Montgomery County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Very Low

Montgomery County sits in the lower-risk third of Missouri's 115 counties, carrying a Low eviction risk score of 2.2/10. Eighty-four Missouri eviction laws counties score higher - meaning this county is considerably more landlord-friendly than most of the state. With a total population of 5,807 and an average monthly rent of $769, the rental market here is modest in scale but stable. The average rent burden of 23.1% of household income is below the commonly cited stress threshold of 30%, which correlates with lower rates of payment default and fewer eviction filings.

The county seat is Montgomery City (population 2,801, score 2.3/10), which anchors most rental activity. Wellsville (population 1,165) and New Florence (population 667) represent the next tier of residential concentration. Among the 11 tracked municipalities, High Hill and Bellflower carry the highest local scores at 2.7/10 - still solidly in Low territory - while Rhineland scores the lowest at 1.9/10. The narrow band from 1.6 to 2.7 across all cities signals consistent, low-volatility conditions rather than pockets of concentrated risk. A poverty rate of 18.6% is a factor worth monitoring in smaller communities, since income instability can lag into rent delinquency during regional downturns, but at the county level that signal is offset by the low rent-to-income ratio.

Missouri eviction laws governs landlord-tenant relations primarily through RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant). The state does not require just cause for eviction, does not protect source of income as a fair-housing category, and - critically for landlords operating across multiple Missouri eviction laws markets - preempts any local rent control ordinance, so Montgomery County municipalities cannot impose rent caps independent of state law. For nonpayment of rent, landlords may proceed with a rent-and-possession action under RSMo § 535.010 with no mandatory pre-filing notice period. A material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice under RSMo § 441.060, and a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days notice under the same statute. Court filing fees run $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees $40 to $150, and uncontested matters typically resolve in 21 to 45 days. Contested proceedings extend to 45 to 120 days and attorney fees commonly range $500 to $3,000 depending on complexity. Landlords should also be aware that RSMo § 441.020 prohibits retaliatory conduct and RSMo § 441.500 codifies the implied warranty of habitability - both of which tenants can raise as defenses. The Missouri eviction laws Commission on Human Rights handles fair-housing complaints for the state.

Montgomery County's eviction risk score reflects Missouri eviction laws's landlord-friendly statutory framework combined with a small, relatively low-burden rental population - factors that together produce one of the more stable operating environments in the state.