In court-decided eviction outcomes for Icard, NC, tenants prevail in roughly 18.3% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
46d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Icard, NC until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 46 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.4–4.2k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Icard, NC costs landlords $1,403 to $4,236 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$842
23% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Icard, NC is $842 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 23% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
23.9%
of households
23.9% of occupied housing units in Icard, NC are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
20.9%
11.2% unemp.
20.9% of Icard, NC residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 11.2%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
GOP margin +41.2% (2024)
3.2
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
3.2
State political climate
North Carolina legislature & governorship
2.3
Economic stress
20.9% poverty · 11.2% unemp.
8.6
Supply constraint
$842 average · 23.9% renters
5.2
Rent Control risk
23.3% of income on rent
3.4
Eviction process difficulty
46 days filing → judgment
2.3
Tenant organizing strength
23.9% renters
6.1
Housing court bias
County bench composition
5.7
Geographic context
Risk heat across Icard and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Icard compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Burke County
High
#2of 9 cities
#2 of 9 cities in Burke County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in North Carolina
High
#171of 774 cities
#171 of 774 cities in North Carolina for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.8
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 2.8/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+0.6 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
46d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $842/mo. A contested eviction takes 46 days and costs $1,403–$4,236 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
23.9%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 2,153 residents, 23.9% rent. 23% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 20.9% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
3.2
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 3.2 and 3.2 (GOP margin +41.2% (2024)). State climate at 2.3, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
2.3
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 2.3/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2.3, housing court bias 5.7, rent-control risk 3.4. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-2.7 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
8.6
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the real risk.
Economic stress: 8.6. Supply constraint: 5.2. The numbers behind those: 20.9% poverty, 11.2% unemployment, 23% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Icard sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Icard · 46d · ~$2.8k all-in ($61/day) · score 2.8National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Icard, North Carolina, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.8/10 (LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Icard is a city of 2,153 residents where 23.9% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 23.3% of income on rent. At an average rent of $842/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Icard eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2.3/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Icard closes 46 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Icard's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 5.7/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Icard runs $1,403 to $4,236 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 46 days of typical timeline and $842/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 6.1/10 in Icard, and the city has limited rent control exposure (3.4/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In North Carolina, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Icard: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match North Carolina's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $4,236 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Icard
Trap · 3.4/10
Comparative benchmarking matters in markets like this. Icard's 5.1/10 is near the North Carolina state average. Rent-control-risk sub-score: 3.4/10. See the nearby cities grid below for direct A-vs-B comparison.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What's the fastest way to get a non-paying tenant out in Icard?
The fastest legal way is to immediately serve the 10-day "pay-or-quit" notice as soon as rent is overdue past its grace period. After that, file for summary ejectment without delay. Any procrastination on your part will extend the timeline. Sometimes, "cash for keys" can be faster than the legal process, but it requires the tenant's cooperation.
Q2
Can I just change the locks if a tenant stops paying?
Absolutely not. That's an illegal "self-help" eviction in North Carolina. You must follow the summary ejectment process through the courts. Changing locks, shutting off utilities, or removing property without a Writ of Possession will get you into serious legal trouble and could result in significant fines or damages owed to the tenant.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Icard?
For a straightforward non-payment eviction in Magistrate's Court, many landlords represent themselves. However, if the tenant contests the eviction, raises counterclaims, or if you're unsure about the process, hiring an attorney is highly recommended. The cost of a lawyer can often be less than the lost rent and potential mistakes from handling a complex case yourself.
Q4
What if my tenant claims they lost their job and can't pay?
While empathy is good, your primary responsibility is to protect your investment. North Carolina does not have statewide source-of-income protection. You must still follow the 10-day "pay-or-quit" notice for non-payment. You can offer a payment plan or "cash for keys" as alternatives, but do not waive your right to pursue eviction if they don't comply. Document any agreements in writing.
Q5
How long do I have to return a security deposit in Icard, NC?
You have 30 days from the date the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates to either return the full security deposit or provide an itemized statement of deductions. If you need more time to assess damages, you can send an interim accounting within 30 days and a final accounting within 60 days. Always comply with North Carolina's security deposit rules to avoid penalties.
A 2.8/10 places Icard in the 81st percentile of North Carolina cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Icard (2.8/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
