Madison County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Low

Madison County sits in Missouri's Arcadian foothills with a total population of 5,921 spread across six municipalities. The county earns a Low eviction risk rating of 3.9/10, though that score places it 8th out of 115 Missouri eviction laws counties - meaning only 7 counties statewide carry higher landlord-tenant friction. Landlords operating here encounter a legal environment governed by RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant) that skews firmly toward property-owner flexibility: no rent caps, no just-cause requirement, and a state preemption that blocks any city or county from enacting local rent control ordinances.

The county's economic backdrop shapes tenant stability more than legal risk. Average rent lands at $834 per month, and renters devote an average of 28.2% of their income to housing costs - a burden rate that leaves limited cushion when income disruptions hit. Roughly 39.5% of households rent rather than own, and the average poverty rate runs at 19.7%, one of the higher poverty concentrations among Missouri's rural southeastern counties. That combination - modest rents offset by constrained incomes - is the primary driver behind contested evictions in this market. Fredericktown, the county seat and by far the largest city at 4,507 residents, carries the highest individual score at 4/10. Smaller communities like Junction City (pop. 372, score 3.4/10) and Cobalt (pop. 364, score 4/10) follow, while Mine La Motte (pop. 370) registers the county's floor score of 3.1/10.

On the procedural side, Missouri's eviction framework under RSMo § 535.010 permits landlords to file a rent-and-possession action immediately upon nonpayment - there is no mandatory cure period before filing. A material lease violation requires a 10-day notice under RSMo § 441.060, and ending a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days under the same statute. Once in court, an uncontested filing typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested case can run 45 to 120 days. Court filing fees range from $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees from $40 to $150, and attorney costs from $500 to $3,000 depending on complexity. Source of income is not a protected class in Missouri, so housing voucher holders carry no special screening protections here. Fair housing complaints route to the Missouri Commission on Human Rights.

Data covers 6 cities across Madison County, MO, representing a combined population of 5,921. Scores range from 3.9/10 (Mine La Motte) to 3.1/10 (Fredericktown), with all cities falling within the Low risk band.