Grundy County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Low

Grundy County sits in the north-central corner of Missouri with a total population of 6,503 and a rental market defined by affordability rather than tension. The county's eviction risk score of 3.5/10 puts it at rank 95 out of 115 Missouri eviction laws counties - meaning 94 counties carry higher landlord exposure - placing Grundy firmly in the lower-risk third of the state. That ranking reflects a combination of modest rents, a relatively manageable rent burden, and a state regulatory framework that leans landlord-friendly by design.

Trenton, the county seat, accounts for the overwhelming majority of the county's rental activity with a population of 5,536 and a risk score of 3.5/10. Galt is the county's highest-scoring community at 4/10, while Brimson sits at the low end with a 3.1/10 - a tight range of 1.8 to 2.5 across all 9 tracked cities that signals consistent, low-volatility conditions throughout the county. Smaller communities including Spickard, Laredo, Edinburg, Leisure Lake, and Tindall round out the landscape, most scoring at or below Trenton's level. Average rent across the county is $679/month, and the average rent burden sits at 26.3% of household income - below the 30% threshold that housing economists typically flag as financially stressed. Even so, a 19.3% poverty rate means a meaningful share of renters are stretching budgets, and the 37.6% renter share of occupied housing units is high enough that landlord decisions carry real weight in local housing stability.

Missouri's governing statute, RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant), gives landlords several structural advantages. There is no just-cause requirement for non-renewal, no rent cap, and the state actively preempts any local government from enacting rent control ordinances. For nonpayment of rent, Missouri allows a rent-and-possession action with no mandatory notice period under RSMo § 535.010 - the case can be filed immediately. Material lease violations carry a 10-day notice requirement under RSMo § 441.060, and month-to-month terminations require 30 days. Court filing fees run $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees range from $40 to $150, and attorney fees for a contested case typically fall between $500 and $3,000. An uncontested eviction in Missouri can resolve in as few as 21 days; a contested matter may run 45 to 120 days. The habitability baseline is codified at RSMo § 441.500, and tenant retaliation claims are governed by RSMo § 441.020. Source of income is not a protected class under Missouri fair housing law, which is administered by the Missouri Commission on Human Rights.

With only 9 cities tracked and Trenton holding the bulk of the county's 6,503 residents, Grundy County's risk profile is largely driven by a single market - making Trenton's continued stability the key variable to watch.