Massac County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Low

Massac County, Illinois eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 4.1/10, placing it in the Moderate tier and in the higher-risk third of the state. Among Illinois eviction laws's 102 counties, only 28 score worse, meaning 73 are less risky and more landlord-friendly. For a small county of roughly 6,856 residents spread across 3 cities, that ranking signals real operational friction: an average rent of $762, a rent-burden rate of 29.9%, and a poverty rate of 17.2% all put pressure on tenant payment stability.

The intra-county score range is narrow, running from 4.1 to 4.3, which means risk is broadly consistent across the county rather than concentrated in one hot spot. A renter share of 38.7% of households means a meaningful portion of the residential market depends on tenant-occupied units, giving investors a workable pool while keeping default risk elevated relative to the state's lower-risk southern tier.

The cities inside Massac County

Brookport carries the county's highest score at 4.3/10. With a population of 733, it is a small market where a single troubled tenancy can meaningfully affect a landlord's portfolio. Close attention to tenant screening pays outsized dividends in a community this size.

Metropolis, the county seat and by far the largest city with 5,864 residents, scores 4.1/10, matching the county average exactly. Its relative scale provides more transactional depth for investors, though the underlying economic pressures that drive the county's Moderate rating are fully present here. Joppa, the county's smallest city at 259 residents, also scores 4.1/10. Even across these three communities, the data show that risk is hyper-local: a difference of just 0.2 points separates the most from the least risky city, so underwriting decisions still need to be made city by city rather than county-wide.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord operating in Massac County works under Illinois eviction laws state law, specifically 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer). Notice requirements are straightforward: nonpayment of rent triggers a 5-day notice under 735 ILCS 5/9-209, a material lease violation requires 10 days under 735 ILCS 5/9-210, and a month-to-month holdover requires 30 days under 735 ILCS 5/9-207. End-of-fixed-term lease terminations require no advance notice under 735 ILCS 5/9-205. The Illinois eviction laws eviction process moves from filing to lockout in 30 to 60 days for uncontested cases, stretching to 60 to 150 days if a tenant contests. Court filing fees run $200 to $400, sheriff lockout fees add $60 to $200, and attorney fees typically range from $750 to $3,500, making the Illinois eviction costs a meaningful line item when a tenancy goes wrong. On the ownership-friendly side, Illinois eviction laws does not require just cause for nonrenewal, and state law preempts local rent-control ordinances, so landlords in Massac County face no local rent caps.

With a poverty rate of 17.2% and 38.7% of households renting, Massac County sits in territory where careful tenant selection matters most; see the city grid above to compare scores for Metropolis, Brookport, and Joppa side by side before committing to a specific market.