Stewart County, Georgia Eviction Risk: Very Low

Stewart County sits in southwest Georgia with a total population of 2,595 and a Low eviction risk score of 2.3/10. Ranked 104th out of 159 Georgia counties - where rank 1 is highest risk - the county falls squarely in the middle third of the state. That placement means 103 Georgia counties carry more eviction pressure than Stewart, and 55 are calmer. For landlords evaluating a small, rural market, that is a meaningful starting point.

The county has just two cities. Richland, the larger of the two at roughly 1,595 residents, scores 2.5/10 and is also the riskiest city in the county. Lumpkin, the county seat with a population near 1,000, scores 2.1/10 - the lowest reading in the county. The spread between those two scores (2.1 to 2.5) is narrow, which reflects how uniformly low-risk this small market is across its geography. Average rent sits at $917, and the average rent burden lands at 28.4%, both figures suggesting renters here are not dramatically stretched relative to income - a factor that correlates with lower filing pressure in rural Georgia markets.

Georgia landlord-tenant law applies countywide under O.C.G.A. § 44-7 (Landlord and Tenant). For nonpayment of rent and material lease violations, the required notice period is just 3 days per O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50. Holdover and no-cause terminations require 60 days under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-7. The state does not require just cause for eviction, and O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19 expressly preempts any local rent control ordinance - meaning no city or county in Georgia can impose rent caps. Court filing fees range from $60 to $250, with sheriff lockout fees between $25 and $100. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 14 to 30 days; contested matters run 45 to 90 days. Attorney costs, if retained, generally run $500 to $3,000. With a renter share of 44.7% and a poverty rate of 27.5%, Stewart County's high poverty concentration is the primary risk factor to watch - it raises the likelihood that any rent disruption translates into a filing, even in a low-risk market overall.

Stewart County's Low risk score reflects Georgia eviction laws's landlord-favorable statutory framework, short notice timelines, and no local rent-control exposure - offset slightly by a 27.5% poverty rate that leaves a meaningful share of the renter base financially vulnerable.