Jefferson County, Oregon Eviction Risk: Elevated

Jefferson County carries an average eviction-risk score of 6.6/10, placing it in the High risk tier and at rank 12 of 36 Oregon counties, meaning only 11 counties statewide are riskier for landlords. With just under 19,400 residents spread across 7 incorporated communities, this is a small, rural market where compressed household incomes, a 31.1% renter share, and an average rent burden of 31.6% of household income all contribute to an environment that consistently tests collection and retention timelines. Average asking rent sits at $1,227 per month, modest by Oregon standards but still high relative to local wages given that 14% of residents live below the poverty line.

Scores across the county are tightly clustered, running from 6.9 at the low end to 7.3 at the high end, so there is no city in Jefferson County that a landlord would confidently describe as low-risk. The entire county falls in the higher-risk third of the state, and investors should price that reality into vacancy assumptions, underwriting margins, and tenant-screening budgets before acquiring here.

The cities inside Jefferson County

Madras, the county seat and largest community at 7,676 residents, posts the highest risk score in the county at 7.3/10. It is the economic and commercial hub, which means concentrated rental inventory and the highest absolute exposure. Warm Springs, with a population of 2,480, scores 6.6/10, essentially matching the countywide average, and Crooked River Ranch, home to 5,160 people, comes in at 7.1/10. These three communities alone account for the large majority of the county's rental stock, and their scores leave little cushion.

The lower end of the spectrum belongs to Culver and Camp Sherman, both at 6.9/10, and Metolius and Ochoco West, each at 7.0/10. None of these communities reach a moderate-risk rating, and their smaller populations mean thinner rental markets with fewer comparable properties to benchmark rent against. Risk in Jefferson County is hyper-local: a few blocks or a change in zip code can shift exposure meaningfully, even when the county-wide band is narrow.

State-level laws that apply here

Oregon state law under ORS § 90 (Residential Landlord and Tenant) governs every tenancy in Jefferson County. For nonpayment of rent, landlords must serve a 14-day notice before filing; a material non-curable lease violation triggers a 3-day notice. No-cause terminations are permitted only during the first year of tenancy and require 30 days notice; after one year, landlord-based no-fault terminations require 90 days. Oregon requires just cause to end most tenancies beyond year one, and rent increases are capped at 7% plus CPI, with a maximum of 10%, making rent escalation planning a precise exercise rather than a discretionary one. Understanding the full Oregon eviction process is essential before serving any notice, because procedural missteps reset timelines.

Cost and time estimates for contested matters are significant. Court filing fees run $165 to $275, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $175, and attorney fees for a contested matter typically range from $750 to $3,500. Uncontested cases resolve in roughly 30 to 60 days; a contested case can stretch 60 to 150 days. Landlords operating in this county should also review Oregon eviction costs and Oregon tenant protections in detail, since the state does not preempt local rent-control ordinances and source-of-income is a protected class under the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Civil Rights Division.

With a poverty rate of 14% and just under a third of residents renting, the financial stress underlying Jefferson County's 6.6/10 score runs through every city in the grid above, from Madras down to Camp Sherman.