Dixie County, Florida Eviction Risk: Low

Dixie County sits along Florida's Nature Coast in the Big Bend region, a lightly populated rural county with a total tracked renter population of 2,033. It holds an eviction risk score of 3.1/10 - a Low rating - placing it 64th out of 67 Florida counties. That ranking means 63 Florida counties carry higher eviction risk, and only 3 are more landlord-friendly. For landlords evaluating market exposure, Dixie County is about as low-friction as Florida gets.

The county's rental market is compact. Average rent sits at $710/month, well below state averages, and the average rent burden is 23.7% of income - a figure that falls under the standard 30% distress threshold. Roughly 19.2% of housing units are renter-occupied, which reflects a predominantly owner-occupied rural market. The poverty rate of 23% is elevated and worth monitoring: high poverty in a thin rental market can translate to payment volatility even when aggregate eviction risk scores are low. Cross City, the county seat and largest community with a population of 1,955, carries a score of 3.1/10. The coastal community of Horseshoe Beach, with just 78 residents, scores 3.1/10 - the lowest tracked score in the county and a signal of an extremely thin, low-turnover rental environment.

Florida governs all residential landlord-tenant matters statewide under Fla. Stat. § 83 Part II (Residential Tenancies). There is no local rent control in Dixie County, and Florida's preemption statute - FL Stat §125.0103 - bars counties from enacting rent caps outside a declared housing emergency. Landlords filing for non-payment must give tenants a 3-day notice under Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3) before filing. Court filing fees run $185 to $400, sheriff lockout fees add another $90 to $175, and attorney fees for contested cases range from $750 to $3,500. An uncontested eviction typically resolves in 20 to 30 days; a contested case can stretch to 45 to 110 days. Florida does not require just cause for non-renewal, and source-of-income is not a protected class under state law - both factors contribute to the county's landlord-favorable profile. The landlord's right of entry requires a minimum 12-hour notice under standard conditions per Fla. Stat. § 83.51. Retaliation protections for tenants are codified at Fla. Stat. § 83.64, which landlords in any Florida county should review before taking adverse action after a tenant complaint.

Dixie County's Low 3.1/10 score reflects a rural, owner-dominant market with below-average rent burden and no local tenant protection ordinances layered on top of state law - making it one of Florida eviction laws's operationally straightforward counties for residential landlords.