Does a wetland near my yard matter?

It can. Work within 100 feet of a wetland or water body may need a filing with the conservation commission under 310 CMR 10.02.

Sources

Tree problems

Local fees and rules change. Confirm with the county or state office named above before you clear. For published price ranges, see land clearing cost per acre or follow the worked estimate. Estimate your clearing cost.