Mississippi County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Moderate

Mississippi County sits in the Missouri Bootheel, a region historically shaped by agricultural tenancy and persistent economic strain. With a total population of 8,864 and an average renter share of 45.9%, nearly half of county residents are renters - a notably high share for a rural Missouri county. The Eviction Risk Map research team scores Mississippi County at 4/10 (Low risk), which places it 28th of 115 Missouri counties, meaning 27 counties carry higher eviction pressure and 87 are more landlord-favorable. That puts the county in the higher-risk third of the state despite its low absolute score.

The economic picture behind that ranking is worth understanding. Average rent runs $747 per month, but the average rent burden sits at 38.4% of household income - well above the standard 30% affordability threshold. Poverty rates average 30.9% across the county's eight incorporated places, a figure that concentrates financial fragility among renters. Charleston (population 4,482) is the county seat and largest city, scoring 4.2/10. East Prairie (population 2,902) follows at 4/10. The highest individual city score belongs to Wyatt at 4.3/10, while Bertrand sits at the low end with 3.2/10 - a range of exactly one full point across just eight communities, which reflects meaningful variation in local rental market conditions even within a small county.

Missouri landlord-tenant law under RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant) governs all activity in the county. There is no local rent control - Missouri state law preempts municipalities from enacting rent caps, so no city in Mississippi County can impose one. Just cause is not required to end a tenancy. For nonpayment of rent, Missouri uses the rent-and-possession action under RSMo § 535.010, which carries no mandatory notice period before filing - a landlord may proceed immediately once rent is overdue. Lease violations require a 10-day notice under RSMo § 441.060; ending a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days under the same statute. Court filing fees run $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees range from $40 to $150, and attorney costs typically fall between $500 and $3,000. An uncontested eviction resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested case stretches to 45 to 120 days. Landlords considering filing should verify current fee schedules with the Mississippi County Circuit Court, as local courts set filing costs within the state range.

The 38.4% average rent burden in Mississippi County exceeds Missouri eviction laws's standard affordability threshold, and a 30.9% poverty rate means a large share of renters here have little buffer against income disruption - factors that raise the practical likelihood of nonpayment filings even when the statutory environment is landlord-favorable.