Johnson County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Low

Johnson County, Missouri scores 3/10 (Low risk) as a county average, but that single number masks meaningful variation across its 9 incorporated places. With rank 34 of 115 Missouri eviction laws counties on the eviction-risk index, the county sits in the higher-risk third of the state: 33 counties carry more risk, while 81 are less risky or more landlord-friendly. For landlords and investors, that positioning signals a market that rewards careful city and property selection rather than a blanket pass on the entire county.

The intra-county range runs from 2.1 to 3.6, a spread wide enough to matter operationally. Average rent across the county runs $945 per month, with a rent burden averaging 28.2% of renter income, and renters make up 55.6% of occupied households. Those numbers point to a tenant base that is renter-heavy and moderately cost-stressed, which is exactly the profile that tends to produce higher late-payment frequencies and the occasional eviction filing.

The cities inside Johnson County

At the top of the risk ladder sits Holden, scoring 3.6/10 with a population of roughly 1,989. It is the only city in the county to breach the 3.5 mark, and landlords there should plan for more active lease enforcement than the county average suggests. Warrensburg, the county seat and by far the largest community at 19,582 residents, scores 3.2/10, placing it solidly above the county average. Its size and the presence of a university population create consistent rental demand, but also a tenant pool with higher turnover and some elevated payment-risk characteristics. Leeton rounds out the top three at 3.1/10.

At the other end of the spectrum, Whiteman AFB scores 2.1/10, the county low, reflecting the stability typical of military-adjacent housing markets. Centerview (2.3/10), Blairstown (2.2/10), and Kingsville (2.5/10) are also meaningfully below the county average. The gap between Holden at 3.6 and Whiteman AFB at 2.1 underscores that risk in Johnson County is genuinely hyper-local: two properties a few miles apart can sit in very different operating environments.

State-level laws that apply here

Missouri state law governs every lease in Johnson County. Under the Missouri eviction process, the notice requirements vary by eviction type. For nonpayment of rent, Missouri uses a rent-and-possession action under RSMo § 535.010 that requires no advance notice period before filing, meaning landlords can move to court immediately after a missed payment. A material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice under RSMo § 441.060, and terminating a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days notice under the same statute. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days; contested matters stretch to 45 to 120 days.

Missouri eviction costs are a real consideration for any landlord underwriting a deal here. Court filing fees run $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $150, and attorney fees range from $500 to $3,000 depending on complexity. Missouri imposes no rent control and requires no just cause to end a tenancy, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, which keeps the regulatory framework predictable across the county. For the full statutory picture on Missouri security deposit limits and other tenant rights, see the statewide guides.

With a poverty rate averaging 15.8% across the county and renters comprising 55.6% of households, the risk profile is uneven enough that city-level scores, shown in the grid above, are the most reliable guide for site-specific underwriting decisions.