Washington County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Low

Washington County, Illinois eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 2.7/10 (Low), placing it among the most landlord-friendly markets in the state. Ranked 97 of 102 Illinois counties, only 5 counties in the state score lower, meaning 96 counties carry more risk for landlords. For investors and rental operators, that translates to a comparatively stable tenant base, modest rent-burden pressure, and operating conditions that skew toward predictability rather than chronic lease stress.

The county spans 11 cities with a total population of 7,239 and an average rent of $828. The average rent-burden rate sits at 25.3%, indicating that most renters here are not spending an outsized share of income on housing, a factor that correlates with lower default and eviction risk. The intra-county score range is tight, from 2.6 to 2.9, which tells landlords that conditions are consistently low-risk across the county rather than concentrated in a single favorable pocket.

The cities inside Washington County

Among the 11 cities tracked, Okawville carries the highest risk score at 2.9/10 and a population of 1,299. Irvington follows at 2.8/10 with about 774 residents. Both are still firmly in Low territory, but landlords entering those submarkets should underwrite conservatively compared to the county average. Nashville, the county seat and largest city with a population of 2,940, scores 2.7/10, in line with the county average, and represents the most liquid rental market in the county given its size relative to surrounding communities.

Smaller communities including Hoyleton (pop. 523), Ashley (pop. 412), Addieville (pop. 294), Oakdale (pop. 264), and New Minden (pop. 218) all score 2.7/10. Even the highest-risk city in the county, Okawville, sits only 0.2 points above the lowest-scoring communities, confirming that risk is hyper-local but the spread here is unusually compressed. Landlords operating across multiple Washington County cities face a more uniform risk environment than in most Illinois counties.

State-level laws that apply here

Regardless of which city a rental unit sits in, all Washington County landlords operate under Illinois state law, specifically 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer). For nonpayment of rent, the required notice period is 5 days; a material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice; month-to-month holdovers require 30 days; and an end-of-fixed-term tenancy requires no additional notice. An uncontested eviction typically resolves in 30 to 60 days, while a contested case can run 60 to 150 days. Landlords considering the Illinois eviction process should budget carefully: court filing fees run $200 to $400, sheriff lockout fees add $60 to $200, and attorney fees commonly range from $750 to $3,500, making Illinois eviction costs a material line item even in low-risk counties like this one.

Illinois does not require just cause for non-renewal, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so Washington County landlords face no local rent caps. Source-of-income is a protected class under state fair housing law enforced by the Illinois Department of Human Rights, which affects tenant-screening practices. Landlord-friendly statutes, combined with a low-risk score, make this county one of the more straightforward operating environments in the state.

With an average poverty rate of 9% and a renter share of 19.2% across the county, Washington County is a small, owner-dominated market; see the city grid above for individual scores and population figures across all 11 tracked communities.