Marion County, Oregon Eviction Risk: High

Marion County carries an average eviction-risk score of 7/10, placing it in the High tier and ranking it 2nd riskiest of Oregon's 36 counties -- only one county in the state scores higher. For landlords and investors, that number means operating against a backdrop of strong tenant protections, a meaningful rent burden, and an active court docket. Across the county's 24 cities, scores range from 5.3 to 8.1, so conditions are far from uniform, and the wrong ZIP code can push an otherwise routine tenancy into a drawn-out, expensive dispute.

With 40.2% of households renting and an average rent of $1,423, the county has a substantial renter base, but rent burden sits at 31.7% of income on average -- a level that keeps delinquency risk elevated regardless of the broader economy. Investors underwriting deals here should price in Oregon's protective legal framework from the start rather than treating it as an edge case.

The cities inside Marion County

The city of Marion itself tops the county at 8.1/10, the highest score in the county and the ceiling of the local range. Salem, the county seat with a population of 178,865, scores 7.9/10, as do Keizer (39,082 residents), Hayesville (21,246), and Mehama. Four Corners, Jefferson, and Turner each land at 7.7/10. These clustered high scores across the county's largest population centers mean that the bulk of available rental inventory sits firmly in high-risk territory.

Lower-risk pockets do exist. Silverton scores 6.7/10, Stayton 7.3/10, and Woodburn 7.4/10 -- all meaningfully below the county average. Investors who want Marion County exposure with lower operational friction should evaluate those markets first. Risk is genuinely hyper-local here: a 2.8-point spread separates the easiest and hardest cities to operate in, which is a wide gap for a single county.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Marion County operates under ORS § 90 (Residential Landlord and Tenant), Oregon's comprehensive residential landlord-tenant code. For nonpayment of rent, the required notice period is 14 days (ORS 90.394). Material non-curable violations require only a 3-day notice (ORS 90.396). No-cause terminations are restricted: during the first year of tenancy, a landlord may issue a 30-day notice (ORS 90.427), but after one year, a landlord-based no-fault termination requires a 90-day notice under the same statute. Just cause is required for termination after the first year, and rent increases are capped at 7% plus CPI, with a 10% maximum. Source of income is a protected class under Oregon law, administered by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Civil Rights Division. The Oregon eviction process runs 30 to 60 days for uncontested cases and 60 to 150 days when contested. Court filing fees range from $165 to $275, sheriff lockout fees from $50 to $175, and attorney fees from $750 to $3,500. A review of Oregon eviction costs makes clear why contested cases are so consequential financially. Landlords unfamiliar with Oregon tenant protections should study them carefully before placing a tenant -- the retaliation statute (ORS § 90.385) and habitability requirements (ORS § 90.320) carry real exposure.

With a poverty rate of 13.8% and renters making up 40.2% of households, the financial pressure on Marion County tenants is real -- review the city-by-city grid above to identify which of the county's 24 cities carries the risk profile that fits your investment criteria.