Greene County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Low

Greene County scores 2.8/10 (Low risk) across its 7 municipalities, placing it among the more landlord-friendly corners of Illinois eviction laws. With 93 of the state's 102 counties carrying higher risk scores, operators here face a market where tenant-side pressure, court backlogs, and legislative friction are all measurably lighter than the statewide average. The average rent sits at $737, rent burden averages 23.6% of income, and the renter share of housing stands at 24.4%, a moderately thin rental market that keeps competition for tenants real but vacancy-driven desperation low.

Intra-county scores span a narrow band, 2.5 to 3.1, so the county average is broadly representative. That said, no landlord should treat a county score as a substitute for city-level diligence. Where you buy inside Greene County matters more than the county headline suggests.

The cities inside Greene County

White Hall carries the highest risk reading in the county at 3.1/10. With a population of 2,257, it is the second-largest city in the county and the only one that reaches the mid-range of the Low tier. Roodhouse comes in second at 2.8/10 with 1,544 residents, essentially matching the county average. Both cities warrant closer attention to tenant-mix and lease terms than the broader county number implies.

Carrollton, the county seat and largest city at 2,479 residents, scores 2.6/10, a noticeably cleaner operating profile than White Hall despite holding more people. Greenfield, at 2.6/10 and 1,105 residents, tracks the same level. Hillview, the smallest community in the county with 99 residents, posts the lowest score in the county at 2.5/10. Risk is hyper-local: the 0.6-point spread between Hillview and White Hall is not trivial when scaled across a portfolio of units.

State-level laws that apply here

All landlords in Greene County operate under Illinois state law, specifically the Forcible Entry and Detainer statute at 735 ILCS 5/9. For nonpayment of rent, a landlord must serve a 5-day notice before filing; a material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice; and a month-to-month holdover requires 30 days. An uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 60 days, while a contested matter can run 60 to 150 days. Court filing fees range from $200 to $400, sheriff lockout fees from $60 to $200, and attorney fees from $750 to $3,500 depending on case complexity. Anyone planning a filing should review the Illinois eviction process and Illinois eviction costs pages for a full breakdown of the procedural steps and fee schedules.

Illinois eviction laws does not require just cause to end a tenancy, and state law preempts local rent control, so no municipality in Greene County can impose rent caps. Source-of-income is a protected class under Illinois eviction laws state law via the Illinois eviction laws Department of Human Rights, a compliance point worth noting for any tenant-screening policy.

With a poverty rate of 15.3% and a renter share of 24.4%, Greene County's rental pool is relatively small and carries modest economic stress, factors that reinforce the Low-risk score; review the city grid above to identify which specific municipalities align best with your investment criteria.