Sussex County, New Jersey Eviction Risk: Elevated

Sussex County carries an average eviction-risk score of 6.8/10 (Elevated) across its 17 cities, placing it 18th out of 21 counties in New Jersey, meaning 17 counties score higher and only 3 are less risky. That lower-risk-third position is a relative comfort, but an Elevated rating still signals real operating friction: average rent runs $1,707 per month, the average rent burden sits at 34.8% of household income, and the renter share is a modest 22.1% of the county's roughly 61,476 residents. Rural character and low tenant-population density keep overall exposure contained, but the legal environment under New Jersey eviction laws state law is not forgiving when a tenancy goes wrong.

The intra-county spread, from a low of 5.4 to a high of 7.7, is wide enough to matter operationally. A landlord holding units at the low end of that range faces meaningfully different conditions than one concentrated in the county's most contentious markets. Underwriting based on a county average alone understates the risk in certain communities and overstates it in others.

The cities inside Sussex County

The borough of Sussex leads the county at 7.7/10, the only locality to breach the upper end of the county range. Newton and Franklin both score 7.2/10, with Newton serving roughly 8,369 residents and Franklin approximately 4,968. Highland Lakes also lands at 7.2/10, and Hopatcong, the county's most populous community at 14,565 residents, sits at 7.1/10. Together these five localities account for a disproportionate share of the county's eviction friction, and landlords evaluating acquisitions in any of them should budget accordingly.

On the other end, Lake Mohawk comes in at 6.2/10 with a population of 9,508, and Byram Center scores 6.4/10. These lower-scoring communities may offer a more manageable operating environment while still sitting within the same county lines. The practical lesson is that risk in Sussex County is hyper-local: a four-point spread between the county's softest and sharpest markets can be the difference between a stable cash-flow asset and a litigation-heavy one.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Sussex County operates under New Jersey's Anti-Eviction Act (N.J.S.A. § 2A:18 and N.J.S.A. § 46:8). Just cause is required for all evictions, meaning a landlord cannot terminate a tenancy without a statutory reason, regardless of lease expiration. Notice requirements vary by cause: nonpayment of rent carries no notice period before filing, disorderly conduct and willful damage each require a 3-day notice, a substantial lease violation requires 30 days, and an owner move-in or substantial renovation requires 60 days. Court filing fees run $50 to $100, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $150, and attorney fees typically range from $750 to $3,500. An uncontested case resolves in roughly 30 to 60 days; a contested matter stretches to 90 to 180 days. Landlords weighing total exposure should review the New Jersey eviction costs guide for a full breakdown of what each stage typically adds up to.

Source-of-income protection is enforced under New Jersey law, meaning landlords may not refuse a tenant solely on the basis of housing vouchers or other assistance. State law does not preempt local rent control, so individual municipalities may layer additional restrictions on top of the statewide framework. Landlords should verify local ordinances in any target market. A thorough read of the New Jersey eviction process and the New Jersey tenant protections framework is essential before writing any lease in the county. Entry to a rental unit requires at least 24 hours notice under N.J.S.A. § 2A:42-85.

With a county-wide poverty rate of just 5.8% and renters making up only 22.1% of the population, Sussex County's eviction exposure is narrow compared with many New Jersey eviction laws markets, but the city grid above shows that the highest-risk communities can pull individual landlords well above the county average.