De Witt County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Low

De Witt County, Illinois eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 3.3/10 (Low), placing it at rank 58 of 102 Illinois eviction laws counties, with 57 counties posing greater risk and 44 sitting more squarely in landlord-friendly territory. For investors and landlords, that middle-of-the-state positioning translates to a market where rent collection is generally stable, tenant turnover is manageable, and the legal environment does not systematically tilt against property owners. The county's average rent of $839 and a rent burden rate of 23.6% suggest tenants are not dramatically overstretched relative to incomes, which tends to keep delinquency rates contained.

The intra-county spread runs from 2.7 to 3.6 across 8 cities, a range that is narrow by Illinois standards but still meaningful in a county with a total population of roughly 10,718. With only about 26.7% of households renting, the rental market here is relatively small, meaning vacancy and competition dynamics differ noticeably from larger Illinois eviction laws metros. Landlords operating in De Witt County are, on balance, working in a low-friction environment, though asset selection at the city level still matters.

The cities inside De Witt County

Clinton is the county seat and by far its largest rental market, home to 6,985 residents and carrying the highest risk score in the county at 3.6/10. That score is still solidly within the Low band, but landlords there should recognize they are operating in the part of De Witt County where tenant financial stress and eviction probability are most elevated. Lane, a much smaller community of 118 residents, scores 3.4/10, the second-highest in the county. Kenney comes in at 3.1/10, while Wapella, Waynesville, Weldon, and the city of De Witt all score 3.0/10.

The most landlord-favorable environment in the county is Farmer City, with a score of 2.7/10 and a population of 1,885. For investors weighing multiple properties across the county, that gap between Clinton (3.6) and Farmer City (2.7) is real and worth factoring into underwriting. Risk in this county is hyper-local even at modest absolute levels, and a thorough city-level review is warranted before committing capital.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in De Witt County operates under Illinois eviction laws state law, specifically the Forcible Entry and Detainer Act at 735 ILCS 5/9. Notice requirements are strict: nonpayment of rent triggers a 5-day notice under 735 ILCS 5/9-209, a material lease violation requires a 10-day notice under 735 ILCS 5/9-210, and terminating a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days under 735 ILCS 5/9-207. End of a fixed-term lease requires no additional notice under 735 ILCS 5/9-205. For a full walkthrough of timelines and procedural requirements, the Illinois eviction laws eviction process guide covers each step in sequence. Court filing fees run $200 to $400, sheriff lockout fees add $60 to $200, and attorney fees typically range from $750 to $3,500, with uncontested cases resolving in 30 to 60 days and contested matters stretching to 60 to 150 days. Landlords budgeting for a worst-case eviction should plan around those component ranges rather than a single round number; for a breakdown of what drives those costs, see the Illinois eviction costs guide. Illinois eviction laws does not require just cause for non-renewal, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so De Witt County landlords face no local caps on rent increases.

With a poverty rate of 13.7% and a renter share of 26.7%, De Witt County's rental pool is relatively modest in size; the city-by-city risk scores in the grid above give a sharper picture of where operating conditions are tightest and where margins are most defensible.