Alexander County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Moderate

Alexander County, Illinois eviction laws carries a county-wide eviction-risk score of 3.7/10 (Low), placing it in the middle third of the state: 46 Illinois eviction laws counties score higher (more risk) and 55 score lower (more landlord-friendly), giving it a state rank of 47 of 102. Across all 7 incorporated places in the county, scores span a narrow band from 3.3 to 4.1, which tells landlords that conditions are broadly moderate but not uniform. With an average rent of $613 and an average rent burden of 20.4%, tenants here are spending a below-average share of income on housing, which tends to limit payment-default pressure in stabilized markets.

That said, Alexander County is a small, economically stressed market. The total county population is 3,722, with roughly 26.9% of households renting and a poverty rate of 24.4%. Those structural conditions mean that even a moderate score can carry real collection and vacancy risk in individual properties. Investors should read the per-city breakdown carefully before underwriting any specific asset.

The cities inside Alexander County

Cairo is the county seat and its highest-risk community, scoring 4.1/10 with a population of 1,682. That is the only place in the county that crosses the 4.0 threshold, and its score is driven by the same concentrated poverty and economic contraction that has defined the city for decades. Landlords in Cairo face the most challenging operating environment in the county and should factor extended vacancy, deferred maintenance, and collection difficulties into their underwriting.

East Cape Girardeau comes in at 3.6/10 (population 283), followed by Olive Branch and McClure, each at 3.5/10. At the lower end of the range, Tamms (population 589), Thebes (population 353), and Unity (population 77) each score 3.3/10, the lowest in the county. The spread from 3.3 to 4.1 within a single small county underscores how hyper-local eviction risk can be: two properties a few miles apart can sit in meaningfully different operating environments.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Alexander County operates under Illinois eviction laws state law, specifically the Forcible Entry and Detainer Act at 735 ILCS 5/9. For nonpayment of rent, Illinois eviction laws requires a 5-day notice before filing; a material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice; and a month-to-month holdover requires 30 days. End of a fixed-term lease requires no additional notice under 735 ILCS 5/9-205. The full Illinois eviction laws eviction process runs 30 to 60 days uncontested and 60 to 150 days if the tenant contests, so even a straightforward case ties up a unit for at least a month. Illinois eviction costs range from a $200 to $400 court filing fee, a $60 to $200 sheriff lockout fee, and attorney fees of $750 to $3,500 depending on complexity.

Illinois eviction laws does not require just cause for most evictions, and state law preempts local rent control ordinances, so landlords are not exposed to rent caps in Alexander County. Source-of-income discrimination, however, is a protected class under Illinois eviction laws law, which affects how landlords may screen applicants with housing vouchers. For a full breakdown of notice rules, deposit handling, and tenant rights, reviewing the Illinois security deposit limits and Illinois tenant protections guides is strongly recommended before signing leases in this market.

With a poverty rate of 24.4% and only about 26.9% of households renting, Alexander County is a thin, economically challenged rental market; the city-by-city grid above is the most reliable starting point for comparing specific locations within the county.