Sumter County, Alabama Eviction Risk: Low

Sumter County carries an average eviction-risk score of 3/10 (Low), but that headline masks a county that sits in the higher-risk third of Alabama: 19 of the state's 67 counties score worse, and 47 score better. Across all 8 incorporated places in the county, landlords are operating in a market shaped by a 32.2% poverty rate and an average rent of $647 per month, conditions that make tenant financial stress a persistent background variable rather than an occasional event.

The intra-county spread runs from 2.2 to 3.3 out of 10, a range of 1.1 points across a county with a total tracked population of roughly 8,066. That gap is meaningful: a landlord choosing between the county's lowest-risk and highest-risk communities is making a materially different operating decision, even though both technically fall in the Low tier.

The cities inside Sumter County

Gainesville sits at the top of the local risk table with a score of 3.3/10 despite a population of only 236. York follows at 3.1/10 with a population of 2,056, making it the second-largest city in the county and its second-highest-risk market. Livingston, the county seat and the largest city at 4,672 residents, scores 3/10, directly at the county average. Cuba also scores 3/10 with a population of 368.

On the lower end, Epes and Geiger both score 2.2/10, the lowest readings in the county, with populations of 354 and 174, respectively. Bellamy (2.5/10, population 158) and Emelle (2.4/10, population 48) round out the picture. The spread makes clear that risk is hyperlocal here: a few miles of distance can move a landlord's risk profile by more than a full point.

State-level laws that apply here

Alabama state law under Ala. Code § 35-9A (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) governs every tenancy in Sumter County. For nonpayment of rent, landlords must serve a 7-day notice to pay or quit; a lease-violation cure notice requires 14 days; a no-cause end-of-term termination requires 30 days. Landlords must give 48 hours notice before entering a unit. Alabama does not require just cause for eviction, and the state preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so no city or county in Alabama can impose rent caps. For a full walkthrough of what follows the notice period, see the Alabama eviction process guide.

Once a matter reaches court, an uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 45 days; a contested matter 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, depending on case complexity. For a detailed breakdown of those components, the Alabama eviction costs guide is the authoritative reference. Alabama also has no source-of-income protection for tenants, which gives landlords full screening flexibility under state law.

With 46.5% of residents renting and a poverty rate of 32.2%, Sumter County's low average score reflects modest legal exposure more than tenant financial stability; the city-by-city grid above shows how sharply conditions vary across the county's 8 markets.