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Smith Island, MD Eviction Risk Score Somerset County · Maryland · Pop. 345

Updated
● Elevated Risk

Smith Island, MD sits at 6.4/10 — Elevated risk. , 17.1% renters, ~151-day typical timeline.

★★★ High confidence · 96%
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Score vs. benchmarks
Smith Island
6.4
Somerset County
6.2
Maryland avg
6.4
National avg
4.4
44.9%Tenant-law probabilityi
$5,901–17,403Typical eviction costi
151 daysTypical timelinei
54.22%Filing ratei
$1,249HUD 2BR FMR '25i
17.1%Rentersi

Location & regional heat

Low risk
High risk
Heat = surrounding cities. Click any dot to compare.

Sub-score breakdown

Each component on a 1–10 scale. Ticks mark the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles nationally.

Local political climatei
4.8
Regional political climatei
4.8
State political climate
5.7
Economic stressi
8.2
Supply constrainti
3.2
Rent-control risk
4.5
Eviction process difficulty
5.7
Tenant organizing strengthi
3.2
Housing court bias
3.9
Eviction filing rate (ground truth)i
9.9
Own rentals in or near Smith Island?
Free consultation — local rent-control exposure, notice requirements, and eviction defense risk.

About eviction risk in Smith Island, MD

Smith Island, MD has an eviction risk score of 6.4 out of 10, placing it in the elevated-risk tier for landlords operating in Somerset County and the state of Maryland. The score combines local political climate, court disposition patterns, cost-of-eviction estimates, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation in the next legislative cycle.

Economic stress: poverty rate 17.9%, unemployment 10.3%. Higher values correlate with higher eviction filing rates and longer court timelines.

Political climate: In 2020, Somerset County voted Republican by 14.8 points — classified as moderately landlord-leaning for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.

What this score means for landlords

At 6.4/10, Smith Island is an elevated-risk environment. Tenant protections are stronger than the national median. Use proactive screening, document notices in writing, and understand your specific just-cause and rent-cap exposure before raising rent or terminating a tenancy.

Nearby Cities — Eviction Risk Comparison

City Distance Population Risk score
Crisfield, MD 9.5 mi 2,499 6.8
Tangier, VA 10.8 mi 252 4.3
Frenchtown-Rumbly, MD 11.7 mi 52 6.3
Deal Island, MD 13.1 mi 341 6.0
Fairmount, MD 14.6 mi 440 6.5
Chance, MD 14.7 mi 230 5.9
Dames Quarter, MD 15.5 mi 226 5.7
Saxis, VA 17 mi 218 4.5

Landlord Guides & Research Tools

Deepen your research with these guides. The metrics powering this score feed directly into each breakdown.

Landlord Guides for Maryland

Eviction Costs — Maryland →
Filing fees, attorney fees, lost rent, sheriff lockout
Eviction Process — Maryland →
Step-by-step timeline, notices, statute cites
Rent Control — Maryland →
Statewide caps, local ordinances, just-cause
Tenant Screening — Maryland →
5-point protocol, legal rules, protected classes
Tenant Protections — Maryland →
Just cause, retaliation, habitability, entry