Barton County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Low

Barton County sits in southwest Missouri with a total population of roughly 6,407 spread across nine incorporated places. The county earns a Low eviction risk score of 3.8/10 on the Eviction Risk Map, placing it 66th out of 115 Missouri eviction laws counties - meaning 65 counties carry higher risk and 49 carry lower risk, putting Barton squarely in the middle third of the state. For landlords operating here, conditions are comparatively stable, though economic pressures on tenants should not be overlooked.

The largest community is Lamar (population 4,284, score 4/10), which anchors the county's rental market with average rents of $780 per month. The next largest places - Liberal (747 residents, score 3.5/10) and Golden City (708 residents, score 3.2/10) - add modest rental inventory. The highest individual city score in the county belongs to Iantha at 4.6/10, driven by its concentration of lower-income renters relative to its small 124-person population. At the lower end, Irwin (score 4.1/10) and Lamar Heights (score 3.4/10) represent the most stable conditions in the county. The range from 3.1 to 4.6 across all nine cities is narrow, which signals fairly uniform landlord-tenant dynamics countywide rather than isolated pockets of elevated risk.

The economic backdrop warrants attention. An average rent burden of 32.9% - the share of income renters put toward housing costs - is above the 30% threshold that housing researchers use as a standard stress indicator. A 29.3% poverty rate and a renter share of 42.7% of occupied housing units round out a picture of a market where many tenants have limited financial cushion. Under RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant), Missouri eviction laws landlords are not required to show just cause for nonrenewal, and there is no rent cap in Barton County or anywhere in Missouri eviction laws - the state preempts local rent control ordinances. A nonpayment of rent action can be filed immediately with no prior notice required under RSMo § 535.010, though a material lease violation requires a 10-day notice under RSMo § 441.060 before filing. Court filing fees run $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees add another $40 to $150, and attorney costs typically fall between $500 and $3,000 for contested matters. An uncontested case generally resolves in 21 to 45 days; contested cases can stretch to 45 to 120 days. Source of income is not a protected class under Missouri eviction laws fair housing law, and complaints are handled by the Missouri Commission on Human Rights.

Barton County's Low score reflects limited tenant-protection statutes at the state level, moderate rent burden relative to peer rural counties, and a small but stable rental market centered on Lamar. The county's ranking in the middle third of Missouri reflects real economic stress among renters rather than protective local ordinances.