Macon County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Very Low

Macon County sits in north-central Missouri with a total population of 8,462 and an eviction risk score of 2.3/10 - rated Low. That places the county 70th of 115 Missouri counties, meaning 69 counties carry higher risk and 45 are lower, landing Macon squarely in the middle third of the state. For landlords, that middle-tier position reflects a market where Missouri's landlord-friendly statutes apply without the added friction of local ordinances: Missouri preempts local rent control statewide, and no city in Macon County has enacted competing tenant protections.

The rental market here is modest by any measure. Average rent sits at $625/month and average rent burden is 27.2% of renter household income - below the common 30% distress threshold, which reduces the structural pressure that drives nonpayment evictions in higher-cost markets. About 33% of residents rent, and 13.3% of the population falls below the poverty line. That poverty rate does present some exposure: in a market with limited employment diversity, income shocks can move quickly from hardship to nonpayment. The county's 8 tracked cities show scores ranging from 2.1 (Ethel and Elmer) to 2.7 (Callao), a narrow band that signals relatively uniform conditions across communities. The county seat of Macon, with a population of 5,466, scores 2.2/10 and dominates the rental picture. La Plata, the second-largest community at 1,351 residents, posts a score of 2.6/10 - the second-highest in the county. Bevier at 657 residents scores 2.3, matching the county average.

Missouri eviction law under RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant) is generally efficient for landlords. A nonpayment case filed under RSMo § 535.010 requires no advance written notice before filing - the landlord may proceed directly. Material lease violations require a 10-day notice under RSMo § 441.060; month-to-month terminations require 30 days. Court filing fees run $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees run $40 to $150, and attorney fees typically fall between $500 and $3,000. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days; contested matters in 45 to 120 days. The tenant habitability obligation under RSMo § 441.500 and the retaliation protection under RSMo § 441.020 are the primary tenant-side tools that could complicate a filing, but neither creates unusual procedural burden in a small-market county court. Source of income is not a protected class in Missouri, and no just-cause requirement exists for termination, giving landlords broad flexibility on lease nonrenewal.

Macon County's Low eviction risk reflects a combination of modest rents, a below-30% average rent burden, and Missouri eviction laws's preemptive, landlord-oriented statutory framework - with no local ordinances adding procedural complexity.