Marion County, Iowa Eviction Risk: Very Low

Marion County, Iowa eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 2.4/10 (Very Low), placing it squarely in the middle third of Iowa's 99 counties. With 53 counties scoring higher and 45 scoring lower, this is not a landlord's paradise, but it is a workable, relatively stable market for investors who understand local conditions. The county's 7 incorporated cities span a score range of 2.3 to 2.7, so underwriting by city, not just county average, is essential.

Roughly 30.5% of Marion County households rent, with an average rent of $922 per month and an average rent-burden rate of 25.6%. That burden figure sits below the national threshold of concern, which suggests the renter base here is not severely stretched, reducing the baseline probability of income-driven default across most of the county's rental stock.

The cities inside Marion County

Knoxville is the county's clear pressure point. With a population of 7,473 and a risk score of 3.1/10, it stands a full point above Pella eviction risk (the county's most landlord-friendly city at 2.3/10) and well above the county average. Knoxville eviction risk accounts for a meaningful share of the county's total rental stock, so a disproportionate share of eviction activity concentrates there. Landlords operating in Knoxville should price vacancy reserves accordingly.

Pella, the county's largest city at 10,720 residents, scores 2.4/10, a substantially calmer profile than Knoxville despite being nearly 50% larger by population. Pleasantville (pop. 1,899, score 2.4) and Bussey (pop. 414, score 2.4) land at the same level. Swan, the county's smallest city at 55 residents, scores 2.1/10, and Melcher-Dallas at 2.7/10 is the lowest-risk municipality in the county. The spread from 2 to 3.1 across just 7 cities confirms that risk is hyper-local, and blanket county-level underwriting will consistently misjudge individual assets.

State-level laws that apply here

Iowa eviction laws state law governs all residential tenancies in Marion County under Iowa eviction laws Code Section 562A (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law). For non-payment of rent, landlords must serve a 3-day notice before filing. A lease-violation cure notice requires 7 days, and a no-cause end-of-term termination requires 30 days. Iowa eviction laws does not require just cause for eviction, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, meaning no Marion County city can impose rent caps. An uncontested eviction typically resolves in 21 to 40 days after filing; a contested case can run 45 to 100 days. Court filing fees range from $95 to $200, sheriff lockout fees from $50 to $150, and attorney fees commonly fall in the $500 to $2,500 range. A full breakdown is available in the Iowa eviction costs guide. Landlords new to the state should also review the Iowa eviction laws eviction process from notice through writ to understand timeline risk before acquiring properties here. Iowa eviction laws requires 24-hour advance notice before entering an occupied unit under Iowa eviction laws Code Section 562A.15.

With a poverty rate of 6.7% and renters making up 30.5% of households, Marion County presents a stable but uneven risk profile; the city grid above breaks down every municipality's individual score so you can compare assets at the address level.