Eviction Risk Score
Very Low
#89
of 100 NC counties
3.4 / 10
#89 of 100 counties in North Carolina for landlord eviction risk.
County brief·Updated June 3, 2026
Madison County, North Carolina Eviction Risk: Low
3 incorporated cities and unincorporated areas. The county Eviction Risk Score is held aloft by the city of Mars Hill (3.5) and a small number of dense urban cores. Rent-control coverage varies by city.
In 2026
Risk score
3.4
LOW
Ranked #89 of 100 NC counties
5k residents · 3 cities · 7 tracts
1976–2026 · pop-weighted from cities
Madison County eviction risk score history
Min1.6
Average2.7
Now3.4
Key metrics
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Tenant beats landlord18.8%/ 100 outcomesIn court-decided eviction outcomes for Madison County, NC, tenants prevail in roughly 18.8% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses and longer calendars.
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Timeline43dfiling → judgmentFrom the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Madison County, NC until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 43 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent for landlords.
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Cost range$1.6–4.7klegal + lost rentA typical eviction in Madison County, NC costs landlords $1,616 to $4,721 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent.
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Average rent$91328% stretched on rentAverage gross rent in Madison County, NC is $913 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey. 28% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent.
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Renters39.1%of households39.1% of occupied housing units in Madison County, NC are renter-occupied. A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings and a more active rental market.
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Poverty9.0%3.6% unemp.9.0% of Madison County, NC residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 3.6%. Both feed the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
How Madison County ranks in North Carolina
Cost of living
Moderate
#31
of 51 states (statewide)
94.3 index
North Carolina ranks #31 of 51 states on overall cost of living (5.7% cheaper than the U.S. avg).
Housing services cost
Moderate
#30
of 51 states (statewide)
81.4 index
North Carolina ranks #30 of 51 states on housing services (18.6% cheaper than the U.S. avg).
Income spent on rent
Moderate
#53
of 100 NC counties
30.4% of income
#53 of 100 counties in North Carolina on % of income spent on rent.
Cities in Madison County
Sorted by Eviction Risk Score · highest first
| City↕ | Population↕ | Risk↕ | % income on rent↕ | Average rent↕ | Lean↕ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Mars Hill | 3,025 | 3.4 | 26.4% | $1,043 | Rep |
| 002 | Marshall | 961 | 3.5 | 31.3% | $733 | Rep |
| 003 | Hot Springs | 567 | 3.2 | 33.4% | $521 | Rep |
County heatmap
Local landlord context
One county, multiple regulatory regimes.
Madison County spans 3 cities serving approximately 4,553 residents. The average landlord eviction risk across the county is 3.4/10. The county voted Republican by 23.5 points in 2020.
Risk varies city-by-city. The table above shows exact scores, population, and average rent for every municipality. Click any city for the full sub-score breakdown, including local political climate, rent-control exposure, tenant organizing strength, and typical eviction cost and timeline.
Eviction filings in Madison County
In June 2023, 1 eviction filings were recorded in Madison County — 16.7% of the historical average (below average).1
- 1Jun 2023
- 16.7%of historical avg
- 1,853Renter households
- 11.4%Poverty rate
Last 24 months of filings
2021-07 — 2023-06
Historical eviction filings in Madison County
From 2000 to 2018, eviction filings in Madison County increased 40%. The peak was 80 filings in 2001.2
- 552000
- 80Peak (2001)
- 772018
Annual filings 2000–2018
Data unavailable after 2018 due to California sealed records law
Data covers 2000–2018. California courts sealed eviction records beginning in 2019 under AB 2819, ending statewide tracking.
Peer counties in North Carolina
Peer county
Ashe County eviction risk
3.4
/ 10 · Low
Pop. 3.5K
Peer county
Currituck County eviction risk
3.4
/ 10 · Low
Pop. 9.1K
Peer county
Swain County eviction risk
3.2
/ 10 · Low
Pop. 4.0K
Peer county
Alexander County eviction risk
3.5
/ 10 · Low
Pop. 8.0K
Where eviction risk concentrates in Madison County
Top cities by population
Frequently asked
Frequently asked questions about Madison County
Q1
What does the 3.4/10 county-average mean?
The 3.4/10 county-average is a population-weighted mean of 3 municipal landlord-risk scores. The internal range is 3.2 to 3.5.
Q2
What share of Madison County households rent?
About 39.1% of occupied units in Madison County are renter-occupied, per ACS 2023 5-year data.
Q3
How fast is eviction in Madison County?
Eviction timeline runs at the state level under North Carolina eviction laws statute. See the North Carolina eviction laws eviction-process guide for state-specific timelines.