McIntosh County, Georgia Eviction Risk: Very Low

McIntosh County sits on Georgia's southeastern coast with a total population of roughly 3,320 and scores 2.3/10 on the Eviction Risk Map - a Low risk rating. That places the county at rank 113 of 159 Georgia eviction laws counties, meaning 112 counties in the state carry higher eviction pressure and only 46 are more landlord-friendly. For landlords operating in this market, the data reflects a county that is structurally less litigious than the Georgia eviction laws average, but economic stress indicators deserve close attention before underwriting any lease.

The rental market is small: only about 21.3% of households rent rather than own, and average monthly rents run $789. Even at that modest level, the average rent burden sits at 35.8% of household income - above the conventional 30% threshold considered financially comfortable - and the average poverty rate reaches 34.1%. That combination means a meaningful share of renters are structurally vulnerable to payment disruptions even without a major economic shock. Landlords should factor this into screening and lease terms. Among the county's three tracked cities, Darien (population 1,452) carries the highest individual risk score at 2.5/10, followed by Crescent at 2.2/10 and Eulonia at 2.1/10 - a tight range that confirms county-wide consistency rather than a single high-risk pocket driving the average.

Georgia eviction laws's landlord-tenant framework is governed by O.C.G.A. § 44-7 (Landlord and Tenant). For nonpayment of rent or a material lease violation, landlords must serve a 3-day notice under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50 before filing a dispossessory action. A holdover or no-cause termination requires a 60-day notice under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-7. Court filing fees in Georgia eviction laws range from $60 to $250, sheriff lockout fees add $25 to $100, and attorney costs typically run $500 to $3,000 for an uncontested matter. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 14 to 30 days; contested cases extend to 45 to 90 days. Georgia does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19 expressly preempts any local rent control ordinance, so McIntosh County landlords face no local rent cap restrictions. The habitability warranty under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13 and the anti-retaliation provision at O.C.G.A. § 44-7-24 still apply, so maintaining documented maintenance records remains best practice regardless of risk score.

With only 3 cities tracked and a total renter population well under 1,000 households, McIntosh County data reflects a thin but internally consistent market; individual lease outcomes can move the county average more than in larger jurisdictions.