Daviess County, Indiana Eviction Risk: Low

Daviess County, Indiana scores 2.9/10 on the eviction-risk index, placing it in the Low risk tier across its 10 tracked cities. At rank 60 of 92 Indiana eviction laws counties, 59 counties carry more risk for landlords and only 32 are more landlord-friendly, putting Daviess County squarely in the middle third of the state. For investors weighing a rural Indiana market, that position translates to a moderately stable operating environment with an average rent of $818 and a rent burden of 28.9%, levels that suggest most renters can cover housing costs without chronic strain.

Scores inside the county span 1.9 to 3, a range narrow enough that no single city is dramatically out of step with the county average yet wide enough to reward careful city selection. Landlords comfortable with the overall county profile still need to drill down to the specific community before committing capital.

The cities inside Daviess County

Washington anchors the county seat and is by far the largest city, with a population of 12,367 and a risk score of 3/10, the highest in the county. Its size means the deepest rental demand but also the highest relative risk within Daviess County. Plainville and Cannelburg both score 2.9/10, closely tracking the county average. Odon (2.8/10, pop. 1,419) and Elnora (2.8/10) follow, with Montgomery and Edwardsport each at 2.6/10.

At the low-risk end, Raglesville records a score of 2/10, the county's most landlord-favorable reading, and Alfordsville comes in at 2.4/10. Risk here is genuinely hyper-local: the gap between Washington and Raglesville represents a meaningful difference in the conditions landlords should expect, even though both sit within the same county boundary.

State-level laws that apply here

All Daviess County landlords operate under Indiana state law, specifically Ind. Code § 32-31 (Landlord-Tenant Relations). For nonpayment of rent, Indiana requires a 10-day notice to pay or vacate (IC 32-31-1-6). A material lease violation triggers a 30-day cure notice (IC 32-31-1-8), and terminating a month-to-month tenancy also requires 30 days notice (IC 32-31-1-1). Understanding the full Indiana eviction process is essential before filing: uncontested cases resolve in roughly 21 to 45 days, while contested matters can run 45 to 100 days.

On the cost side, Indiana eviction costs include court filing fees of $150 to $200, sheriff lockout fees of $50 to $200, and attorney fees that commonly range from $500 to $2,500. Indiana does not require just cause for most terminations and the state preempts local rent control, so no local rent caps can be imposed on top of state law. Landlords should also review Indiana security deposit limits and Indiana tenant protections, particularly the habitability obligations under Ind. Code § 32-31-8, before drafting leases.

With a poverty rate of 15.4% and a renter share of 40% across the county, tenant financial resilience varies enough that due diligence at the individual city level, using the city grid above, remains the sharpest tool landlords have before entering any Daviess County market.