Leake County, Mississippi Eviction Risk: Low

Leake County scores 3.6/10 (Low) on average across its 5 tracked cities, ranking 54th of 82 Mississippi counties, which places it in the middle third of the state. Fifty-three counties carry higher eviction risk; 28 are considered less risky. For landlords and investors, that composite figure signals a broadly manageable operating environment, though the intra-county spread from 2.5 to 4 makes city-level due diligence essential before committing capital.

The county's average rent of $683 per month and an average rent-burden rate of 29% suggest most renters are not severely stretched by housing costs, which keeps default pressure at a moderate level. That said, a poverty rate of 30.6% and a renter share of 36% mean that income shocks, seasonal employment gaps, or unexpected expenses can push individual tenants into arrears even when the broader market looks stable.

The cities inside Leake County

Walnut Grove carries the highest risk in the county at 4/10, which is notable given its population of 737. A smaller renter pool in a high-risk pocket can amplify volatility: one bad rental season or a spike in nonpayment can affect a portfolio's performance more sharply than the same event would in a larger market. Landlords acquiring property in Walnut Grove should underwrite conservatively and maintain healthy cash reserves.

Carthage, the county seat and largest city with a population of 4,866, scores 3.7/10, just above the county average. It represents the dominant rental market in Leake County, with a wider tenant base and more predictable demand patterns than the smaller communities. Redwater (2.9/10), Standing Pine (3/10), and Lena (2.5/10) round out the lower-risk end of the range. Lena's score of 2.5/10 is the county's most landlord-favorable, though its population of just 169 limits the scale of opportunity there. Risk is genuinely hyper-local here: a single mile can separate a high-moderate and a low-risk classification.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Leake County operates under Mississippi eviction laws state law, specifically Miss. Code Section 89-8 (Landlord and Tenant). For nonpayment of rent, the required notice period is 3 days. A lease-violation cure notice requires 14 days, and a no-cause end-of-term termination requires 30 days. Mississippi eviction laws does not require just cause for eviction and, through state preemption, prohibits local governments from enacting rent control, so landlords face no rent-cap exposure regardless of which city they operate in. Understanding the full Mississippi eviction laws eviction process before you file is critical: uncontested cases resolve in roughly 30 to 60 days, while a contested matter can run 60 to 120 days.

On the cost side, court filing fees run $75 to $150, sheriff lockout fees add $30 to $120, and attorney fees range from $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity. Those Mississippi eviction costs underscore why solid tenant screening and lease documentation are worth every dollar upfront. Source-of-income is not a protected class under state law, giving landlords flexible but lawful screening latitude.

With a poverty rate of 30.6% and a renter share of 36%, Leake County's risk profile is shaped as much by local economic conditions as by state law; review the individual city scores in the grid above before targeting a specific submarket.