George County, Mississippi Eviction Risk: Very Low

George County scores 3.2/10 (Low risk) on the EvictionRiskMap scale, placing it among the more landlord-friendly corners of Mississippi eviction laws. Ranked 71st of 82 counties statewide, 70 counties carry higher eviction risk, and only 11 rank below it. For investors evaluating this rural Mississippi market, that positioning signals comparatively stable tenancy conditions, though the ground-level picture across the county's 4 cities is more varied than the average suggests.

The county-wide score ranges from 1.9 to 3.4, a spread that matters when you are selecting which community to enter. With an average rent of $792 and an average rent burden of 24.8%, most renters here are not stretched beyond their means, which tends to reduce non-payment eviction pressure. Roughly 39.7% of residents rent rather than own, meaning the landlord market is real but not saturated.

The cities inside George County

Lucedale anchors the county both in population and in risk. With 2,995 residents, it is by far the largest community and carries the highest score at 3.4/10, which still falls in the Low tier overall. Its size relative to the rest of the county averages that Lucedale drives the county average upward; landlords there face slightly more competitive conditions than elsewhere in George County but remain well below the stress levels common in Mississippi's urban markets.

Benndale scores 2.4/10, a meaningful step down from Lucedale. Agricola and Leaf both score 1.9/10, the lowest readings in the county, representing the most landlord-favorable conditions available here. These smaller communities, with populations of 388, 61, and 18 respectively, offer very low eviction-risk environments, though their small size limits the depth of the rental market. The takeaway is straightforward: risk is hyper-local, and even within a low-risk county the gap between Lucedale and Agricola is nearly a full point.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord operating in George County is governed by Mississippi state law, specifically Miss. Code § 89-8 (Landlord and Tenant). For non-payment of rent, the required notice period is 3 days. A lease-violation notice (cure or quit) requires 14 days, and a no-cause end-of-term notice requires 30 days. Understanding the Mississippi eviction process is essential before filing: an uncontested case resolves in roughly 30 to 60 days, while a contested case can run 60 to 120 days. Mississippi does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so there is no rent cap to navigate here.

On the cost side, court filing fees run $75 to $150, sheriff lockout fees add $30 to $120, and attorney fees typically range from $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity. Landlords budgeting for Mississippi eviction costs should plan for those component ranges rather than a single flat number. Fair housing complaints in Mississippi are handled by the Mississippi Attorney General, Consumer Protection division.

George County carries an average poverty rate of 33.6%, a figure that underscores why screening and lease structure matter here even in a low-risk market; the city grid above breaks out individual scores for Lucedale, Benndale, Agricola, and Leaf so you can pinpoint the specific community that fits your risk tolerance.