Clay County, Indiana Eviction Risk: Very Low

Clay County, Indiana scores an average of 2.2/10 (Low risk) across its 15 incorporated places, placing it 50th among Indiana's 92 counties, right in the middle third of the state. That ranking means 49 Indiana counties carry higher eviction risk and 42 are less risky, so this is a workable but not exceptional landlord market. With an average rent of $958 and a rent burden of just 26.7%, most renters here can cover their obligations without strain, which is the foundation of a stable tenancy pool.

The intra-county range, 1.8 to 2.8, is modest but still meaningful. A landlord choosing between parcels in different communities within the county will face materially different operating environments, so a county-level average tells only part of the story. The total county population sits at 13,209, and about 29.6% of residents rent rather than own, which constrains the size of the tenant pool but also limits the competition among landlords for quality tenants.

The cities inside Clay County

The highest-risk corner of the county is Bowling Green, which scores 2.8/10, followed closely by Brazil at 2.2/10. Brazil is by far the largest community in the county, with a population of 7,831, meaning it drives the bulk of the county's rental activity despite sitting above the county average on risk. Knightsville, Lewis, and Staunton each score 2.3/10, matching the county average and representing broadly typical conditions for smaller Indiana markets.

The most landlord-favorable location in Clay County is Clay City, which scores just 2.1/10 with a population of 1,104. Center Point scores 2.1/10, also below the county average. The variation between Clay City's 2.2 and Cloverland's 3.4 reinforces that risk is genuinely hyper-local here, and a property address, not just the county, should drive investment underwriting.

State-level laws that apply here

Indiana state law under Ind. Code § 32-31 (Landlord-Tenant Relations) governs every tenancy in Clay County. For nonpayment of rent, landlords must issue a 10-day notice to pay or vacate under IC 32-31-1-6. A material lease violation requires a 30-day cure notice under IC 32-31-1-8, and ending a month-to-month tenancy also requires 30 days' notice under IC 32-31-1-1. The Indiana eviction process, once initiated, runs from 21 to 45 days for an uncontested case and 45 to 100 days for a contested one, so landlords should budget for that timeline when forecasting vacancy.

On cost, the Indiana eviction costs a landlord a court filing fee of $150 to $200, a sheriff lockout fee of $50 to $200, and attorney fees ranging from $500 to $2,500 depending on whether the matter is contested. Indiana does not require just cause for eviction and preempts local rent control, so no municipality in Clay County can impose a rent cap or stricter eviction standard than the state floor. There are no Indiana security deposit limits set by the statute data reviewed here. The Indiana Civil Rights Commission handles fair housing enforcement in the county.

Clay County carries a poverty rate of 16.1%, a figure worth weighing when screening applicants, and roughly 29.6% of households rent. The city grid above breaks down individual risk scores so landlords can compare specific communities before committing capital.