Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from county average, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
16.0%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Demopolis, AL, tenants prevail in roughly 16.0% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
29d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Demopolis, AL until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 29 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.1–2.9k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Demopolis, AL costs landlords $1,114 to $2,929 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$692
35% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Demopolis, AL is $692 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 35% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
45.1%
of households
45.1% of occupied housing units in Demopolis, AL are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
26.5%
8.9% unemp.
26.5% of Demopolis, AL residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 8.9%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
GOP margin +3.8% (2024)
5.6
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.6
State political climate
Alabama legislature & governorship
1.8
Economic stress
26.5% poverty · 8.9% unemp.
4.9
Supply constraint
$692 average · 45.1% renters
5.6
Rent Control risk
34.5% of income on rent
7.2
Eviction process difficulty
29 days filing → judgment
2.2
Tenant organizing strength
45.1% renters
8.9
Housing court bias
County bench composition
8.0
Geographic context
Risk heat across Demopolis and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Demopolis compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Marengo County
Moderate
#6of 10 cities
#6 of 10 cities in Marengo County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Alabama
Moderate
#275of 593 cities
#275 of 593 cities in Alabama for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.2
/ 10 · VERY LOW
The verdict
A Very low-tier market.
Composite 2.2/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend-1.3 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
29d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $692/mo. A contested eviction takes 29 days and costs $1,114–$2,929 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
45.1%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 6,908 residents, 45.1% rent. 35% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 26.5% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.6
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.6 and 5.6 (GOP margin +3.8% (2024)). State climate at 1.8, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
1.8
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 1.8/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2.2, housing court bias 8, rent-control risk 7.2. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-2.8 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
4.9
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 4.9. Supply constraint: 5.6. The numbers behind those: 26.5% poverty, 8.9% unemployment, 35% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Demopolis sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Demopolis · 29d · ~$2.0k all-in ($70/day) · score 2.2National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Demopolis, Alabama, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.2/10 (VERY LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Demopolis is a city of 6,908 residents where 45.1% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 34.5% of income on rent. At an average rent of $692/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Demopolis eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2.2/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Demopolis closes 29 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Demopolis's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 8/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Demopolis runs $1,114 to $2,929 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 29 days of typical timeline and $692/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 8.9/10 in Demopolis, and the city carries meaningful rent control exposure (7.2/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Alabama, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Demopolis: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a VERY LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Alabama's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $2,929 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Demopolis
Trap · 26.5%
Local poverty rate is 26.5%, and the rent-burden distribution skews the eviction-filings curve toward higher volume in Marengo County. Rent-control-risk sub-score: 7.2/10. Tenant organizing is most active in the rental concentration corridors.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Is Demopolis landlord-friendly?
With an overall eviction risk score of 4.4/10, Demopolis is moderately landlord-friendly. Alabama has no statewide rent control or just-cause eviction requirements, which benefits landlords. However, sub-scores for housing court bias (8) and tenant organizing strength (8.9) suggest landlords should be diligent and follow all legal procedures precisely to avoid issues.
Q2
Can I charge whatever I want for a security deposit in Demopolis?
Alabama law (Ala. Code § 35-9A) does not set a statutory cap on security deposits. While you have the freedom to set the amount, it's generally advisable to charge no more than one or two months' rent to remain competitive and reasonable. You must return the deposit within 60 days after the tenant vacates, less any lawful deductions.
Q3
How long does it take to evict a tenant in Demopolis for not paying rent?
The typical timeline for an eviction in Demopolis is 29 days, from serving the initial 7-day pay-or-quit notice to the final sheriff lockout. This is an average, and contested cases or court backlogs can extend this period. Staying organized and having proper legal representation can help keep the process as efficient as possible.
Q4
Are there rent control laws in Demopolis, AL?
No. Alabama, including Demopolis, has no statewide rent control laws. This means landlords are generally free to set and increase rents as market conditions allow, provided they adhere to the terms of the lease agreement and provide proper notice for increases. For more, see our Alabama rent control rules.
Q5
What's the most common mistake Demopolis landlords make during eviction?
The most common mistake is failing to serve proper notice or making errors in the eviction paperwork. Any misstep in the legal process, from an incorrect notice period to improper delivery, can lead to your case being dismissed, forcing you to start over and costing you more time and money. Another big mistake is attempting "self-help" eviction, like changing locks, which is illegal and carries severe penalties. Always consult an attorney.
Q6
Does Demopolis have "tenant protections" I need to worry about?
Alabama has a Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code § 35-9A) which outlines tenant rights regarding habitability, proper notice, and security deposit return. While there are no statewide source-of-income protections, the higher sub-scores for housing-court-bias (8) and tenant-organizing-strength (8.9) suggest that courts might lean towards tenants in close calls, and local tenant groups could be active. Always follow the law precisely. For a general overview, see our Alabama tenant protections guide.
A 2.2/10 places Demopolis in the 56th percentile of Alabama cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Demopolis (2.2/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
