Sullivan County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Low

Sullivan County sits in north-central Missouri with a total population of roughly 3,004 and an eviction risk score of 3.3/10 - placing it in the lower-risk third of Missouri's 115 counties. Eighty-five counties in the state carry a higher risk score, and only 29 are considered less risky for landlords. That positioning reflects a rental market that remains relatively stable: average rent across the county runs $677 per month, and the average rent burden stands at 19.4% of household income - well below the 30% threshold that housing researchers use as a financial stress marker. About 35.4% of the county's households are renters, and the poverty rate averages 14.3%, both figures that shape day-to-day landlord-tenant dynamics in smaller rural communities.

The county seat of Milan is the most active rental market in the county, with a population of 1,859 and a risk score of 3.4/10. Green City, the second-largest municipality at 658 residents, matches that 3.2/10 score. Smaller communities including Green Castle (3.2/10), Humphreys (3.4/10), and Winigan (3.1/10) all fall at or below the county average. The narrow band between the highest (3.1/10) and lowest (3.1/10) city scores signals a fairly consistent risk profile throughout the county rather than concentrated hot spots. Landlords operating in multiple Sullivan County locations face similar legal and market conditions regardless of which municipality they are in.

Missouri landlord-tenant law under RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant) governs all Sullivan County rentals. The state imposes no rent cap and no just-cause eviction requirement, and a 2024 state preemption statute bars any municipality from enacting local rent control - a meaningful protection for rental property owners statewide. Filing a rent-and-possession action under RSMo § 535.010 requires no advance notice before filing; a material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice under RSMo § 441.060, and ending a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days. Court filing fees range from $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees from $40 to $150, and attorney fees typically fall between $500 and $3,000 depending on case complexity. An uncontested eviction in Missouri resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested case can extend to 120 days. Habitability obligations are codified at RSMo § 441.500, and the anti-retaliation provision at RSMo § 441.020 prohibits adverse action against tenants who exercise legal rights. Fair housing complaints are handled by the Missouri Commission on Human Rights. Source-of-income (housing voucher) is not a protected class under Missouri state law, giving landlords discretion on voucher acceptance.

Sullivan County's low risk score reflects both the affordability of its rental market - average rent of $677 against a 19.4% burden rate - and Missouri eviction laws's landlord-favorable statutory framework, which imposes no rent cap, no just-cause requirement, and bars local rent control ordinances statewide.