Jefferson County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Low

Jefferson County, Illinois scores 3.9/10 (Low risk) across its 10 tracked cities, placing it 38th of 102 Illinois eviction laws counties by eviction risk. That rank means 37 counties carry higher risk, and 64 are more landlord-friendly, putting Jefferson solidly in the middle third of the state. For investors, a Low county average signals a market where tenants generally stay current, lease disputes are manageable, and the pipeline of rental demand, driven by an average rent of $855 and a 42.2% renter share, remains reasonably stable.

Within that broadly favorable picture, individual city scores span from 3.5 to 4/10, a half-point spread that matters at the property level. An investor buying in the county seat faces a modestly different operating environment than one buying in a smaller outlying community, so city-level scores deserve attention before committing capital. A 26.7% average rent-burden rate suggests most renters are not severely stretched, though a 18.8% poverty rate is a meaningful underwriting variable for properties targeting lower-income households.

The cities inside Jefferson County

Mount Vernon anchors the county both in population and risk. With 14,090 residents and a score of 4/10, it is the highest-risk city in Jefferson County and accounts for the vast majority of the county's rental units. Its score sits at the top of the county range, reflecting the concentration of economic stress that comes with any small regional hub. Dix follows at 3.9/10, while Ina (population 1,560) and Waltonville each score 3.8/10.

On the lower end of the range, Woodlawn and Bonnie both score 3.5/10, the county floor. Belle Rive and Nason each come in at 3.6/10. The half-point gap between the highest- and lowest-risk communities within a single county is a reminder that eviction risk is fundamentally hyper-local: two properties five miles apart can carry meaningfully different tenant-default profiles, and city-level data should drive underwriting decisions rather than county averages alone.

State-level laws that apply here

All landlords in Jefferson County operate under the Illinois eviction process governed by 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer). For nonpayment of rent, the required notice is 5 days under 735 ILCS 5/9-209. A material lease violation requires a 10-day notice (735 ILCS 5/9-210), and a month-to-month holdover requires 30 days (735 ILCS 5/9-207). End of a fixed-term lease carries no additional notice requirement under 735 ILCS 5/9-205. An uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 60 days; a contested case can run 60 to 150 days.

Direct Illinois eviction costs include court filing fees of $200 to $400, sheriff lockout fees of $60 to $200, and attorney fees typically ranging from $750 to $3,500. Understanding Illinois eviction costs before acquiring property here is essential for accurate pro-forma underwriting. Illinois does not require just cause for eviction and the state preempts local rent control, so no city in Jefferson County may impose rent caps or just-cause requirements beyond state law. Landlords should also review Illinois security deposit limits and Illinois tenant protections, both of which apply uniformly across the county. Source-of-income is a protected class under the Illinois Department of Human Rights, a factor worth noting when screening applicants.

With a 18.8% poverty rate and 42.2% of households renting, tenant financial fragility varies meaningfully by city; the grid above breaks down each community's individual risk score so landlords can calibrate screening and reserve decisions property by property.