Jefferson County, Mississippi Eviction Risk: Very Low

Jefferson County, Mississippi eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 4.5/10 (Moderate) across its 2 incorporated places. That middle-of-the-road average can be misleading: the county ranks 18th of 82 Mississippi eviction laws counties, meaning only 17 counties statewide are riskier and 64 are more landlord-friendly, placing Jefferson County solidly in the higher-risk third of Mississippi eviction laws. With a total measured population of roughly 2,663, this is a small, rural market where tenant financial stress is a genuine operating concern, and an average rent of $425 per month leaves virtually no cushion between rent and vacancy losses.

The intra-county risk range runs from 3.7 to 4.9, a full 1.2-point spread across just two cities. That gap is significant for a county this size, and landlords who treat Jefferson County as a single undifferentiated market risk badly misjudging exposure in specific locations. An average rent burden of 37% of income, combined with a poverty rate of 37.5%, signals that many renters here are operating very close to the financial edge.

The cities inside Jefferson County

Fayette is the county seat and the largest city, with a population of 1,691 and a risk score of 4.9/10, the highest in the county. That score puts Fayette near the top of the Moderate band and only a fraction away from the High-risk threshold. Landlords in Fayette should underwrite for above-average eviction frequency and factor in collections difficulty given local income levels.

Alcorn State University, home to roughly 972 residents, scores 3.7/10, the lowest in the county and a notably different operating environment from Fayette. The university-adjacent renter base shifts the risk profile, though even here the Moderate designation warrants standard due diligence. The contrast between these two places underscores that risk is hyper-local: a landlord with properties in both cities is effectively managing two distinct markets under the same county label.

State-level laws that apply here

The Mississippi eviction laws eviction process is governed by Miss. Code § 89-8 (Landlord and Tenant). For non-payment of rent, landlords must serve a 3-day notice before filing. A lease violation requires a 14-day notice to cure, and a no-cause termination at end of term requires 30 days. Once filed, an uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 60 days, while a contested eviction can stretch to 60 to 120 days. Court filing fees run $75 to $150, sheriff lockout fees add $30 to $120, and attorney fees typically range from $500 to $2,500, so total out-of-pocket costs can reach well into the mid-four figures on a contested case.

Mississippi security deposit limits and rent-control rules are shaped by a strong preemption statute: the state prohibits local governments from imposing rent control, and no just-cause requirement exists for non-renewal, giving landlords meaningful flexibility. Source-of-income is not a protected class under state law. Understanding Mississippi eviction costs up front, including the attorney-fee range, is essential to accurate underwriting in any Mississippi eviction laws county.

With a renter share of 40.8% and a poverty rate of 37.5%, a significant portion of Jefferson County's renter base faces chronic financial pressure; review the city-level scores in the grid above to identify where that pressure is most concentrated before committing capital.