Paulding County, Ohio Eviction Risk: Very Low

Paulding County, Ohio scores 2.7/10 (Low) on eviction risk, placing it among the more landlord-stable counties in the state. With 81 of Ohio's 88 counties carrying higher risk scores, operators here benefit from a renter base that is small relative to the overall population, a low poverty rate, and a market where evictions are comparatively rare events rather than routine overhead. Across all 11 incorporated places in the county, scores range from 2.1 to 2.9, meaning even the highest-risk corners of Paulding County sit comfortably within the Low tier.

Average rent runs $1,142 per month, and renters spend an average of 23.5% of income on housing, well below the stress threshold most analysts flag. That affordability cushion tends to support on-time payment and lower turnover, both of which matter to buy-and-hold investors evaluating cash-flow stability in a rural Ohio market.

The cities inside Paulding County

The highest-risk address in the county is Latty, at 2.9/10, followed by Oakwood (population 9,458) and the county seat of Paulding (population 3,230), both scoring 2.8/10. Oakwood is by far the largest rental market in the county, so landlords concentrating holdings there should expect conditions more representative of the county's upper risk band, though a 2.8 still qualifies as Low by any statewide comparison.

On the opposite end, Melrose scores 2.1/10, the lowest in the county, while Payne and Grover Hill each come in at 2.3/10. Antwerp, at 2.5/10, sits in the middle of the range. The 0.8-point spread from Melrose to Latty is a reminder that eviction risk is hyper-local: two properties a few miles apart can face meaningfully different tenant-market dynamics, and underwriting should reflect the specific city score rather than the county average alone.

State-level laws that apply here

Ohio state law under ORC § 5321 (Landlords and Tenants) governs every lease in Paulding County. Nonpayment of rent and material lease violations both require a 3-day written notice to vacate before filing, while month-to-month holdovers require 30 days notice. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days; contested proceedings can run 45 to 120 days. Understanding the full Ohio eviction process before your first filing prevents costly procedural errors. Court filing fees run $160 to $250, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $175, and attorney fees range from $500 to $3,000 depending on case complexity, making Ohio eviction costs a line item worth budgeting even in a low-risk county.

Ohio does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and state law preempts local rent-control ordinances, so no municipality in Paulding County can impose a rent cap. Source-of-income is not a protected class under Ohio state law, though landlords should confirm there are no applicable local ordinances. Landlords must provide 24 hours notice before entry under ORC § 5321.04.

With a poverty rate of 8.3% and only 23.4% of residents renting, Paulding County's tenant pool is limited in size but relatively stable in profile; the city-by-city grid above breaks down where within the county that stability is strongest.