Monroe County, Florida Eviction Risk: Very Low

Monroe County's average eviction-risk score of 2.4/10 (Very Low) places it squarely in the middle third of Florida counties, with 33 counties sitting at higher risk and 33 at lower risk. Across the county's 12 cities and a total population of 73,358, landlords and investors generally face manageable operating conditions, though an average rent of $2,006 and an average rent-burden rate of 38.1% signal that tenants here are stretching budgets considerably, which is worth factoring into vacancy and collections planning.

The intra-county spread runs from 1.8/10 to 2.7/10, a narrower band than many Florida eviction laws counties but still meaningful enough to shift landlord calculus depending on exactly where a property sits. With 37.5% of residents renting, demand is real, yet concentrated affordability pressure means operators who screen carefully and maintain properties well will do better than those who treat the Low county average as a reason to coast.

The cities inside Monroe County

At the higher end of the local range, Key West (population 25,720) and Stock Island (population 4,162) each score 2.3/10, the county ceiling. Both communities combine high rents, dense tourist-driven rental markets, and tenant demographics under financial pressure. Marathon (population 9,914) scores 2.5/10, in line with Big Coppitt Key at 2.3/10, making the middle Keys a consistently moderate-risk corridor. Key Largo (population 13,026) and Big Pine Key (population 4,258) sit at 2.2/10, representing a somewhat more favorable climate for landlords seeking stability.

The most landlord-favorable city in the county is Islamorada, Village of Islands, scoring 2.4/10, a full point below the riskiest markets. That gap illustrates how hyper-local risk truly is in the Keys: two properties separated by a few miles of the Overseas Highway can carry meaningfully different risk profiles. Investors comparing Monroe County as a whole to peer markets like Indian River County (2.52/10) or Charlotte County (2.69/10) should drill down to the city level before drawing conclusions.

State-level laws that apply here

Florida's residential tenancy framework, governed by Fla. Stat. § 83 Part II (Residential Tenancies), sets the legal conditions for every landlord in Monroe County. For non-payment of rent, the required notice period is 3 days. Material lease violations give tenants either 7 days to cure or a 7-day unconditional notice depending on whether the breach is curable. Month-to-month tenancies require 15 days notice to terminate. A 2024 law (Fla. Stat. § 82.036, HB-621) allows immediate removal of squatters or unauthorized occupants with no notice period. Florida does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and state law preempts local rent-control ordinances under FL Stat § 125.0103, except in a declared housing emergency, so Monroe County municipalities cannot impose their own rent caps. Understanding the Florida eviction process and Florida eviction costs is essential before acquiring rental property here: an uncontested eviction typically resolves in 20 to 30 days, while a contested case can run 45 to 110 days. Court filing fees range from $185 to $400, sheriff lockout fees from $90 to $175, and attorney fees from $750 to $3,500, so a fully litigated eviction carries real financial exposure even in a low-risk county.

With a county poverty rate of 10.3% and 37.5% of residents renting, Monroe County's Low average risk masks meaningful variation across its 12 cities; use the city grid above to pinpoint the specific market that matches your investment criteria.