Webster County, Mississippi Eviction Risk: Low

Webster County, Mississippi eviction laws earns an average eviction-risk score of 3.2/10 (Low), placing it at rank 69 of 82 Mississippi eviction laws counties, meaning 68 counties carry more risk and only 13 are more landlord-friendly. For investors sizing up a small-market entry, that positioning signals genuine operational stability: court activity is low, tenant turnover pressures are modest, and the market does not show the political friction that drives scores upward in larger metros. The county's 4 cities span scores from 2.6 to 3.3, a narrow band that suggests fairly consistent operating conditions across the area rather than sharp pockets of concentrated exposure.

At an average rent of $568 and an average rent-burden rate of 28.6%, renters here are spending a manageable share of income on housing by national standards, which tends to reduce the frequency of non-payment triggers that initiate eviction proceedings. The 38.3% renter share of households is meaningful enough to support a viable rental portfolio, though the total county population of 3,215 keeps the absolute market small. Landlords operating here should think in terms of tight tenant retention rather than aggressive turnover strategy.

The cities inside Webster County

Eupora is the county seat and by far the largest market, with a population of 2,250 and a risk score of 3.3/10, the highest in the county. At that level it is still firmly in Low territory, but investors buying or managing units there should expect slightly more eviction activity relative to the rest of the county simply because of population density. Mathiston, with 775 residents and a score of 3.1/10, is the second-largest market and essentially mirrors the county average, offering a predictable operating environment for small-portfolio landlords.

Walthall comes in at 2.8/10 and Slate Springs at 2.6/10, the lowest score in the county. Both are very small communities, with populations of 128 and 62 respectively, so rental unit counts are limited, but the low scores reflect genuinely favorable landlord conditions. Risk is hyper-local even within a low-risk county: a landlord concentrated in Eupora faces a materially different probability distribution than one operating in Slate Springs, even though neither represents high overall risk.

State-level laws that apply here

Mississippi state law governs every tenancy in Webster County. Under Miss. Code § 89-8 (Landlord and Tenant), non-payment of rent triggers a 3-day notice requirement before a landlord can proceed to court. A lease-violation cure notice requires 14 days, and a no-cause end-of-term notice requires 30 days. Mississippi eviction laws does not require just cause for termination and has a statewide preemption that bars any local government from imposing rent control, which removes two of the biggest regulatory risks landlords face in other states. Reviewing the full Mississippi eviction laws eviction process before placing your first tenant is worthwhile, especially around the distinction between uncontested timelines (30 to 60 days) and contested ones (60 to 120 days).

On the cost side, court filing fees run $75 to $150, sheriff lockout fees run $30 to $120, and attorney fees for an eviction action typically fall in the range of $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity and whether the case is contested. Understanding Mississippi eviction costs upfront helps landlords price those risks into lease terms and security deposit strategy. Mississippi eviction laws does not have a statutory cap on security deposits, giving landlords additional flexibility, and source-of-income is not a protected class under state fair housing law.

With a poverty rate of 18.9% and a renter share of 38.3%, Webster County carries real socioeconomic headwinds that landlords should factor into tenant screening, but those same conditions sit inside a legal and regulatory environment that remains among the more operator-friendly in the state, as the city grid above shows in detail.