Mayes County, Oklahoma Eviction Risk: Low

Mayes County, Oklahoma scores 3/10 (Low) on average across its 24 cities, placing it among the higher-risk third of Oklahoma's 77 counties. The county's state rank of 9 of 77 means only 8 Oklahoma counties carry more eviction risk, so while the Low label sounds reassuring, landlords and investors should read it in context: this is not a uniformly easy-to-operate market. Average rent sits at $846, and a rent burden of 26.9% means the typical renter household is stretching its budget, a pressure that raises the probability of payment shortfalls when income disruptions hit.

The intra-county range, from a low of 1.9 to a high of 3.2, tells a sharper story than the county average alone. A spread of that width across a county with a total population of roughly 19,658 residents means that choosing the wrong sub-market adds measurable friction to operations, even though the aggregate number reads Low. Investors coming from higher-cost Oklahoma metro areas may find rents modest but stable; those used to working rural Oklahoma markets will recognize the dynamic.

The cities inside Mayes County

The highest-risk locations in the county are Pryor Creek, Salina, and Sportsmen Acres, each scoring 3.2/10. Pryor Creek is the county seat and by far the largest city, with a population of 9,569, so its elevated score carries real weight for any landlord building a portfolio here. Salina (population 1,148) and Locust Grove (population 1,453, score 3.1/10) round out the higher-risk tier. Spavinaw also comes in at 3.1, while Chouteau and Adair each score 2.9.

The lowest-risk city tracked in the county is Wickliffe, scoring 2.1/10, with a population of 745. That gap between 2.1 and 3.2 is meaningful at this risk tier. Risk is hyper-local inside Mayes County, and a landlord operating in Wickliffe faces a materially different environment than one operating in Pryor Creek, even though both sit under the same county umbrella and the same state statutes.

State-level laws that apply here

All rental activity in Mayes County is governed by 41 O.S. § 101 et seq. (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For non-payment of rent, the required notice period is 5 days; lease violations requiring cure carry a 10-day notice; and no-cause terminations at end of term require 30 days. Oklahoma does not require just cause for eviction, and the state preempts local rent control, so no city inside Mayes County can impose caps that exceed state law. Landlords evaluating the full Oklahoma eviction process should note that uncontested cases resolve in 21 to 45 days, while contested matters run 45 to 100 days.

Understanding Oklahoma eviction costs is essential to underwriting any deal in the county. Court filing fees run $75 to $175, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $125, and attorney fees typically range from $500 to $2,500, depending on complexity and whether the tenant contests. Those ranges compound quickly in a contested case, so effective tenant screening and lease documentation are the most cost-effective risk controls available to landlords operating here.

With a poverty rate of 21.1% and a renter share of 38.1% across the county, the tenant pool carries meaningful financial stress, making city-level scores the most actionable data point for site selection. Review the city grid above to compare individual market risk before committing capital.