Clinton County, New York Eviction Risk: High

Clinton County carries an average eviction-risk score of 8.3/10, placing it in the High risk tier and ranking it 10th of 60 counties in New York. Only 9 counties statewide are riskier, meaning 50 are more landlord-friendly, which puts Clinton County firmly in the higher-risk third of the state. For landlords operating across the county's 18 cities, that figure translates to a market shaped by high renter concentration, above-average poverty, and a legal framework that has grown steadily more tenant-protective.

The intra-county range, from a low of 6.5/10 to a high of 8.3/10, is narrower than many upstate counterparts, signaling that risk is elevated consistently across most of Clinton County rather than isolated to a single urban core. The average rent of $1,007 per month and an average rent burden of 29.8% of income leave renters with thin financial cushions, which historically correlates with higher rates of payment default and contested proceedings.

The cities inside Clinton County

Plattsburgh anchors the county as both its largest city, with a population of 19,830, and its riskiest, scoring 8.3/10. A university town with a large renter base, it concentrates the conditions, high renter share, constrained incomes, and dense housing stock, that push eviction risk to the top of the county range. Rouses Point follows at 8.3/10, a small border community of 2,414 residents where a tight local economy amplifies baseline state-law risk. Champlain, Altona, Lyon Mountain, and Parc also score 8.8/10, confirming that the elevated baseline is not a Plattsburgh-only story.

The lower end of the spectrum offers some contrast. Cumberland Head, a suburban community of 1,535, scores 7.8/10, the lowest in the county, reflecting a somewhat more stable ownership-to-rental mix. Dannemora and Morrisonville both score 7.6/10. Even these softer scores remain well above the national average, however, and the margin between the county's best and worst markets is only 1.8 points, so no community in Clinton County can be treated as a low-risk operating environment.

State-level laws that apply here

Every property in Clinton County falls under New York state law, specifically N.Y. RPL § 226 et seq. and RPAPL § 711. Notice requirements vary by situation: nonpayment of rent triggers a 14-day notice under RPAPL § 711(2); a material lease violation requires only 10 days under RPAPL § 711(1). Holdover notices scale with tenancy length, 30 days for tenancies under one year, 60 days for one to two years, and 90 days for tenancies of two years or more, all under RPL § 226-c. New York eviction risk state law also requires just cause to evict, a rule that limits landlord discretion and makes proactive lease management essential.

Once a notice is served, timelines stretch considerably. An uncontested proceeding typically resolves in 30 to 90 days; a contested case can run 90 to 210 days. Court filing fees range from $45 to $210, sheriff lockout fees from $50 to $200, and attorney fees from $1,000 to $4,000. Landlords planning an acquisition here should review the full New York eviction process and model total proceeding costs before underwriting any deal. Rent control applicability varies by locality, so investors should also verify New York tenant protections at the municipal level, particularly for properties in Plattsburgh.

With an average poverty rate of 18.9% and a renter share of 45% across the county, the structural drivers of eviction risk are deeply embedded in Clinton County; the city-level grid above breaks down exactly where that pressure concentrates most.