Hancock County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Low

Hancock County scores 2.8/10 (Low) on the EvictionRiskMap scale, placing it among the more landlord-friendly markets in Illinois eviction laws. With 91 of 102 Illinois eviction laws counties rated riskier, the county sits in the bottom third of the state for eviction risk, meaning operators here face a comparatively stable rental environment. A total population of 11,995 spread across 16 cities makes this a small, rural market, with renters accounting for just 22.4% of households and an average rent of $762 per month.

That low overall score does mask some intra-county variation. City-level scores span a range of 2.6 to 3.1, which means a landlord's experience can shift meaningfully depending on which community they choose. The average rent burden sits at 27.6% of income, a moderate figure that suggests most renters are not significantly stretched, but pockets of financial stress exist in specific communities.

The cities inside Hancock County

The highest-risk locations in the county are La Harpe (population 1,273, score 3.1/10), Augusta (population 669, score 3.1/10), Elvaston (3.1/10), and Basco (3.1/10). West Point and Ferris each score 3/10. These communities still fall in the Low risk tier, but investors should weigh their higher-end scores relative to the county average. Hamilton, the county's largest city at 2,714 residents, comes in at 2.9/10, while Bowen (population 552) matches that figure.

For investors looking at lower-risk entry points, Carthage (population 2,291, score 2.7/10), Warsaw (population 1,518, score 2.7/10), and Dallas City (population 894, score 2.6/10) represent the most landlord-friendly communities in the county. Nauvoo scores 2.8/10 at a population of 931. Risk in this county is genuinely hyper-local: two neighboring towns can land half a point apart, which is enough to shift the risk profile of a portfolio.

State-level laws that apply here

All Hancock County landlords operate under 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer), Illinois eviction laws state law governing the eviction process. For nonpayment of rent, the required notice is 5 days. A material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice, and a month-to-month holdover requires 30 days. End-of-fixed-term tenancies require no advance notice under 735 ILCS 5/9-205. Landlords considering the full Illinois eviction laws eviction process should budget for court filing fees of $200 to $400, sheriff lockout fees of $60 to $200, and attorney fees ranging from $750 to $3,500. An uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 60 days, but a contested matter can run 60 to 150 days.

Illinois eviction laws does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and state law preempts local rent control ordinances, so no city within Hancock County may impose rent caps. Illinois security deposit limits are set at the state level, and Illinois tenant protections around retaliation fall under 765 ILCS 720/1. The Illinois eviction costs cited here are state-level figures that apply uniformly across the county. Screening and habitability obligations are governed by 765 ILCS 742, enforced by the Illinois eviction laws Department of Human Rights on fair housing matters including source-of-income protections.

With a county poverty rate of 14% and renters making up just 22.4% of households, Hancock County's renter pool is relatively small, and the city-by-city risk grid above shows where within those 16 communities conditions are tightest.