Knox County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Moderate

Knox County carries a county-wide average eviction risk score of 4.4/10, placing it in the Moderate tier, but that single number spans a meaningful range. Across the county's 16 incorporated places, individual city scores run from 3.7 to 4.8, a spread that matters when you are picking a specific submarket. Illinois ranks Knox County 24th out of 102 counties for eviction risk, meaning 23 counties are riskier and 78 are less risky, putting Knox County firmly in the higher-risk third of the state. Average asking rent sits at $778 per month, and renters carry an average rent burden of 31.7% of income, a figure that signals modest financial cushion for many tenants.

For a landlord or investor sizing up Knox County, the aggregate Moderate rating reflects a county where collections pressure is real but not extreme. A poverty rate of 17.5% and a renter share of 32.1% of households point to a tenant pool that, in a soft patch, can stress lease payments. Operators who underwrite conservatively, maintain solid screening, and hold adequate reserves will find the market manageable, but those who rely on thin margins should study the city-level data carefully before committing.

The cities inside Knox County

Galesburg dominates Knox County, accounting for the large majority of its roughly 41,958 total residents, with a population of 29,481 and a risk score of 4.5/10, the highest in the county. That score reflects the concentrated renter population and economic pressures typical of a small regional center. Wataga follows at 4.2/10, and Abingdon, at 4.4/10 with a population of 3,443, rounds out the top tier of elevated-risk markets.

At the lower end of the range, Williamsfield scores 3.9/10, the most landlord-friendly reading in the county. Knoxville, with a population of 3,211 and a score of 4.2/10, represents middle ground. The gap between Galesburg at 4.5 and Williamsfield at 3.8 is a reminder that eviction risk in Knox County is hyper-local. A portfolio spread across both ends of that range behaves very differently than one concentrated in a single city.

State-level laws that apply here

All landlords in Knox County operate under Illinois state law, specifically 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer). 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. No notice is required when a fixed-term lease simply expires. Understanding the Illinois eviction process from notice through judgment is essential because uncontested cases still take 30 to 60 days, and contested matters can run 60 to 150 days. Illinois has no statewide rent control and does not require just cause for nonrenewal, and state law preempts local rent-control ordinances, so Knox County municipalities cannot impose their own caps.

Filing fees under Illinois law range from $200 to $400, sheriff lockout fees run $60 to $200, and attorney fees typically fall between $750 and $3,500, making a contested eviction a meaningful line item. Reviewing Illinois eviction costs before your first acquisition helps you build accurate vacancy and legal reserves. The Illinois Department of Human Rights enforces fair housing, and source-of-income protection applies under state law, which affects screening practices statewide.

With a poverty rate of 17.5% and 32.1% of households renting, Knox County's risk profile is driven more by economic conditions than by hostile local ordinances. The city grid above shows how that risk distributes across all 16 cities, from Galesburg at the top to Williamsfield at the bottom.