Cochise County, Arizona Eviction Risk: Low

Cochise County, Arizona scores 2.8/10 (Low) on eviction risk, placing it squarely in the middle of the state, ranked 8 of 15 Arizona eviction laws counties, with 7 counties carrying more risk and 7 carrying less. For landlords operating across the county's 22 cities, that average masks meaningful variation: individual city scores range from 2 to 3.1, so the experience of renting here depends heavily on exactly where a property sits. Average rent runs $1,030 per month, and a 30% average rent burden signals that tenants are stretched but not in the severe distress zone that tends to drive eviction spikes. Taken together, Cochise County is a workable market for careful landlords, not a red-flag jurisdiction, but one that rewards attention to hyperlocal conditions.

With a renter share of 32.2% and a poverty rate of 16.3%, the county skews modestly toward ownership, meaning the rental pool is smaller and somewhat more financially vulnerable than in denser urban markets. That combination keeps eviction pressure moderate on average, but underscores why property-level due diligence matters here more than relying on county-wide numbers alone.

The cities inside Cochise County

The highest-risk location in the county is Benson, which scores 3.1/10. Benson (population 5,417), Whetstone (population 2,971), and Huachuca City all follow at 2.5/10, and Sierra Vista Southeast (population 14,330) comes in at 2.7/10. These communities sit above the county average and warrant closer tenant-screening discipline and tighter lease management.

On the lower-risk end, Bisbee scores just 3.1/10 despite a population of 4,977, making it one of the more landlord-stable spots in the county. Douglas, the county's second-largest city at 15,981 residents, comes in at 3.0/10, while Sierra Vista, the county seat and largest city with 45,155 residents, tracks exactly at the county average of 2.8/10. The spread from 2.5 to 3.6 across 22 cities is a reminder that risk in Cochise County is genuinely hyperlocal; the county number is a starting point, not a substitute for city-level analysis.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Cochise County operates under Arizona eviction laws state law, specifically the Arizona eviction laws Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (A.R.S. § 33-1301 et seq.). For nonpayment of rent, the notice period is 5 days (ARS § 33-1368(B)). A curable material noncompliance requires a 10-day notice (ARS § 33-1368(A)), while terminating a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days (ARS § 33-1375). Understanding the Arizona eviction laws eviction process matters because an uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 35 days, while a contested filing can stretch to 60 to 120 days. Court filing fees run $210 to $350, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $150, and attorney fees, if needed, range from $500 to $3,000. Arizona eviction costs can therefore reach several thousand dollars on a contested case, making thorough screening and well-drafted leases the most cost-effective risk controls available. Arizona eviction laws does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy and state law preempts any local rent control ordinance, so there is no rent cap to manage anywhere in the county.

With a poverty rate of 16.3% and 32.2% of households renting, Cochise County's risk profile is moderate but uneven; use the city grid above to compare individual scores before committing to a specific market within the county.