Cass County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Moderate

Cass County, Illinois eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 3.3/10, placing it in the Low risk tier and squarely in the middle third of Illinois counties, ranked 65 of 102. That rank means 64 counties across the state are riskier for landlords, while 37 are more landlord-friendly, so Cass County represents a modest, workable operating environment rather than a standout opportunity or a red flag. With an average rent of $751 and a rent-burden rate of 22.9%, most renters here are not severely stretched, which contributes to the county's lower eviction pressure.

Across the county's 6 cities, risk scores run from 2.9 to 3.4, a tight band that still carries meaningful variation at the block level. The county's total population of 9,626 and a renter share of 31.1% make this a small but active rental market, with roughly a third of households renting rather than owning. Landlords and investors who understand the intra-county differences will be better positioned than those treating the area as uniformly low-risk.

The cities inside Cass County

Beardstown is the county seat and by far the largest city, with a population of 6,169 and the highest risk score in the county at 3.4/10. As the dominant rental market in Cass County, Beardstown concentrates the bulk of the county's rental stock and carries the most eviction activity. Investors focused here should price in that modest elevated risk relative to the county average.

Virginia, with a population of 1,543, ties for the lowest risk score in the county at 2.9/10, alongside Literberry, which is a much smaller community of just 39 residents. Ashland, Chandlerville, and Arenzville each score 3.1/10, clustering in the middle of the county's range. This distribution reinforces that risk in Cass County is hyper-local: Beardstown carries measurably more exposure than Virginia even though both sit in the same Low-tier county overall. Landlords comparing individual city pages will see those differences reflected in the granular scores.

State-level laws that apply here

Illinois state law, specifically 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer), governs every eviction in Cass County. Notice periods are short by national standards: nonpayment of rent requires a 5-day notice, a material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice, and a month-to-month holdover requires 30 days. An end-of-fixed-term lease requires no additional notice beyond the lease itself. Understanding the Illinois eviction process at the outset helps landlords avoid procedural errors that extend timelines, because once a case is filed, an uncontested proceeding typically runs 30 to 60 days and a contested one can run 60 to 150 days.

Illinois eviction costs start with a court filing fee of $200 to $400, a sheriff lockout fee of $60 to $200, and attorney fees that commonly range from $750 to $3,500 depending on case complexity. Illinois has no statewide rent control and does not require just cause for non-renewal, both landlord-friendly provisions under current law. The state does preempt local rent-control ordinances, so no municipality in Cass County may impose a rent cap. Landlords should still review Illinois security deposit limits and Illinois tenant protections to stay compliant with the retaliation and habitability statutes that do apply statewide.

With a poverty rate of 12.4% and 31.1% of households renting, Cass County's fundamentals are stable by Illinois standards; review the city grid above to compare Beardstown, Virginia, and the smaller communities before committing to a specific submarket.