Pawnee County, Oklahoma Eviction Risk: Very Low

Pawnee County, Oklahoma scores 2.1/10 on eviction risk, placing it in the Low tier across all 13 incorporated places in the county. Among Oklahoma's 77 counties, it ranks 49th, meaning 48 counties carry higher eviction risk and only 28 are more landlord-friendly, putting Pawnee County squarely in the middle third of the state. For landlords and investors, a 2.1 average signals a relatively stable rental environment, though the county's 19.8% poverty rate and an average rent of $807 per month are worth keeping in mind when underwriting vacancy and collections risk.

Rent burden averages 27.7% of income, and renters make up roughly 29.3% of households across the county, a comparatively thin renter pool for a market of this size. The county's total tracked population is 6,966, spread thinly enough that individual city dynamics matter far more than county averages when evaluating a specific acquisition.

The cities inside Pawnee County

Risk is genuinely hyper-local here. Cleveland, the county's largest city at 3,225 residents, posts the highest score in the county at 2.4/10, making it the location where landlords should underwrite most carefully. Jennings follows at 2.3/10, and the county seat of Pawnee, with 1,886 residents, comes in at 2.0/10. These three cities account for the bulk of the county's rental housing stock and represent the upper end of local eviction risk.

At the other end of the spectrum, Terlton records the county's lowest score at 1.5/10, while Westport, Hallett, and Osage all land at 1.6/10. Ralston scores 1.8/10. The spread from 1.5 to 2.4 across 13 cities means the difference between the county's safest and riskiest markets is nearly a full point, enough to materially change a rental portfolio's collections assumptions. Investors targeting lower-risk positions within the county should look past the averages and evaluate individual cities directly.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord operating in Pawnee County works under Oklahoma state law, specifically the Oklahoma Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (41 O.S. § 101 et seq.). For non-payment of rent, the required notice period is 5 days. Lease violations that can be cured require a 10-day notice, and no-cause or end-of-term terminations require 30 days. Oklahoma eviction process timelines run 21 to 45 days for uncontested cases and 45 to 100 days when a tenant contests the action. Court filing fees range from $75 to $175, sheriff lockout fees add another $40 to $125, and attorney fees, if retained, typically run $500 to $2,500. Understanding the full scope of Oklahoma eviction costs is important for any landlord budgeting a worst-case collections scenario.

Oklahoma does not require just cause for non-renewal and has no rent control, with state law preempting any local ordinance that might attempt to impose it. Source of income is not a protected class under state statute. These landlord-favorable provisions are a meaningful counterweight to the county's poverty rate and help keep operating conditions manageable for professional rental operators in Pawnee County.

With an average poverty rate of 19.8% and renters representing 29.3% of households, the risk picture varies considerably by neighborhood, so reviewing the individual city scores in the grid above is the most reliable way to benchmark a specific address in Pawnee County.