Butler County, Alabama Eviction Risk: Low

Butler County carries an average eviction-risk score of 3.1/10, placing it in the Low tier, yet that headline number masks meaningful variation across its 3 cities. Scores range from 2.5 to 3.1, so a landlord's exposure depends heavily on which market within the county they choose. Ranked 15th of 67 Alabama eviction laws counties, Butler County sits in the higher-risk third of the state, meaning 14 counties carry more risk and 52 are more landlord-friendly. For investors weighing Alabama markets, that context matters: this is not a low-regulation haven, but operating conditions remain manageable relative to the state's toughest markets.

With an average rent of $689 and an average rent burden of 28.8%, tenants here are spending a meaningful share of income on housing, and a 26% poverty rate means a significant portion of the renter base has little financial cushion. Roughly 55% of residents rent rather than own, a high renter share that gives landlords a broad pool of applicants but also signals vulnerability to income shocks that can cascade into late payments or non-payment situations.

The cities inside Butler County

Greenville is both the county's largest city, with a population of 7,163, and its highest-risk market, scoring 3.1/10. Georgiana, at 1,578 residents, matches Greenville's score of 3.1/10, making both cities essentially equivalent in risk profile. Because the county average is also 3.1, these two cities are effectively driving the overall figure; landlords in either market should expect conditions consistent with that rating, not something more forgiving.

McKenzie offers a noticeably different picture. With a population of 557 and a score of 2.5/10, it is the lowest-risk location in the county by a meaningful margin. The gap between McKenzie's 2.5 and Greenville's 3.1 illustrates that risk is hyper-local: two cities in the same county can present materially different operating environments, and underwriting assumptions built on county averages alone will miss that distinction.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Butler County operates under the Alabama eviction laws Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Ala. Code § 35-9A. For non-payment of rent, Alabama eviction laws law requires a 7-day notice to pay or quit. A lease violation that the tenant can cure triggers a 14-day notice, while a no-cause termination at the end of a lease term requires 30 days. Alabama eviction laws does not require just cause for non-renewal, and the state preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so no municipality in Butler County can impose rent caps. Landlords must give tenants 48 hours of advance notice before entering a unit.

Understanding the Alabama eviction laws eviction process is essential for budgeting correctly. An uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 45 days; a contested case can run 60 to 120 days. Court filing fees range from $200 to $300, sheriff lockout fees from $30 to $150, and attorney fees from $500 to $2,500. Alabama eviction costs therefore span a wide range depending on tenant resistance and whether counsel is needed. These figures apply uniformly across Butler County regardless of which city a property sits in.

With a 26% poverty rate and a renter share of 55%, Butler County's tenant base faces real economic pressure -- the city-level scores in the grid above show exactly where that pressure translates into elevated risk for landlords operating in Greenville, Georgiana, or McKenzie.