Cedar County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Low

Cedar County sits in the rolling cattle country of southwest Missouri with a total population of 5,864 spread across four incorporated communities. The county carries a Low eviction risk score of 3.8/10, placing it 51st out of 115 Missouri counties - squarely in the middle third of the state. That ranking means 50 counties are riskier for landlords and 64 are calmer, making Cedar County a broadly stable rental environment rather than a standout in either direction.

The largest city, El Dorado Springs (population 3,586), anchors the rental market with a score of 4/10 that mirrors the county average almost exactly. Stockton, the county seat with 1,950 residents, is the riskiest individual market at 3.6/10 - still firmly in Low territory but worth tracking for landlords holding units there. Smaller communities tell a quieter story: Jerico Springs scores 3.2/10 and Umber View Heights comes in at the county floor of 3.1/10, reflecting the limited rental activity and low tenant-side pressure in those villages. No city in Cedar County reaches a score that would trigger heightened caution; the range of 1.9 to 2.5 is narrow and consistent.

The financial picture facing renters here is real, even if eviction filings run low. Average rent stands at $705 per month, and the average rent burden is 30.8% of income - just above the standard 30% threshold that housing researchers use to flag cost stress. 46% of housing units in the county are renter-occupied, a higher renter share than many rural Missouri counties. Layered on top of that is an average poverty rate of 23.3%, meaning a meaningful portion of tenants are operating with very thin financial margins. Under RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant), Missouri gives landlords a straightforward path to the courthouse when rent goes unpaid: a rent-and-possession action under RSMo § 535.010 requires no advance notice before filing. For a month-to-month tenancy termination, RSMo § 441.060 requires 30 days notice. Court filing fees run $70 to $180, and an uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 45 days. Those relatively modest costs and timelines are part of why Missouri as a whole scores landlord-friendly, and Cedar County reflects that baseline.

Cedar County's Low risk score reflects a rural rental market where tenant-protection laws are minimal, filing costs are low, and the procedural path through Missouri eviction laws's courts is well-defined - but where poverty and rent burden create an underlying fragility that landlords should not overlook.