Union Parish, Louisiana Eviction Risk: Low

Union Parish earns an average eviction-risk score of 2.7/10 (Low) across its 6 incorporated places, ranking 37 of 64 Louisiana eviction laws parishes, meaning 36 parishes carry more risk and 27 are more landlord-friendly. That middle-third position reflects a market where tenant-payment stress is real but state law gives landlords clear, relatively swift remedies. With a 39.2% renter share and an average rent of $758, this is a modest-rent rural parish where demand is steady but thin, and keeping units occupied matters more than chasing premium pricing.

The intra-county spread runs from 2 to 2.8, a narrower band than many Louisiana parishes, which suggests conditions are fairly consistent across the area rather than driven by one outlier community. A 42.6% average poverty rate is the single most important underwriting signal here: even at low-risk scores, a large share of renters operate with little financial cushion, making thorough income verification and security-deposit practices essential before signing any lease.

The cities inside Union Parish

Bernice carries the parish's highest city-level score at 2.8/10 with a population of 1,355, placing it at the elevated end of a still-low-risk range. Farmerville, the parish seat and largest community at 3,407 residents, scores 2.7/10, closely tracking the parish average. Landlords in those two towns should expect the broadest renter pool and the most activity, but also the highest concentration of rent-burdened households, given the average rent-burden rate of 37.4% across the parish.

At the lower end, Marion scores 2.6/10 (population 539), Downsville 2.5/10 (population 223), and both Lillie and Spearsville post the parish floor of 2/10 with populations of 133 and 93, respectively. Those small communities offer the lowest measured risk but also the shallowest tenant markets, so vacancy exposure is the bigger practical concern than eviction rates. Risk is hyper-local even in a compact parish like this one, and city-level scores should drive underwriting at the property level.

State-level laws that apply here

Louisiana state law under La. R.S. § 9:3251 et seq. (Louisiana Lease Law) gives landlords a 5-day notice period for non-payment of rent and lease violations, and a 30-day notice for end-of-term or no-cause terminations. Uncontested evictions typically resolve in 14 to 30 days; contested cases can run 30 to 90 days. Understanding the full Louisiana eviction process before you file matters, because total out-of-pocket exposure, including court filing fees of $170 to $300, sheriff lockout fees of $50 to $175, and attorney fees of $500 to $3,000, can add up quickly even in an uncontested matter. Louisiana eviction costs therefore reward landlords who screen carefully upfront rather than relying on the legal process as a backstop.

Louisiana requires no just cause to end a tenancy, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so no Union Parish municipality can impose rent caps or additional eviction restrictions beyond state minimums. Source-of-income is not a protected class under Louisiana fair-housing rules, giving landlords discretion in income-source screening. There is no statewide limit published in DATA for security deposits, so landlords should confirm current Louisiana security deposit limits directly before setting deposit amounts.

With a poverty rate of 42.6% and a renter share of 39.2%, Union Parish rewards patient landlords who price conservatively and screen diligently; the city grid above breaks down risk score and population for each of the parish's 6 communities so you can calibrate at the specific-market level.