DeKalb County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Very Low

DeKalb County sits in northwestern Missouri with a total population of 11,686 spread across 7 incorporated places. The county scores 2.3/10 on the Eviction Risk Map index, earning a Low risk designation that places it 59th of 115 Missouri eviction laws counties - squarely in the middle third of the state, with 58 counties carrying higher eviction risk and 56 carrying lower risk. For landlords operating here, that positioning reflects a relatively stable rental environment compared with Missouri eviction laws's urban cores, though the rural character of the county introduces its own set of financial pressures on renters.

Cameron is by far the county's largest city at 8,519 residents and carries a score of 2.4/10, making it the practical center of any rental portfolio in DeKalb County. Beyond Cameron, Maysville (947 residents, 2.1/10), Stewartsville (844 residents, 1.9/10), and King City (830 residents, 2.2/10) account for most of the remaining rental inventory. The highest individual scores in the county belong to Weatherby at 2.8/10 and Clarksdale at 2.6/10, though both are small enough - 75 and 399 residents respectively - that they represent a narrow slice of total rental activity. Average rent across the county is $972 per month, with renters carrying an average rent burden of 23.6% of income - below the 30% threshold that housing economists flag as financially stressed. Renters make up 39.1% of occupied households, a relatively high share for a rural Missouri county, and the poverty rate sits at 15.8%, which does add some baseline fragility to the tenant pool.

Missouri landlord-tenant law is governed by RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant), and DeKalb County landlords operate entirely within state statutes - there is no local rent control, and Missouri's state preemption law blocks any municipality from imposing rent caps. Just cause for eviction is not required under Missouri law, giving landlords straightforward lease-end flexibility. For nonpayment of rent, Missouri permits a rent-and-possession action with no advance notice period required before filing under RSMo § 535.010 - one of the more landlord-favorable notice structures in the Midwest. Material lease violations require a 10-day notice under RSMo § 441.060, and month-to-month tenancies require 30 days. Court filing fees in Missouri run $70-$180, sheriff lockout fees range from $40-$150, and uncontested evictions typically resolve in 21-45 days from filing. If a case is contested, expect 45-120 days. Attorney fees where counsel is retained generally run $500-$3,000. The habitability standard is codified at RSMo § 441.500 and retaliation protections at RSMo § 441.020. Source-of-income is not a protected class under Missouri fair housing law, and fair housing complaints are handled by the Missouri Commission on Human Rights.

DeKalb County's 2.3/10 score reflects a low-intensity rental market where below-30% average rent burden and the absence of local tenant-protection ordinances keep eviction procedural costs predictable - the primary risk factor is a 15.8% poverty rate that can translate to payment volatility during economic disruptions.