Clark County, Kentucky Eviction Risk: Low

Clark County scores 2.5/10 on the eviction-risk scale, placing it in the Low risk tier, but that label requires context: at rank 11 of 120 Kentucky counties, only 10 counties statewide carry a higher score, meaning Clark County sits in the higher-risk third of Kentucky. For landlords and investors, a low absolute score does not mean a frictionless market. With an average rent of $916 and a rent-burden rate of 31.4%, a meaningful share of renters is stretching to cover housing costs, which translates to a real baseline probability of late payment and eventual eviction proceedings.

The county's renter population is substantial: roughly 39.5% of households rent rather than own, across a total tracked population of 19,213. The intra-county score range runs from 2.5 to 2.5, reflecting that a single city drives the county average. Operating conditions here are stable but not without exposure, and landlords should price that in when underwriting acquisitions or setting loss reserves.

The cities inside Clark County

Clark County contains 1 tracked city. Winchester, with a population of 19,213 and a risk score of 2.5/10, is both the county seat and the sole data point shaping the county average. Because there is no intra-county spread to parse, the Winchester eviction risk score is the county score, and any landlord operating here is exposed to exactly that baseline risk profile.

Risk is hyper-local even within small counties. Neighborhood-level vacancy rates, property condition, and tenant demographics inside Winchester can push an individual portfolio's effective risk well above or below the 3.7 aggregate, so street-level due diligence still matters regardless of the county-wide figure.

State-level laws that apply here

Kentucky landlord-tenant law is governed by KRS § 383.500 et seq. (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). Notice requirements depend on the reason for termination: non-payment of rent triggers a 7-day notice, a lease violation gives the tenant 14 days to cure, and a no-cause end-of-term termination requires 30 days. Once a notice expires and the tenant does not vacate, landlords file in court. Understanding the full Kentucky eviction process, from notice through lockout, is essential before your first filing. An uncontested case resolves in 21 to 45 days, while a contested matter can run 45 to 120 days.

On the cost side, court filing fees run $150 to $250, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $150, and attorney fees typically range from $500 to $2,500 depending on case complexity. Kentucky eviction costs therefore span a wide range depending on whether the tenant contests, making it worthwhile to resolve disputes at the notice stage when possible. Kentucky imposes no rent control and requires no just-cause for non-renewal: the state preempts any local rent-control ordinance, and source-of-income discrimination is not a protected class under state law. The fair-housing enforcer for Kentucky is the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.

With a poverty rate of 15.8% and close to 39.5% of households renting, Clark County carries enough underlying economic stress to keep eviction filings a real operational consideration; review the city grid above to see how Winchester eviction risk compares against similar Kentucky eviction laws counties such as Nelson County (2.5/10) and Woodford County (2.5/10).