Clackamas County, Oregon Eviction Risk: High

Clackamas County scores 7/10, placing it in the High risk tier and ranking it 11th of 36 Oregon counties, meaning only 10 counties statewide carry greater risk for landlords. Across the county's 303,686 residents, renters make up roughly 29.9% of households and pay an average of $1,847 per month, with an average rent burden of 32.6% of income. For investors evaluating this Portland eviction risk-adjacent market, the headline score reflects a combination of tenant-protective state law, moderate eviction costs, and uneven local conditions that vary sharply from one community to the next.

The intra-county spread, from a low of 6.2 to a high of 8/10, tells the real story. Clackamas County is not a monolithic risk environment; it contains some of Oregon eviction laws's more landlord-accessible suburbs alongside communities that rank among the toughest in the state. That range demands city-by-city due diligence rather than a county-wide assumption about operating conditions.

The cities inside Clackamas County

At the high-risk end, Jennings Lodge tops the county at 8/10, followed by Estacada at 7.8/10 and Damascus and Idanha each at 7.7/10. Oak Grove, which has a population of roughly 16,796, scores 7.6/10, as does Mount Hood Villages. Oregon City, the county's second-largest city at about 37,755 residents, scores 7.5/10, putting it solidly in the high-risk tier despite being a well-established urban center.

Landlords looking for lower-risk footholds within the county should look at Lake Oswego (population 40,381, score 6.7/10) and West Linn (population 26,935, score 6.7/10), which sit at the more manageable end of the county's range. Canby scores 6.9/10, offering a middle-ground option. The contrast between a city like Jennings Lodge and one like Lake Oswego eviction risk is more than a full point on the risk scale, a meaningful gap that translates to real differences in eviction frequency, tenant profile, and statutory exposure.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord operating in Clackamas County operates under Oregon eviction laws state law, specifically ORS Section 90 (Residential Landlord and Tenant). Oregon eviction laws requires just cause for termination after a tenant's first year of tenancy, with no-cause termination available only in the first 30 days. Nonpayment of rent triggers a 14-day notice requirement under ORS 90.394. A no-fault, landlord-based exit after the first year requires a full 90-day notice. Rent increases are capped at 7% plus CPI, with a maximum of 10% annually. For a full walkthrough of notice timelines and procedural steps, see the Oregon eviction laws eviction process guide.

On the cost side, filing fees run $165 to $275, sheriff lockout fees add another $50 to $175, and attorney fees for a contested case can reach $750 to $3,500. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 30 to 60 days; contested cases can stretch 60 to 150 days. Oregon eviction costs can therefore exceed $3,900 all-in for a contested matter before accounting for lost rent during the timeline. Oregon eviction laws does not preempt local rent control, and source of income is a protected class under state fair housing law enforced by the Oregon eviction laws Bureau of Labor and Industries, Civil Rights Division. Landlords should factor both the statute and these cost ranges into their underwriting before acquiring rental assets in any Clackamas County market.

With a county-wide poverty rate of 7.1% and renters representing about 29.9% of households, Clackamas County's aggregate figures mask the city-level variation that matters most to operators; use the city grid above to compare individual community scores before making acquisition or management decisions.