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Dobson, NC Eviction Risk Score Surry County · North Carolina · Pop. 1,652

Updated
● Moderate Risk

Dobson, NC sits at 4.8/10 — Moderate risk. 26.8% rent burden, 51.3% renters, ~46-day typical timeline.

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Score vs. benchmarks
Dobson
4.8
Surry County
4.5
North Carolina avg
5.1
National avg
4.4
22.6%Tenant-law probabilityi
$1,632–4,273Typical eviction costi
46 daysTypical timelinei
4.06%Filing ratei
$930HUD 2BR FMR '25i
$528Median renti
26.8%Rent burdeni
51.3%Rentersi

Location & regional heat

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Sub-score breakdown

Each component on a 1–10 scale. Ticks mark the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles nationally.

Local political climatei
3.2
Regional political climatei
3.2
State political climate
2.3
Economic stressi
7.4
Supply constrainti
5.5
Rent-control riski
3.8
Eviction process difficulty
2.0
Tenant organizing strengthi
9.6
Housing court bias
5.4
Eviction filing rate (ground truth)i
6.1
Voucher gap (market vs HUD FMR)i
0.0
Own rentals in or near Dobson?
Free consultation — local rent-control exposure, notice requirements, and eviction defense risk.

About eviction risk in Dobson, NC

Dobson, NC has an eviction risk score of 4.8 out of 10, placing it in the moderate-risk tier for landlords operating in Surry County and the state of North Carolina. The score combines local political climate, court disposition patterns, cost-of-eviction estimates, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation in the next legislative cycle.

Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates show median gross rent as a percentage of household income is 26.8% — a core driver of eviction filings, because households above 30% of income on rent are statistically more likely to miss a payment after any income shock. Median gross rent in Dobson is $528/month. About 51.3% of occupied units here are renter-occupied.

Economic stress: poverty rate 16.1%, unemployment 6.6%. Higher values correlate with higher eviction filing rates and longer court timelines.

Political climate: In 2020, Surry County voted Republican by 51.4 points — classified as strongly landlord-leaning for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.

What this score means for landlords

At 4.8/10, Dobson is a lower-risk environment. Standard screening, documented notices, and prompt action on non-payment typically resolve quickly. Still follow your state's specific notice and service requirements.

Nearby Cities — Eviction Risk Comparison

City Distance Population Risk score
White Plains, NC 5.5 mi 795 3.8
Toast, NC 8.7 mi 893 4.9
Mount Airy, NC 10 mi 10,633 5.1
Boonville, NC 11 mi 1,593 4.5
Flat Rock, NC 11.2 mi 3,530 4.1
Elkin, NC 11.3 mi 4,043 5.2
Lowgap, NC 12.3 mi 264 4.5
Jonesville, NC 12.5 mi 2,860 5.1

Landlord Guides & Research Tools

Deepen your research with these guides. The metrics powering this score feed directly into each breakdown.

Landlord Guides for North Carolina

Eviction Costs — North Carolina →
Filing fees, attorney fees, lost rent, sheriff lockout
Eviction Process — North Carolina →
Step-by-step timeline, notices, statute cites
Rent Control — North Carolina →
Statewide caps, local ordinances, just-cause
Tenant Screening — North Carolina →
5-point protocol, legal rules, protected classes
Tenant Protections — North Carolina →
Just cause, retaliation, habitability, entry