Montgomery County, Ohio Eviction Risk: Low

Montgomery County carries an average eviction-risk score of 2.8/10 (Moderate) across its 20 cities, placing it at rank 12 of 88 Ohio counties, meaning only 11 counties statewide are riskier for landlords. With a total county population of 420,621, an average rent of $1,034, and a renter share of 39.5%, this is a working-class rental market that produces steady demand but also meaningful exposure to nonpayment events. The 28.7% average rent-burden figure tells a straightforward story: a substantial portion of tenants here are stretched thin, which translates directly to collection and turnover risk that investors in Ohio eviction laws need to price into underwriting.

The county average, however, conceals a meaningful spread. Individual city scores run from a low of 3.7 to a high of 5.5 on a 10-point scale, a range wide enough that two properties a few miles apart can operate in fundamentally different risk environments. That variance is what makes city-level diligence non-negotiable before committing capital anywhere in the county.

The cities inside Montgomery County

The riskiest corner of the county is Drexel, which tops out at 5.5/10, the highest single-city score in the county. Trotwood, a city of 23,041 residents, follows closely at 5.3/10, as does Fort McKinley at 5.3/10. West Carrollton registers 5.2/10 and Englewood 5/10. Landlords active in these communities face above-average eviction frequency and should budget accordingly for court costs and vacancy.

The picture shifts considerably toward the south and east. Centerville scores 4.2/10, the lowest among the major cities, while the county seat of Dayton, with 136,579 residents, and Kettering, with 57,206, both sit at 4.5/10, landing them in the lower half of the county risk range despite their size. Risk is genuinely hyper-local here: the 1.3-point gap between Centerville and Drexel is large enough to represent a fundamentally different business case for a buy-and-hold investor.

State-level laws that apply here

All landlords in Montgomery County operate under Ohio state law, primarily ORC § 5321 (Landlords and Tenants). The Ohio eviction process begins with notice periods set by statute: a 3-day notice applies to nonpayment of rent and to material lease violations under ORC § 1923.04, while month-to-month tenants require 30 days under ORC § 5321.17. A fixed-term lease that expires requires no additional notice before filing. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days; contested matters can run 45 to 120 days. Court filing fees range from $160 to $250, sheriff lockout fees add another $50 to $175, and attorney fees for litigation typically fall between $500 and $3,000, making Ohio eviction costs a meaningful line item for any serious portfolio model.

On the investor-friendly side, Ohio requires no just cause for nonrenewal, imposes no local rent-control ordinances (state law preempts them), and does not list source of income as a protected class under state fair-housing rules administered by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. Landlords must provide 24 hours advance notice before entry. For a fuller breakdown of tenant obligations and deposit rules, the Ohio security deposit limits and Ohio tenant protections guides cover the statewide framework in detail.

With a county-wide poverty rate of 16.5% and nearly 4 in 10 households renting, the risk profile here is real but far from uniform; the city grid above is the fastest way to compare the specific neighborhoods where you are considering acquiring or managing units.