Madison County, Ohio Eviction Risk: Very Low

Madison County, Ohio eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 3.5/10 (Low) across its 7 incorporated cities, placing it at rank 67 of 88 Ohio counties, where rank 1 is the highest-risk market. That position means 66 counties statewide are riskier for landlords, and only 21 are less risky, putting Madison County comfortably in the lower-risk third of Ohio. For investors evaluating central Ohio markets, the county's average rent of $945 per month, a rent-burden rate of 27.9%, and a renter share of 27.3% describe a modest but stable rental base where tenant financial stress sits below the statewide stress tier that tends to drive eviction filings.

That county-wide average, however, conceals real variation. Scores span 2.4 to 3.9 across the seven cities, a 1.5-point spread that matters when choosing where to acquire. An investor landing in London faces materially different operating conditions than one in Choctaw Lake, even though both addresses carry a Madison County mailing. The individual city numbers, not the county average, should anchor underwriting.

The cities inside Madison County

London is the county seat and by far the largest city, with a population of 10,484 and the highest risk score in the county at 3.9/10. At roughly 45% of the county's total tracked population, London shapes the county average more than any other place, and landlords concentrating holdings there should model for the higher end of local eviction frequency. West Jefferson (3.6/10, pop. 4,392) and Plumwood (3.6/10) share the second-highest score, though Plumwood's population of 346 makes it a limited market. Mount Sterling scores 3.3/10 and Midway 3.1/10, both in the county's middle tier.

The lowest-risk locations are Plain City at 2.7/10 (pop. 3,829) and Choctaw Lake at 2.4/10 (pop. 1,985). Choctaw Lake's score is the lowest in the county by a notable margin, suggesting conditions there are among the most landlord-favorable in this part of Ohio. Investors targeting low-friction portfolios will find the southwest corner of the county more forgiving than the county seat.

State-level laws that apply here

Every Madison County tenancy is governed by Ohio state law, primarily ORC § 5321 (Landlords and Tenants). For nonpayment of rent or a material lease violation, Ohio requires only a 3-day notice to vacate before a landlord can file (ORC § 1923.04), one of the shorter notice windows in the Midwest. Month-to-month holdover tenancies require a 30-day notice (ORC § 5321.17), and end-of-fixed-term leases require no additional notice at all (ORC § 1923.02). Understanding the full Ohio eviction process, from notice through court hearing to sheriff lockout, matters here because even an uncontested case typically runs 21 to 45 days, while a contested proceeding can extend to 45 to 120 days.

On costs, Ohio eviction costs break down into a court filing fee of $160 to $250, a sheriff lockout fee of $50 to $175, and attorney fees of $500 to $3,000 depending on complexity. Ohio has no rent control and no just-cause eviction requirement, and state law preempts any local municipality from enacting rent caps, giving landlords in Madison County clear statewide rules without patchwork local overlays. Ohio security deposit limits are set at the state level as well, so landlords can operate consistently across every city in the county without navigating conflicting local ordinances.

With a poverty rate of 10.4% and roughly 27.3% of residents renting, Madison County's rental market is smaller and less financially stressed than most Ohio eviction laws metros; see the city grid above to compare scores across all 7 cities before selecting a submarket.