Newton County, Mississippi Eviction Risk: Very Low

Newton County, Mississippi eviction laws earns an average eviction-risk score of 3.5/10 (Low) across its 6 incorporated places, placing it at rank 58 of 82 Mississippi counties. That ranking means 57 counties in the state carry higher risk, and only 24 are more landlord-friendly, putting Newton County firmly in the lower-risk third of Mississippi eviction laws. For landlords and investors, that translates to a market where tenant-payment conditions and legal operating costs sit below the state midpoint, though a 33.8% average poverty rate and an average rent of $627 per month are reminders that this is not a zero-stress portfolio. An average renter cost-burden of 24.7% of income suggests most renters are not deeply stretched, but thin margins leave little room for extended vacancies or contested evictions.

The intra-county spread runs from 2.4/10 to 3.7/10, a gap that matters for underwriting individual assets. A landlord comparing two properties across the county could face meaningfully different risk profiles depending on which city the unit sits in, so county-level averages alone are insufficient due diligence. Roughly 36.8% of the county's roughly 9,014 residents rent, giving the market a meaningful tenant base relative to its size.

The cities inside Newton County

The three highest-risk cities, Newton (population 3,116, score 3.7/10), Union (population 2,090, score 3.7/10), and Decatur (population 1,929, score 3.7/10), account for the bulk of the county's rental units and all share the county's maximum score. Hickory scores 3.6/10 and Chunky scores 3.4/10, both moderate within this already low-risk environment.

The clear outlier on the low-risk end is Conehatta, which posts the county's minimum score of 2.4/10 with a population of 1,166. That gap of 1.3 points versus the county's urban core underscores how hyper-local eviction risk can be even within a single county boundary. An investor screening opportunities in Newton County should treat each city's score independently rather than relying on the county average.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord operating in Newton County works under Mississippi eviction laws state law, specifically Miss. Code § 89-8 (Landlord and Tenant). For non-payment of rent, the required notice period is 3 days. Lease-violation cure notices require 14 days, and end-of-term or no-cause terminations require 30 days. Mississippi eviction laws does not require just cause for eviction and the state preempts local rent-control ordinances, meaning no municipality inside Newton County can impose a rent cap. Understanding the full Mississippi eviction laws eviction process is essential before acquiring rental property here, particularly because uncontested proceedings can still run 30 to 60 days, and contested matters can stretch 60 to 120 days.

On the cost side, Mississippi eviction costs add up quickly once attorneys are involved. Court filing fees run $75 to $150, sheriff lockout fees range from $30 to $120, and attorney fees typically fall between $500 and $2,500. Even a straightforward uncontested case can consume several hundred dollars before the unit is recovered. Landlords who understand Mississippi security deposit limits and notice requirements upfront are better positioned to avoid the costlier contested scenario entirely.

With an average poverty rate of 33.8% and roughly 36.8% of residents renting, Newton County's operating environment demands close attention to individual city scores; review the city grid above to compare Newton, Union, Decatur, Conehatta, and the county's other markets before committing capital.