Henry County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Low

Henry County carries a county-wide average eviction-risk score of 2.5/10 (Low), spread across 10 cities with individual scores ranging from 1.8 to 2.9. That compressed band is a genuine plus for landlords: even the highest-risk corner of the county sits comfortably in low-risk territory by Missouri standards. Still, the county ranks 26th of 115 Missouri eviction laws counties, meaning 25 counties are riskier but 89 are more landlord-friendly, placing Henry County in the higher-risk third of the state. Investors should treat that ranking as a prompt to look beyond the county average and assess individual markets before committing capital.

Average rent across the county runs $748 per month, and the average rent burden sits at 31.4% of renter income. With roughly 29.2% of households renting, the pool of prospective tenants is real but not deep, and a 20.3% poverty rate signals elevated financial fragility among renters. That combination, moderate rents and constrained incomes, is what pushes the county into the higher-risk third of Missouri even while its absolute score stays low.

The cities inside Henry County

Clinton is the county seat and by far the largest city at 9,065 residents. It also carries the county's highest risk score at 3.3/10, driven by a larger renter pool and the income pressures that come with urban concentration. Windsor, population 3,094, ties Montrose at 2.5/10, the second-highest tier in the county. For landlords targeting the county's two most established rental markets, Clinton and Windsor represent workable but comparatively higher-exposure positions relative to smaller towns.

Risk drops considerably once you move to the smaller communities. Urich scores 2.5/10 and Brownington 2.9/10, the lowest in the county. Deepwater comes in at 2.6/10. The gap between Clinton at 3.3 and Brownington at 2.2 spans more than a full point on a 10-point scale, which is meaningful when you are underwriting vacancy risk or setting reserves. Risk in Henry County is genuinely hyper-local, and city-level scores tell a different story than the county average alone.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord operating in Henry County works under Missouri state law, specifically RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant). For nonpayment of rent, Missouri requires no advance notice period under RSMo § 535.010, meaning a rent-and-possession filing can begin immediately. 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. Understanding the Missouri eviction process from notice through writ is essential before placing your first tenant in any Henry County city.

Court filing fees range from $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees from $40 to $150, and attorney fees from $500 to $3,000, depending on whether the case is contested. An uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested one can stretch to 45 to 120 days. Missouri imposes no just-cause requirement for eviction and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so there is no rent cap formula in effect here. For a full breakdown of fee components and timelines, the Missouri eviction costs guide covers the statewide framework in detail.

With a poverty rate of 20.3% and a renter share of 29.2%, tenant financial stability is the primary variable to screen for in Henry County; the city grid above breaks down where that pressure concentrates most.