In court-decided eviction outcomes for Pelahatchie, MS, tenants prevail in roughly 17.7% 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
25d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Pelahatchie, MS until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 25 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$0.9–2.3k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Pelahatchie, MS costs landlords $946 to $2,264 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$783
25% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Pelahatchie, MS is $783 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 25% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
29.9%
of households
29.9% of occupied housing units in Pelahatchie, 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
21.3%
4.5% unemp.
21.3% of Pelahatchie, MS residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 4.5%. 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
GOP margin +47.1% (2024)
3.5
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
3.5
State political climate
Mississippi legislature & governorship
1.8
Economic stress
21.3% poverty · 4.5% unemp.
7.2
Supply constraint
$783 average · 29.9% renters
4.6
Rent Control risk
25.4% of income on rent
5.7
Eviction process difficulty
25 days filing → judgment
2.0
Tenant organizing strength
29.9% renters
6.5
Housing court bias
County bench composition
6.9
Geographic context
Risk heat across Pelahatchie and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Pelahatchie compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Rankin County
Moderate
#5of 9 cities
#5 of 9 cities in Rankin County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Mississippi
Moderate
#246of 426 cities
#246 of 426 cities in Mississippi for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.3
/ 10 · VERY LOW
The verdict
A Very low-tier market.
Composite 2.3/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend-0.3 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
25d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $783/mo. A contested eviction takes 25 days and costs $946–$2,264 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
29.9%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 1,423 residents, 29.9% rent. 25% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 21.3% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
3.5
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 3.5 and 3.5 (GOP margin +47.1% (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 2, housing court bias 6.9, rent-control risk 5.7. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.0 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
7.2
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 7.2. Supply constraint: 4.6. The numbers behind those: 21.3% poverty, 4.5% unemployment, 25% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Pelahatchie sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Pelahatchie · 25d · ~$1.6k all-in ($64/day) · score 2.3National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Pelahatchie, Mississippi, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.3/10 (VERY 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.
Pelahatchie is a city of 1,423 residents where 29.9% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 25.4% of income on rent. At an average rent of $783/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 Pelahatchie eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2/10, 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 Pelahatchie closes 25 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 Pelahatchie's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 6.9/10 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 Pelahatchie runs $946 to $2,264 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 25 days of typical timeline and $783/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 6.5/10 in Pelahatchie, and the city has limited rent control exposure (5.7/10). 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 Pelahatchie: 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 VERY 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 $2,264 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Pelahatchie
Trap · 21.3%
Local poverty rate is 21.3%, and the rent-burden distribution skews the eviction-filings curve toward moderate volume in Rankin County. Rent-control-risk sub-score: 5.7/10. Tenant organizing is most active in the rental concentration corridors.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What's the best way to handle a tenant who is consistently late but eventually pays?
Consistency is key. Enforce your late fees as per your lease agreement. If they pay on the 10th every month, send a late notice on the 6th, and apply the fee. If the behavior doesn't change, consider whether you want to renew their lease. Sometimes, a "problem payer" is more trouble than they're worth, even if they always catch up.
Q2
Can I raise the rent in Pelahatchie? Are there rent control rules?
No, Mississippi does not have statewide rent control. This means you are generally free to raise the rent to market rates, provided you give proper notice (typically 30 days for month-to-month leases, or at the end of a fixed-term lease). Always provide written notice. Check our Mississippi rent control rules for more details.
Q3
What if my tenant claims they can't pay due to job loss or illness?
Sympathy is one thing, but business is another. While you can offer a payment plan if you choose, you are not legally obligated to. If you do offer a payment plan, get it in writing and make sure it clearly outlines the new payment schedule and what happens if they miss a payment. Otherwise, proceed with the 3-day pay-or-quit notice as usual. Your primary goal is protecting your investment.
Q4
Do I need an attorney for every eviction?
Not necessarily, especially for clear-cut non-payment cases where the tenant doesn't contest. However, if the tenant hires a lawyer, raises complex defenses, or you are unfamiliar with court procedures, hiring your own attorney is highly recommended. It can save you from costly mistakes and delays. For a Pelahatchie landlord, understanding when to call in professional help is a smart move.
Q5
What are the biggest mistakes Pelahatchie landlords make during eviction?
The most common mistakes are: improper notice (wrong timeframe, incorrect service), attempting self-help eviction (changing locks, turning off utilities), and not having sufficient documentation in court. Follow the law precisely, keep meticulous records, and don't take matters into your own hands.
Q6
Can I include "no pets" in my lease?
Yes, you can generally include a "no pets" clause in your lease. However, you must make reasonable accommodations for tenants with service animals or emotional support animals, as these are protected under federal fair housing laws. Always consult legal counsel if you're unsure about an accommodation request. For more on tenant protections, see our Mississippi tenant protections.
A 2.3/10 places Pelahatchie in the 48th 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.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Pelahatchie (2.3/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
