Taney County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Very Low

Taney County, Missouri eviction laws posts a county-wide average eviction-risk score of 2.3/10 (Very Low), but that headline figure requires some unpacking for landlords evaluating the market. Across 9 cities, individual scores run from a floor of 2/10 all the way to 3.8/10, a range wide enough to move a portfolio from genuinely low-friction territory to a measurably less comfortable operating environment. At rank 16 of 115 Missouri counties, Taney County sits in the higher-risk third of the state: 15 counties carry more risk and 99 are more landlord-friendly, so investors should treat this as a cautionary-moderate market rather than a blanket safe haven. Average rent of $889 and a rent-burden rate of 28% suggest tenants are not severely cost-pressed, which supports collection stability, but a 16% poverty rate and a renter share of 40.5% of occupied units mean a meaningful slice of the pool carries financial vulnerability.

Operationally, the state framework for Missouri eviction laws is workable: no just-cause eviction requirement, no rent control, and a statutory process that moves in weeks rather than months when uncontested. Those advantages apply throughout the county, which is why even the riskier end of the local score range stays below 4/10. The gap between the county's best and worst cities is real enough, though, that address-level underwriting matters more than relying on the county average.

The cities inside Taney County

Merriam Woods leads the county in eviction risk at 2.8/10. With a population of 4,643, it is the second-largest city in the county and carries the conditions most likely to stress a landlord's collections cycle. Bull Creek follows at 2.6/10, a smaller community of 421 residents where a single troubled tenant can move the needle on a small portfolio. Branson, the county's largest city at 12,817 residents, scores 2.3/10, matching the county average exactly; its tourism-driven economy creates seasonality in renter income that the score reflects.

On the other side of the ledger, Taneyville scores just 2.1/10, the lowest reading in the county, and Kissee Mills comes in at 1.9/10. Merriam Woods and Rockaway Beach both sit at 2.7/10. The spread makes clear that risk in Taney County is hyper-local: moving even a few miles from Hollister toward Taneyville cuts the risk profile nearly in half. Forsyth, the county seat, lands at 2.1/10, consistent with the county average.

State-level laws that apply here

Missouri eviction laws's landlord-tenant framework under RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant) is structured in landlords' favor on the key variables. For nonpayment of rent, state law requires 0 days written notice before filing a rent-and-possession action (RSMo § 535.010), meaning a landlord can go directly to court the day rent is late. A material lease violation triggers a 10-day notice requirement (RSMo § 441.060), and ending a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days notice under the same statute. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days; contested matters run 45 to 120 days. Court filing fees range from $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees from $40 to $150, and attorney fees from $500 to $3,000 depending on complexity. Reviewing the full Missouri eviction laws eviction process before your first filing will prevent procedural errors that add time and cost.

Missouri eviction laws state law also preempts local rent control ordinances, so no Taney County municipality can impose rent caps beyond what the state allows, and there are none in effect. Just cause is not required for nonrenewal or termination at the end of a lease term. Missouri security deposit limits and the handling of tenant claims are defined at the state level and apply uniformly across every city in the county, so landlords operating in multiple markets face one consistent set of rules. Understanding Missouri eviction costs in full, including the fee ranges above, is the baseline for accurate pro forma underwriting here.

With a 16% poverty rate and renters making up 40.5% of occupied units, Taney County's risk is concentrated unevenly across its cities; the grid above breaks down each community's individual score so landlords can compare Hollister, Branson, Forsyth, and every other city directly before committing capital.