Washington County, Alabama Eviction Risk: Very Low

Washington County, Alabama eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 1.6/10 (Low) across its 15 cities, placing it at rank 67 of 67 Alabama counties. That ranking means 66 other Alabama counties score higher on risk, and none score lower, putting Washington County at the least-risky end of the state. For landlords and investors, that translates to a rental market where tenant-side pressure is minimal: average rent sits at $649 per month, and the average rent burden is just 17.2% of household income, well below the thresholds that typically produce chronic non-payment or tenant turnover stress.

Within the county, risk is not perfectly flat. Scores span 1.2 to 2, meaning the calmest pockets of the county are measurably calmer than the most active ones. That intra-county spread of 0.8 points matters when selecting specific markets, because conditions in a 1.2/10 city are materially different from those in a 2/10 city even within the same low-risk county. Across all 15 cities, the total population tracked is 4,120, and about 29% of residents rent, giving landlords a modest but steady renter pool to work with.

The cities inside Washington County

The highest-risk city in the county is Millry, scoring 2/10 with a population of 520. Chatom follows at 1.9/10 (population 834), and Leroy and Fruitdale each land at 1.7/10. Even at their peaks, these scores remain firmly in Low territory by any statewide comparison. Still, investors targeting the most operationally predictable conditions should note the difference between these cities and the county's floor.

At the other end, McIntosh, St. Stephens, Hobson, and Movico all score 1.2/10, the lowest readings in Washington County. McIntosh (population 364) and St. Stephens (population 297) are the most populated of this group. Risk is genuinely hyper-local here, and even a few miles of distance can shift the operating environment in a measurable way. Landlords evaluating specific acquisitions should check individual city scores rather than relying on the county average alone.

State-level laws that apply here

Alabama state law governs landlord-tenant relations through the Alabama eviction process under Ala. Code § 35-9A (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). Landlords must give 7 days notice for non-payment of rent, 14 days for a lease violation with an opportunity to cure, and 30 days for an end-of-term no-cause termination. An uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 45 days; a contested case can run 60 to 120 days. There is no just-cause-eviction requirement and no rent control, and the state preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so Washington County landlords operate under a fully landlord-permissive regulatory baseline.

Alabama eviction costs under the same statute include a court filing fee of $200 to $300, a sheriff lockout fee of $30 to $150, and attorney fees ranging from $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity. Landlords must also provide at least 48 hours notice before entering a unit. For a broader look at what tenants can and cannot do in Alabama eviction costs or through Alabama tenant protections, the statewide guides on this site cover both in detail.

With a poverty rate averaging 22.4% across Washington County, landlords should screen tenants carefully, but the county's overall low-risk profile and modest rent burden mean the renter pool is relatively stable. The city-by-city grid above shows exactly where within those 15 cities conditions are tightest and where they are calmest.