Franklin County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Low

Franklin County scores 3.4/10 (Low) on average across its 18 cities, placing it at rank 19 of 115 Missouri counties, where rank 1 is the highest-risk. That means 18 counties carry more eviction risk than Franklin County, while 96 are more landlord-friendly, putting it in the higher-risk third of Missouri eviction laws overall. For landlords, that overall Low label reflects genuine stability in parts of the county, but it masks meaningful variation: individual city scores range from 3.1 to 5.9, so the specific market you enter matters as much as the county average.

With an average rent of $929 and an average rent burden of 27.2%, tenants across Franklin County are not under extreme financial pressure by Missouri eviction laws standards, which supports lower eviction frequency. Renter households make up 32.6% of the county, a moderate share that keeps demand for rental product reasonably consistent. Investors comparing Franklin County to peer markets will find it in similar territory to Taney County (3.4/10), Phelps County (3.4/10), and Cape Girardeau County (3.4/10), though Buchanan County at 3.4/10 runs somewhat hotter.

The cities inside Franklin County

The two highest-risk cities in the county are West Sullivan and West Sullivan, both at 5.9/10. Union, the county seat and home to 12,781 residents, carries the most concentrated rental activity in Franklin County, and its score reflects correspondingly higher eviction pressure. Pacific (3.5/10, population 7,475) and Parkway (4/10) are not far behind, with Gerald at 3.6/10 and Sullivan at 3.6/10 (population 6,310) rounding out the upper-risk tier.

The lower end of the risk spectrum looks quite different. St. Clair scores 3.2/10 with a population of 4,789, and Washington, the county's largest city at 15,130 residents, comes in at a relatively stable 3.4/10. New Haven scores 3.2/10. The roughly 1.6-point gap between the lowest and highest city scores inside a single county underscores how hyper-local eviction risk is: operators focusing on Washington eviction laws or St. Clair are working in a materially different environment than those holding units in Union or Pacific.

State-level laws that apply here

Under Missouri eviction laws state law, specifically RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant), the eviction notice framework is straightforward. For nonpayment of rent, Missouri eviction laws allows a landlord to file immediately under a rent-and-possession action with no prior written notice period required (RSMo § 535.010). A material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice under RSMo § 441.060, and ending a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days notice under the same statute. Missouri eviction laws does not require just cause to terminate tenancy and has no statewide rent cap, with the state preempting any local rent control. Understanding the full Missouri eviction laws eviction process matters here because uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days while contested matters can run 45 to 120 days.

On the cost side, Missouri eviction costs break down to a court filing fee of $70 to $180, a sheriff lockout fee of $40 to $150, and attorney fees ranging from $500 to $3,000 depending on case complexity. Missouri security deposit limits and other landlord-tenant provisions are governed by RSMo § 441 as well. The Missouri eviction laws Commission on Human Rights administers fair housing complaints in the state, and a retaliation prohibition applies under RSMo § 441.020.

With an average poverty rate of 9.2% and renters making up 32.6% of households, Franklin County's risk profile is shaped more by localized city conditions than by county-wide distress, making the city-by-city grid above the most reliable guide for investors scoping specific markets.