In court-decided eviction outcomes for Cleveland, MS, tenants prevail in roughly 12.1% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
26d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Cleveland, MS until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 26 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$0.9–2.8k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Cleveland, MS costs landlords $915 to $2,832 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$943
35% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Cleveland, MS is $943 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 35% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
33.2%
of households
33.2% of occupied housing units in Cleveland, MS are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
28.7%
6.9% unemp.
28.7% of Cleveland, MS residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 6.9%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
Dem margin +23.7% (2024)
6.9
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
6.9
State political climate
Mississippi legislature & governorship
1.8
Economic stress
28.7% poverty · 6.9% unemp.
8.4
Supply constraint
$943 average · 33.2% renters
5.9
Rent Control risk
34.6% of income on rent
8.7
Eviction process difficulty
26 days filing → judgment
1.4
Tenant organizing strength
33.2% renters
7.2
Housing court bias
County bench composition
8.8
Geographic context
Risk heat across Cleveland and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Cleveland compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Bolivar County
Elevated
#8of 17 cities
#8 of 17 cities in Bolivar County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Mississippi
High
#78of 426 cities
#78 of 426 cities in Mississippi for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.7
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 2.7/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend-0.2 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
26d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $943/mo. A contested eviction takes 26 days and costs $915–$2,832 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
33.2%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 10,623 residents, 33.2% rent. 35% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 28.7% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
6.9
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 6.9 and 6.9 (Dem margin +23.7% (2024)). State climate at 1.8, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
1.8
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 1.8/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 1.4, housing court bias 8.8, rent-control risk 8.7. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.6 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
8.4
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the real risk.
Economic stress: 8.4. Supply constraint: 5.9. The numbers behind those: 28.7% poverty, 6.9% unemployment, 35% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Cleveland sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Cleveland · 26d · ~$1.9k all-in ($72/day) · score 2.7National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Cleveland, Mississippi, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.7/10 (LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Cleveland is a city of 10,623 residents where 33.2% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 34.6% of income on rent. At an average rent of $943/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Cleveland eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.4/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Cleveland closes 26 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Cleveland's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 8.8/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Cleveland runs $915 to $2,832 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 26 days of typical timeline and $943/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 7.2/10 in Cleveland, and the city sits at the top of the rent control risk spectrum (8.7/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Mississippi, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Cleveland: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Mississippi's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $2,832 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Cleveland
Trap · 8.7/10
Comparative benchmarking matters in markets like this. Cleveland's 5.8/10 is near the Mississippi state average. Rent-control-risk sub-score: 8.7/10. See the nearby cities grid below for direct A-vs-B comparison.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my Cleveland tenant tries to pay after the 3-day notice expires but before I file in court?
In Mississippi, accepting a partial payment after the notice period expires but before you file for eviction can sometimes "waive" your right to evict based on that specific notice. It's safer to either accept the full amount owed (including late fees) and let them stay, or refuse any payment and proceed with the eviction filing. Consult an attorney if you're unsure, especially if it's a partial payment.
Q2
Can I evict a tenant in Cleveland without a lawyer?
Yes, you can represent yourself in Mississippi Justice Court for an eviction. However, given Cleveland's elevated housing-court-bias (8.8), having an attorney can significantly improve your chances and speed up the process. Even a consultation to review your paperwork and strategy is a smart investment.
Q3
How long does a tenant have to move out after the judge orders an eviction in Cleveland?
Once the judge issues a Judgment for Possession, if the tenant doesn't move out voluntarily, you'll need to obtain a Writ of Possession. This writ typically allows the sheriff to remove the tenant within a few days to a week, depending on their schedule. There isn't a long grace period after the judgment is issued.
Q4
Are there any rent control laws in Cleveland, MS?
No. Mississippi has no statewide rent control laws, and local jurisdictions like Cleveland cannot enact them either. This means you generally have control over setting and increasing rent, provided you follow proper notice requirements as outlined in your lease.
Q5
What's the biggest mistake Cleveland landlords make during eviction?
The most common mistake is improper notice or incorrect service of documents. Any technical error can cause the judge to dismiss your case, forcing you to restart the entire process, which means more lost rent and more costs. Another big mistake is attempting "self-help" eviction, like changing locks or turning off utilities. This is illegal and will get you into serious legal trouble.
Q6
Can I keep the security deposit for unpaid rent in Cleveland?
Yes, Mississippi law allows you to deduct unpaid rent, damages beyond normal wear and tear, and other legitimate costs specified in the lease from the security deposit. Remember, you must provide an itemized list of deductions to the tenant within 45 days of their move-out. If the damages exceed the deposit, you can pursue the tenant for the remaining balance in court.
A 2.7/10 places Cleveland in the 84th percentile of Mississippi cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Neighborhoods in Cleveland (1 with eviction-risk data)
Click a neighborhood to see its pop-weighted score, constituent census tracts, and demographics. Sorted by population.
