Guernsey County, Ohio Eviction Risk: Very Low

Guernsey County, Ohio eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 3.5/10, placing it in the Low risk tier and ranking it 66th of 88 Ohio counties, meaning 65 counties in the state present higher risk for landlords. That standing puts Guernsey in the lower-risk third of Ohio eviction laws, making it a comparatively stable environment to own and operate rental property. Across the county's 12 tracked cities, scores run from 2.1 to 3.7, a spread that signals meaningfully different operating conditions depending on which market you enter.

The county's average rent sits at $844 per month, and renters make up 45.1% of households, a substantial renter share for a rural county of this size. Rent burden averages 27.6% of income, and the poverty rate is 26.6%, two figures that together explain why landlords still need to screen tenants carefully even in a lower-risk county. Conditions are manageable, but they are not without pressure points.

The cities inside Guernsey County

The highest-risk market in the county is Cambridge, the county seat and by far its largest community at 10,060 residents, carrying a score of 3.7/10. Byesville follows at 3.6/10 with a population of 2,239. These two cities account for the bulk of the county's rental volume, and their scores near the top of the county range reflect the concentration of lower-income renters and economic stress that naturally accompanies the largest population centers. Kimbolton comes in third at 3.1/10.

At the other end of the spectrum, Quaker City holds the county's lowest score at 2.1/10, followed by Buffalo and Lore City, both at 2.6/10. Risk is hyper-local here: the 1.6-point gap between Quaker City and Cambridge is wide enough to represent a genuinely different investment calculus. Landlords evaluating Guernsey County should treat each city as its own underwriting decision rather than relying on the county average alone.

State-level laws that apply here

Under Ohio eviction laws state law, the Ohio eviction laws eviction process begins with a notice period that varies by cause. Nonpayment of rent and material lease violations each require a 3-day notice under ORC § 1923.04. Month-to-month tenancies require a 30-day notice under ORC § 5321.17, while a fixed-term lease that simply expires requires no additional notice at all under ORC § 1923.02. Once filed, an uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested case can stretch to 45 to 120 days.

Ohio eviction laws does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and state law preempts any local attempt to impose rent control, so landlords in Guernsey County face no additional local restrictions on rent increases or lease non-renewals. Ohio eviction costs start with a court filing fee of $160 to $250 and a sheriff lockout fee of $50 to $175. Attorney fees, when retained, range from $500 to $3,000. Landlords who want a clear picture of ongoing exposure should also review Ohio security deposit limits and Ohio tenant protections, both governed primarily by ORC § 5321.

With a poverty rate of 26.6% and renters comprising 45.1% of households, Guernsey County rewards careful city-level analysis; the city grid above breaks down each community's individual score so you can target the markets that fit your risk tolerance.