Jefferson County, Ohio Eviction Risk: Low

Jefferson County scores 2.6/10 (Moderate) on average across its 23 cities, placing it in the higher-risk third of Ohio, with 28 counties scoring worse and 59 scoring better. For landlords evaluating whether to acquire or expand a rental portfolio here, that average tells only part of the story. The county's intra-county range, from 2.3 to 4.4, signals that individual markets inside Jefferson County behave very differently from one another, and picking the right submarket matters considerably.

Average rent runs $830 per month across the county, with renters making up 35.2% of occupied housing. A rent-burden rate of 29.4% suggests most renter households are keeping housing costs manageable relative to income, which generally supports stable tenancy, though a poverty rate of 19.2% means a meaningful share of tenants are financially vulnerable. At the state level, Ohio eviction laws sits in a middle tier on landlord-friendliness, and Jefferson County's score reflects that positioning.

The cities inside Jefferson County

The highest-risk city is Steubenville, scoring 4.4/10 with a population of 18,124, making it by far the county's largest market and its most challenging for landlords. Mingo Junction (population 3,254) follows at 4.2/10, and Toronto (population 5,293) and Yorkville (population 908) each score 4.1/10. These four cities should be underwritten more conservatively, particularly given Steubenville's size and its outsized weight on any portfolio concentrated in Jefferson County.

On the lower end of county risk, Brilliant scores 3.3/10 and Tiltonsville scores 3.5/10, offering measurably better conditions. Dillonvale (population 3,514) comes in at 3.6/10 and Wintersville (population 3,677) at 3.9/10. The spread across these cities confirms that eviction risk is genuinely hyper-local: two properties one town apart can sit on opposite ends of the county's risk range.

State-level laws that apply here

Ohio eviction laws state law under ORC § 5321 governs all landlord-tenant relationships in Jefferson County. For nonpayment of rent or a material lease violation, Ohio eviction laws landlords must serve a 3-day notice before filing. Month-to-month holdovers require 30 days notice, while fixed-term leases that expire require no additional notice to terminate. Understanding the Ohio eviction laws eviction process matters here because uncontested cases can resolve in 21 to 45 days, while contested proceedings stretch from 45 to 120 days, a wide window that directly affects carrying costs.

Filing fees run $160 to $250, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $175, and attorney fees range from $500 to $3,000, making Ohio eviction costs a real underwriting factor for single-unit operators in a market where average rents sit at $830. Ohio eviction laws does not require just cause for eviction and the state preempts any local rent-control ordinance, meaning no Jefferson County municipality can impose rent caps independently. Landlords must provide 24 hours notice before entering a unit under ORC § 5321.04.

With a poverty rate of 19.2% and renters comprising 35.2% of occupied households, Jefferson County carries real tenant-side financial pressure concentrated in its larger markets. The city-level grid above breaks down individual scores for all 23 cities so investors can compare submarkets directly before committing capital.