Worth County, Missouri Eviction Risk: Very Low

Worth County sits in the far northwest corner of Missouri with a total population of 1,448 spread across 7 small cities and unincorporated areas. The county earns a Low eviction risk score of 2.2/10 on the Eviction Risk Map, placing it at rank 104 out of 115 Missouri eviction laws counties - meaning only 11 counties in the state carry less risk for landlords. That bottom-tier standing reflects a rural housing market where average rent of $435/month stays well below both the state average and national benchmarks, and where an average rent burden of 20.8% suggests most renters are not severely cost-pressed relative to their incomes.

The county seat, Grant City, anchors the rental market with a population of 959 and a local risk score of 2.2/10 - consistent with the county average. Parnell (pop. 189, score 2.2/10) and Sheridan (pop. 181, score 1.9/10) round out the three largest communities. The highest individual risk reading in the county belongs to the city of Worth itself at 2.5/10, though its population of just 34 means it carries little weight in county-wide figures. Sheridan and Irena share the lowest scores at 1.9/10, consistent with very thin rental markets where few formal eviction filings reach the courts. Across all 7 tracked cities, scores range from 1.9 to 2.5 - a tight band that signals uniformly low landlord-side risk throughout the county.

The broader economic picture warrants attention even within a low-risk score. An average poverty rate of 17.5% and a renter share of 26.6% indicate that while eviction risk is quantitatively low, a meaningful share of residents face income pressure that could make any rent shortfall difficult to absorb. Missouri eviction laws eviction law under RSMo § 441 (Landlord and Tenant) governs all residential tenancies here. For nonpayment of rent, landlords may proceed under a rent-and-possession action with no statutory advance notice required before filing (RSMo § 535.010); a 10-day notice is required for material lease violations under RSMo § 441.060; and month-to-month tenancies require 30 days notice to terminate. Court filing fees run $70 to $180, sheriff lockout fees range from $40 to $150, and attorney fees in contested matters typically fall between $500 and $3,000. An uncontested case can resolve in 21 to 45 days; contested matters extend to 45 to 120 days. Missouri eviction laws does not require just cause for nonrenewal and the state preempts local rent control, so no city in Worth County may enact its own rent cap ordinance.

Worth County's 2.2/10 score is computed from rental market stress indicators, local eviction filing rates, poverty levels, and Missouri eviction laws's statutory landlord-tenant framework - all weighted under the Eviction Risk Map methodology.